Tool Box Buzz

Porter-Cable® Model PC60TCTAG

4-½ Inch Slide Switch Small Angle Grinder

Porter-Cable recently introduced a new line of small angle grinders including the PC60TCTAG and PC60TAG. These 4-1/2″ Slide Switch Angle Grinders were designed for improved ergonomics, ease of use, performance and durability. They sent us Model PC60TCTAG to test and review.

Porter-Cable PC60TCTAG Features

The PC60TCTAG is the same grinder however it comes with an additional Type 1 cutting guard.

• 11,000 RPM for high speed material removal
• Durable 6.0 Amp motor powers through jobsite tasks with ease
• Cast metal gear housing increases jobsite durability and tool longevity
• Quick access to the motor brushes, which permits easy service and additional life
• 3-position adjustable side handle allows greater control in multiple positions
• Soft grip handle improves user comfort and control
• Spindle lock feature allows for single wrench bit changes
• Quick release guard provides fast and easy guard removal
• Includes cutoff and grinding guards so that it can be used safely as a grinder or cutoff tool
• Tool only weighs 4.1 lbs

The PC60TCTAG comes with the PC60TAG, (5) Metal Grinding Wheels, Spanner wrench, Side handle, Grinding guard, Cutoff guard, and (5) Cutting Wheels.

Power & Performance

The folks at Porter-Cable set out to design a small angle grinder with sufficient power for grinding and cutting with the benefits of a smaller, lighter tool. After using the PC60TCTAG around the shop the last couple of months I can say they did a pretty good job. The PC60TCTAG is light weight and powerful.

I tested the PC60TCTAG on several different projects including grinding welds, grinding support brackets and cutting off pieces of aluminum angle and even some rebar. It performed all of those tasks really well. It was a real pleasure working with an angle grinder that’s about 1/3 the weight of larger 7″ and 9″ angle grinders.

The 6.0 amp motor is comparable to the Makita 4-1/2″ grinder but considerably smaller than the 10 amp motor that DEWALT offers on their small angle grinders. Having said that I didn’t have any power issues with the PC60TCTAG and felt it had plenty of power for the small projects that I tend to use a small grinder for.

Tool-Free Guard Feature

As you can see in the photos above the PC60TCTAG comes with two different Tool-Free Guards. If you look closely in the image above you’ll see a clamp that holds the guard in place. To remove the guard you simple release the spring loaded lever, rotate the guard and then slide it off the tool housing. It literally take about 30 seconds to change the guard. This means you can go from cutting to grinding in less than a minute. I found no issues switching between guards and feel that it’s a great design.

Overall Impression

The PC60TCTAG Small Angle Grinder from Porter-Cable is a nicely built, light weight, comfortable tool. Having a small angle grinder is great especially for remote jobs, small tasks and detail work. Overall I’m very happy with it’s performance, features and design. If I had one small complaint it would be the lack of a storage case/bag. These small grinders are most often transported to remote job sites so a carrying bag would be really nice for keeping all the grinding wheels, the wrench, and spare guard together.

The PC60TCTAG is priced just under $50 which makes it a great value. The tool became available in February through independent dealers and select online merchants. If you’re interested in buying one online you can find it at the following link:

• Porter-Cable PC60TCTAG 4-1/2-in Angle Grinder

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