Bosch GWS8-45 4-1/2 In. Angle Grinder

This is a great grinder. Very powerful, fits all the grinder blades just fine. The handle can be attached on the left or right side, which was a nice touch. Not very loud either. Remember to wear your safety glasses!

I bought this grinder to use with poly abrasive stripping discs to remove paint on an older ranch house. I appreciate that the grinder is not heavy while still being beefy. The grip is small enough to run one handed, which I needed to do often while stretching arms length at the top of a ladder.The left-side push switch took some getting used to when using left handed. The constant on function works easily...push the switch forward and then press inward.I ran this grinder continuous for up to 15 minutes at a time, through a 5 pack of abrasive discs, over three days, grinding off old paint on wood siding. The grinder got warm, but never overheated. I was impressed.I like the safety guard. It fit the 4 1/2" x 7/8" poly discs perfectly with no contact. The guard requires an Allen key to loosen and reposition it. A clamping guard would be a plus. The auxilliary handle can be used on either left or right.One thing I. like is that the Allen key for the guard, and the wrench for the blade nut are all in one piece, an interesting tool, a little different from the standard wrench. The holes in the blade nut are standard width.It took me about one minute to assemble the tool out of the box. The single speed is rated 11,000 rpms, and I note it runs constant, and has not bogged down in my use. The wheel-lock on the back is red, and is easy to use while changing a blade.Glad I bought it. This is an excellent quality tool for professionals that definitely goes to the job site.

I like it very much.

this item was shipped on time and works great. great tool for the money. would have given this 5 stars but its obvious this was a returned product as there was a part missing and the package was obiously retaped. missing an allen wrench holder for the power cord- no big deal but not what i excpected. I kept the tool and love it.

Took forever to arrive, six delays but was well worth the wait, disk's including, this is not a quiet tool. Well made.

Good lil motor grinds through exhaust pipe easy I let the weight of the grinder do the work. Barely pushed on it. Going to sharpen my lawn mower blades with it hopefully tomorrow. I don’t have to keep borrowing my neighbors grinder now, I have my own. Be sure and keep that little lock nut washer thingy on before you put on disc. It falls off if you tip the grinder, oops.

I bought this to cut some ~1/8" steel. In particular, this rack:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RYYY7C?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsThe two rows of holes on each post are in line with each other so the rear set needs to be cut off. Not knowing that before I bought that rack, I bought this grinder to do the cutting. I was shocked to find that the manual claims that this grinder cannot be used for cut-off applications, because it doesn't say that anywhere on the Amazon page, or even on Bosch's website, unless you download the manual. However, other manufacturers such as Makita offer similar-sized grinders with the same or lesser specs that claim to support cut-off work, so I figured why not give it a shot. And sure enough, it works just fine. Just don't lay into it too hard and let the disc do the work. Also, wear adequate PPE and a dust mask or respirator, it generates tons of particles and stinks as the disc wears.Other 4.5" Bosch grinders claim to support cut-off applications, but it seems that Bosch has discontinued the "optional" cut-off guard, and finding guards for other brands of 4.5" grinders seemed equally challenging at this price point. It would appear that most people just toss a cut off disc in there and go, using the included "Type 27" guard that comes stock with this and any other brand of entry-level grinder. User beware, and be careful, but there are loads of videos on YouTube showing people using grinders to cut metal with Type 27 guards installed.Installing a Type 1 (flat) disc doesn't leave a lot of clearance with the included guard though, so I opted for a Type 27 cutoff wheel. This has the depressed center like the included grinding wheel, and offers better clearance. The one I got (Norton Blue Fire) says to use it with Type 27 guards, which happens to be what's included with this grinder. Despite this, the manual says not to use the included Type 27 guard for cut-off applications.It appears that there's a lot of conflicting information as to what can and can't be done. Or rather, what should or shouldn't be done. But for everyone wondering if this grinder is suitable for cutting, the answer is yes. Buy it, you'll be happy. It's inexpensive, and if you burn it out, just buy another. It'll still be less expensive than some of the other higher-end models out there. You'll be happy.

This grinder made cutting edging pavers very fast and easy. What a great find.