Makita GA4530R Angle Grinder Slide Switch 240V Multicolour
Makita GA4530R Angle Grinder Slide Switch 240V Multicolour 115 mm/S
Makita GA4530R/2
Features:
- Anti-restart function
- Machined bevel gears
- Soft start feature
- Lock-on switch to reduce user fatigue
- Double insulated
- Connectable to Makita vacuum cleaner with optional dust collecting wheel guard (not included)
240V 115mm Angle Grinder
Ideal for welders, fabricators, masons, maintenance / repair and more
The GA4530R/2 has a powerful 720 watt motor to deliver up to 11,000 rpm, with excellent heat resistance. Machined bevel gears provide up to 2 times longer life, and the labyrinth construction seals and protects the motor and bearings from dust and debris for a longer tool life.
The side handle is positioned at an increased 20 degree angle for added comfort and control.
| Weight: | 1.86 kg |
| Size: | 115 mm/S |
| Dimensions: | 26.6 x 12.8 x 10.3 cm; 1.86 Kilograms |
| Model: | GA4530R |
| Part: | GA4530R |
| Colour: | Multicolour |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Makita |
| Dimensions: | 26.6 x 12.8 x 10.3 cm; 1.86 Kilograms |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | 115 mm/S |
As a welder of 12 years I know my way around an angle grinder. This one is fantastic. Makita’s quality is well known. You will find these in a lot of workshops used by professionals. This is the best seller for a reason.
Pleasantly surprised at the quality of this angle grinder. I did dither about going cordless but really, I’m not planning to angle grand anything in a field, so save yourself 100 and just go corded.
Really pleased with this, paid 43, which still feels like it should be more.
My old angle grinder I have had for years then the other day it just died on me, it was not an expensive one and I was going to go for another inexpensive replacement, but after some thought I decided to go with a product maker I know, Makita, I have a few power tools made by this company and none have ever let me down so with that in mind paying just a bit more was worth it for me, this is a nice feeling not heavy grinder that is easy to use, can’t really find any negatives about this product so I’m happy.
What a lovely little grinder. Light, maneuverable, extremely well built. I think I’m in love. Clearly relatively light duty but for general metalwork, it is just the ticket, and feels like it has surprising power for its size. Nice switch action. Arrived brand new, also, despite some reviews saying it arrived used.
I like this tool would have preferred the battery option but cost came into it. Very good easy to use and fix up. Blade was rubbish but after ordering some other ones excellent. It really looks creates some dust and you need to use a mask and goggles also follow all safety precautions it is not a toy
The Makita grinder has a decent flex, it’s a very flexible H07RN-F 1mm2, total length is just over a couple of metres long. The Bosch grinder had a cheaper PVC flex that was quite inflexible in the winter temperatures of my barely heated garage.
The big disappointment with the Bosch grinder was how awkward it was to fit and adjust the blade guard, the Makita guard is easier to fit but could still be better; the clamp screw on the guard stops the guard from being rotated fully round on one side. There’s an aluminium projection from the spindle bearing housing that limits the guard rotation, this could be filed off to give more rotation on the guard (I might end up doing just that).
A few other reviews make mention of the on/off switch being difficult to switch to the on position. There’s a bit of a knack to just pushing the edge of the switch forward with your thumb rather than covering the switch actuator fully with your finger. After a few times it becomes quite easy to do. Switching off has no problem and is spring loaded to click off quickly. There’s a soft start on the motor so the initial switch on doesn’t cause a kick but instead a gentler start. If the power switch is already in the on position when the mains power is plugged in the grinder won’t start without first switching off the power switch and then back on – a nice feature to prevent any unintended startup when first plugging in.
The grinder comes supplied with a metal grinding disk, the Bosch had no such extras. The instruction manual is clear and written in English, by contrast the Bosch grinder had a paperback book thick manual with a mass of languages and diagrams on different sections. The Makita grinder is made in Romania, the Bosch one made in China. The Makita unit just seems the better made of the two which is a pity as I used to rate older Bosch power tools highly.
Very happy with this. I have a lot of Bosch tools, and I was going to go Bosch again for the angle grinder. However, mixed reviews and comments about the power cord being stiff and hard to bend put me off. I went for this, and I’m happy I did. It worked perfectly for the job I bought it for, and with a cutting disc, it made very light work of cutting sheet steel. I’m only a light user, so I can’t comment on it’s durability long term if it’s used in a hard working environment. But, for me, it’s great, and the price is decent. It also came with a free grinding disc in the box. I’m also happy to report that the power cable is very flexible on this, so you won’t be fighting that as you try and get on with your work. My only minor complaint is that it doesn’t come in a plastic case, just the cardboard box it ships in. That’s a shame, as the Bosch tools I have all have nice plastic cases to keep them safe. Other than that, this was a sold purchase.
considering that the slide switch is highlighted I have found it to be hard to use or virtually impossible if wearing leather safety gloves especially as the handle points forward putting ones fingers perilously close to the disk. Using two hands to switch it on helps, but the switch is reluctant to latch on. Either I have a faulty one or the manufacturer seriously needs to redesign it.
Purchased this Makita Grinder to replace my trusty old Bosch unit which I had been using a lot for many years both cutting and sanding. The Makita has now had quite a lot of use in workshop and on site work
and so far so good. Easy to set up and use, and has definitely become a part of my Makita power tools collection. Very pleased so far !
Upon starting to use the tool I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use. It made short work of cutting the various lengths and thicknesses of metal I had, it was so different to any other grinder I had ever had. Even though I have used more powerful grinders this one just felt easier to use. Even after cutting a substantial amount of steel bar the hand cramps I would usually start feeling didn’t appear. This grinder cut like a hot knife through butter. Totally recommend it. I think it will be a very long time before I need to replace it and I have no doubt I will be replacing it with the same make.
You will need safety glasses and ear defenders to use this tool. Cutting stone and grinding metal makes a terrific lot of noise. If cutting stone, you’ll need a breathing mask because it generates a lot of dust.
I love makita tools. I think this is the worst tool that I ever bought from makita, and even this is pretty good!
I knocked off a star because I have another known-brand grinder of slightly cheaper price that is noticeably better in cutting.
I would still recommend this though. You won’t regret going with this, and makita is a good brand.
Very poor and awkward switch. Difficult to operate the switch to the lock position. Better with the old button lock system. I had to use 2 hands so I ciukd slide and depress the switch! The grinder itself works well and being a slimmer version it’s easy to use (once you get the switch locked in). I think it’s a design issue rather than faulty so I’ll just have to get used to it.
Good wee grinder for the money its light weight comfortable in the hand in all positions. Its only failing is the rubbish on/off switch. its not failed yet but every time I turn it on I can’t help feel this is it.
The guard seems bit clunky too. I had a Bosch before this that lasted 10years. Time will tell with this one.
I use an identical grinder at work. It’s several years old now & aside from the odd cable replacement due to operator error (it’s a shared grinder & some people go through cords for a past-time!) it’s as good now as when it was new.
Having used & owned dozens if not hundreds of grinders by different manufacturers over the years, I can honestly say this model has been the nicest I’ve ever handled.
It’s extremely lightweight compared to a lot of grinders & fits in the hand beautifully,
I have fairly small hands but have used this model one-handed for hours on end without any cramping or discomfort.
The compact body size also means it’s easy to manipulate & fits into gaps / corners that most grinders cannot.
On the theme of comfort, the power toggle switch is also very comfortable to use. All you need is a thumb. Bearing in mind I’m right handed… I can imagine the switch being on the wrong side of the body for left-hookers, though it’s possibly just a matter of preference. For clarity the switch is on the left hand side of the grinder body.
The switch does feature something of a safety toggle and is difficult to operate accidentally, though I daresay not impossible. Balancing safety with ease of use I’d say Makita have it just about right here.
The standard safety handle (for 2-handed operation) is minimally designed & features no shock / vibration absorbtion, as is required in certain industry for H&S purposes – it’s just a moulded, stiff plastic handle. Frankly though, if you know what you’re doing with an angle grinder you’ll probably consign the handle to a toolbox somewhere & never use it.
The handle can be mounted on either the left or the right hand side of the grinder body. There is no mounting point on the top of the housing as with some makes / models. I don’t see this as a failing & have never in 25 years in the industry found a reason to need the handle mounted in that fashion.
The spindle lock is a convenient feature & on this model is very easy to use – you don’t have to jump up & down on the thing to get it to engage & keeping pressure on it doesn’t create any discomfort. You can hold the grinder and operate the spindle lock at the same time with one hand – an index finger is all it takes to engage the lock.
Also, there’s no real need to use an arbor wrench to change discs, as the hub can be sufficiently tightened by hand. The same cannot be said of some grinders. This makes changing discs extremely fast & much less fiddly.
During prolonged use this model handles & distributes heat very efficiently. You get no “hot spots” on the plastic body, even after an hour or more run-time & I’ve never known anything to melt through extended use… ever.
It’s also possible to hold this grinder one-handed by the gearbox (the metal bit at the end) and not have it overheat, even if your hand / glove is blocking the air intake. Not advisable to block the intake if you can help it but this grinder can handle it for short periods, which makes it all the more useable.
The only feature I’d want for on this grinder is a quick release mechanism on the disc guard. As it is this model has the older screw-tight design. Although that woks fine and is long tried & tested, there are times it’s just not practical to use a grinder with the guard installed. For those times it’d be nice to be able to remove it quickly without needing a screwdriver.
As for adjusting the position of the guard – if you know what you’re doing there’s almost never any need. Angle the guard at 10:30 / 16:30 and it can happily stay there til the end of time in most situations.
As for swapping the guard for one with a quick release latch – I can’t say. It may be possible, though If taking a guard from another make or model I’d expect to need to do some modifications for the thing to fit.
Build quality is very possibly the best of any 115mm grinder, including many more expensive makes / models… even dare I say the Bosch GWS / PWS ranges, which many consider to be the very best on the market (I can’t disagree with that). The gearbox uses hardened metal rotary bearings in place of static plastic bearings as found in the GWS. It also features a cast aluminium covering plate in place of a plastic one as seen on most makes & models.
As for the motor, 720W sounds low – and for the very heavy duty jobs it’s advisable to have a more powerful grinder handy (something in the 1,000W range perhaps), though with that said, if you’re doing work that requires that much power you probably already have a more powerful grinder anyway.
Personally I find if I’m doing a job that requires a more powerful grinder, chances are it’s a job for a 230mm grinder, not a 115mm. Very rare I’ll ever find the need for more power in a 115mm grinder.
A 1,000W grinder for example becomes slightly too much for prolonged one-handed operation – so if 2 hands are needed anyway, may as well make the job that much faster & use a 230mm.
In summary, an extremely capable / versatile / comfortable / well made / long-living little grinder & well worth the money.
As a professional metalworking / welding engineer I can wholeheartedly recommend this machine to the industry pro, hobbyist and first-time owner alike.
It’s comfy to use, more versatile than most and very much up to most jobs. With proper care & maintenance it should last a lot of years, if not a lifetime.
Price-wise, expect to pay around the 50 – 60 mark & possibly a bit more for convenience of buying locally or having it shipped. Any more than 65 and you can get it cheaper elsewhere.
Be aware that some GA4530s come in plastic carry cases and some come only in a cardboard box. Double check the listing before purchase if you want the carry case. Price shouldn’t be affected by more than 5 or so.
Also be aware that this model is available in either 230V or 110V. Again, double check the listing before buying. Picking the wrong one is easy done if you’re busy comparing several machines.
100% recommend without hesitation. You won’t be sorry buying this.