countrybumpkin
Elite Member
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- Kioti, kubota
Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck
- Thread starter Travelover
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5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
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- 26,997
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
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- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
I notice that my MM252 seems a bit smoother than the (inverter) mm211 - not huge, but if I'm not "offroading" (the welder, not the sport) I tend to grab the 252.
I have one of the "greenies", the Power iTig200T - still haven't used the TIG side yet, but the arc beats my old 250 amp ac/dc stick machine, maybe not in longevity (too soon to tell) - I think a bit of hot start and dig is the difference, the old copper wound tranny machine doesn't have it.
Glaze, mill scale - SUCK. If cuts can't be done on the band saw or dry cut, I tend to reach for a grinder/zip disk rather than the plaz (Hypertherm PM45) - gotta use a grinder to knock the glaze off anyways.
Mill scale - tried HCL, doesn't do that well and can't breathe around it.
Tried sand blast, kinda like tryin' to push a wet noodle uphill on a gravel road with your nose (and no knee pads)
Depending on how smooth I want stuff, a lot of times I'll attack the mill scale with a thin cutoof disk, light pressure and continuous movement, then when I get thru in most places I'll grab another grinder with a 40 grit flap disk to smooth it out - seems to lessen the monkey motion some.
Most of the square tube I get (except heavier wall) is P&O, if I'm doing a bunch of that I'll lay it out on a pair of sawhorses, wet it down with degreaser and use a stiff brush floor polisher (electric) all over, flip all tubes and repeat for each side, then hose it down. Sunlight helps to dry, otherwise I'll warm it up with a torch/buff/weld, or fire up the backpack blower and dry it with that. Once that's done, I better be ready to paint THAT DAY...
For painting I'll usually just use a 6" fine wire brush on a high speed drill to give it some "tooth", then rattle can with a fan spray nozzle; haven't gotten into powder coat yet, but DID score a free lab oven off CL last year - temp controller's bad, elements are fine - 35 years in industrial automation/control, guess how much of a prob THAT's gonna be to me when I finally get that "tuit"
I don't think there's an easy way to do ANY of the prep part, but I keep looking for easy(ER) - clearly stickin' to that definition of INSANITY
I have the Hypertherm 65 computerized version that runs on the plasma table. Nice, expensive machine, worth every penny. Plasma table caused me to get a refrigerated dryer and a screw compressor too. One thing add to another. Least I don't have to buy a water jet or a Laser. Have a good friend with both and he gives me a killer deal on cuts I need done. Love to have a Trumpf but I don't have a million five laying around.
As it is, I need to add on to the shop again. Getting tight.
5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,997
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Additionally, on the P&O material, I use a terry cloth towel (my wife gives me her old ones, I recycle them for her) and acetone and wipe it down with that just after sawing and before the CNC plasma. The waterjet and laser stuff, I let my buddy buy the stock and cut it, Easier to deal with and he gets all the cutoff anyway. I use acetone prior to coating too. leaves the surface clean and contaminate free. Stinks, that is the only drawback but the shop is climate controlled anyway. In floor heat and cooling both.
TMGT
Elite Member
Yeah that's next on the list, have one in the drain at the other shop.
They help but not as much as I would like, does make it easier to set filters on to drain and keeps small bolts etc. from ending up in the crap that builds up in the bottom.
5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,997
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Dang, so much for a good run on an epic thread drift...
Gotta love it. Besides, I use the HF tools in the shop and so do you....
I actually built a precision crimper for my reloads. I use a HF clicker inch pound torque wrench and added a broached stub to my Rockchucker so I can control the crimp pressure consistently in inch pounds of torque. Once I get the crimp where I want it, I set the wrench to click at the end of that stroke and every succeeding case is crimped exactly the same. No guess work at all.
Time for another Bauer 20 volt tool this weekend. The 20 volt 1/2" drill and possibly the 20 volt LED spotlight. Got my coupons handy.
Diggin It
Super Star Member
How 'bout we not try for 'Tools that don't suck #2', K?
RobS
Super Member
Hey all, please stick to the topic and abide by the forum guidelines to keep this thread alive.
3Ts
Elite Member
Back to tools from HF:
I bought the Lynxx battery powered pole saw based on all y'alls recommendation and have been quite pleased with it. The battery lasts longer than I do and it's done quite well cutting up brush and full size oak trees. I have/had a 30' x 30' oak tree that needed to come down because it was hollow and I could control where it landed if I had it cut down, and since the logger was already there with their tree shear, it was down in moments. The pole saw did a marvelous job of cutting the branches up into firewood. With the branches being upwards of 8" & 9" in diameter. The trunk is ~24" so I've switched to a gas saw for that. But, do you know what the replacement chain is for the Lynxx pole saw? I thought there was a number stamped on one of the links on an oregon chain, but I don't see it. I do see the "oregon" on each of the cutters. There is a "oregon 91" on the bar which would indicate a 3/8" low profile chain but a 14" bar. But what is the ordering number for a replacement chain? My Poulan chain saw is an "S56"
I bought the Lynxx battery powered pole saw based on all y'alls recommendation and have been quite pleased with it. The battery lasts longer than I do and it's done quite well cutting up brush and full size oak trees. I have/had a 30' x 30' oak tree that needed to come down because it was hollow and I could control where it landed if I had it cut down, and since the logger was already there with their tree shear, it was down in moments. The pole saw did a marvelous job of cutting the branches up into firewood. With the branches being upwards of 8" & 9" in diameter. The trunk is ~24" so I've switched to a gas saw for that. But, do you know what the replacement chain is for the Lynxx pole saw? I thought there was a number stamped on one of the links on an oregon chain, but I don't see it. I do see the "oregon" on each of the cutters. There is a "oregon 91" on the bar which would indicate a 3/8" low profile chain but a 14" bar. But what is the ordering number for a replacement chain? My Poulan chain saw is an "S56"