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Die Grinder - Front vs Rear Exhaust

SteveT

Member
I?m shopping die grinders and considering the pros and cons of front and rear exhaust. Which do you prefer, and why?

And while we?re at it, any feedback from those who own an Ingersoll Rand 307B and/or 301B?
 
Die grinder

I?m shopping die grinders and considering the pros and cons of front and rear exhaust. Which do you prefer, and why?

And while we?re at it, any feedback from those who own an Ingersoll Rand 307B and/or 301B?

Rear if possible. Front blows oil all over the parts. Actually, I prefer an electric or battery. My air grinder and cut off tools are air hogs.
 
I have a 301B 90 degree Ingersoll Rand I bought in the 80's when I used it daily for grinding corrosion on the big jets. I use it all the time, and it is very reliable, controllable and lightweight. If you get used to using the 90 degree type, you will never even pull a straight die grinder out again. I couldnt live without it, and working with Scotchbrite pads and sanders, you wont need another finishing tool in your bag. I often wrap a small cloth around it when working for two reasons..it will get cold, and the cloth will disperse exhaust and any oil ( don't over oil them) .
 
I'll go a bit against the grain here...:)

This is one case where Harbor Freight cheap tools work well. We don't need the power of a full-size hand held grinder, the compact HF ones are fine and lighter in the hand.

https://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/grinders/14-in-air-angle-die-grinder-62439.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/air-t...-inch-rear-exhaust-air-die-grinder-52847.html

Use minimal oil to keep your work clean - especially on fiberglass - and simply buy a new one when it wears out. You can buy 3 for the price of the IR one. :)

PS I'm still using my 20+ year old HF compact die grinders, and IIRC they were about the same price as now when I bought them. They got lots of use on a non-punched -6A kit, mainly with 2 inch Roloc disks.
 
USAF..... oil, 3 drops per day.

Cheap HF grinder - 2 drops after a long time on the shelf - less mess. :)

Also, we are usually not using these tools on a full work day of 8 hours. Just consider the HF tools as cheap disposable tools, but they work well.

I learned this from one of the best sailplane repair guys in the US. He used DA sanders and various grinders, and was so concerned about oil contamination on the glass structures he was repairing with 50:1 scarf joints that he never oiled his sander/grinder, he just bought new ones as needed.
 
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