GA5021C 125mm 1450W rat tail angle grinder

THE GA5021C is a corded angle grinder with an extra long "rat tail" style handle manufactured by Makita.

The machine is powered by a 1450 watt brushed electric motor which makes it one of the more powerful 125 mm grinders in Makita's line up.

The C at the end of the model name stands for "Constant speed" meaning that the machine will increase its power output to maintain its maximum RPM when more resistance is encountered that would otherwise slow it down.

Availability

Makita New Zealand had this grinder on their website in 2021 but Makita USA did not.

Exterior

The body of the machine is made out of plastic on Makita's signature teal color. On the side there is the text "Makita" in white with right behind it a black round cover on the left and right side which allow access to the motor's carbon brushes. Behind that are some horizontal slits which function as air inlets for cooling the motor.

behind the motor the body gets narrower and seamlessly transitions into a handle with a large black trigger switch on the bottom and a rubberized top. To prevent the handle from slipping there is also bulge at the end. By having the operator hold the machine further away from the disc there is more leverage making it easier to control the machine when a lot of torque is applied.

On the front of the machine is the gear housing with an aluminium exterior. It has ventilation outlets on top and a black spindle lock button.

At the very front there is an indented arrow that indicates the turning direction. There are threaded holes on the left and right side to attach the side handle.

On the bottom of the gear housing is a 14 mm spindle. The disc is held in place with a lock nut for which a wrench is needed to loosen and tighten it.

Safety

Inside the gear housing is a mechanical clutch that Makita calls SJS (Super Joint System) that disconnects the gears when too much force is applied to protect the motor and gears from damage.

The machine has an anti restart protection which is a safety feature that prevents the machine from turning on unexpected when power is connected while the switch is in the on position. Instead a red light on top will blink and the machine will not start until the switch is first moved to the off position.