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Harbor Freight tool review
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Author:  geek49203 [ April 14, 2016, 3:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

When your welds look as bad as mine, your hand grinders get quite a workout. I think I've killed 3 of 'em since this project started.

Author:  1055 [ April 14, 2016, 4:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

man, I don't know what I'm doing differently.. are you guys using hard grinding stones or flap wheels to clean your welds?

I've even used mine with cut off wheels to cut up titanium...

Author:  rx7locost [ April 14, 2016, 5:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Maybe it is because there is no one HF angle grinder. The last few I got (and died) were the middle-of-the-pack 4-1/2" Item #91223. I mostly use cut-off wheels, Grinding wheels, & wire brushes. I have also used flap wheels occasionally. And it is not that I use a grinder a lot.

Author:  1055 [ May 27, 2016, 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Just an FYI - The titanium step bits are going on sale for something like $7/set this weekend, Black "mechanics" gloves are $3.99, their lighted work bench with pegboard backing will be $89 and the 1,000LB 9" ramps are on sale for $59.99. You can also use their 20% off super coupon on all of the above purchases.

Author:  Briggs [ May 28, 2016, 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

How did I miss this thread?!?

I love harbor freight. I'm there about once a month.

The big blasting cabinet;
Works great, now I need a bigger air compressor to keep up with it.

The cordless small impact;
I've only used it to drill into 16 gauge stainless. It does ok for starting the first hole. I tried using a step bit on it with no luck. Don't waste your money, get something nice. It's also pretty heavy and doesn't seem to have a lot of torque.

The 4x6 horizontal band saw;
Cuts carbon like a dream. Never used the blade that came with it. The lowes blades are not that great either. I bought 2 of these blades from Amazon. They cut stainless pretty damn good, even better on carbon. By stainless I mean 16 gauge exhaust pipe material in 304L. I plan on buying the larger wet saw from northern tool. It's right at $1000 but has great reviews on it. You can't find a wet saw with some power behind it for less then $800. I plan on opening up my own exhaust shop so it will be used a lot.

Attachment:
image.jpeg


The red roller tool chest is amazing. I love it. Makes working on my car way easier. No 1000 trips to the tool box getting crap, just roll it outside.

The step bits are just amazing, everyone knows this.

I had luck with all the casters that I've bought from there. Some don't hold air long but that's to be expected.

The 20 ton press is great. No issues with it. It saved me money on pressing the hubs out of the tbird knuckles.

I use the ATV winch on my kart stand. I'm on my 2nd one. It works when it wants to. The cordless remote sucks and has a delay in it. I don't use it on the stand in fear of breaking the legs on the stand. I imagine on a ATV it would do its job just fine.

Author:  Briggs [ May 28, 2016, 3:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

1055 wrote:
man, I don't know what I'm doing differently.. are you guys using hard grinding stones or flap wheels to clean your welds?

I've even used mine with cut off wheels to cut up titanium...


Flap wheels. Give a cleaner grind and makes it where you won't take too much weld off.

Also forgot to mention the 1000 lbs engine stand. Doesn't like to roll a lot but has held my duratec just fine for a couple of months.

Author:  TimP [ May 28, 2016, 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

I bought the tube notcher, as our local version in Canada ( Princess Auto ) didn't have one at the time. I followed all the videos about adding washers to make sure it's aligned properly - and replaced all the bolts with good ones. ( also a must ).

In using it, hole saws are seem 5cm long ( 2" ), which made getting the hole saw back enough a problem. So I added to the fame, which worked. Then I couldn't get a shallow enough angle...so I was going to grind out some more of the adjustment arc...but figured if I went that far, I may as well remake it.

I had my son-in-law (with autocad) draw up files for the mounting plates (which I will have laser cut). I should be able to go parallel with the hole saw if I want. Pretty much remaking the tool - but it should be good after.
( actually, I'm going to email the shop now with the files ).

Hopefully I'll need it more than a couple of times. :roll:

Author:  seattletom [ May 28, 2016, 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Briggs wrote:
1055 wrote:
man, I don't know what I'm doing differently.. are you guys using hard grinding stones or flap wheels to clean your welds?

I've even used mine with cut off wheels to cut up titanium...

Flap wheels. Give a cleaner grind and makes it where you won't take too much weld off.
Briggs, terminology related question: I've probably been conflating flap discs and flap wheels. Checking with the interweb, looks like I've been using flap discs for grinding welds thinking they were flap wheels. :oops:
So guess I should convert to using actual flap wheels instead. What grit and diameter do you recommend? I'll chuck them up in an air driven die grinder.

Author:  1055 [ May 28, 2016, 9:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

seattletom wrote:
Briggs wrote:
]
Flap wheels. Give a cleaner grind and makes it where you won't take too much weld off.
Briggs, terminology related question: I've probably been conflating flap discs and flap wheels. Checking with the interweb, looks like I've been using flap discs for grinding welds thinking they were flap wheels. :oops:
So guess I should convert to using actual flap wheels instead. What grit and diameter do you recommend? I'll chuck them up in an air driven die grinder.


I typically prefer the flap discs to flap wheels.. the issue with the flap discs though, is that they don't like to wear down.. meaning that once you grind up the small amount of material thats exposed, you lose almost all the bite in them. the flap wheels tend to hold their bite longer, but I've found you cant put as much oomph behind them.

Author:  Briggs [ May 30, 2016, 12:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

I guess I'm confused. What's the difference in flap wheels and flap disc?

Author:  oldejack [ May 30, 2016, 12:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Briggs wrote:
I guess I'm confused. What's the difference in flap wheels and flap disc?


One looks like a centrifugal pump impeller and the other looks like a water wheel.

edit>> So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you.

Author:  Briggs [ May 31, 2016, 3:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Ah, I see now. Thanks for putting it into man terms for me Jack!

I use the disc to grind down welds on flat surfaces and the wheels inside of round tubing when I'm building exhaust. Also used to clean up burrs.

Author:  geek49203 [ October 15, 2016, 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

Years ago my now-ex and daughters gave me a HF Chicago Electric Dual MIG 171 220 v welder. Never used it 'cause I never had a work space with 220. And it didn't come with the gas regulator, etc.

Looking around now, I see that while some have done mods to up the welding capacity, there isn't much available in terms of repair parts, spool guns, etc. And no one that I can find is welding aluminum with it, which is the big thing that my 120v Hobart can't do.

So... unless someone can show me a way to get this to weld aluminum, can help me find parts, etc... guess I should sell it (gulp!) and buy a new TIG unit?

Author:  Briggs [ October 16, 2016, 11:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

After 2 years of building the frame and about 5 months of cutting stainless steel going threw about 8 blades the bad saw is starting to show its age. According to the 4x6 bandsaw yahoo group they say I have damaged the bearings in the pulley on the motor side. I'm also told that cutting stainless steel pipe as much as I do without a hydraulic cylinder for downward pull is the reason I'm killing so many blades. I plan on repalacing the bearings and adding a hydraulic cylinder as well building a stand with a pump and tank for coolant. My frabication business is growing more and more. I've built 20 downpipes and I've done about 8 custom catbacks in the last 5 months.

I'll keep you all updated on that process and how long she last after that. I'd like a wider blade but I'm not sure what all goes into making that happen.

Author:  geek49203 [ October 17, 2016, 9:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harbor Freight tool review

This is a HF band saw? Which one?

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