The Angle Grinder Alternative You Can Find At Harbor Freight

An angle grinder can be a surprisingly versatile tool. You can use it to cut through metal or clean up welds, and it's also one of the tools that make it easier to sharpen your lawnmower blade. Change the wheel, and it can be used for cutting cinder blocks, pavers, or tiles. Unfortunately, angle grinders can be a bit intimidating for beginners, and they require a firm grip; they have an additional side handle, so you can use both hands.

An alternative that can make some of those jobs easier is to use a bench grinder. The idea is that you take the workpiece to the tool, rather than taking the tool to the workpiece, thus giving you greater control. One model with some interesting features is the Central Machinery 3-Inch Bench Grinder with Flex Shaft that you can find at Harbor Freight. It has variable speed so you can adjust it to suit the task, and the 39-inch flex shaft with its rotary head is ideal for detailed work. An angled rest will help sharpen drill bits so they're as good as new, and wheels can be swapped out to allow for anything from buffing metal parts to polishing jewelry. The Central Machinery bench grinder costs just $47.99.

The key specification with this tool is the 3-inch wheels. It is a compact model that could appeal to those who are short on space, and as well as drill bits, it would be useful for sharpening chisels and all kinds of knives. However, general-purpose workshop bench grinders typically have either 6- or 8-inch wheels, so this is a light-duty tool. Although it could be possible to sharpen a lawnmower blade, presenting something that large at the right angle will be awkward. Instead, it would be better to use the flex shaft with an appropriate grinding burr fitted.

There are also times when a bench grinder, even a larger workshop model, cannot perform the same work as an angle grinder. The thin wheels fitted to the latter are designed to be used both flat and on edge. So, in addition to grinding and sharpening, they can slice through metal or masonry. That's not something any bench grinder can do. The Central Machinery 3-inch bench grinder is a potential alternative to an angle grinder for some tasks and certainly a tool worth considering for the small home workshop. That said, an angle grinder is another of the Harbor Freight tools every DIYer should know about, and there are inexpensive models that would also be a great addition to your tool kit.