Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Rustyferrious]

anyone hear an echo?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Echo.

 

[94BULLITT]

Anyone have the HF dremel? There is a really cheap looking $9.99 one and a $24.99 red one. I tried to search, to see if anyone already brought these up, but the search function is garbage.

I was going to buy one didn't. The 9.99 one is tiny and it does not look like much. I already have 2 dremels so I did not get the one for $25. I've heard guys on other forums say the HF dremel is good. I did buy the big accessory kit and the stuff I have used so far is as good as the dremel stuff.

 

[Scooter78]

A buddy of mine has the bead blasting cabinet and loves it. I have gone over and uses it several items for parts that won't fit into my cabinet.

 

[Wa11banger]

Has anyone tried this bead blaster? Is it any good?

Abrasive Blast Cabinet

murphy1244,
I have had this cabinet for a couple of years now, and it works great with one mod and few lessons learned. Most of these lessons learned are not changes you have to make just good common sense. I also use the HF media it lasts about as long as I would push any media and is no more or no less susceptible to moisture than any other I have used.

I read all of the reviews online before purchasing and those reviews drove me to do one thing during assembly without first trying it out without the mod.

Many reviews stated it leaked through the seams after assembly.. I bought a tube of silicone and sealed all the seams during assembly.. However line item 1 below should have resolved any issue with leakage honestly.

Lesson's learned:
1. Always use a vacuum attached to it. No matter how short of time you think you are going to use it the dust generated inside makes it hard to see very quickly without the ventilation.
2. Put the suction hose in the sun for a few minutes to soften it up and remove the kink in it. then set it back inside to cool off for assembly this was done after the first attempted use and it can clog due to restriction at the kink.. It hasn't clogged yet or rekinked due to moving the hose around.
3. I replaced the internal light with a much brighter set of LED's it is not unusable with the factory light but is not real easy for old eyes to see in with it.
4. My son and I are tall, I put it on bricks so it was more comfortable to use.
5. Have a huge compressor. I learned this one by letting someone borrow the cabinet. I have 120 gal compressor and never had an issue.. A friend only has a regular duty 60 gal compressor and has to take frequent breaks with it. It flat goes through some air
6. water separator, water separator, water separator.. Enough said. No media like water
7. tie up the hose where it doesn't sit on the bottom.. It can create enough venturi effect to suck itself to the bottom.
8. Did I mention vacuum? yah I know I did first but its important and I don't use a special vacuum. I have been using my same old 20 year old craftsman 1o gallon wet dry vac with it.

 

[murphy1244]

murphy1244,
I have had this cabinet for a couple of years now, and it works great with one mod and few lessons learned. Most of these lessons learned are not changes you have to make just good common sense. I also use the HF media it lasts about as long as I would push any media and is no more or no less susceptible to moisture than any other I have used.

I read all of the reviews online before purchasing and those reviews drove me to do one thing during assembly without first trying it out without the mod.

Many reviews stated it leaked through the seams after assembly.. I bought a tube of silicone and sealed all the seams during assembly.. However line item 1 below should have resolved any issue with leakage honestly.

Lesson's learned:
1. Always use a vacuum attached to it. No matter how short of time you think you are going to use it the dust generated inside makes it hard to see very quickly without the ventilation.
2. Put the suction hose in the sun for a few minutes to soften it up and remove the kink in it. then set it back inside to cool off for assembly this was done after the first attempted use and it can clog due to restriction at the kink.. It hasn't clogged yet or rekinked due to moving the hose around.
3. I replaced the internal light with a much brighter set of LED's it is not unusable with the factory light but is not real easy for old eyes to see in with it.
4. My son and I are tall, I put it on bricks so it was more comfortable to use.
5. Have a huge compressor. I learned this one by letting someone borrow the cabinet. I have 120 gal compressor and never had an issue.. A friend only has a regular duty 60 gal compressor and has to take frequent breaks with it. It flat goes through some air
6. water separator, water separator, water separator.. Enough said. No media like water
7. tie up the hose where it doesn't sit on the bottom.. It can create enough venturi effect to suck itself to the bottom.
8. Did I mention vacuum? yah I know I did first but its important and I don't use a special vacuum. I have been using my same old 20 year old craftsman 1o gallon wet dry vac with it.

Thank you very much for that detailed review. I will wait for a good price on it. I have a 80 gallon 17 cfm compressor.

 

[Wa11banger]

Thank you very much for that detailed review. I will wait for a good price on it. I have a 80 gallon 17 cfm compressor.

No problem any time. That should be more than enough compressor to keep you happy with it. I did mean to mention that I use either aluminum oxide or walnut in it.. I have not used the slag or glass beads as of yet but I would anticipate much the same performance

 

[Wa11banger]

Thank you very much for that detailed review. I will wait for a good price on it. I have a 80 gallon 17 cfm compressor.

No problem any time. That should be more than enough compressor to keep you happy with it. I did mean to mention that I use either aluminum oxide or walnut in it.. I have not used the slag or glass beads as of yet but I would anticipate much the same performance

 

[ArTrvlr]

murphy1244,
I have had this cabinet for a couple of years now, and it works great with one mod and few lessons learned. Most of these lessons learned are not changes you have to make just good common sense. I also use the HF media it lasts about as long as I would push any media and is no more or no less susceptible to moisture than any other I have used.

I read all of the reviews online before purchasing and those reviews drove me to do one thing during assembly without first trying it out without the mod.

Many reviews stated it leaked through the seams after assembly.. I bought a tube of silicone and sealed all the seams during assembly.. However line item 1 below should have resolved any issue with leakage honestly.

Lesson's learned:
1. Always use a vacuum attached to it. No matter how short of time you think you are going to use it the dust generated inside makes it hard to see very quickly without the ventilation.
2. Put the suction hose in the sun for a few minutes to soften it up and remove the kink in it. then set it back inside to cool off for assembly this was done after the first attempted use and it can clog due to restriction at the kink.. It hasn't clogged yet or rekinked due to moving the hose around.
3. I replaced the internal light with a much brighter set of LED's it is not unusable with the factory light but is not real easy for old eyes to see in with it.
4. My son and I are tall, I put it on bricks so it was more comfortable to use.
5. Have a huge compressor. I learned this one by letting someone borrow the cabinet. I have 120 gal compressor and never had an issue.. A friend only has a regular duty 60 gal compressor and has to take frequent breaks with it. It flat goes through some air
6. water separator, water separator, water separator.. Enough said. No media like water
7. tie up the hose where it doesn't sit on the bottom.. It can create enough venturi effect to suck itself to the bottom.
8. Did I mention vacuum? yah I know I did first but its important and I don't use a special vacuum. I have been using my same old 20 year old craftsman 1o gallon wet dry vac with it.

^^^^^What he said.

I have the previous model that had the light housing on top of the cabinet, with a dim florescent tube. I replaced it with two halogen spots, one in each end of the housing. Like all halogens, they get pretty hot, and I had a habit of forgetting to turn the original light off, so I wired it with a timer switch, mounted in a handy box on top of the cabinet. Bright LEDs would be a better choice today.

ALWAYS use a vacuum. I think it is near impossible to seal all the cracks. And, remember, as you blast, you are pressuring the cabinet. It has two openings, one for the vacuum hose and an inlet for vacuum make up air. Without a vacuum, the dust comes out those two openings, and it's nasty stuff. Also, I mounted a baffle over the vacuum connection (inside the cabinet) 'cause I was getting two much good media in the vacuum. Now I only get dust. As you are blasting the media is flying everywhere, including into the vacuum opening.

I am 6' 1" and had to crouch to use it unaltered. I raised it by adding a plywood shelf to the bottom of the legs, with casters under that.

The current model must have only a flex hose pickup, since you mentioned keeping it off the bottom. Mine has a metal pipe pickup, bolted in place.

Also, the plastic lens protectors that stick on the inside of the glass are a pita to change. To make it easier I used 4 strips of metal (IIRC, 1/2"W X 1/8"T), to make nut plates to go inside to replace the individual nuts for the screws that hold the glass frame in place. One separate strip for each side of the glass. Drilled and tapped holes to line up with the holes in the cabinet, then glued them in place. Now, to remove the glass to clean and change the plastic protector, I can easily run the screws out without having to reach inside to hold the tiny little nuts. If this is as clear as mud, I could take some pics.

If you have water in your air, get rid of it. 'Nuff said.

Unless you need a bigger cabinet, this is probably the best value available, with a sale and/or a coupon.
jp

 

[Garycw]

Here's one that kinda Does Suck. The big heavy duty C clamp.
Ps.. I'm never been big on extended warranties , but if you get any electric drills there, might not be a bad idea. Completely fried s big hammer drill in one day. In there defense it was worked Really Hard, and get the job done just before failure. It was being used with a section of chain link corner post with teeth cut into one end. That was mounted inside to a 4" hole saw. Used the set up to drill through 20" thick sandstone to run drain pipe.