Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[dragoneggs]

I think I would try this one over the new HF one. Paddle switch, easy move guard and 3 year warranty for $5 more. Ratings are good too. It even comes with 2 guards, one for cutting and one for grinding.

PORTER-CABLE PC6�TPAG 7-Amp 4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinder/Cut Off Tool - Power Angle Grinders - Amazon.com

Thanks for sharing Mike... put that one on my Amazon wishlist.

 

[/pine]

My welding instructor was a retired ironworker. He lost control of a grinder once on the fortieth floor of a building under construction and had to watch, horrified, as it flew out and down to the ground. Apparently nothing worse came of the incident but it sure drives home the unexpected ways that power tools can be dangerous.

15+ years ago I was cutting some natural paving stone...had a diamond blade on a little angle grinder...I was used to it binding and catching and was always being as careful as possible...but one time it bound and flipped out of my grip and the blade struck across my leg just above my knee...laid it open like a water melon...!...I was afraid to try superglue on that one...more stitches inside than out...

 

[Garandman]

They certainly do mess with ratings. I've "posted" both good and bad reviews of HF merchandise but only the good reviews are ever published on their website. Buyer beware, especially since the current administration is unlikely to support honesty in advertising regulations.

They did this when President Obama was in office - for eight years - just the same.

Maybe there's a limit to what central governments can do, and we should take action of our own initiative? Like starting a thread in a community forum to provide independent reviews of tools?

 

[IslandTractor]

They did this when President Obama was in office - for eight years - just the same.

Maybe there's a limit to what central governments can do, and we should take action of our own initiative? Like starting a thread in a community forum to provide independent reviews of tools?

Fair point. Tough to run an independent site though given the need for sophisticated screening tools to prevent scam reviews. Even Amazon struggles with that.

There will eventually need to be laws/regulations with penalties to prevent this type of scamming. May take a while to get the technology set up so those regulations don't interfere with legitimate marketing and sales.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Yep, we need more govt. interference in business. Perhaps we need to put the IRS in charge of monitoring product reviews?

Do you really believe that IT? Really?

 

[newbury]

tool cabinet at Lowes

Leaving politics and back to bargains, but still slightly off topic.
subject tool chests
I bought the HF 27" rolling combo for about $290 a year ago and finally got it from Va to Ms and have started filling it up
BUT
In between when I bought it and left Va HD put a 36" Husky blue top chest on sale for $110, bought that, brought it to Ms. Really nice, heavy duty, but needs a base.

So in looking for a base this a.m. I ran across this sale: ProSteel 58.4-in x 34-in 6-Drawer Ball-bearing Steel Tool Cabinet (Red) for $111 which had fair reviews.

Includes: 4 drawer chest, 2 drawer roller cart with cabinet, keys, side handle, and casters
Full-extension, ball bearing drawer slides on all drawers with drawer liners included
Keyed locks on chest and cabinet drawers
Built-in clock with illuminated date and time display
Lined outer shelf and side handle for easy maneuverability is included
Tough 3-in x 2-in casters, 2 swivel and 1 lockable
All steel construction with powder coated finish

I was able to get one for free delivery to my local lowes for $107 (military discount).

Still looking for a good deal on a base for the Husky but now I'll at least have a tool chest for each of my "shops".

 

[Garandman]

Yep, we need more govt. interference in business. Perhaps we need to put the IRS in charge of monitoring product reviews?

Do you really believe that IT? Really?

There is a long political tradition in New England, dating back to English common law, that believes in government intervention. Massachusetts "Progressive Liberals" have no problem regulating everything, while enforcing nothing (unlike the Puritans who started it). While the rest of the country thinks they're nuts, it's not new.....

 

[MikePA]

There's a Friendly Politics forum for discussing politics.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I used an air drill recently and was impressed with its torque but even more impressed by how it stops instantly, unlike an electric drill or particularly a Skillsaw that has enough inertia to remain dangerous after you let go of the trigger.

Air brakes.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

There's a Friendly Politics forum for discussing politics.

X2 :confused3:

 

[PhysAssist]

I used an air drill recently and was impressed with its torque but even more impressed by how it stops instantly, unlike an electric drill or particularly a Skillsaw that has enough inertia to remain dangerous after you let go of the trigger.

Or chain saw- I have a couple pairs of used-to-be favorite nylon work pants that bear testimony to the **inertial** [should be momentum-related] glide of my chainsaw chain, which occurred when they got too close to the still spinning chain as I moved the saw along the outside of my leg [at what appeared to be a safe distance away from my person] and though they did their job of binding up the chain to stop it from chopping me up, they certainly suffered from it.

I since learned to keep it farther away from me, wear closer fitting clothes, and I always wear my Person Protective Equipment- catcher's leg guards.

 

[California]

re chainsaw inertia - I discovered my little Ryobi 18 volt 10 inch saw was an adequate replacement for a 2-cycle saw here. 99% of its use is clearing fallen orchard trees that fell because they were rotten, punky, with only a veneer of live wood sustaining them. Plenty of power for that. An advantage I hadn't considered is the much lesser inertia overrun so it is safer to operate. Here's a photo I posted previously of the other 1% of its use where it is working at capacity bucking Eucalyptus which it does adequately. No longer owning anything 2-stroke has made my life simpler, and in this case safer.

 

[KubotainNH]

I did buy the Porter Cable angle grinder. It seems to be made quite well. The switch and cord are way better quality that the HF "pro" unit I have. Seeing those already broke on the HF unit hopefully this unit will hold up better. No there is no brake on it. The body is a bit thick but the paddle switch is easy to operate unlike the HF one until the safety bit fell off...lol. I'll give an update after I've used it some.

To keep this post in line with HF, you can see the new tool sitting on my HF welding table.

 

[PhysAssist]

The reviews on that one look excellent, also the specs. I think it's well worth paying $5 more than the not-quite-as-good HF grinder. But I don't see electric brake listed.

I posted a question about that on Amazon, and the uniform answer was: "No, it does not have the braking feature/function".

 

[PhysAssist]

my HF welding table. View attachment 518653

Too bad you never get any use out of that welding table-

PA

 

[KubotainNH]

Too bad you never get any use out of that welding table-

PA

Ha ha, you can tell eh? I used the grinder for a couple hours today, so far I like it and really like the easily adjustable shield and paddle switch setup. The metal nose gets hot but no real need to have your hands up there. The vent holes also are in a good place as not to blow dirt in your face if you put the unit on the ground. That's one feature my son really likes, the HF unit spews that dirt all over you. One thing to note, the guard has little nubs in it so it only comes off in one position. Again no, there is no braking feature. I haven't seen that on any units near this price range.

 

[newbury]

Tried a search here but it seems broke.
Any Yay's or Nay's on the 29 GALLON 150 PSI CAST IRON VERTICAL AIR COMPRESSOR?

I'm wanting the higher CFM at 90 PSI than the oil free 26 Gallon offers, but I still need portability.

/edit -Forgot to put link in

 

[California]

This one?

At 170 lbs, 'portable' means move to the other side of the shop, not lift it into your truck.

Beware HF's CFM ratings. I bought their prior 10 gallon, 2.5 hp (@ 10 amps - ha!), compressor rated near that one's CFM but at 125 psi. It couldn't keep up with a small die grinder that HF rated at slightly less CFM, it would run for several seconds then bog down as the pressure dropped. Then the motor was smoking badly before I looked around to see what the smell was. It never tripped the overheat cutout but it should have.

There's industry-standard SCFM at certain temperature etc then there's HF's CFM which must have been written by their marketing department.

Wait for someone who owns one to respond before getting it!

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

My compressor seized up on my old Sanborn, and I replaced it with the "5 HP 145 PSI Twin Cylinder Air Compressor Pump". which requires a 5 horse motor, same as on the Sanborn. It's been chugging along for a year, now, with zero problems. I run it at 120, not 145, because that's where the Sanborn ran. I read a lot of reviews complaining about the outlet fitting being an oddball, but mine turned out to be 3/4" NPT. Maybe they standardized on something sensible.

 

[newbury]

This one?
21 gal. 2-1/2 HP 125 PSI Cast Iron Vertical Air Compressor

At 170 lbs, 'portable' means move to the other side of the shop, not lift it into your truck.

Beware HF's CFM ratings. I bought their prior 10 gallon, 2.5 hp (@ 10 amps - ha!), compressor rated near that one's CFM but at 125 psi. It couldn't keep up with a small die grinder that HF rated at slightly less CFM, it would run for several seconds then bog down as the pressure dropped. Then the motor was smoking badly before I looked around to see what the smell was. It never tripped the overheat cutout but it should have.

There's industry-standard SCFM at certain temperature etc then there's HF's CFM which must have been written by their marketing department.

Wait for someone who owns one to respond before getting it!

No, I forgot to put the link in:
29 gal. 2 HP 15 PSI Cast Iron Vertical Air Compressor this one at 200 lbs.
And portable means lift it into my truck using my 1/2 Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Crane with Cable Winch 1/2 Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Crane with Cable Winch.

My compressor seized up on my old Sanborn, and I replaced it with the "5 HP 145 PSI Twin Cylinder Air Compressor Pump". which requires a 5 horse motor, same as on the Sanborn. It's been chugging along for a year, now, with zero problems. I run it at 120, not 145, because that's where the Sanborn ran. I read a lot of reviews complaining about the outlet fitting being an oddball, but mine turned out to be 3/4" NPT. Maybe they standardized on something sensible.

How difficult is that to swap out?
I've a 120 gallon stationary compressor sold by Wood Sales with a 5HP 220V motor and iron pipe air lines are already run through my shops (must be about 200' of line). But the pump sounded like it had blown a cylinder when we bought the place back in 2011. They used to manufacture furniture here.
I've been concerned that the tank may have rusted out and I've never needed that much air. I've never fixed it because I've an OLD HF 21 gal. 2-1/2 HP 125 PSI Cast Iron Vertical Air Compressor that I've gotten by with.