TESTED: Arbortech Mini Grinder
1. Arbortech’s new mini grinder is cordless and has a longer and heavier body which balances the tool well in use.
Review and photos: Terry Martin
I have been a user of Arbortech products since they began production in the late 80s. I bought the first version of the mini grinder in the mid 1990s. The cutting mechanism had to be attached to a separately purchased grinder, but it was then replaced by the integrated Arbortech grinder and cutter. I still use both of these tools, so I was interested to see how the new battery-powered version stacks up.
As with many power tools these days, it arrived in a large plastic case. Although the case makes the tool system very portable, I only work in my workshop and tools go into my tool cabinets, but for others like me it is possible to buy the system without the case.
2. The full kit comes in carry case and includes battery, charger, cutting and sanding disks.
Out of the case
Unpacking the kit I found the main body of the tool, the battery and charger, one wood cutting disk and two cut-off disks for materials like metal or tiles, two cutter guards, a dust extractor hose attachment, keys for changing disks and cutters, and a flexible sanding pad with sanding disks.
Using the tool
The cutter is still fiddly to fit, but there is now a simple lever that allows you to fit guards and change their positions for different tasks. With the battery installed I was surprised by the length and weight, but as soon as I started using it I realised these are an advantage. The long handle with the battery at the end balances the tool very well and the working reach of this new model is 210mm longer than the previous models. While that doesn’t seem much, it makes a big difference, particularly when working inside a narrow space. There is a variable speed control which alters speed from 6,000 to 19,500rpm. I am happy to go at top speed for carving, but sanding is best done at a slower speed. The new tool also has a more powerful motor.
3. Cordless now, the tool is more manoeuvrable.
With a cable I have to untangle myself as I work around a piece, so I was happy to be free of that. With one hand on the body of the tool and the other on the side handle, I had good control for deeper incising cuts, side-to-side sweeping cuts, or flatter planing cuts using the side of the cutters. I tested it on a very hard piece of mulberry that I even had trouble cutting with my chainsaw and the mini grinder performed well. The round carbide cutters don’t ‘grab’ the wood, so there was no kickback.
I thought attaching my workshop vacuum hose to the cutter would make it unwieldy, but I was pleased that when I used the sanding disks it collected most of the sawdust and with the cutter it collected a large part of the shavings.
4. The round carbide cutters don’t grab the wood, so there’s no kickback.
Spare parts
Arbortech has a wide range of spare parts and consumables to support their products. The cutters can be rotated to present a new sharp edge, but when that doesn’t work two new cutters cost $50. It is also possible to sharpen these cutters with a diamond hone or, in my case, with a diamond wheel on my Tormek system, but I can never get them as sharp as new ones.
The running time is difficult to specify because it depends on variables such as speed and how hard the wood is. Arbortech estimate a charge time of around one hour which seems to be in the same range of other battery-powered tools I use.
Arbortech lists the kit that I received at $848. This is a big step up in price from the $429 you pay for the earlier cable-powered version, but there are several advantages with the new system. The ergonomic efficiency, longer reach, cable-free operation and overall flexibility will make this the obvious choice for some. Prices may vary with other suppliers, so you may want to search and compare.
Review tool supplied by and available from Arbortech, see www.arbortech.com.au
Terry Martin is a wood artist and author who lives in Brisbane see terrymartinwoodartist.com
5. Comparing the author’s earlier mini grinder tools with the new cordless model.