Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Pixguy]

I had a cheap $20 grinder burn out on me Monday when I was grinding down a cracked uneven driveway with a diamond wheel. They easily replaced it but I'm likely pushing it beyond its ability.

 

[gstrom99]

I'm likely pushing it beyond its ability.

Most of us do that with/to our tools, daily...

 

[IndyJay]

I had a cheap $20 grinder burn out on me Monday when I was grinding down a cracked uneven driveway with a diamond wheel. They easily replaced it but I'm likely pushing it beyond its ability.

Depends.... how long is your driveway?

 

[Pixguy]

Depends.... how long is your driveway?

The crack at my mom's is roughly 5' and I got through half before it overheated and burned out. The crack and difference in height is an inch.

 

[California]

The crack at my mom's is roughly 5' and I got through half before it overheated and burned out. The crack and difference in height is an inch.

Wow you can cut down concrete - presumably feathering from an inch to zero over a few inches - and you got 2.5 ft down the line when it quit? I didn't know a diamond disc could remove that much material.

What size angle grinder, 4.5, 7, 9 inch?

 

[Pixguy]

Wow you can cut down concrete - presumably feathering from an inch to zero over a few inches - and you got 2.5 ft down the line when it quit? I didn't know a diamond disc could remove that much material.

What size angle grinder, 4.5, 7, 9 inch?

4.5 disc $30 at HD
Grinder $20 at HF

The community I'm in in FL during the winter has sidewalks that were raised by the oaks they planted 15yo ago and they grinded them down to be gradual and not a trip hazard. I stole their idea but I'm sure they used a better grinder.

 

[Pixguy]

Wow you can cut down concrete - presumably feathering from an inch to zero over a few inches - and you got 2.5 ft down the line when it quit? I didn't know a diamond disc could remove that much material.

What size angle grinder, 4.5, 7, 9 inch?

Here's what I see on my daily walks. Why they planted oaks that would damage sidewalks as the roots as it grows is beyond me.

 

[Oaktree]

Here's what I see on my daily walks. Why they planted oaks that would damage sidewalks as the roots as it grows is beyond me.

Any oaks we have here are very slow growing, maybe a different species in Fla. that grows faster? I wouldn't have thought any tree would grow enough in 15 years to damage a sidewalk. 50 maybe...

 

[IndyJay]

Any oaks we have here are very slow growing, maybe a different species in Fla. that grows faster? I wouldn't have thought any tree would grow enough in 15 years to damage a sidewalk. 50 maybe...

Many old neighborhoods have cracked or heaving sidewalks from 50-100 year old trees. Worth it IMHO.

 

[California]

Here's what I see on my daily walks. Why they planted oaks that would damage sidewalks as the roots as it grows is beyond me.

View attachment 781028

Question - can a 4.5" grinder do work like in this sidewalk photo? My home in town needs some grinding like this, to feather a lift of maybe 3/4 inch. Or, what should I rent?

Also thinking about this - my old shop at the ranch wasn't floated off to dead flat. The trowel marks make it hard to pull a floor jack. (Photo that incidentally shows the uneven floor). Is it reasonable to rent something and grind the whole room dead flat? Any ideas?