How use an angle grinder in woodworking?

[Jerry Olexa]

For years I have resisted the urge to buy an angle grinder..My thought was that it wouldn't be of much use in woodworking. More of a tool useful if working metal. Maybe I am wrong and now reconsidering its usefulness.
Other than metal use, how do you guys use in your shops? I know you can change the discs to suit your purpose...Any tips for this uninformed WWer??

[Prashun Patel]

Google kutzall disc.


An angle grinder with a carbide spiked wheel will open your world to sculpting and blended joinery.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I use mine for sanding on my lathe. I've made adaptors so that I can use 2" and 3" mandrels and disks.

[Martin Wasner]

With a death wheel, they're awesome for coping crown.

I use one for cleaning glue off the clamp rack every couple of years.

[Matt Day]

I have two, mainly used for restoration projects. But put a wire cup wheel on and slap on a scotch rite pad cut to size and it'll clean up cast iron tops like nobody's business.

I'd like to get a wheel like Prashun suggests for blending joinery too.

[Bradley Gray]

I mostly use mine with a curved carbide cutter Kinda scary to use but super aggressive, controlled cutting. Deserving of a death grip for sure.

Good for carving chair seats. Like Martin said, good for coping crown - I did some 8" in a bar a few years back.

I carry the thing in my install kit for coping built ins and other unanticipated trimming.

[John K Jordan]

For years I have resisted the urge to buy an angle grinder..My thought was that it wouldn't be of much use in woodworking. More of a tool useful if working metal. Maybe I am wrong and now reconsidering its usefulness. Other than metal use, how do you guys use in your shops? I know you can change the discs to suit your purpose...Any tips for this uninformed WWer??

Do you carve wood? For my use I prefer a smaller angle grinder, the Proxxon: https://proxxon-us-shop.com/products/longneck-angle-grinder-lhw-e?gclid=CPblyoL_htMCFUk7gQoda9QMPw

It is just like the angle grinders but has a longer neck and much smaller wheel for better detail. I do use carbide burrs, but I recently got a new wheel with several carbide teeth that cuts far better and I think is more controllable.

Note there is wheel for angle grinders that has chainsaw teeth on it - great for carving big things like totem poles such, after initial shaping with a chain saw. However, these can be quite aggressive and "grabby" if you are not careful.

I personally don't find any use for my 4-1/2" angle grinders in the wood shop; I use them only for metal working, cutting, grinding, sanding, smoothing, and wire brushing with wheel and cups. (and occasionally with concrete) Nothing can match their utility with steel. I keep four or five with different attachments ready so I don't have to change. One is cordless so I can carry it out on the farm to cut a piece of metal or knock of some rust. One problem with using the same tool for metal and wood is metal working is extremely dirty - I don't mix them. And for me, the size of the angle grinders is too big for what I do and the power is more than I would need.

BTW, I know someone who buys these from Harbor Freight and while experiences vary widely, his didn't last long. He didn't care since they were so cheap. I have a different philosophy about tools in general and only buy the best I can afford. A couple of these have had heavy use for maybe 25 years.

JKJ

[Thomas Canfield]

I build some handicap ramps out of treated 2x lumber and the angle grinder with abrasive disk makes quick work of rounding off corners and blending the joints. Also good for some rough shaping of turnings. And then, the occasional need to use the disks for metal work. You may need 2 - just joking. I did end up with a free one with a recip saw and it is the one that gets the most use.

[Steve Kohn]

I do volunteer work on other people's houses, sometimes it includes putting in ramps. The angle grinder comes in handy to knock off burrs, flatten out joints, and the like. Using the same 36 grit flap wheel I have been using the 4 1/2 inch grinder to make the cope shapes on molding. I was really surprised on how accurate it can be.

[Jerry Olexa]

I'm learning as I read....Sounds like most of you have many uses for it....And the investment is reasonable.
Any favorite brands or models? Or favorite discs?

[Bill Dufour]

I bought the Horrible Fright knockoff of the "Lancelot" blade with a loop of chainsaw chain sandwiched between two disks. Now I would use my vibrating saw tool AKA Fein. Or an electric chainsaw
Anyone here ever used the chainsaw powered planer/jointer tool. I bought one at a yard sale and sold it because it looked too scary. Maybe it was just for bark removal?
Bill

[Keith Westfall]

I got a 4" wheel for mine with a chain saw chain on it. It does chew the wood, but one has to be careful... Great for sculpting edges and blending stuff in.

[Jim Andrew]

I have used my angle grinder to make 6" flanges to replace the 4" ones on my machines. Use the 4" cutting wheels from Harbor Freight to cut the straight pieces for the flange. Jigsaw to cut the circles. Just be sure if you use a wire wheel on your grinder to wear goggles. Had a friend who got a piece of wire off his wire wheel in his eye, went straight in to the center of his retna. Had 2 operations and still could barely see out of it.

[Ray Selinger]

If you put a rubber sanding backing plate and a 36 grit sanding disc, it's less scary than the chain saw disc and almost as effective. While you are at the tool store get some Zip-cut discs.

[Prashun Patel]

Jerry, I don't use mine all the time. I use it for carving. Not every project uses that. If you make chairs it's good for hollowing a seat.

A flap wheel is ok for softer woods. For hard woods, the carbide grinding wheel is better.

Personally I would wait until the project requires it before getting one.


Now if you work with metal or want to do some basic metal cutting every now and then, an angle grinder is a must have imho.

[Jerry Olexa]

On another site, I read a 2 pg. thread on angle grinders...It was stressed very dramatically and often that they are VERY DANGEROUS....Gave several examples...they stressed that the discs can shatter and fly though the air anywhere.....Is this overstated or should I be extremely cautious?

[Bradley Gray]

Not overstated. use gloves, face shield and take a lot of breaks.

Picture running a router without the base.

[John C Bush]

I use a 4 1/2" grinder with the sanding disks and wire cups to polish the cambian layer off natural edge slabs. Very quick!! Wear a face shield--I have had wires "dissassociate" from the wheel and penetrate the double layer of my Carhart pants. I have the Lancelot chain saw disk as well. Effective but can be grabby and dangerous. I think they are too fast for much WWing but can be helpful at times. I have several for metal work so I don't have to change disks as often. HF is OK for my needs. I remove the arbor backing plate, pack with extra grease --they have lasted well for the price. Paddle style switches are easier to use.

[Larry Edgerton]

A word of caution if you are using a Lancelot or similar chain saw carver. KEEP BOTH HANDLES ON THE GRINDER! and then keep both you hands on them. No loose clothing! Get rid of the trigger lock!

I lent mine to an old friend mine and he took the side handle off. It got away from him, got him on his arm, he dropped it and it hit the ground still running and climbed up his leg to his crotch cutting all the way. He never really recovered from it as he was older and died about six months later from complications.

I'm just saying, its a dangerous tool, Have the utmost respect.

[Jim Becker]

Aside from the obvious uses...equipping it with an ArborTek head turns it into a wood sculpturing tool similar to/complimentary to a small chain saw for "carving".

[Joe Bradshaw]

Jerry, like all tools, the angle grinders have their place. Between my girlfriend and me, I think that we must have at least a dozen angle grinders. We use them for carving chair and stool seats, plus sometimes the legs,depending on the design. We keep different attachments on them. We use the Arbortech random orbit attachment for sanding on the lathe.
Joe

[Ole Anderson]

A word of caution if you are using a Lancelot or similar chain saw carver. KEEP BOTH HANDLES ON THE GRINDER! and then keep both you hands on them. No loose clothing! Get rid of the trigger lock!

I lent mine to an old friend mine and he took the side handle off. It got away from him, got him on his arm, he dropped it and it hit the ground still running and climbed up his leg to his crotch cutting all the way. He never really recovered from it as he was older and died about six months later from complications.

I'm just saying, its a dangerous tool, Have the utmost respect.

THAT got my attention, let me tell you. OMG. Sorry for the loss of your friend, that must have been a tough one.