Is the 4 inch grinder debate really settled, or are we lying to ourselves?

Angela Rivera · 2026-08-17T17:50:33.614317+00:00

Last month on a job in Gary, Indiana a guy swore up and down that a 4 inch grinder is all anyone needs, I got paired with a new kid who brought a 9 inch and honestly the pace difference was night and day. Three years ago I was the guy saying smaller is safer, I could get into tight spots around beams and brackets without dragging a heavy tool, but then we had a 3 week push to finish a tank shell and the small wheel ate up my arms. The trade seems split, some say the big one gives you better leverage and cuts down on passes, others say it wears you out and burns through discs faster. I want to know what the rest of you actually run for main prep and cutting, do you switch based on the job or are you one tool and done? And has anyone else found that the 4 inch works fine until you hit a 3/4 inch plate, then it's just pure frustration?

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Is the 4 inch grinder debate really settled, or are we lying to ourselves? | Boilermakers - Free To Speak