How to easily change the disc in an angle grinder

Why does it matter how you place the tool in the angle grinder? How to avoid problems when replacing it and what to watch out for to save time and protect your sander...

We set up most of the tools for the angle grinder intuitively or according to the attached simple instructions. For example, we mount diamond discs so that the direction of rotation is the same as the direction indicated by the arrow on the body of the tool.

Grinding abrasive discs and lamella discs are placed on the flange of the angle grinder with the convex side of the extruded center (otherwise we would not be able to grind), screw the threaded tools onto the shaft, etc.

However, there is one detail with abrasive cutting tools that we rarely realize when changing.

The central steel ring and its meaning

It is a thin galvanized molding with a slight flange on the inner ring. And that defines the inner hole of the tool. Manufacturers usually use central steel rings with several holes in the intermediate ring as well. A little mixture gets into these holes during pressing, and after firing in the oven, the position of the ring on the tool is fixed in this way.

Despite being the cheapest component to manufacture, it has important functions:

1. ensures a firmer attachment of the disc and thus increases safety at work
2. precisely defines the inner opening of the disc - 22.23 mm
3. prevents the wheel from "biting" into the inner flange of the angle grinder and thus enables its easier replacement

Angle grinder flange

It is an irreplaceable part of the safe attachment of the cutting disc in the tool.

On its contact surface, there are grooves in the inner ring around the perimeter - this is to better fix the disc after tightening the clamping nut, and to prevent it from loosening by itself.

Correct fastening of the cutting disc

The cutting disc is inserted into the angle grinder so that the central steel ring (1) of the disc rests on the grooves of the flange (2). After that, just screw in the clamping nut (3), press the spindle locking button (4), tighten the disc with appropriate force (with feel) with the assembly key (5) - and you're done.

We often come across the term "tighten with feel" in manuals and instructions, but it has never been precisely defined. . It means "neither strong nor weak" - that is, with feeling?.

An excessively tight clamping nut can really cause a problem when changing a tool. Sometimes neither brute force nor a chisel and hammer will help. In such a violent way, the flange or shaft of the grinder can be easily damaged and the tool will eventually end up in service.

If the nut is loosely tightened - especially on grinders with an overrun brake - it can loosen on its own after switching off. Although there is no great danger, it is not pleasant to search all over the workshop for a rolled nut, tool and sometimes a flange. If the correct procedure is followed, it is practically impossible for the disc to "bite" into the flange during work, and its release during replacement is a matter of seconds.

Just to be sure: before changing any tool in the angle grinder, do not forget to disconnect it from the electricity.

Source:
HERMAN internal technical and training materials

Ing. Herman Nagypál

I graduated from a military school. I learned to work with tools and equipment as a child with my father on the construction of our family house. I test each of our new products personally - with my own hands in my well-equipped workshop. In my spare time, I study trends in the field and like to try competitive products. Some of them make me laugh, and some of them make me wonder (that someone got caught and bought it), but some are really good. Almost like ours 😊.