tools

[iron ant]

It seems like a lot of artist are pretty loyal to the tool companys they use.What mfg do you prefer.I know I blow threw about 3to 4 right angle grinders a year,can't seem to find good tool that does not cost out wazzz.I have used Dewalt,milwalkee,makita,seem too wear em all out,but dewalt is a hunk of junk,but the cheapest. IA

[jvc stone]

Seems to me that makita tools last longer in the dust of a stone carving shop than any other. I will say that new ones are definitly not of the same quality as those from 10 - 15 years ago, but what else is new?? :confused: Milwaukee come in a distant second. I work 98% dry.
JVC

[sculptor]

try air tools?

they blow air out so don't inhale much dust

I also use a couple large grinders-bosch and milwaukee - no favorite, I'll set 'em both up with different wheels and just switch as the job demands
also a smaller ryobi (4") and a few die grinders

I blow the dust out after use or daily when i put 'em up

but my favorites are the air grinders
lighter tools for same tasks and less noise too----gotta take a break every once in a while and let the compressor cool off
the air grinders and sanders are cheaper to buy and easier to maintain-----and max speed control via psi settings helps sometimes

compressor is in the garage away from the dust

rod

[iowasculptor]

I love my Miller welder, I like dewalt for some things, Ryobi, for others, and Millwaukee for my grinders I have 2 9" grinders from milwaukee that have lasted me since 1997. I shop for the best product I just baught 4 4.5" grinders from millwaukee for my class studio I am hoping that they will last for a while I know that when I was at Clemson we went through a dewalt grinder every semester so I am hoping that the extra money will pay off with longer life. Time will tell.
matt

[JAZ]

Matt, the second advantage of buying the more expensive ones is that they may vibrate less. I have been having trouble with numbness in my hands from my angle grinders and a sculptor friend told me that the more expensive ones don't vibrate as much. I hope sometime to be able to replace my three cheapies with some thing better someday. Maybe Milwaukee?
I have a DeWalt, a Makita and a Crafstman all 4.5" or 5". (wimpy me can only use a (9" or bigger for ten minutes or so before I have to put it down, whereas with the smaller ones I could grind all day if I had to.)The first one I had that died was a Makita. The Craftsman seems to last longer. I did change the brushes on it once, though, when it got funky and that probably extended its life.
I agree about the Miller. Ihave a 185 with an aluminum spoolgun. I've never had a problem with it in since I bought it maybe seven or eight years ago.
The Hypertherm Powermax 900 plasma cutter is good too. I took someone's advice and added in-line whatever you call those dehydrator things to take moisture out of the line. I think I've had that about as long as the welder.
I've been thinking about the air tool route. Good to hear Rod's thoughts on that.
JAZ

[iron ant]

Matt,I like my miller welder two,and I have had my miler 250 mig sence 92and my miller 250 tig sence 93 and still running strong,of course now that I said that they will croke tomorrow.....IA

[jvc stone]

try air tools?

they blow air out so don't inhale much dust

rod

Oh, I got plenty of those around, 9 different carving hammers and a couple of hundred chisels, sanders, die grinders etc. Didn't even consider air tools when I saw the thread since they just don't wear out. :confused: (two of my hammers are over 70 years old and still running fine)
JVC

[JAZ]

(two of my hammers are over 70 years old and still running fine)
JVC
Holy mackerel! 70 years? (Can you hear the sound of us all running out to get some?)

[fused]

How do you blow through 3 or 4 angle grinders annually Iron Ant? I think you need some bigger tools for the work you do. My Black & Decker 9" angle grinder* (5000 rpm) is nearly 30 years old -armature rewound once- and several Bosch 4½ grinders are 10+ years old and ALL get used daily. I have replaced the brushes in all of them several times and my B&D will require a new power cord soon as it's very worn. Never buy an angle grinder with nylon gears, they are loud and won't last with heavy use.

The best accessory for your power tools is a good 12 gauge extention cord no longer than 50 feet in length... 25 feet is ideal. This insures good juice to your tools and will extend their life considerably. The cord -with a ground- should say 12-3 someplace on the insulation.

Over the years I have used Hobart, Lincoln and Victor welding stuff, but I have always owned a Miller welder and Smith cutting torch.

* 5000 rpm has more torque for working steel than the 6000 rpm sanding/polishing speed for 7" and 9" angle grinders.

[JAZ]

Never buy an angle grinder with nylon gears, they are loud and won't last with heavy use.

How do you know what kind of gears it has before buying it? With your small Bosch grinders, how is the vibration?
JAZ

[ironman]

Hi, I bought my first 9" milwaukee grinder in 1975. I had replaced the brushes (a few times) and trigger and even regreased the gears once. I retired it last year! I had paid $159.95 for that one and it was money well spent. My 41/2" grinder is also Milwaukee, vintage 1994.
Victor oxy/acet outfit.
Hypotherm plasma cutter
Millermatic mig welder
Sears air compressor, I bought it used and have had it for 20 years. It's never given me any problems and I've never done any maintenance of any kind to it.
and an old Lincoln buzz box that I just can't seem to part with.
Oh, and an air die grinder. I've found that electric ones don't last or work as well.
Have a nice day,
Jeff
Except for the oxy/acet outfit and the buzz box, all the other tools get used on almost a daily basis.

[tobias]

I dont really have a preferance but I totally agree with FUSED as to the extention cord. A crappy thin cord will starve your tools and kill them fast. I have two makita 5" milwalkee variable speed 5" and bosh9" and they all work great The bosch was running about 5 hrs a day while I was in brazil for 20 days so I think that says something. I like the makita for cutting but the variable speed milwakee is the best for grinding and polishing(variable speed).I carve mostly granite and work for about 8/9hrs a day when Im at home. Oh yah no one ever accused me of taking care of my tools I am sporatic at best with reguards to care and they seem to take it fairly well.

[Bill Harsey]

How do you blow through 3 or 4 angle grinders annually Iron Ant? I think you need some bigger tools for the work you do. My Black & Decker 9" angle grinder* (5000 rpm) is nearly 30 years old -armature rewound once- and several Bosch 4½ grinders are 10+ years old and ALL get used daily. I have replaced the brushes in all of them several times and my B&D will require a new power cord soon as it's very worn. Never buy an angle grinder with nylon gears, they are loud and won't last with heavy use.

The best accessory for your power tools is a good 12 gauge extention cord no longer than 50 feet in length... 25 feet is ideal. This insures good juice to your tools and will extend their life considerably. The cord -with a ground- should say 12-3 someplace on the insulation.

Over the years I have used Hobart, Lincoln and Victor welding stuff, but I have always owned a Miller welder and Smith cutting torch.

* 5000 rpm has more torque for working steel than the 6000 rpm sanding/polishing speed for 7" and 9" angle grinders.
Concur. Get the wire gauge right. That's critical.

Iron Ant must also be too strong for his grinders. :)

[bluedogshuz]

Does makita or anybody make electric die grinders any more? I don't mean foredom, something handheld high rev, used to have one. I sometimes would rather plug in rather than turn on the compressor. Favorite tool: Bicknell air hammer, has lasted one sculptors lifetime at least!

[kjm]

Hi I've been through alot of dewalts and milwaukee grinders. I found this brand called Metabo grinders they're made in West Germany work well with cutting wheels and don't burn up.

[Merlion]

Does makita or anybody make electric die grinders any more? I don't mean foredom, something handheld high rev, used to have one.

Yes, I bought one of the Makita mini hand-held grinders about six months ago and uses it quite often. This model 903 has a 3 mm or 1/8" collet and no-load speed of 30,000 rpm. It weights 0.6 kg or 1.3 lb.

They also have bigger ones with 1/4" collets.

[Bill Harsey]

Does makita or anybody make electric die grinders any more? I don't mean foredom, something handheld high rev, used to have one. I sometimes would rather plug in rather than turn on the compressor. Favorite tool: Bicknell air hammer, has lasted one sculptors lifetime at least!
Bluedogsir,
Try a Google search with term "die grinder". They are alive and well.

I use a Milwaukie 9 inch angle grinder for a lot of different things, even a cup wheel for coarse surface grinding. If your working on steel, the cubic zirconia grinding wheels (Norton "Norzon") work good and there may be even better ones now. Stone dust may decrease the life span of these tools because the motors are open design.

On the belt grinders here I'm using Norton "ceramic oxides" that are cutting hard steels better than anything I've ever had before. The grindings under the machine are like steel wool.

For all you kids with long hair, tie it back when using any spinning powered tool!!! please.

[kathleenfen]

[QUOTE=bluedogshuz]Does makita or anybody make electric die grinders any more?QUOTE]

I have a makita. As far as I know they still make them, as they are still being sold in Canada and that was only a couple months ago. I've had it about 6 years and it's certainly taken some abuse and is still kicking strong.

I don't normally buy makita, nor would I recommend them (except for the die grinder)...personal taste. Air tools are always the best choice I think and my personal choice as well with a good air compressor. For heavier duty tools, it's best to go industrial grade...more $$; but, well worth the investment. Next down from that, contractor grade tools are a good choice. Btw, I'm all for Miller as well. Some companies make certain tools better than other companies. It's best to research the type of product one is after and see what's out there and what would fit best with your needs. Companies usually will provide specs on their tools if asked and if they aren't available on the company's website. I've used Dewalt, Milwalkee, Makita, and a bunch of others and it depends on the tool and what best suits one's needs.

A good extension cord is a must. Vibration is very bad and leads to many possible health problems. I have gel gloves I picked up at an industrial tool supplier and recommend use of them for protection against vibration. From the small amount of stone I've done, I would say it's very hard on tools; so, lots of cleaning and adequate maintenance should extend the life of the tools.

Kathleen

[Mordachai]

and yet another person who loves the virtues of air tools. Providing that you actually oil them once in a while, they will run and run and run...
I have a few different brands, all seem to hold up allright, except for the hobbist stuff you find at the big box stores.

Good tools that last are gonna cost you......

I personally have had great luck with porter cable, but also have some bosch, makita,and others.....

I do have to say that my old beat up 14 volt snap-on cordless drill has held up incredibly, has more power than my 18 walt dewalt, and the batteries charge in about 20 minutes, and seem to have more useable power in them compared to the 18V de-walt stuff, but the snap-on is a whole different grade of tool.


Iron Ant, I work in a metal fab shop, crating SS and bronze sculptures, and we too go through some grinders. I'll tell you what almost every time it's due to the guys not using them right.

You're not supposed to ever stop a grinder when it's not turned on. I think it has something to do with it not being under Elec load, and the pushing(grinding) to make it stop wears out bearings in a big way, Fast...

Since the few guys that are left in the shop have been told not to ever do that, and my taking them apart every 3-4-6 months, they've been holding up great.
But I'll tell ya, the dust is definitly a big factor in them fouling up.... too many times I've just blown the tool out with an air gun(once it's taken apart) re-greased everything and make them work again, rotary grinders, angle grinders,D/A's etc....

The old Millermatic 200 has held up like a champ and I know more than one person who has a old heavy and huge Lincoln buzz box. Those things don't seem to ever foul up. We have a portable one, but a buddy has one of those big ones from the early 50's . It's 5" long, must weigh over 400# and has style in it long forgotten. I'll tell you, It's a pleasure to use that instead of the arc/tig machines in my shop(although nothing wrong with lincolns square wave tig.)

Ok, um yeah, I think that along with use,care, and maintenece, it's kind of just luck. We actually have a cheapie $29 black and decker angle grinder that seems to go and go and go....



But as you said, a good tool costs out the wazzzzzz


|M|

[iron ant]

well maybe I just get too nasty with my grinders.When you take stainless past hard pressed disc and zirconia paper,to a velcro backed buffing pads ,it put a load on the tool.I have run a grinder until smoke poured out the side,but onlt once.I do have a few air grinders that held up well.My air tools for marble are almost twenty years old,as well is my little lincon buzz box.If I can get a bigger compressor,I will switch the tools I can to air.I have Mikita 21"x3/4'' hand held belt sander that is unreal ,over 18 years old.They quit making them,maybe they started back up?Model 110 great tool.you want to really get down,how about the matter of what abrasives you use.There is a huge difference in quality and effects,just go get some gator grit papre,kind of like driving a car without an engine......IA

[kathleenfen]

I have run a grinder until smoke poured out the side,but onlt once. IA

All I can say is like WOW! :eek: I've never had that happen and I can't say as I'm exactly a delicate type with tools...muscle it..that's more my way.

[clifton]

Hi iron ant,

I go through an angle grinder or two and have had 'em smoke on their dying gasps. My main problem has been dust from marble and stone carving.

I tried taping dust mask filters over the air intake openings. It works well but heat becomes sometihing you have to allow for. I usually keep a couple of grinders available and alternate. Heat build up isn't a problem in cooler weather, though.

I do this with my Makita die grinder too. Model 901, I think. My favorite tools are bosch.

___________
clifton

[iron ant]

Actually,I have used the Dewalt grinders because everybody went to swithes instesd of triggers.I grind one handed a lot,plus I like the trigger for control.My Makita has a switch,and I usually have three 41/2 grinders with different abrasives,1 7.5" angle grinder,two right angle grinders,and an electric die grinder for use with carbide heads.Kind if like caous in motion when I am fabing.Maybe it is that breakfast of nails and glass that gives me that tool destroying touch... :) ...IA

[bluedogshuz]

Thanks all for the info on the electric grinder. Blowing out yuor grinders with air compessor helps provided you don't have water in your lines. I always buy extra brushes for my tools. I like milwaukee although they are heavy after a while. No getting over it working dry on stone simply ruins everything. Anyone ever consider the cost vs reward of working wet? I know most pros work dry...

[kathleenfen]

Okay, I'm convinced its the dust that's killing tools. I have a DeWalt grinder...about 4 yrs or so now..going strong. Definitely blowing out the dust daily helps. I'm doing a wee bit of stone these days; nothing large so no grinders. I'm working mostly local limestone (some nice stuff), some serpentine and have begun adventures with BC jade. Anyone I know carving hard stone (7+) works it wet. After a little bit with jade, I really cannot see working it dry. The limestone & serpentine I work both wet and dry depending on where I'm at in the process. Personally, I prefer working wet whenever possible as it keeps the dust & heat down. The drawback to that is ending up with something like cement once the wet powdered stone dries. The used water can't go down the drain (think cement again). Tools have to be cleaned well and regularily to keep them functioning.

Kathleen

[bluedogshuz]

Very true Kathleen. No avoiding it, if dust can get near rotors and electrical wires it as well as moisture will eventually do all tools in. Some seem to be more resistent then others. I always buy pro grade. The other thing specifically for stone carving is that I wonder how many of us slack on the flat chisel and hand file step. I tend to be lazy and over use electric and pnuematic grinding wheels etc. It is a bad habit. Also we all know one slip of the chisel and kaboom!!!! Thats what I love about carving. One time I broke off a head after 2 weeks of work, I have to say my students were amazed at my range of emotions!!!! :)

[kathleenfen]

I rather favour my hand tools when it comes to carving...my professor's influence when I began carving...by the time I started to use power tools for carving, I found I could remove far more material faster with gouges & chisels and no blooming dust. Plus, I like the physicality of working a large piece by hand. I think there is inherently more control possible with hand tools. That being said, it's amazing what can be done with power tools once one develops the skill, control and a light touch. I wouldn't necessarily agree that use or 'overuse' of power tools is a bad habit. It really depends on what works for each individual.

Kathleen

[Merlion]

I just bought my first stone chisels set, one hammer and five chisels. But they are terribly expensive. With what I spent, about US$200, I could have bought myself an electric side grinder, and a power drill.

[cpsturrock]

I have millers in the shop 250 syncrowave , 185 millermatic,thermal dynamics plasema cuter. The portable lincoln sa-250,seems to have the best arc, but every machine welds a little different. I have a black and decker 7" industrail grinder ( big bertha)that kicks my #$^&&@#, and will never die. The smaller grinders, used them all, seem to go 2-3 years. New last longer than rebuilt. I agree air tools are much better, and do use them in the shop. With the holidays just around the corner a small hydro crane wood make a nice stocking stuffer, there's still time. hi to all. cs