Two Very Different Takes on a Cordless Recip Saw The Milwaukee 2720-20 and Bosch GSA18V-083 are both 18V reciprocating saws, but they are not built for the same user. The Milwaukee is a full-size M18 SAWZALL with a 1-1/8 inch stroke. The Bosch is a compact, one-handed saw with a 0.83 inch stroke. If you … Read more
If you want a full-size demolition saw, neither of these is it. The DeWalt DCS382 and Makita XRJ06 are both compact, one-handed reciprocating saws built for tight spaces, overhead cuts, and quick plumbing, electrical, and remodel cuts where a full 18-inch recip is overkill. They run on their brands’ 18V/20V platforms, weigh under 5 pounds … Read more
Running a flap disc or wire wheel at the wrong RPM doesn’t just hurt performance — it destroys the abrasive, throws wires, and puts you at risk. Most 4-1/2 inch angle grinders spin at a fixed 10,000 to 12,000 RPM, which works for grinding but is often too fast for cleaning, finishing, or working on … Read more
Why Dressing Matters More Than the Wheel Itself A grinding wheel dulls in two different ways, and you need to tell them apart. Glazing happens when the abrasive grains get worn flat but stay stuck in the bond – the wheel looks shiny, cuts slower, and generates much more heat. Loading is when soft material … Read more
Stainless steel punishes the wrong disc. Use a standard masonry or mild-steel disc and you’ll get slow cuts, burnt blue edges, heavy burrs, and — worst of all — cross-contamination that lets the stainless rust days later. Choosing the right disc isn’t about spending more, it’s about matching the abrasive, bond, and thickness to stainless … Read more
What Kickback Actually Is Grinder kickback during metal cutting isn’t the wheel shattering. It’s the instant when a spinning cutoff wheel binds, stalls, and the grinder body violently rotates or jumps out of the cut. With a 4-1/2″ grinder spinning at 11,000 RPM, that reaction happens in under 0.1 seconds. The motor torque that was … Read more
The Short Answer For cutting metal pipe, the tool you want depends on where the pipe is and what kind of cut you need. An angle grinder with a cutoff wheel makes a faster, cleaner, and straighter cut on steel pipe in the open. A reciprocating saw is slower and rougher, but it wins when … Read more
For thin sheet metal, a cutoff tool is usually easier to control, while an angle grinder is the better choice when you also need to grind welds, clean edges, or remove rust. The cheaper option can be perfectly adequate for a few cuts, but the right choice depends on the metal thickness, cut shape, finish, … Read more
How They Cut Differently A grinding wheel and a flap disc both mount on a 4-1/2″ angle grinder, but they remove metal in completely different ways. A grinding wheel is a single, rigid bonded abrasive stone, typically 1/4″ thick. You grind with the edge and face to hog off material. It cuts aggressively and does … Read more
Choosing a cordless impact wrench is also a decision about its battery platform. The wrench itself may be excellent, but the batteries, charger, tool range, and replacement cost determine whether it remains a good buy after the first job. The right comparison is not simply “18V versus 20V.” Most 18V and 20V Max systems use … Read more