Free Tips to Become Top Ace Woodworker with Angle Grinders

Everyone’s in the loop when it comes to an angle grinder’s indispensable quality of being used on metal. Yeah, a run-of-the-mill 4 ½-inch lightweight, but massively sturdy angle grinder is any handyman’s go-to tool for stripping rust off metal or polishing, deburring, and cutting it! No matter if you are removing scores of weld beads or bevelling a stack of steel plates, an angle grinder is a complete metal slayer!But, do you know this awesome tool can be your best companion whilst working on wood, too? Here is a brief lowdown on using an angle grinder on wood for up-and-coming woodworkers of all hues. Take note! 

An angle grinder does it all: Carving, Shaping and Sanding Wood

Only one tool in the world can comprehensively accomplish the three important tasks of woodworking namely- carving, shaping and sanding wood and that is an angle grinder. Any woodworker seeking a fast, reliable method to carve, shape, or sand out large chocks should home in on an angle grinder. Bear in mind though, an angle grinder is a power tool that contains an element of danger. So be certain to wear safety glasses and appropriate PPE.

Use the right attachments While Using Angle Grinders

Secondly, whilst using angle grinders on wood, take due stock of how much wood needs to be removed/slaughtered and how speedily you want to get the task done. Doing this helps in determining the right woodworking attachment for use. With a terrific operating head speed upwards of 13,000 revolutions per minute, these petite handheld power tools have the ability to dispose off a humungous amount of material in a jiffy!

Discussed below are some of the most important angle grinder attachments that gel well with any woodworking project:-

#1) Abrasive flap discs

First used predominantly in the early 1980’s high-speed angle grinders, abrasive flap discs are a collective of small pieces of sandpaper conjoined to a robust backing disc that can be attached to an angle grinder. Flap discs are as versatile as angle grinders vis-à-vis service life, material removal potential, and sanding quality.

What’s more? Flap discs are designed for usage on both wood and metal albeit they differ on the nature of the abrasive material as well as the stiffness of the backing material used. Using woodworking flap discs on your angle grinder is as cinch as using sandpaper!

Pro tip: Start with a heavy grit and work your way up to the lighter 100-120 and finer grit sanding flap discs for final touches to eliminate gouges or deep scratches.

#2) Abrasive carving disks

When the task at hand is shaping pristine wood, nothing comes close to abrasive carving discs! With these razor-sharp saucers attached to an angle grinder at your command, anything ranging from artistic wooden sculptures to log furniture can be made quick work of. These sharp, precision-laden discs work with or against the grain on multifarious kinds of wood by incorporating conical carbide teeth. They also provide easy control and excellent surface removal on wood with any angle grinder.

#3) Carving Wheels

Carving tools are heavy toothed specialty tools designed intrinsically for working on non-ferrous materials and wood. Their teeth resemble heavily sharpened steel/alloy teeth and chainsaw teeth. Thanks to their sheer aggression, carving wheels can pummel their way through delicate non-ferrous materials and the thickest of woods with ease and grace.

Pro Tip: Forever use extreme caution whilst operating an angle grinder and carving wheel.