Old 4.5 inch grinder finally gave up on me mid weld prep yesterday

I was out at the shop grinding down some bad beads on a pressure vessel flange and that old Milwaukee grinder I've had since 2010 just seized up. Smelled like burnt motor and the housing got hot enough to melt the rubber grip. I took it apart and the armature was cooked, brushes were dust. That thing must've ground a thousand joints for me over the years. Had to finish the prep with a buddy's DeWalt he lent me. Anyone else got an old tool they just can't let go of or am I just being sentimental?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo23817d ago

My 2009 Makita 4.5 has a weird wobble now and the blade guard is held on with a zip tie but I still grab it before anything else in the drawer. I had to replace the cord twice and the rubber boot on the switch is completely gone. Tried a new Milwaukee once and it just felt wrong in my hand so I gave it to my apprentice. Something about that specific worn down handle and the way it sits in your palm just works.

gibson.mark17d ago

Totally get it man. That exact worn down shape is like a custom mold of your hand. My old Bosch 4.5 has a cracked housing held together with electrical tape and the spindle lock is finicky but it just feels right. Tried a couple newer models and they all felt too sterile and bulky, like holding a brick. Something about that worn in handle and the balance after years of use just clicks. You ever notice how the new ones are all sharp edges where the old ones are smoothed down from years of gripping? That right there is the difference.

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