Cut-Off Tool

[DXN1EL]

Is there any electric one, meaning other than the Harbor Freight?

 

[Shield Arc]

Oh yeah, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita to name a few.

 

[Jim Timber]

Yep, just a straight grinder in that video fitted with a cut-off disk. Most popular now days is the angle grinder.

I have 4 10A dewalt's I use often. Each has it's own purpose: wire cup brush, flap disk (sand paper), grinding disk, and cut-off disk.

Then I have a Ridgid battery powered one (just got it recently), and a big 15A dewalt monster.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I guess there's probably not any less costly one than the one in the video with half a decent reputation. I've seen some cheapo flea market specials that would last until you plugged it in. Any particular reason you are looking at one versus a cut off wheel on a grinder?

 

[Jim Timber]

Finding a HF electric tool which isn't a single use item is the exception, not the rule. Of the tools I've tried, the only one I still have is their porta-bandsaw. I've destroyed the gear boxes in their angle grinders in less than a weekend.

Buying them because they're cheap is false economy. When you make the second trip to the store (refund or exchange), you're already losing more than what a reputable brand unit with a reasonable expectation of durability would've cost up front.

 

[rsallen]

What is that, an electric die grinder?

For my money if I were buying one it'd be more than a single purpose tool, it'd accept any 1/4 inch shanked product I chose to use.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Jim,
I don't think you are correct on that. I've bought many HF tools that were and still are going strong, including a 30 year old drill press. I've had a couple of duds, but nothing that wasn't made right and nothing that had a repeat issue. Never had a grinder fail prematurely when used correctly...of course I never bought the lowest 'drill master' either. Maybe they don't last as long. But a few years ago, I was at my local machine shop and piled outside the door was a bunch of burned up grinders waiting for pickup for repair. Included was HF, DeWalt, Makita, Metabo, and Milwaukee. I asked the owner which one he had a problem with most. He said "They all burn up...my money is better spent on the cheaper ones".

The above mentioned item is 20.00. A similar item on sale from a name brand is 150.00 or more. If you live any reasonable distance from a HF store, then your math doesn't add up...even if you had to repurchase the item out of warranty...two or three or even four times.

 

[Jim Timber]

I should've specified that their portable electric tools are the problematic ones. I know of many of their drill presses (junk for other reasons), bandsaws, and lathes which haven't had mechanical problems.

I bill more per hour than you if my math is wrong in your opinion. The second trip to the store (which is 7 miles away) puts that tool at $60 over what I paid for it in time I'm not able to charge a customer. I'll gladly spend the extra $10 to not have the inconvenience of having to make that second trip.

I'm only spending $90 on the 10A dewalts, and I've had those for 8 years now.

Search Results for grinder at The Home Depot

It's a matter of perspective. My dad raised me to invest in quality tools to ensure I wasn't distracted by the problems which come from using substandard ones. A craftsman wrench has the same lifetime warranty as the snap-on which costs 2x more - I can't tell you how many craftsman's I've had replaced under that warranty (too many to recall), but I can tell you how many snap-on's - zero. I buy snap-on's now. I don't have time for the crap that needs replacing, even if it's free.

 

[Jim Timber]

Or maybe it's just me?

Electric pipe threader = up in smoke: one job
Hammer drill = up in smoke: 3 1/2" holes
Angle grinder = gear box self destructed: one weekend
1/2" belt sander (hand held) = couldn't keep belts from ripping: one day

 

[rsallen]

I don't know,
I think it depends on just how much one has to rely on any one single tool and how often that tool is needed.