Before making the jump to my editorial position here at Woodsmith, I did nearly as much metalwork as I did woodwork at a construction company. Being young, I took care of the rough stuff, which meant becoming very familiar with the angle grinder. While I might get less use out of them today, angle grinders still find a place in my shop for certain projects and when they’re needed there’s really no good substitute unless I want to break out the hand tools.
A CORDLESS GRINDER. If you’re like me, most angle grinders you’ve used have likely been the corded variety. Grinders are powerful tools, and they need a lot of “juice.” Luckily, modern batteries can provide. Opposite of the compact router, I went with Milwaukee’s cordless grinder and its high-output XC6.0 battery, and I was not disappointed.
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| With a 360° adjustable guard and a handle that threads onto either side, this grinder is equally friendly to north and southpaws. |
Wood-cutting grinder discs come in a few varieties. They really boil down to whether the disc uses burrs or cutters, and what the size and spacing of those burrs or cutters are. In testing out this grinder, I used a few discs out of the “Holey Galahad” series from King Arthur Tools (you can see me testing one out in the upper right photo on the next page), as well as a couple woodcarving discs from Arbortech. We’ve made use of these discs on several projects before, primarily for operations such as scooping out seats. In terms of power, I found Milwaukee’s braking grinder certainly puts out as much power as most corded competitors.
In terms of battery life, using it with an XC6.0 battery gave me more than enough to remove the waste from a stool seat. While the battery has its limits (I’d take the time to run an extension cord for projects that need a lot of shaping, like the Stacked Laminate End Table in issue 259) I found the lifespan sufficient for most operations in the woodshop.
RAPIDSTOP. As you may have noticed me mention, Milwaukee doesn’t just advertise this tool as a grinder, but a braking grinder. They refer to their braking system as “Rapidstop,” and it’s noticeable. I’ve become accustomed to waiting for a grinder to “spin down” after stopping like a saw or router, but this grinder stops the disc in only a couple seconds. It’s a good safety feature, but it’s also nice to have that slack time cut out. It may only save a few seconds at a time, but seconds add up.
EASE OF USE. One final topic to touch on with this grinder is how it feels to use. With a handheld, freeform tool like this, I find comfort to be an important part of getting good results. While the grinder itself weighs only a little more than the router on the previous pages, its length and the larger battery it requires will make it feel a good deal heavier than the compact router. Being used to corded grinders, the weight in the back from the battery was odd at first, but it didn’t take long to adjust.
An angle grinder earns its keep in the woodshop when it comes to irregular shapes. Scooping out a stool seat goes quick with a wood carving disc, and a sanding wheel accommodates shapes that aren’t flat enough for an orbital sander.
Milwaukee offers grinders that use side switches to power on, but I decided to go for the paddle switch variety. This is more a matter of individual taste, but I prefer a paddle switch on a grinder, and I found this one to be quite comfortable.
The paddle switch makes for a comfortable grip while working, and the lock lever prevents it from tripping accidentally.
All in all, this braking grinder is a solid option if you’re looking to add a cordless grinder to your shop. It may not find use every day, but when you need one, having a reliable, battery-powered grinder can be an efficient way to get the job done.
