This is a very specific question, which I have not been able to answer thru Google nor with searches on sites such as Home Depot.
I have a 4.5" Milwaukee angle grinder with a 5/8" arbor. I want to use a diamond blade to cut some concrete blocks to fit a curve. The only ones I can find are apparently made for a 7/8" arbor and come with a built-in adapter which you can take out if you have the larger arbor, or leave in if you have the smaller arbor.
The problem is that I only get a few passes before the built-in adapter breaks and the wheel just spins free. I’ve tried a very light touch, and I get a few more passes, but I’ve gone through four of these things and it’s getting expensive.
I think I need a permanent adapter so I could use the 7/8" arbor version of these wheels, but I can’t find one. But I can’t find one. Do you know of one, or do you have a suggestion for a different solution?
Typically, the assembly to keep the wheel in place includes a washer (could be one piece) that clamps the bladed outside of any arbor or arbor adapter. The adapter simply keeps the wheel centered, it shouldn’t have anything to do with actually holding the blade in place.
The arbor nut for angle grinders normally has two sides one with a bevel and one without. Try flipping the nut over and tightening it down.
Yeah, it sounds like you’re pinching the adapter with the tapered side of the nut, which won’t do you any good. Take the adapter out and use the tapered side of the nut as the adapter. Conversely, leave the adapter in the disc and use the flat side of the nut to hold the disc in place… if your disc is very thin, the tapered side of the nut may not hold it properly.
And if the grinder’s nut is too small, even on the wide side, get a flat washer a real one, not a big-box imitation one.
See “fender washer” and “wood washer”.
And apply force ONLY at 90 degrees from the plane of the disc. Any pressure in or out will cause the disc to fail - and not always in a nice way. Get very good goggles or face shield.
Thanks, I’ll try flipping the arbor nut over, then the other suggestions if that doesn’t work.
Well, flipping the arbor nut over was the answer. I checked the manual again, and I swear that the manual has it wrong. Oh well, at least I’m getting my project done. Thanks everyone.