Best power die grinders according to redditors

My first actual ""real" job was when I worked in an Automotive shop in High School. Welding exhausts was part of the job.

Tips n' tricks I learned:

Exhaust pipe can be a trick to get find a good ground on and hangers aren't always easy to clamp onto. Take an old truck battery cable, strip off the insulation and make a neat braid out of the copper. Now you have a pony tail ground! To use it, just wrap/loop the bare copper braid around the exhaust pipe and clamp your normal welding ground clamp to it.

Always leak check your work! When you're done welding up the pipe, have an assistant hold a rag or old welding glove over the exhaust outlet to bump up the backpressure while you look/listen/feel for leaks.

Most steel exhaust pipe has "aluminizing" which is just a thin coating of aluminum on the steel. It welds a lot nicer if you strip off the aluminizing with a die grinder flap wheel. Also if the pipe that you're joining to is used and has a lot of carbon/oil residue on the inside, try your best to clean that up too before welding. If you try welding to a pipe with a lot of built up carbon on the inside it'll offgas which can cause problems with the bead wanting to "volcano" and give a nasty looking weld. Clean pipe welds nicest and a little prep goes a long way.

Get the lightest and flexiest MIG whip you can because welding exhaust on the vehicle can require some tricky contortion at times. Also if you can get a Bernard gun with the rotatable head, that helps for tight areas.

Most exhaust pipe is only 16 gauge, so .025" wire is all ya need.

Some semi-specialized tools you may want to get:

These if you don't own a pair already. They work a lot easier than the old standby of using Channellocks and penetrating oil to slip off rubber isolaters.

A can of high temp silver spray paint. Putting a quick coat of high temp paint over where you've welded and/or stripped the aluminizing off the pipe is considered a nice touch. Only takes a couple minutes and 50 cents worth of spraypaint and customers don't like seeing rust on an exhaust they just had replaced a few weeks ago.

"Stud grip" Channellocks or Knipex Cobra pliers because you'll be "cherrying up" a lot of really crusty 3/8", 8mm, and 10mm studs with a torch and you need something that can get a good bite on them to turn them out.

An air cut-off wheel to hack off all the old hangers and hardware that you can't salvage and won't be reusing. I use a crappy old IR 3" , but if you can afford an extended reach model This one is the bomb

electric die grinder

There's something called a "die grinder" which is like a Dremel on steroids.

Mastercraft is fine for some tools though I would not suggest that blue box shown in your ad photo. I had one as a beginner box (since it was on sale and I needed something cheap at the time) and it's not very good. That box easily tips over if more than 2 drawers are open which by itself would be fine if not for the fact nothing holds those drawers shut so if your box is on even a slight incline the drawers tend to want to slide open. Well that and I outgrew that box pretty quick so honestly I would suggest like others have mentioned to check the used market, whether through a tool truck or Kijiji, Craigslist, etc as you will often get much better value for your money.

In terms of hand tools the MAXIMUM line is pretty decent to start out with if you get it on sale but never pay full price for anything at Canadian Tire if you can avoid it, it's rarely worth it at full price (ex. Most MAXIMUM air tools cost as much or a little less than Ingersoll Rand when not on sale). My diamond driver screwdrivers and bolt extractors have worked quite well and a few of my coworkers have purchased that MAXIMUM die grinder and liked it, though personally I stick with Ingersoll Rand or AIRCAT for air tools.

Another thing to keep in mind to is many professional brands, including Snap-On, do not produce every tool that bears their name. Instead another manufacturer makes them and simply brands the tool with their name and at the same time produces the same tool under their own name for much cheaper. A perfect example is these low profile screwdrivers. Snap-On was advertising just the number 2 Philips (with their name on it) in a past catalog for around $20 or you can buy the whole set of 3 from the original manufacturer for a couple of bucks more. It's always worth looking into whenever you might need to purchase a tool.

I have this one 1/4 die grinder

I wish I had this one: variable speed

For the bowl, the bit was a single-cut burr. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECMQUGK/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_3DFRDbPJCREKT

For the handle, a coarse bit, like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037MFFQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_zHFRDbEF4ADCX

Both used on an old in-line, Dremel-style rotary tool. It's a bit more robust than a Dremel, but same idea.

Edit: Ah this is pretty much the tool:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C3WPX6I/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_ELFRDbCV6QAX4

[Makita 18v die grinder] (https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XDG01Z-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Grinder/dp/B00LIV0R6W/) with a optional smaller 1/8" collet?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RH36WU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

.

https://www.amazon.com/Astro-2181-Double-Carbide-Rotary/dp/B00061SFKK

Got something very similar to this at my local Menards (home depot works too) for something like $19.99

http://www.amazon.com/40-Electric-Rotary-Grinder-Kit/dp/B000Q77CBM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1344215428&sr=8-5&keywords=dremel+generic

Sure. Here’s a basic one: https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-10649A-Air-powered-Grinder-Capacity/dp/B000K801NI

If you wanted to go flex shaft you could go with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Flexible-Grinder-Rotary-Variable/dp/B06XJSK1K4

Besides a welder, here are some tools and sealers you may need.

Ingersoll Rand 1/4" Air Die Grinder 3107G https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VZC9PI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UopXCbSGKRWDR

Wiss METALMASTER M3R 9-3/4" Compound Action Snips, Straight, Left, Right https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002N5KQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EppXCbHEASVCR

Estwing Ball Peen Hammer - 12 oz Metalworking Tool with Forged Steel Construction & Shock Reduction Grip - E3-12BP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DT0OQQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CqpXCbX8EYP89

3M 08367 Black Coatings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9ZR8HO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1ppXCb796EXQG

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW887-1-1-2-Inch-Grinder/dp/B00004RHIS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1396719634&sr=8-4&keywords=die+grinder

...and a cupola cut off wheels. It would take you probably 30 minutes to get inside.

This..https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-30109B-Grinder-Exhaust-Locking/dp/B002E08XP8/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1511571160&sr=8-13&keywords=mini+angle+grinder

You can get different abrasive pads

My quick google fu has returned me with this. Variable speed and electric. Being Bosch, it'll last for freaking ever.

If you're dead set on air there are a zillion die grinders. The Chicago ones seem pretty nice and at a halfway decent price point. Can't speak for them myself though. If you need right angle they're also available.

Just get this https://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-308B-Straight-Grinder/dp/B008JYRDFE and then a buffing wheel. You could probably get an electric one too.

Metabo makes a very good, solid range of grinders. I have a couple of their angle grinders, and they've always been reliable and powerful tools. You could try one of their die grinders (this, or this).

Have you considered air powered tools? There's of course the downside of needing a compressor, but the tools themselves tend to be way cheaper, durable, and easier to maintain than electric counterparts. (Also they don't bind in as dangerous a manner if you stall the motor.)

You could try an electric die grinder. Metabo makes a small random orbit sander that might be useful for your purposes.