DEWALT® Product Guides - Grinder Basics

Hi, I'm Nate at DEWALT.

Today we're gonna look at the basics of grinders.

These are very versatile tools, with the right accessory, the right

guard and protective equipment.

You can do it a lot on a job site at your home or on any

other projects you're working on.

With any of these tools, please be sure to refer to the instruction

manual for additional operating instructions and any PPE requirements.

If you're using it on a job site, be sure to follow a job site or company

specific policies that you may have.

First thing we'll look at here is for a cutting application.

I have this grinder set up with a type one cutting guard.

This is enclosed on both sides of the guard to help protect you

during a cutting-edge application.

And I have a type one wheel installed on it which is a very thin wheel,

which allows the wheel to go through material easier when cutting.

There are also other types of cutting wheels there are smaller ones like

this one here, which is a four and a half inch cutting wheel, similar

to the six inch we just looked at.

Or there are type 27 cutting wheels that have a bell-shaped top on them that allow

the wheel to settle a little bit lower.

These are great for any kind of flush cutting activities, cause it sits

the wheel lower to the application.

And a little bit less grind if you're cutting something off close to the bottom.

Whenever you're using any of these tools and especially from a cutting

perspective, you want to make sure you have the side handle on.

If you're doing any cutting, have the wheel on the

left-hand side of the grinder.

The wheel rotation is in this direction.

If the wheel starts to pinch it'll pull the grinder forward.

If you have it on the right hand side, when the wheel starts to pinches as

the wheel spinning this direction, it'llpush it back towards you as a user.

So always make sure you're cutting with the wheel on the left-hand side.

Another thing you can do, which is great with the grinder

are grinding applications.

You can do these in a variety of ways with a bonded embracive wheel.

Here, I have a type 27 bonded abrasive wheel.

You can do it with flap discs.

These are similar to those, but they're using a sandpaper like

substance to remove material.

Again, nice and flat, another option.

And then there are ways to attach it to the grinder that involves hub wheels.

So these are wheels that have the threads to go right onto the

spindlebuilt into the tool, reducing the need to use a locking flange and a

backing flange to lock it to the tool.

Also, there are options like these where it's a wire wheel that will allow you

to remove paint, some metal materials, get down into cracks easier using these

very sturdy and strong wire wheels.

During grinding applications you're going to use a type 27 guard.

As you see here, this has an open face on it, which allows you to get closer to

the material as you're grinding, but it still has protection around the edges.

And then we also have our side handle installed.

The side handles should always be used when using your grinder, when you're

doing a grinding application, you have the opportunity to have the side

handle on either side of the gear case.

Left here or again on the right-hand side.

So depending on the location where you're grinding, or if you're

left-handed or right-handed, there are a couple of different options

to install that side handle.

Again, always using two hands on the tool when operate it.

These that we just looked at are very great for metal applications.

What if I need to go and cut concrete or grind concrete?

That's when shrouds come into play.

Very similar to guards, these help protect the user from the debris is being created.

But even more specifically, these help collect the dust that's created when

you're cutting or grinding concrete.

Refer to OSHA table one, to make sure you understand the

rules around collection of that.

OSHA requires that if you're going to grind or cut concrete, that you

collect the dust when that application and requires that a shroud be

used and also that you use a dust extractor with the right CFM for

the application, as well as a filter cleaning mechanism to collect the dust.

In cutting applications, a standard accessory would be a diamond wheel.

These are used for cutting into concrete, brick, any kind of mortar.

They allow you to go into those situations and cut them out.

When these are installed on the grinder appropriately with a shroud,

all the dust will be collected in your extractor, reducing any

risk for that on the job site.

If there's any kind of application where you need to do any surface

grinding, a turbo wheel or a diamond wheel, like these are great to be

used to remove material off of the rough surface or to remove any kind of

uneven edges on a piece of concrete.

Again, these are utilized with a shroud, like one of these that allows it to

still sit up against the surface and grind properly, but also collect the

dust while they're doing the application.

These are just some things you can do using a grinder and the different

accessories that are involved.

Please be sure to make sure you're following all the proper instructions

and the rules when using these tools.

And we appreciate you watching and have a great day.