Choosing The Right Orbital Grinder: A Shopping Guide

Posted by Ahmed Rogers on June 17th, 2021

As with other power tools, the orbital grinder is equipped with a motor. Its rotation is converted by means of an internal mechanism into lateral and longitudinal movements, in fact an oscillating plate, to which the abrasive will be attached. Unlike a belt sander, which is designed to roughen the support, you want to focus on finishing work, for perfect rendering you need: Orbital sander. Browse around here to get an article source about orbital grinder.

Principle of orbital grinder

As mentioned earlier, it consists of a motor, a motion conversion mechanism called an oscillating cam, and a plate to which the abrasive will be attached. The abrasive fastening system varies depending on the model, the most common consists of clamping the sanding sheet to hold it. In addition to these 3 basic components, the motor, the oscillating cam and the plate, the manufacturers are paying more and more attention to the ergonomics of the machine for a precise and comfortable grip.

The advantages of an orbital grinder are numerous. Grinding will no longer require any effort on your part! No pressure is required, just point the machine towards the affected areas. It is undoubtedly a versatile tool that allows you to work on flat surfaces, edges, curves or even angles. Generally light, so it is very easy to handle. In addition to being a tool within reach of all experienced do-it-yourself or beginners, its price remains very attractive. So you can get flawless ready-made quality for more than interesting value for money, the details of which can be found in a small comparison at the end of this shopping guide.

The main disadvantage of this type of grinder remains the low power. In principle, however, this is not what is required of an orbital grinder. It will be necessary to turn to other tools, more suitable, for stripping or polishing, although the strongest models may claim it. If the amount of material present on the substrate is too large, the belt sander should be suitable for removing hard materials such as varnish or glue.

For which use, choose a vibratory grinder

The vibrating grinder allows you to obtain an excellent surface on a wide range of materials. It is obvious that wood and its derivatives are part of it. But not only metal structures are also possible, as are coatings.
As already mentioned, it is designed for medium to fine grinding. This tool is usually used just before applying varnish or paint. Do you want to paint blinds, renovate stair treads, paint furniture or even restore the freshness of your beams? The vibrating grinder will offer you a perfect surface finish and prepare your support for the acceptance of its paint or varnish. It is also possible to provide a raw metal look that is very fashionable. After applying the plaster and before painting the wall, it is necessary to go through the sanding step. Here, too, the orbital grinder is an ideal tool, whether it is a precise filling of a hole or larger work after joining gypsum boards.

The frequency of use of this type of grinder will depend on the profile of the buyer, the work to be done and, of course, the purchase price. So there is something for everyone! However, when we end up as its field of intrigue, we can reasonably think that intensive use is rarely required on this type of machine, although medium and high-end models can withstand a long effort without burning the lid.

Different types of orbital grinders

The surface of the plate is usually between 93 mm and 115 mm wide, for a length of 185 mm to 230 mm. These dimensions therefore determine the overall size of the grinder, which nevertheless remains a relatively small tool.

The mastery of the tool is essential and at this point the manufacturers have made considerable efforts in terms of ergonomics and handling. Of course, it also depends very much on the weight of the machine, which is usually between 1 Kg and 3 Kg. Manipulation can be optimized, for example, thanks to the BOSCH SoftGrip system, which makes the tool more pleasant. while using.

The power of the belt grinder ranges from 150 to 300 W. The more energy the machine generates, the less it will force when called up. A power monster will be useless for light work. On the other hand, for intensive use it will be necessary to switch to higher power, in the order of 240 to 300 W.

The speed of the grinder largely depends on the power of its motor. We are talking here about the speed of oscillation of the board. It ranges from 6,000 to 28,000 oscillations per minute.

The higher this number, the faster the work!

Several materials were collected that gave birth to the grinder. Plastic, rubber, steel, aluminum or copper are carefully selected for their properties.

As you have seen in this shopping guide, the principle of operation of the orbital grinder is the same for each model. However, several accessories differentiate them from each other. It includes a dust bag or a vacuum cleaner outlet and, in the most advanced models, a sole! An electronic oscillation speed variator or self-closing sole are also available.