Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Tool Talk Discussion Forum

4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
JOHN HARMON

10-06-2006 20:38:58




Report to Moderator

Went to Harbor Frieght today to get a set Of loading Ramps for my new 2007 Artic Cat 500 Quad[Brag-Brag LOL] and they were having a huge reduced price sale. They had 4" Angle grinders for $4.99.Also a Blue 90 amp. Wire Welder for $89.99. I'm curious if any one has tried this Grinder or Welder out. My friend has a set of these Ramps and I have used his several times so I am confident that they are O.K. but some of the other stuff I have picked up there from time to time I have had limited success with.

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
mph

10-10-2006 19:49:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
REAL JOB ! I learned to weld in a fondrey. Real job how many jobs have you had welding a cat 235 log loader[boom] how many jobs have you had welding a backhoe boom back together or rebuilding a skidder blade or cat blade. Iam over 50 and semi retired. Real job, get a real life, I like people like you, pay 50.00 to 100.00 bucks for a grinder fine with me I,ll laugh all the way to the bank. And I used HF 4.5 grinders maybe Iam lucky. I did have a 9" go down from them, they replaced it free of course including shipping. Good luck to you,People like you and me keep the ball rolling, it just does not coast me as much.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
hayray

10-10-2006 05:02:46




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
I bought a couple of those cheap angle grinders and yes, at that price they are really good deal, non of mine have died yet. It is good to check on that stuff because there is a lot of junk I have bought from them that did no work as soon as I got home.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Chvet73

10-09-2006 09:36:27




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
The cheap grinders are throw aways. But they will give you alot of service until they die. Not a bad value for the price. I would not touch the cheap welders. But I've had good luck with the grinders.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
James in North Carolina

10-08-2006 12:52:51




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Most every grinder I've seen is made in China. Perhaps not Metabo, but the others I've seen are.

The biggest difference I've seen between HF grinders and others is the HF grinders have lower amperage, thinner brushes and poorer windings.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Steve Crum

10-08-2006 08:07:55




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Several years ago I started replacing all the hand power tools in the fabrication shop with Milwaukee tools. I often buy reconditioned or used off fleabay.
This relegated the cheaper Craftsman, Black & Decker, Makita and DeWalts to the grungiest work and as they fail they land in the scrap hopper.
For welders Miller is my only choice and for plasma, Thermal Dynamics. I rely on my tools too heavily to bother with something that loses it's a** shortly after I put it to work. Many of these actually outlast the 7 year write off period.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
oldcraneguy

10-08-2006 06:51:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Bought one from a big lots store last year, worked just fine til I dropped it and busted the thumb switch off, needed one up on the north florida property last month and sent the wife to the tractor supply store in town, $45 later she came back with the exact same grinder that I bought for $15 !...!@#$%^&*()



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
KEB

10-07-2006 20:37:56




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  

Bought one of the 14.95 on sale 4-1/2 inch ones a couple years ago. Needed one quickly, we were moving & all my tools were packed. I've used it mostly with cutting wheels, been through a bunch of them & it's still working. Nowhere near the quality of my Makita, but I've certainly gotten $15 worth of use out of it.

I suspect that one of the problems with the HF stuff is lack of quality control & consistency. If you happen to get a good one they hold up well, if you happen to get a bad one you're out what you paid for it.

Keith

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Glenn F.

10-07-2006 18:12:23




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
I bought a Chinese one a while back for $15.00. If I had used it for my intended purpose of just grinding off an occasional nail head, etc., it probably would have lasted a long time. But soon I was using it like a real grinder and in less than 20 minutes of operation, it was growling, smoking, losing rpms, etc. I wouldn't take one home if they were handing them out at the door.

Just my experience. Glenn F

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Rodman

10-07-2006 11:20:36




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Bought one of those a couple years ago just to have in the shop for infrequent use, rather than getting my good ones off of the truck. Had a big welding job to put up beams for a building addition. Noticed my brother using same as what I have, and it performed well through the whole job. He used it hard all day, every day during the job, and used up a bunch of grinding wheels. I was impressed at how well it did, and I wondered why he left it when he loaded up and left. Then I went back to my shop to put things away, and I realized !!**XXX!! he had been using my shop grinder. I wanted to kick him in the lower extremities, but I was impressed with my HF grinder.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Stan in Oly, WA

10-07-2006 08:48:44




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Hi John,

"Blue" means Miller to most people involved in welding. The $89 wire feed welder that HF sells is their brand, Chicago Electric. I've seen a few used and they actually did work, but the users weren't experienced and had no basis of comparison to say how the HF equipment performed.

I used to pick up a HF 4" or 4 1/2" angle grinder every time I was in the store and they were on sale for less than $15. After I had about a dozen I realized that I'm still using the first one I bought five years ago (medium to hard usage) so maybe I have enough. Virtually every brand name grinder on the market is better than Chicago Electric, but it is nice to have four or five set up with all the attachments you normally use. That would be beyond my means with Milwaukee, DeWalt or Bosche.

All the best, Stan

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Don c

10-07-2006 07:54:08




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
I have bought mine from the Cummins tool truck that come to local fire dept. 9.95, noisey, the screws much be tightened once in a while but it just keeps on running, had it about 4 years and have used it a lot, best money I,ve spent



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
SuperHank

10-09-2006 12:07:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to Don c, 10-07-2006 07:54:08  
Got the same Cummings or Cummins and keep it at the farm. 5 years later it still works and I used a cut-off wheel to fix my mower drive shaft and after a good 45 minutes it is still running. Its probably junk but for $9.95?



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
jhill52

10-07-2006 05:16:47




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Several other people on other forums i visit have bought various HF tools and they fopund that you need to take them home and dissassemble them clean out the machining chips and lube them and then most last for awhile. They tend to be dirty inside and not have much lube in them.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave Grindle

10-06-2006 22:55:05




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
i bt one of those grinders , figured worse case senario is that i'm out 5 bucks ....well , i prob'ly only lost about $4.99 & some change since it did last a good 20 or 30 seconds ! ( the motor burned up almost instantly) i'm thinking about trying a couple more , if i tie the 3 together & fill each of them with cement ,,,,, ,they should replace a $15 boat anchor ?????



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
mph

10-06-2006 22:41:44




Report to Moderator
 Re: 4 Grinder-Harbor Frieght in reply to JOHN HARMON, 10-06-2006 20:38:58  
Can,t say on their welders, have two millers[big 40 & roughneck 1e]. But have 3 of the cheap 4.5 grinders, 1 cutting blade, 1 grinding, 1 wire cup brush all 3 haved worked well and you just can,t beat the price. If all 3 quit I would just buy 4 or 5 more and still save money over some other brands.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Eddie in MI

10-07-2006 05:50:36




Report to Moderator
 Same here in reply to mph, 10-06-2006 22:41:44  
In fact, I am going to HF today to pick up another 4.5 grinder. I have found that my favorite is the # 91223. They go on sale for about $18...



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Stumpalump

10-07-2006 10:22:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: Same here in reply to Eddie in MI, 10-07-2006 05:50:36  
Go to a pawn shop and get a real one.Craftsmen ,mikita,DeWalt it don't matter, then beat the living hell out of it for 20 years.
The chinese stuff save for stuff that would cost you 5 times the price. Pawn shops accept offers on their stuff so offer a chineese price and walk away with somthing that will be safer and not crap out on you when you need it most. Go to a real job site and you won't see that cheap crap because it's not worth the hassle. I use my grinder as much as any tool I own. My next one will be the best I can find. That is if my current real one ever gets stolen.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy