DeWalt 4-1/2 in. / 5 in. Cutting Grinder and Dust Shroud Kit

Why I reached for this grinder kit

I spent a week opening control joints and chasing mortar lines in a 1950s basement, and I wanted two things: enough power to keep a 5-inch diamond blade moving without bogging, and dust control that wouldn’t turn the space into a silica cloud. The DeWalt cutting grinder kit checked both boxes on paper, pairing a 13-amp, 11,000 RPM grinder with a purpose-built cutting shroud and adjustable depth shoe. After several days of concrete cuts, block openings, and tuckpointing, here’s how it actually performed.

Setup and what’s in the bag

The kit comes complete: the grinder, a 5-inch cutting dust shroud with adjustable shoe and plunging mechanism, a Type 27 guard, side handle, inner/outer flanges, hex key, the DWV9000 quick connector for vacuum hookup, and a soft bag. Out of the bag, assembly is straightforward—fit the shroud, set your blade, attach the side handle, and connect the vac.

A note on the vacuum connection: the DWV9000 is designed to lock onto DeWalt’s extractors. If you’re using a typical shop vacuum, plan on an adapter. I ended up using a stepped rubber adapter to bridge to a 1-7/8-inch hose. It’s an extra step, but once connected, the fitting stayed secure and didn’t spin off during cuts.

Power and cutting performance

The grinder has the output you want for hard materials. With a quality segmented diamond blade, it kept a consistent 11,000 RPM feel under load in concrete and fired clay brick. I could score control joints at shallow depth, then drop the shoe and complete the cut without stalling. In block and brick, it chewed steadily with minimal slowing when I kept the feed gentle and let the blade do the work.

The torque-sensing E-CLUTCH is the standout safety feature. I hit a piece of embedded wire mesh while cutting a slab; the clutch tripped instantly, killing the wheel before the tool could twist. Reset was immediate after backing out, and there was no lingering slip. For anyone cutting blind in masonry, this feature is worth having.

Depth control is genuinely useful here. The adjustable shoe is easy to dial with gloved hands and lets you repeat consistent depths across a series of cuts—handy for tuckpointing to a set depth or scoring slab prior to chipping. Expect about 1-3/8 inches of effective depth with a 5-inch wheel.

Dust collection: the good and the caveats

On clean, relatively flat surfaces, the shroud captures dust impressively well when paired with a high-flow extractor. Starts and stops are where most shrouds leak; the plunging feature on this one helps the vacuum build negative pressure before the blade hits the material and keeps the skirt down as you finish the cut. For straight cuts on smooth concrete, I could keep airborne dust to a thin haze that the room’s ambient filter handled.

Rougher surfaces and second passes are more demanding. If you ride over ridges or re-cut a kerf that’s already opened up, the skirt can lose its seal and you’ll see dust jet out along the cut line. Technique matters:

• Keep the shroud flat and let the shoe ride; don’t pry on the handle.
• Make your first pass a real scoring pass—about 1/4 inch—to establish a clean track.
• Overlap subsequent passes slightly rather than cutting on the exact same centerline.
• Use the plunge feature to start and finish with the skirt fully down.
• Maintain a steady feed rate so the vac can keep up.

Vacuum choice also matters. A small shop vac will collect something, but you want a high-CFM dust extractor with a clean filter (and preferably automatic filter cleaning) to really capture silica dust. With a HEPA extractor and the DWV9000 connector, collection was strong; with a mid-size shop vac and adapters, I saw more leakage during second passes and on heavily textured surfaces.

Bottom line: the shroud works well within its design envelope, but it isn’t magic. Proper setup and technique are key, and a capable vacuum is part of the system.

Ergonomics and control

With the shroud installed, the tool is front-heavy, which is typical for this category. The side handle threads in solidly and helps manage that weight. Vibration was controlled with a balanced blade; I could make sustained cuts without my hands buzzing. The outer blade guide on the shroud is more useful than it looks—it gives a reliable sense of blade travel direction, especially when your line is obscured by slurry-looking dust on the shoe.

The spindle lock and included flanges make blade swaps quick. The Power Loss Reset feature is also a good get: after a breaker trip, the tool doesn’t restart automatically when power returns, which adds a layer of safety if you’ve set it down mid-task. The Dust Ejection System helps keep fine dust out of the motor housing; after a week of grinding, the intake ports were dusty but not loaded with fines, and airflow remained strong.

Noise levels are what you’d expect from an 11,000 RPM grinder paired with a vacuum—loud. Plan on hearing protection. Likewise, although the dust capture is solid when set up right, I still wear a respirator for silica work. Don’t skip PPE.

Real-world use cases

• Concrete scoring and cutting: With the shoe set to 1/2 inch, I scored control joints cleanly, then finished to full depth. The tool tracked straight and stayed on line with light pressure.
• Tuckpointing: Using a tuckpointing blade, I set depth to 3/4 inch and worked mortar joints on a block wall. Two shallow passes produced less stress on the blade and better dust control than a single deep pass. The shroud’s nose can limit access near inside corners; in those areas I finished by hand.
• Stone trimming: On a few pavers, I used it to score before snapping. Power was ample; dust capture was decent on the smooth faces, more challenged on the textured sides.

Durability and maintenance

Over the week, nothing loosened unexpectedly. The shroud’s skirt showed light wear but maintained a good seal edge. The grinder’s vents stayed relatively clean—credit to the Dust Ejection System—and I didn’t experience any overheating. Keep an eye on the skirt for tears and clean the shoe slides so depth adjustments don’t gum up with fines.

What I liked

• Strong 13-amp motor maintains speed under load with a 5-inch blade
• E-CLUTCH shuts the tool down instantly on bind-up
• Adjustable depth shoe is quick to set and consistent
• Plunge feature improves dust capture at starts and stops
• Power Loss Reset and Dust Ejection System add real-world safety and longevity
• Outer blade guide helps keep cuts straight when visibility is limited

What could be better

• Vacuum compatibility out of the box favors DeWalt extractors; most shop vacs will need an adapter
• Dust control drops off on rough surfaces or exact second passes; technique and vacuum capacity are critical
• Front-heavy feel with the shroud installed can fatigue your lead hand during overhead or vertical work
• Access near inside corners is limited by the shroud nose

Who it’s for

If you cut concrete, masonry, or chase joints regularly and already own (or plan to buy) a capable dust extractor, this kit makes sense. It’s a cohesive system: the grinder has the power and safety features you want, and the shroud is purpose-built for cutting with practical touches like the plunge and depth shoe. DIY users with only a small shop vac can make it work, but expect to source an adapter and accept that dust capture won’t be as thorough on tougher cuts.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt cutting grinder kit for pros and serious DIYers who pair it with a high-CFM, properly filtered vacuum and use sound technique. The combination of power, the E-CLUTCH safety net, and a well-executed shroud makes concrete and masonry cuts cleaner and safer than running a bare grinder. Be aware of the vacuum-connection nuance and the learning curve on dust control for second passes; if you’re willing to dial in the setup, the kit delivers reliable performance with meaningful dust reduction.