Most of you will roll your eyes, but bear with me for the benefit of others. If you are still using the hard grinding wheels on your 4"grinder for sheetmetal or body work or just about anything. Try the new flap wheels they have out. I am welding in new floor pans. The welding supplier put me on to em. For things like that, they are SO much better. I still have the hard ones on the shelf, but find I don't bother switching as these take metal off faster than you would think. They are cheap, use 40 grit and 60 for fine work. They don't gouge, better control, and are safer.

Is this the ones you are talking about? Hard disk do gough bad on sheet metal. http://cgi.ebay.com/10-BOSCH-TYPE-29-ZIRCONIA-4-SANDING-FLAP-DISC-WHEELS_W0QQitemZ110328685558QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGrinders?hash=item110328685558&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

I also like how the angle grinder works at removing undercoating with a small cupped wire brush but I don't like the life expectancy. About 20 minutes for a $13 wire brush then all the wires are gone (and lodged in the heavy clothing I'm wearing) Anybody have a good source on less expensive or better lasting wire brushes?



I am not using the knotted brushes as this is on sheetmetal.

done that. Spent a small fortune on those brushes and spent months picking the wires out of everything. At least you are smart enough to wear heavy clothes. They do work good though. I used several brands and life expentancy was about the same for all. SHORT!

The straight don't last, the knotted last a lot longer, and I agree with you on where the wires end up. For some reason they usually end up in my crotchial area poking me in the goods.

for sheetmetal cleaning. It would be worth experimenting because of the high cost.

Gary B

two layers of automotive paint and one layer of brushed on paint, worked great, but I was broadsided before I got it painted so I don't know what other work would have needed to be done to it.

The standard wheel is far faster and lasts far longer than the flapper disks. Our shop welds all day, 5-6 days a week. Therefore we spend a small fortune on that crap.

Use the regular disk to rough shape the piece or pieces and then smooth it out with the flapper. You'll easily go thru 2-3 flappers to grind down beads compared to even 1/2 of a standard disk.

Josh

I have several cheap small grinders and leave a flapwheel on one, a hard disc on another and an .045" cutoff wheel on a third one. The flapwheel is basically sandpaper and you'll wear it out quickly with much meta; removal but it does a great job on making a smooth finish or minor grinding.

n/m

much easier with 7 inch grinder & does not remove metal or cause excessive heat, these discs last a fair while as long as you avoid sharp edges etc.
As far as flap discs go, there are some available with 3 cutouts that allow better visibility of what you are grinding and generate less heat.
For welds I agree to use grinding disc for coarse removal of weld, then use 3" Roloc sanding discs for fine work.
Search 3M or scotchbrite for more details.
Wire brushes are VOT {very old technology) and should be avoided (unless you like pain)

...I like them for cleaning slag from stick welds.

I only use the wire wheels for rust and scale removal. It makes me look like a porcupine.

using a knotted wire wheel is faster and looks a heck of a lot better than standing there trying to "chip" away slag with a pick hammer.

Josh