HF electric die grinder

souNdguy · Nov 8, 2010

well.. i'll never use an air die grinder again i don't think

I have probably not enough air in my shop anyway with a 29g / 4hp upright unit.. but it's plenty for painting and running an impact gun. for long work a die grinder keeps it running... not ideal IMHO.

found a long throat electric die grinder at harbor freight for 39$.. it finally went down to 29$.. that and a 20% coupon and it came down to about 23$.. I decided to get one... man oh man.. makes my air die grinder feel like a dremel tool. have some old but serviceable burs that a friend gave me ( have chipped tips, but the rest of the bodies and cones are good ).. man.. those burs in that electric die grinder are like using a light sabre. I needed to OS some holes in a plate I drilled out.. did em in about 30 seconds with the die grinder... that thing will make a pile of metal chips before you can blink... makes the air one look wimpy-wimpy...

soundguy
this one..

Hobo,NC · Nov 8, 2010

I have 27 CFM at 175 psi,,, my air grinders will wip yer lectric one :lol:

I still would like to have a lectric one 8)

Ultradog MN · Nov 8, 2010

I'm scared of Harbor Fright.
Live 6 blocks from one and only went there once.
Last winter when my hand was broken I walked there for something to do.

old · Nov 8, 2010

I own both as in 2 or 3 of each. Each has its place. Air for major big stuff and the electric for the small fine stuff. I have 2 electric ones in the house and one out in the shop with 2 or 3 air ones. When I rebuild a carb I use the electric ones because of the small fine stuff but doing exhaust etc I use the air. Now if I could find a reason for buying the porta power I would be happy. Got one a couple years ago and still have not used it

Larry Wallace · Nov 8, 2010

Sorry soundguy. I agree with Ultradog. I don't buy Harbor Freight stuff. I'm scared of it too. Now to be fair, you got an awful good deal on your die-grinder. I recently bought a Makita. Holy crap, what a monster! I'm used to the little air die-grinders that are maybe 6 to 7 inches long. This electric one was probably 18 inches, makes sense to as there is an electric motor in there, but it sure surprised me when I saw how long the entire tool was. I guess as long as we're working on Ford tractors it doesn't really matter.

Larry

Dean · Nov 9, 2010

I've had a Craftsman electric die grinder for about 20 years and find it very handy for various tasks.

With a cut-off attachment, it will whiz off a stubborn fender bolt in about 30 seconds.

Dean

Michaels Dad · Nov 9, 2010

Don't worry Soundguy, I'm with ya on HF.
With two different places I do my work and needing tools at both, and at my age it pays to drive the 10 minutes to HF.
Understood their stuff is not always great quality, but at my age they may last longer than me.

ARCADIAINC · Nov 9, 2010

Was spooked by Harbor Freight. However I wanted an inexpensive soda blaster. Bought it from HF. Very high quality, extremely well made. The machine work and castings were far better than I had expected. Since then I bought a 40 amp mechanical batter charger. Again, much better than expected. I have used the charger many hours for electrolysis. It has not missed a beat. Also bought the inexpensive two year replacement warranty. I have about $200.00 in both pieces. If both die at the 25th month mark I am very well ahead of the game. Shop carefully and I think you will be well pleased.

john_Bud · Nov 9, 2010

Some HF tools are ok. Some are, uh, well not so ok.

It sounds like your AIR grinder was a cheap junky one. I have a CP that will toss chips like a bar at a happy hour.

I do like the FREE HF flashlights. Always get one. The FREE DMM is pretty good too. Not auto ranging or anything fancy like my Fluke, but works great for dog'n down shorts, opens, checking batteries, etc. AND I'm not worried when the 11 year old uses it.

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

my air one was a small 6-7" one.. ( not hf either..

)

this electric one is a monster.. I had no idea it would be half this good.

soundguy

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

no way this thing could do anything fine on a carb.. this thing is like a blowtorch.. it's fast and removes metal quickly. i might use a dremel tool on a carb.. but this is for big work.

I opened up 5/8 holes to 3/4 in some 3/8 plate in about 30 seconds for 5 holes. just a quick BZZZZZZZZZRTT in each hole and it was open..

soundguy

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

I can't justify a 1000+$ 2 stage compressor in my shop for beating on these old rusty machines. I know you got a full working auto garage and for sure CAN justify having lots of air.

this electric one filled that gap for me. like I said. i got enough air to paint, wrench and fill tires and blow dust.. just not enough to run rotasry air tools with constant needs like drills or sanders.. etc..

soundguy

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

we all know they have plenty of junk at hf.

you just got to sift thru it and find the good stuff.

so far i've been happy with my big tap/die set.. it's precision and has not chipped or broke any teeth, and I don't baby it, and it gets used alot.

hand tools.. pick and choose.. get the ones with good fit / finish.

electric tools? kinda of a dice roll on the first one.. but they have a great return policy. usually limited time.. but heck. i will know in 30 days if the drill or saw I buy is junk.. will know in 2 hours. use it like it's rented when you get it home.. if it folds.. take it back.. if that one folds.. get a refund. they don't ask too many questions there if you got a reciept and the time frame is correct.

on their angle grinders.. sure.. don't get the 9.99 one.. get the 14.99 one

i sometimes buy tools their for one use jobs.. especially wrenches I need to torch.. or a tool that is going to get badly abused for a special project...

soundguy

douglloyd · Nov 9, 2010

so.....let's skip the vendor/source discussion for a moment, ok?

I bought an angle grinder to sharpen mower blades with and such. It has been great for knocking rust off heavy metal parts too.

Which of these two tools would be better at cutting steel, like 1/4" thick? Or possibly rebar or even a T-post? No welders in my shop (yet).

thanks,
Doug

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

which would be better of the 2? aangle grinder with a thin cutting wheel... that said.. i'd choose a chop saw. think of it as a big angle grinder.

mind you.. for thin stuff, a cutoff wheel on a die grinder is good. ie.. sheet metal.. a die grinder and cutoff wheel move fast..

soundguy

BDT in Minnesota · Nov 9, 2010

use a chop saw, with the proper wheel guard in place........don't forget your face shield..

Hobo,NC · Nov 9, 2010

(quoted from post at 19:45:55 11/09/10) so.....let's skip the vendor/source discussion for a moment, ok?

I bought an angle grinder to sharpen mower blades with and such. It has been great for knocking rust off heavy metal parts too.

Which of these two tools would be better at cutting steel, like 1/4" thick? Or possibly rebar or even a T-post? No welders in my shop (yet).

thanks,
Doug

You can buy a cut off blades to go on yer side grinder,,, long as you can afford the blades it works as a chop saw.... gets expensive...

I use Cut off blades in a air tools for jobs that are hard to get at are cuzz its fast....

A good chop saw if you are on a budget is hard to beat... I prefer a band saw only because it does not make a mess... a good band saw will set ya back a bit...

No one tool does it all cheap...

souNdguy · Nov 9, 2010

I agree. I don't have a bandsaw... yet.. but do eventually plan on getting one. I do however have a decent working chopsaw. back when I made my last 'large' tool purchase, I was down to deciding between a decent set of starter torches and a bandsaw.. the torches won that coin toss. I'm glad I got them too. they replaced a small set of soldering / brazing torches I had ( still have ) along with those lil bottles ( 1 or 2 size ).. I now got he medium sized ones. got the tip for bbq gas if needed, though have not used it yet.

Already got a hobart buzzbox.. so welding is covered. might wqant dc one day.. but so far havn't been in a situation where I absolutely couldn't use ac.

maybee next year I can swing the band saw.

( if I keep adding tools I'll have no more room to pull a tractor in the shop

)

soundguy

Hobo,NC · Nov 9, 2010

(quoted from post at 23:19:08 11/09/10) I agree. I don't have a bandsaw... yet.. but do eventually plan on getting one. I do however have a decent working chopsaw. back when I made my last 'large' tool purchase, I was down to deciding between a decent set of starter torches and a bandsaw.. the torches won that coin toss. I'm glad I got them too. they replaced a small set of soldering / brazing torches I had ( still have ) along with those lil bottles ( 1 or 2 size ).. I now got he medium sized ones. got the tip for bbq gas if needed, though have not used it yet.

Already got a hobart buzzbox.. so welding is covered. might wqant dc one day.. but so far havn't been in a situation where I absolutely couldn't use ac.

maybee next year I can swing the band saw.

( if I keep adding tools I'll have no more room to pull a tractor in the shop )

soundguy

Band saw,,, nuttin like a nice one,,, I have a Ellis 1500 ($300 off cracklist),,, I use it vertical 99% of the time,,, use a chop saw for the other stuff.... I had a elcheapo Jet I brought new (around $200),,,, it wore out in no time,,, was a useless P.O.S.,,, I keep a look out for a nice vertical metal ban saw,,, gonna have one someday.... If I had known years ago How much I like the Ellis I would have brought a new'n in a hart beat,,, a good HD band saw is hard to beat.....

I say this only cuzz this one can be used vertical,,, most of what I do I can hand feed it,,, wham bam done with it....

36 Coupe · Nov 10, 2010

I have a few Starret tools but I cant afford to spend 130 bucks for a dial caliper.My use is limited so a 15 buck one from Midway serves me fine.Its well made.I wont give a hardware store 3.99 a pound for a pound of spikes when most stores get 1.60.I saved 124.00 buying carriage bolts for picnic tables by buying at the right place.My micrometers were bought used.Home depot and Lowes have the highest prices on bolts.

souNdguy · Nov 10, 2010

we had 2 vertical band saws at a factory I worked at in college. nice machines. older.. but nice. we even had a blade welded. I got to handle the maint of them.... neat deals.. wouldn't mind having one like them.

soundguy

souNdguy · Nov 10, 2010

while i do have a cheaper, but precise micrometer, my best one is one that was given to me by a friend. his father was an engineer but died, and he had no use for the tool.

soundguy

Geo-TH,In · Nov 11, 2010

I got rid of most of my pneumatic tools and replaced then with electric. A 1/10 hp electric sander can do the work of a pheumatic sander that requires a 5 hp air compressor. I have an old variable transformer that TV repairman used 50 years ago. If I want to slow a sander down or grinder I turn the input voltage down. Works great.

souNdguy · Nov 11, 2010

I used to have a bariac a long time ago. A few years ago I built a triac based ac 'dimmer' good for 15a power tools. Of course a router control box ( cheap at HF ) works fine too.

soundguy

Geo-TH,In · Nov 12, 2010

I made a mistake and purchased a 4 in pack of cutoff blades from HF. Didn't last.

I have a metal band saw made in 1949. Uses a 10 ft + 1 in blade. The arm on the saw drops down and cuts through the metal. Blades get expensive too, especially when you screw up and try to cut harden steel.

Don't think there is a really cheap was to cut metal. Blade, wheels and gas all cost money.

Saw my dad crank the buzz box up all the way and use the welder as a plasma cutter. Wasn't a clean cut, but got the job done.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 13, 2010

I have a 24x24 metal/wood workshop. Went to HF and bought 4 casters attached to wood for $8 on sale. You can't purchase 250 lb casters for $2. Removed the casters from the wood they were attached to and made my own frame work to fit under the table saw, band saw, welder, grinder, welding table and the list goes on. Everything in my small shop is on wheels. That way I can pull out what I need and move the rest out of the way. In my pole barn, I took 2 4x4 pallets and put wheels under each corner. One pallet has insulation on it and the other had a 3x4 shower on it. Nice way to move things out of the way and make room. When I went to install the shower, we got the shower through the rough opening where the door was going and put it on the pallet. Nice way to move it around and get in place before building walls around it.

Wheels might make your shop bigger or build another building for your backhoe!

HF electric die grinder

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