Are you looking forward to kickstarting a career in the field of concrete grinding and polishing? Choosing the proper equipment to remove coatings, grind, hone, or polish a concrete surface is a crucial first step. Luckily, an arsenal of high-performance equipment that can enable you to achieve the exact surface profile your clients need with less effort and mess is readily available.
Among the most efficient weapons for getting concrete floors into shape are concrete grinders. Within this equipment category, you will find a wide range of models with diverse applications. From compact handheld models for small jobs and working in tight spots to large ride-on machines for covering large surface areas quickly, you'll find them all.
In this article, we have compared features of two commercial floor grinders from two of the most popular brands in the grinding/polishing industry – Onfloor OF20S-H by OnFloor Technologies and Scanmaskin Combiflex 500I by Scanmaskin. Read on to find out which commercial floor grinder is ideal for your business.
5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Commercial Floor Grinder
There are several things to consider when choosing a commercial floor grinder. They include:
1. Applications and Use Cases
Concrete grinders are surface preparation tools that have various applications and use cases. You can use a concrete grinder to remove vinyl glue, tile glue, carpet glue, or other stubborn adhesives, coatings, and paints. You can also use a concrete grinder to smooth out an uneven surface to provide a smooth finish.
Nevertheless, not all grinders are designed to perform multiple functions, i.e., coating removal, grinding, honing, and polishing. Some grinders, such as the Scanmaskin Combiflex 500I, can perform two functions at best, i.e., rough grinding and coat removal. This means that you may need another grinder to perform other jobs, such as concrete polishing, wood floor refinishing, etc.
When choosing a commercial floor grinder, you want one that you can use for multiple applications. The Onfloor OF20S-H is one such grinder. This multi-floor commercial floor grinder is designed to perform multiple applications, i.e., concrete surface preparation, epoxy removal, glue/mastic removal, concrete polishing, wood floor refinishing/sanding, and wood deck restoration. What's more, is that this multi-surface and multi-functional concrete grinder is ideal for both wet and dry applications.
2. Grinding Speed
One of the crucial aspects to consider when choosing a commercial floor grinder is the grinding speed. You not only want to accomplish the tasks at hand efficiently, but you also want to complete them within the shortest time possible.
While low-speed grinders have been available for approximately 50 years, high-speed grinders have become a huge buzzword within the grinding and polishing industry. As the growth of concrete polishing jobs continues to explode, many contractors are going for commercial grinders with high grinding speeds to expedite their work.
If you're looking for a commercial floor grinder that can quickly tackle concrete grinding and polishing jobs, consider the Onfloor OF20S-H concrete grinder. Its tool speed is up to 1250 rpm, making it an ideal concrete floor grinder to use for large projects that need to be completed within short timeframes. As far as the grinding speed is concerned, the Onfloor OF20S-H outshines the Scanmaskin Combiflex 500I, whose grinding speed is 950 rpm.
3. Working Width
Another aspect that will determine how quickly you'll complete tasks with a grinder is the working width, also referred to as the grinding width. The working width denotes the overall area the grinder covers when it is running.
You can find walk-behind concrete grinders ranging in size from single-disc units to dual-, triple, or even four-disc grinders. Most single-disc grinders have a working width of 10-12 inches, while dual-disc grinders cover 20 or more inches in one pass.
The Onfloor OF20S-H has a working width of 20 inches, which is wide enough to allow more production in less time. This handy piece of grinding equipment is capable of achieving production rates as high as 500 square feet per hour. Furthermore, OF20S-H has up to 170 kg in grinding pressure, which helps to increase productivity.
On the other hand, the Scanmaskin Combiflex 500I has a working width of 20 inches and up 115 kg in grinding pressure. Since it has a lower grinding speed and lower grinding pressure compared to the OF20S-H, it is right to say that its production rates are lower than those of the OF20S-H.
4. Attachment Options
To maximize the versatility of your commercial floor grinder, you need to invest in an assortment of attachments, including grinding stones, inserts, and diamond grinding tools. Some concrete grinders also come with scarifying attachments for removing thicker mastics and coatings.
There's a large selection of tooling that you can use with the Onfloor OF20S-H. For instance, you can attach different diamond tools, including the 25 Grit Single Round Cha-Ching Diamond abrasive tool or the 25 GRIT QUICK TOOL RIPTIP (™)-3 DIAMOND. One feature that makes the Onfloor OF20S-H shine is its self-maintenance platform that allows you to replace bearings and belts in a few minutes.
5. Motor Size
Grinders come with motors ranging from 1 HP on small, single-head rotary grinders to 40 HP on large grinders with a multi-rotary head. Various variables affect the amount of power required for a grinder to operate efficiently, including the weight of the machine, the grit designation you're using, and how much contact area there is between the grinder and the surface.
As far as the motor size is concerned, the Onfloor OF20S-H has a 5HP/208-240V 50/60Hz motor. It also features the patented triple belt planetary that creates more torque with less power. The Onfloor OF20S-H also weighs less (190 lbs) than the Scanmaskin Combiflex 500I that weighs a whopping 300 lbs. Since the OF20S-H is lighter, it is simple enough for almost anyone to operate, transport, and maintain yet powerful enough for heavy commercial jobs.
Final Thoughts
Any serious contractor requires serious equipment to do an exemplary job. A good choice would be a commercial floor grinder that is designed for multiple applications. It should also have a high grinding speed, wider working width, more attachment options, and a powerful motor. The OF20S-H ticks all the right boxes as far as all these features are concerned. As such, choosing it over other slower grinders will be a smart investment decision that you'll make for your business. You can also check out other Onfloor concrete grinders that are suited for concrete grinding.
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