Cheap 12V angle grinder

[Buck Turgidson]

I have the tiny one in post 8, bought specifically for the boat.
It is better than a hacksaw when working on chain, but the battery does not last long......my battery was flat after cutting through a 1 inch link.
I even dunked it slightly once. Very simple to take apart, clean the corrosion from the motor, clean the brushes and it still works,
The battery case can also be taken apart and new or better batteries installed.

I'm very surprised at the battery! For comparison I cut my 8mm chain with two 15 second max cuts. Battery didn't notice. I guess it's more to do with the disc than the grinder but mine is brushless and I thought the Lidle was too. That will certainly explain the price difference.

 

[ltcom]

I'm very surprised at the battery! For comparison I cut my 8mm chain with two 15 second max cuts. Battery didn't notice. I guess it's more to do with the disc than the grinder but mine is brushless and I thought the Lidle was too. That will certainly explain the price difference.

I don't think I bought a duffer either. The discs were the metal cutting ones that were sitting next to it on the shelf. Bought a few packs. IIRC there are 3 AA sized batteries {but 3.7volts each, so Lithium things}. Note the video in post 8. The red light is on {showing low battery} and he is only cutting a bit of re-bar. I can charge it on the boat though. Or put better quality batteries in. A lot quicker than a hacksaw though. Fits in the hand nicely too.

 

[Adios]

I think i'd feel something was wrong having nowhere for my second hand to stop it kicking back but maybe they don't have that much kick. Being a 75mm disc the whole thing must be a different level to a 115mm one so shouldn't compare but the idea the battery doesn't last as well as having no kick made me suspicious. So I searched google just in case parkside angle grinder rubbish - Google Search sure enough opinions are divided in as much as this could be the only thread on the interwebs that no one said it was junk. Ah well.

 

[rogerthebodger]

here ya go:

Ryobi RC18118C 18V ONE+ in-Car Battery Charger, 18 V, Hyper Green: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Thanks for that but it seems I have a different type of ryobi 18V battery

18V LI-ION 3000mAh BATTERY PACK XB-3000 – RYOBI Africa

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I think i'd feel something was wrong having nowhere for my second hand to stop it kicking back but maybe they don't have that much kick. Being a 75mm disc the whole thing must be a different level to a 115mm one so shouldn't compare but the idea the battery doesn't last as well as having no kick made me suspicious. So I searched google just in case parkside angle grinder rubbish - Google Search sure enough opinions are divided in as much as this could be the only thread on the interwebs that no one said it was junk. Ah well.

There are a ton of YouTube videos testing them on various materials. like this.

 

[Adios]

There are a ton of YouTube videos testing them on various materials. like this.

That certainly looks better than another video I saw where it just kept cutting out. I'm under no illusion that the Bosch one is made in germany by magic elves, they'll both be china made but as the parkside stops more and ended up cutting out for 15 minutes due to overheating it clearly has a lower spec motor. But then it would as its half the price. Depends on expected use then. If it is wanted for quicker than hacksaw occasional cuts in awkward places might be worth having. But when factor in water killing it, having to keep it charged and so on having a hacksaw with some good quality blades might be better on a boat. Its not that much slower I think as these don't look that fast either. Pity he didn't compare it to using a 4 1/2" grinder as I'm used to what to expect with one of those. I think the idea of keeping one for an emergency to cut away rigging is probably daft as that sort of mast felling situation is likely to have water flying around.

I'm one of those people who says "buy cheap buy twice" a lot. But not only because paying more it lasts longer but it also works better while it does last. I gradually invested in the Milwaukee cordless range which is superb quality (still made in china though) and once have some batteries the bare units aren't too expensive if you wait for deals. Ideally the brushless versions. I've done away with all my corded hand tools now apart from angle grinders as for some reason they only sell the version with a momentary paddle switch here when I want a lock on type. Would have to order from the states to get it.

 

[rogerthebodger]

One of the thinks I find with my 18V ryobi tools all not just the angle grinder is that when the battery starts getting low the tool does cut out. I find that turning the tool off then back on restarts the tool again. the frequency get bigger as the battery gets lower.

Never had that with any of my previous tools mainly Ni Cad did not do his. I consider this is as a result of the Li ion batteries dint like to high rate of discharge.

If I'm wrong please correct me.

 

[Adios]

One of the thinks I find with my 18V ryobi tools all not just the angle grinder is that when the battery starts getting low the tool does cut out. I find that turning the tool off then back on restarts the tool again. the frequency get bigger as the battery gets lower.

Never had that with any of my previous tools mainly Ni Cad did not do his. I consider this is as a result of the Li ion batteries dint like to high rate of discharge.

If I'm wrong please correct me.

My Milwaukee 12 and 18v don't do that and they are Li-ion. Li-ion can handle fast discharge if its designed for that, if it makes them more expensive that could explain it as ryobi are mid range price.

 

[Tamar]

I bought one last summer to cut a 16mm engine mount bolt on my motorcycle, it cut halfway and burnt out, you get what you pay for I guess

 

[dankilb]

Love the idea of the Parkside/etc. 12v as something to keep on the boat for little jobs, emergencies, etc.

But for more serious 18v li-on tools I'm always surprised that Worx don't get more of a look in on here. After buying a few when Screwfix were selling them under 'Erbauer' brand a few years ago (the current ones are different) - I since switched all my cordless tools to Worx and so far they've held up amazingly.

I've got the older model Worx 18v grinder (WX800.9) and I now only use my corded Makita when battery life is an issue (i.e. grinding GRP!). The cordless has handled everything I've thrown at it, it's powerful, but most importantly it's been dropped, abused, lived in the bottom of my tool tote with things chucked on top, and it just keeps on going.

For a price point between DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita etc. and unbranded Chinesium tools, I don't think Worx can be beaten (especially their brushless tools).

 

[Adios]

I find it a bit depressing when our nation which used to be flag bearers for quality now cares so little for it and we don't seem to be learning. Its driven by business wanting to sell us the product with the biggest profit margin which is invariably the one made in china with the cheapest components, lowest wages, lowest quality control, where we'll keep coming back and buying new ones with a different brand name made in the same sweatshop hoping this time it will be better. All helped along by appallingly bad youtube reviews like this one where he talks for 6 minutes about the box and weight of it, finally tries it for 10 seconds, says he's cutting bar stock when you can hear its box section and in fact says tube on the price tag. It fails to cut through thin wall aluminium but he then he gives it a thumbs up and says he "doesn't see how you can go wrong for the price". How about its not worth any money if it doesn't work? 18000 of these things could be in landfill thanks to this guy.

I think part of the problem is we've become used to using an electric tool for everything so even someone who only needs to cut a piece of metal twice a year (as this reviewer admits he is) still wants to own a cordless angle grinder, of course then it has to be cheapish and he'll think its ok being low quality for his limited need. Its weird though really as the calculation should be:

Hours to earn the money to buy said new grinder every few cuts + time to order grinder, unbox, dispose of packaging, find place to plug in, realise don't have space for another charger to be out full time, find drawer space, need to hunt it down when need it, find charge is low, wait for charging, cut slowly with toque-less angle grinder, pack it all away again.

VS

Time to cut it with already owned hacksaw

If the maths was done right probably no one would own one. Anyone who needs it a lot won't buy this one, anyone who hardly needs it would save hours by using a hacksaw.

 

[Stemar]

There's a lot of truth in that, and it's why I have Dewalt professional quality cordless drill and inpact driver, but there's also "the tool for the job" where a tool will make a particular project far simpler and quicker, but won't get used enough to justify the cost of a good tool.

For example, I had a patio to lay, and needed to cut several slabs. Yes, I could have done them with a cold chisel and a club hammer, but I'd still be at it! A £20 Aldidl grinder did the job and is still doing jobs a couple of times a year, 10 years later. Similar for a cheap "Dremel" and SDS drill. I'd rate Parkside to be on a similar level to B&D and similar DIY tools. Would I want them as a professional, or even as a busy amateur? No, but why spent £120 for a couple of times a year when you can spend £20? Always assuming that £20 will do the job, of course.

 

[TernVI]

I find it a bit depressing when our nation which used to be flag bearers for quality now cares so little for it and we don't seem to be learning. Its driven by business wanting to sell us the product with the biggest profit margin which is invariably the one made in china with the cheapest components, lowest wages, lowest quality control, where we'll keep coming back and buying new ones with a different brand name made in the same sweatshop hoping this time it will be better. All helped along by appallingly bad youtube reviews like this one where he talks for 6 minutes about the box and weight of it, finally tries it for 10 seconds, says he's cutting bar stock when you can hear its box section and in fact says tube on the price tag. It fails to cut through thin wall aluminium but he then he gives it a thumbs up and says he "doesn't see how you can go wrong for the price". How about its not worth any money if it doesn't work? 18000 of these things could be in landfill thanks to this guy.

I think part of the problem is we've become used to using an electric tool for everything so even someone who only needs to cut a piece of metal twice a year (as this reviewer admits he is) still wants to own a cordless angle grinder, of course then it has to be cheapish and he'll think its ok being low quality for his limited need. Its weird though really as the calculation should be:

Hours to earn the money to buy said new grinder every few cuts + time to order grinder, unbox, dispose of packaging, find place to plug in, realise don't have space for another charger to be out full time, find drawer space, need to hunt it down when need it, find charge is low, wait for charging, cut slowly with toque-less angle grinder, pack it all away again.

VS

Time to cut it with already owned hacksaw

If the maths was done right probably no one would own one. Anyone who needs it a lot won't buy this one, anyone who hardly needs it would save hours by using a hacksaw.

Youtube has a lot of idiots posting reviews on it.
And a lot of bigger idiots being influenced by them.

I take your point about people rushing to electric tools which don't really save much effort or do a better job.
But a cordless grinder can be quite useful, and will do things you can't easily do with a hacksaw.
The first big advantage is that to hacksaw something, you often need to put it in a vice.
Of course you can buy a portable vice workbench from Aldidl sometimes....

I used mine to cut some thin stainless, which I couldn't neatly do with the hand tools I had.
I bought mine at the same time as a hedgetrimmer which shares batteries, so the marginal cost of the grinder is peanuts, given that I wanted a spare battery for the trimmer, which we use a fair amount.

I think my pet hate of electric tools is the pressure washer. Mostly, you can do the job just as easily, better, and more quietly with a scrubbing brush or something.

 

[Adios]

There's a lot of truth in that, and it's why I have Dewalt professional quality cordless drill and inpact driver, but there's also "the tool for the job" where a tool will make a particular project far simpler and quicker, but won't get used enough to justify the cost of a good tool.

I think it depends on the life expectancy of the user vs the tool. Assuming 20+ years for the user might as well buy a decent tool even if for not that frequent use (assuming can spare the cash rather than having it sitting in a bank making money for bankers). That certainly applied to corded tools anyway and if you've tried ebay for used Makita/Dewalt/Milwaukee you'll see the second hand value even of tools that look like they've had a hard life is not much less than new, so I buy new and expect to be able to sell them if i needed to for close to what I paid once a few years of inflation has pushed the new price up. I had that selling my dewalt corded tools, models hadn't changed much, price had gone up and second hand values followed.

It used to NOT be the case for cordless because Ni-Cd batteries would discharge themselves to death within a month or 2 if not used, so ideal for trade only. For that reason I, as an ambitious DIYer only who uses tools in bursts with sometimes long gaps in between, never invested in cordless. But since Li-ion batteries I've replaced hand held electric tools apart from angle grinders. So much easier than corded, Milwaukee are sublime quality and power and they are holding their value extremely well.

but why spent £120 for a couple of times a year when you can spend £20? Always assuming that £20 will do the job, of course.

I get some joy from the quality of good engineering in my hand. And once you get spoiled by using professional gear its hard not to be disatisfied with flakey stuff even if it just about works. So the way I look at it is, it will be good to use it and last for 20 years for £120 or it will be irritatingly not very good and need to replace a few times until over 20 years its still cost me £120, or more with inflation.

 

[penberth3]

.......I think my pet hate of electric tools is the pressure washer. Mostly, you can do the job just as easily, better, and more quietly with a scrubbing brush or something.

Agreed, high pressure water can do a lot of damage.

 

[Adios]

I take your point about people rushing to electric tools which don't really save much effort or do a better job.
But a cordless grinder can be quite useful, and will do things you can't easily do with a hacksaw.
The first big advantage is that to hacksaw something, you often need to put it in a vice.

Yes agree with that. Sometimes a tool seems like an unnecessary duplicate but works out useful because it does the same job but in a completely different way. Best example I can think of is an impact wrench. Fantastic things. Whereas with using a breaker bar you'd need to hold the thing you're undoing with equal force which can be impossible or dangerous trying, the way the impact wrench puts the force on you barely need to hold the thing at all.

 

[rogerthebodger]

One of the issues with all electric power tools is duty cycle.

No manufacturer will publish the design duty cycle of their power tools and when I have tried to get info they just ignore my request.

 

[Adios]

One of the issues with all electric power tools is duty cycle.

No manufacturer will publish the design duty cycle of their power tools and when I have tried to get info they just ignore my request.

its going to vary a lot depending on how hard someone is pushing, perhaps so much that manufacturer figures will be pointless. The parkside one in a test against the bosch above shut itself off for 15 minutes after a bit of work. At least it knows its limitations and quits for a break rather than allowing itself to be worked to death

 

[lydiamight]

Don't put off your purchase for too long----they are in high demand by the scrotes that use them to cut Catalytic Converters from beneath cars. They may take a while to cut through a lump of re-bar but they can cope with a slightly rusty exhaust pipe in seconds

 

[Adios]

Don't put off your purchase for too long----they are in high demand by the scrotes that use them to cut Catalytic Converters from beneath cars. They may take a while to cut through a lump of re-bar but they can cope with a slightly rusty exhaust pipe in seconds

They should get one of these for quieter scroting. They hardly make any noise on slow with the second scrote holding the pipe still:

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