Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[lostcreekranch]

Why do they call their 4 pound hand sledge an 'engineer's hammer'? That would be a mechanic's hammer. Mechanics get bigger hammers. Engineers get sharper pencils.

I bought the HD 4# drilling hammer to use with my kindling cracker. Perfect size with the short handle.

4 Lb. Drilling Hammer

 

[Diggin It]

I used my HF portable crane to lift my HF 20 ton press. I built a mobile base for the press so, was going to lift it up, onto the mobile base. I decided, while it was in the air, to remove the angle iron bases and drill them on my HF 13" drill press.

Mine came with holes. I set it all up on the driveway. I decided to put it on a wood base to make the footpint wider to reduce the tilt risk. Cut a couple of 2 x 12s, then manhandled/tilted the assembled unit onto them, then drove lags. Used a hand truck to move the whole thing into the work area.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Mine came with holes. I set it all up on the driveway. I decided to put it on a wood base to make the footpint wider to reduce the tilt risk. Cut a couple of 2 x 12s, then manhandled/tilted the assembled unit onto them, then drove lags. Used a hand truck to move the whole thing into the work area.

I've had mine for several years. The drilling was easy on the drill press. I wanted the base to make it easy to move around and the 5" swivel casters, with brakes, raised it by 7 1/2" which I also wanted.

 

[dragoneggs]

I've had mine for several years. The drilling was easy on the drill press. I wanted the base to make it easy to move around and the 5" swivel casters, with brakes, raised it by 7 1/2" which I also wanted.

I like the look of those casters. They don't appear to be HF? I have bought and used a lot of HF casters for mobile base builds. I usually just weld them on to the bottom of cabinets or other frames I have built.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I like the look of those casters. They don't appear to be HF? I have bought and used a lot of HF casters for mobile base builds. I usually just weld them on to the bottom of cabinets or other frames I have built.

I wanted casters I could lock with my foot and got them from Amazon ... $30 for four rated at 400# each.


GloEra 5 Inch Swivel Caster Wheels Heavy Duty 1500 LBS Capacity with Safety Dual Caster, 4 Pack All with Brake No Noise Lockable Wheels (Black) GloEra 5 Inch Swivel Caster Wheels Heavy Duty 15 LBS Capacity with Safety Dual Caster, 4 Pack All with Brake No Noise Lockable Wheels (Black): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[Fallon]

Just curious, why do you need to lift that big woodworking equipment? And whatcha got that weighs 1000 pounds, big planer or something? All my woodworking equipment is on mobile bases but I don't think I have anything that heavy. I think my 16" planer is my heaviest and about 450 I think.

I've got a 1,000lbs lathe. Metalworking not wood. My old L3200 would fit in the shop with the ROPS down. The new cabbed L4060 wont. Borrowed a friends HF engine hoist to put it on its stand.

The table saw is probably 300-400 lbs. But I have it mounted on a mobility base already.

I'd love the L3200 to mount a furnace & some other stuff to the ceiling.

 

[dragoneggs]

I wanted casters I could lock with my foot and got them from Amazon ... $30 for four rated at 400# each.


GloEra 5 Inch Swivel Caster Wheels Heavy Duty 1500 LBS Capacity with Safety Dual Caster, 4 Pack All with Brake No Noise Lockable Wheels (Black) GloEra 5 Inch Swivel Caster Wheels Heavy Duty 15 LBS Capacity with Safety Dual Caster, 4 Pack All with Brake No Noise Lockable Wheels (Black): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

That looks to be a good price. How do the brakes work? I am looking for some solid HD casters for my solid wood work bench. It weighs about 400lbs but I want it to be equally sturdy to a hip budge with casters on.

 

[BukitCase]

Mark, for what you describe I would either expect to spend more for casters (these are what I use when things REALLY need to stay put

WoodRiver - 5" Caster, Double Locking, Swiveling with 4 Hole Mounting Plate

They're double locking, so wheels neither roll or swivel when they're locked. Most of my shop is on either these or the Rockler mobile bases

Rockler Power Tool Mobile Base Hardware

Instead of the 1-1/2" wood connections on the rockler stands, I use 1-1/2" square tube - My PM66 saw and 2 of my router tables are on the Rocklers along with my woodworking DP and a dead upright freezer with a small light bulb in the bottom for things I want totally rust and dust free - the third router table, band saw and a couple other stands use the woodriver casters.

My 12" helical head jointer weighs right at 1000 lbs and the beds total 85" long, I'll have to fab some "underslung" 6" casters for that in order to keep the tables low enough to work for my plan to have 10' minimum in and outfeeds for the bandsaw, 2 jointers (other one's a 6" powermatic) and one of my planers in minimum floor space (I'll only have enough room for the base of that jointer to be 1/2" off the floor.)

I made the mistake of believing Shop Fox on one of their "1000 lb" mobile bases quite a while back; dang thing wouldn't even roll good when it was EMPTY. It's still sitting in a scrap pile somewhere I think. Never again...

If you're gonna "cheep out" on casters for a work bench, better plan on some kind of drop-down feet, or else wear roller skates so you can keep up with the bench

Just my :2cents: - Everybody's got their pet peeves, one of mine's crappy casters/wheels... Steve

 

[5030]

Tractor Supply has a good selection of casters of all sizes and designs in the store.

 

[5030]

Kind of wondering the same. I have several tools and a solid workbench that are in the 400lb range. Still nice to have an engine lift to move stuff around occasionally. I too try to have most everything on wheels due to the limited shop space.

I built a 4 x 6 welding table from a sheet of 3/8" hot rolled I was given with heavy angle iron legs and I bet it weighs at least 1000 pounds, maybe more. I used HD locking swivel casters with hard rubber wheels on one end and rigid mounted casters on the other end that came from Ford motor via my BIL that must have taken them out in his lunch box.....:laughing: