Ryobi angle grinder - caution

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Graham_Wright

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Now the floating workshop has been launched, I seem to need two of everything.

I bought the cheapest angle grinder - Ryobi.

After six months periodic use, it started "stuttering".

The intermittent drive resulted in the disc fixing nut loosening with a consequent release of the cutting disc. A serious weapon capable of drawing blood if not amputations.

Opening the cover, the gearbox was full of shredded slivers. Both gears had badly worn teeth.

Exchanged at B&Q without question (for a different make).
 
Was it the cordless grinder? Mine has been in use for about three years but not very frequently. It seems to be solid still with no suggestion of a stutter.
 
Graham_Wright said:
It was corded and the reason for the stutter was the near-missing teeth on the gears. Occasionally, they came out of mesh and acted as a brake on the disc. Scary!
Click to expand...

What size grinder? I have had a 230 /9" for over twelve years with no trouble and used frequently for heavy work.
Heavy beast too..
 
I had a Bosch model whose gear box failed - it had had heavy use. I had been using it to cut high tensile steel. I bought a cheap one from Costco as replacement - had no issues so far.

I think the Bosch one served me well - but I was not sure it was worth the money.

Jonathan
 
My first 100mm was a Bosch, in the 80s. Gears went, so I waited 3 weeks for fresh set...week later the windings burnt. Light dawned that I could buy a B&D pro 115 for the cost of the Bosch gears. The B&D was a far better tool and lasted for years.
 
The small angle grinders have a very small duty cycle (on time / off time) may be 5 to 10 %. so if I am doing heavy work I always use a big 2000 watt or more. The small ones range from 600 to about 900 watt so look at the power and not the make.

I have lost count of how many small angle grinders I have thrown away mostly by burning out.

Your gear issue is IMHO unusual with steel gears but I have had plastic gears brake often.

BTW Ryobi are just badge engineers so you cannot determine the quality.
 
Rogershaw said:
The small angle grinders have a very small duty cycle (on time / off time) may be 5 to 10 %. so if I am doing heavy work I always use a big 2000 watt or more. The small ones range from 600 to about 900 watt so look at the power and not the make.

I have lost count of how many small angle grinders I have thrown away mostly by burning out.

Your gear issue is IMHO unusual with steel gears but I have had plastic gears brake often.

BTW Ryobi are just badge engineers so you cannot determine the quality.
Click to expand...

My B&D lasted for almost 18 years catching fire on one occasion! The predecessor to the Ryobi was MacAlister which lasted around 8 years but I think needs new brushes.
 
The replacement was a De Walt. Unfortunately the inverter didn't like it, wouldn't power it did not even see it as a load. Other tools were ok.

Odd. Changed it for another McAlister which is fine.

The De Walt ran ok on "proper" mains.
 
Graham_Wright said:
Now the floating workshop has been launched, I seem to need two of everything.

I bought the cheapest angle grinder - Ryobi.

After six months periodic use, it started "stuttering".

The intermittent drive resulted in the disc fixing nut loosening with a consequent release of the cutting disc. A serious weapon capable of drawing blood if not amputations.

Opening the cover, the gearbox was full of shredded slivers. Both gears had badly worn teeth.

Exchanged at B&Q without question (for a different make).
Click to expand...

Lesson:
When potentially dangerous machines show signs of not being in GWO, stop using them.
 
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