Matthew Durkin wrote:

Looking on screwfix I noticed a 'Kinzo' brand angle grinder that takes the

Their reputation precedes them... (google back in this group). Probably
best to avoid them (Screwfix did resort to giving them away free with
discs for a while just to stem the rate of returns!)

larger 9" blades for only ｣19.99. Has anyone bought / used one of these? Are
they any good? Amazingly they do a 4ｽ" blade for ｣6.99!!
I know for the job I'm doing the smaller blades would be fine, but I may
need something bigger down the line.

For slabs a 9" is usually better - you can use a smaller one to do a
partial cut and then snap the slab, but the 9" is more the tool for the
job unless you are talking very thin slabs (i.e. under 20mm)

I know that cheap probably means it'll burn out on my third stone, but if
anyone has one and knows different I'd be keen to know.

The thing that tends to kill the cheaper ones when cutting things that
kick out abrasive dust like slabs, is the dust getting into the bearings
or the switch gear.

If they are crap - which is a good value one? There's a ferm 4ｽ at ~｣16 and
a 2200W 9" 'GENERAL' brand one at ｣40.

You could try the ferm - some of their tools are OK. Try to keep dust
out of the switch though. As with all of the budget tools the quality
seems to be a bit more variable. Some will get a good one that goes on
for years, others will last five mins.

Make sure you get a diamond blade. It does not need to be an expensive
one (see toolstation.com for cheap diamond blades) to be 1000 times
better to use than an ordinary abrasive disc. It will cut faster and
more smoothly, make less dust, and last longer than loads of ordinary
discs (A single cut through one big slab will consume an ordinary disc
or two!)

I also saw that there's a black and decker one for about ｣30 in Homesbase
(4ｽ") that has a more powerful motor than most on Screwfix.

To be honest the price of a top end angle grinder is not that much more
than a cheapie. Often you can pick up a Makita, Bosch (blue) etc
including a diamond blade on special offer that won't work out that much
more than the cheapie plus the cost of the disc.

OK - so I'm confused. Is a known brand lower power one going to last longer
(and be better to use) than a never heard of brand but more powerful
machine.

Ignore the power - to an extent they all ought to be good enough for the
size of disc they are designed for. Power values can be misleading
anyway, since they tell you how much power goes in, not how much comes
out as useful mechanical energy and what comes out as heat and vibration.

I'm keen to avoid a repeat of the homebase excel jigsaw and router palava
(just don't buy HB excel!!)

http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=076030

has a 9" Makita with diamond disc for 85.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...3&r=2115&g=115

Have the Hitachi I use (I found it in a local shop for about 75 quid inc
disc IIRC)



--
Cheers,

John.

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