How-to Use Your Angle Grinder on Wood, Metal and More!
The Angle grinder, also known as a disc grinder, is a powerful little handheld tool used for grinding, sanding, abrasive cutting, and polishing wood, metal and more. Originally designed to be used with rigid abrasive grinding and cut-off discs, newer more portable battery operated angle grinders have encouraged the development of a wide variety of attachments and cutters.
Mitchell Dillman using his angle grinder on wood.
I purchased my first angle grinder for cutting and grinding metal parts around the garage. At the time, I had no reason to know I could use it for anything else … it wasn’t until I started building log homes and log furniture that i learned how I could use my angle grinder on wood. It’s even come in handy more than a few times cutting concrete and tile.
Do You Need An Angle Grinder?
Short answer: Yes! If you have landed here on this page, and are still reading this article, the simple answer is Yes.
Even the novice with little to no experience working with tools, using proper safety precautions and personal protective gear, can pick up an angle grinder and start working on all sorts of projects with little to zero apprehension.
- Disc diameter – larger diameter angle grinders use bigger discs for making deeper cuts.
- Wattage – higher wattage gives more power to cut through denser materials.
- Speed – multiple speeds give more control for a variety of jobs and more precision.
Advanced Angle Grinder Techniques For DIY Welding Projects
Just because it is a small, hand-held tool, the angel grinder is not to be taken lightly. Safety first! Lately, more home-shop accidents occur using an angle grinder than a table saw.
Using your angle grinder on wood can be just as, if not more dangerous than metal. Some of the new angle grinder attachments are specifically designed for cutting wood and have many sharpened steel teeth, just like a chainsaw. I have witnessed a couple nasty accidents with those little tools…you have to take them seriously, they don’t play fair!
The Angle Grinder
Angle grinders are powered by either an electric motor or compressed air. The “worm-drive” spins at a high rate of speed turning an abrasive disc or a thinner cut-off disc, either of which can be replaced when worn.
How-to Use Your Angle Grinder On Wood
Use you angle grinder on wood for cutting, carving, shaping and sanding. Click here now to learn a quick and easy way to edge log furniture!
I use the angle grinder more than any of the other tools in my shop. I have three in the metal-shop, always plugged in, set-up with and ready to go; one with a cut-off disc, the others with a grinding wheel and flap disc for finishing metal parts…there’s at least three more over in the woodshop, always ready to cut, carve, and sand.
Angle grinders typically have an adjustable safety guard and an additional side-handle for two-handed operation. Operators must never remove the safety guard and always follow all safety instructions that come with the angle grinder!
Angle Grinder with Flap Disc
Flap-wheels and flap disks are abrasive disks, used on Angle Grinders for sanding wood and metal finishing. Unlike the simpler flat sanding disks, made from a single circular flat abrasive sheet, flapwheels consist of multiple overlapping smaller pieces or ‘flaps’, bonded to a central hub, or axle.
How-to Use Your Angle Grinder On Metal
Certain variable speed angle grinders can be used for polishing, employing a polishing wheel with a backing pad or disc. The backing system is typically made of hard plastic, or medium-hard rubber depending on the amount of flexibility desired.
ALWAYS WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION WHEN OPERATING ANGLE GRINDER!
