Figured grinder dust shrouds were a gimmick until I cut 30 ft of slab in my brother's shop
I always thought those aftermarket dust shrouds for angle grinders were just a way to sell you a $90 piece of plastic. Then I helped my brother cut a 30 ft control joint in his shop floor in Bend last month and the cloud was so bad I had to stand outside between passes. He lent me his shroud setup on the second half and the difference was not subtle, maybe a tenth of the dust and I could actually see my cut line. Now I'm wondering if I just got lucky with the fit on his grinder or if the cheaper ones work about the same. Anyone run one of the $30 versions long enough to say whether the fit is the whole ballgame?
I was in the same boat, figured the shroud was just another gadget to part me from my money. Cutting a trench in my garage slab changed my tune real quick, the dust went from "can't breathe, can't see" to barely anything floating up. The fit is what makes or breaks it though. A loose shroud on a cheap grinder lets dust shoot right past the edges, so you end up with half the mess and none of the benefit. Spend the money on one that clamps down tight on your specific grinder model, the $30 ones can work fine if they actually seal up.