how to - prep a grinder

This week marks the probable passing of an old friend.
Yeah,
for some reason I get a little attached to my tools,
especially my grinders.
I don't know exactly,
but it has to do with the hours of holding on,
and the amount of work or projects they help complete.

I guess my endearment wasn't too strong cause I didn't take a picture of this one,
but here's the new replacement.

makita 9557pb grinder

These are the best grinders out there,
the Makita 9557PB.
The motors are quiet,
they are light enough for long grinding spells,
and they last a long time if taken care of.
The "paddle switch" makes one handed grinding easy.

Tool Depot, right up the street,
has a great deal on these every year, about $50 (normally $80 or $90)
and I try to stock up on at least a couple.

my grinder cemetery

my brothers grinder cemetery

Yeah we've gone through some grinders over the past couple years.

There are a couple reasons why these have died,

and remember there are other workers that have helped kill them.

1 - water - dropping in water kills a grinder instantly.

2 - water - grinding something wet and not protecting the air inlet will kill a grinder.

3 - generator power - drops in electrical output burn up either the brushes or armature,

 especially under load. I just figured this out. Sometimes they can be cleaned up,

 but there's usually a dead spot that's a tough fix.

4-pressure - bogging down the grinder isn't good. There is a sweet spot speed the grinder likes.

5 - dust - the air inlet sucks air through the body. Dirty air wreaks havoc on the insides over time.

6 - slag/chispas - welding, cutting or grinding on the grinder isn't good for it.

lava shower - poor grinder

If you look real closely, you can see the grinder in the lava shower.

This is a good example why I get a little protective.

It is sad to hear the gurgling sound of a once proud grinder.

So let's do a quick and easy "how to" on prepping a grinder.

pig tail

First I like to remove the guard.

It is illegal to not have the guard for some jobs,

so I usually have it around just in case.

Than dig out the old dead grinder,

and cut off the cord at the base,

and attach it to the new grinder.

reinforcement line

When wrapping it with electrical tape,

add a piece of line or cord to in the wrap,

than if you pull it, the wires won't separate.

umbilical cord

There,

now you've doubled your grinding distance,

without needing any extension cords or changing outlets.

bambino 2011 september

Than I like to stamp a name and a date in the housing.

Its helps to know how long the grinder has lasted,

and also easy to identify.

Yep that's it.

Now let's get dirty.

TP