Brian wrote:
> I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to
> repair the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in
> China, except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With
> all the tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference
> over another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better
> than a Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(

I have two grinders. One I bought new for 15$ out of a box at a flea
market and a Makita I paid about $140 for.

Here is what you get.

The cheapo uses stamped screws (yep, they got a mold mark) and
basic pot-metal housing. The motor is good, even has replaceable
brushes, but the worm drive is very noisy and the sucker will not
balance. It vibrates so badly with a grinder wheel that I only
use it with a wire brush for cleaning rust.

The Makita is perfectly balanced and grinds smoothly without sagging.
It will also cut metal if you use one of the thinner grinding wheels.


--
DougW

 

Brian wrote:
> I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to
> repair the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in
> China, except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With
> all the tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference
> over another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better
> than a Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(

I have two grinders. One I bought new for 15$ out of a box at a flea
market and a Makita I paid about $140 for.

Here is what you get.

The cheapo uses stamped screws (yep, they got a mold mark) and
basic pot-metal housing. The motor is good, even has replaceable
brushes, but the worm drive is very noisy and the sucker will not
balance. It vibrates so badly with a grinder wheel that I only
use it with a wire brush for cleaning rust.

The Makita is perfectly balanced and grinds smoothly without sagging.
It will also cut metal if you use one of the thinner grinding wheels.


--
DougW

 

Brian wrote:
> I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to
> repair the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in
> China, except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With
> all the tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference
> over another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better
> than a Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(

I have two grinders. One I bought new for 15$ out of a box at a flea
market and a Makita I paid about $140 for.

Here is what you get.

The cheapo uses stamped screws (yep, they got a mold mark) and
basic pot-metal housing. The motor is good, even has replaceable
brushes, but the worm drive is very noisy and the sucker will not
balance. It vibrates so badly with a grinder wheel that I only
use it with a wire brush for cleaning rust.

The Makita is perfectly balanced and grinds smoothly without sagging.
It will also cut metal if you use one of the thinner grinding wheels.


--
DougW

 

Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little thing
just keeps on chugging right along.
We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
compressor for his pneumatics at the time.

My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
tools...
He's still scratching his head over this one.

Kate

"Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(
>
> B

 

Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little thing
just keeps on chugging right along.
We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
compressor for his pneumatics at the time.

My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
tools...
He's still scratching his head over this one.

Kate

"Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(
>
> B

 

Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little thing
just keeps on chugging right along.
We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
compressor for his pneumatics at the time.

My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
tools...
He's still scratching his head over this one.

Kate

"Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>
> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
> Republic of China. :(
>
> B

 

"Kate" <svtkate@spam.filter.selby.ws> wrote in message
news:7Ke1h.19051$kI6.12922@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
> Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
> something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little
> thing just keeps on chugging right along.
> We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
> compressor for his pneumatics at the time.
>
> My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
> tools...
> He's still scratching his head over this one.
>
> Kate
>
> "Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
>> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
>> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
>> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
>> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
>> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>>
>> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
>> Republic of China. :(
>>
>> B
>
>

The secret of Harbor Freight is to buy the orange tools, not the blue tools.
The orange ones sound like they are going to self destruct in less than 20
minutes of use, but run forever. The blue ones sound like they are going to
self destruct in less than 20 minutes of use, and often do...

 

"Kate" <svtkate@spam.filter.selby.ws> wrote in message
news:7Ke1h.19051$kI6.12922@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
> Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
> something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little
> thing just keeps on chugging right along.
> We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
> compressor for his pneumatics at the time.
>
> My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
> tools...
> He's still scratching his head over this one.
>
> Kate
>
> "Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
>> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
>> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
>> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
>> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
>> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>>
>> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
>> Republic of China. :(
>>
>> B
>
>

The secret of Harbor Freight is to buy the orange tools, not the blue tools.
The orange ones sound like they are going to self destruct in less than 20
minutes of use, but run forever. The blue ones sound like they are going to
self destruct in less than 20 minutes of use, and often do...

 

"Kate" <svtkate@spam.filter.selby.ws> wrote in message
news:7Ke1h.19051$kI6.12922@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
> Hey, we bought one of those Harbor Freight cheapo 4.5" electric grinders
> something like FIVE years ago - We use it all the time and the little
> thing just keeps on chugging right along.
> We bought it back then because it was cheaper than buying a new air
> compressor for his pneumatics at the time.
>
> My husband is usually a tool snob, has two big boxes full of Snap On
> tools...
> He's still scratching his head over this one.
>
> Kate
>
> "Brian" <bsheller@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:bsheller-FD1664.14421229102006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>>I was at Lowes today looking at grinders (I'm about to attempt to repair
>> the rusty spots in my floor). The grinders are mostly made in China,
>> except for one made in Malaysia, and one made in Mexico. With all the
>> tools made in China, does one brand really make a difference over
>> another? Is there any reason to think a Chinese DeWalt is better than a
>> Chinese Black & Decker or a Harbor Freight cheapo special?
>>
>> Everybody salute the superpower of the 21st century: the People's
>> Republic of China. :(
>>
>> B
>
>

The secret of Harbor Freight is to buy the orange tools, not the blue tools.
The orange ones sound like they are going to self destruct in less than 20
minutes of use, but run forever. The blue ones sound like they are going to
self destruct in less than 20 minutes of use, and often do...

 

Same experience here with *some* of HB's tools. Bought the pneumatic
3.5" die grinder/steel cutter with carborundum wheel 10 years ago, and
that stupid $7.00 thing is still working. Most of their stuff is junk,
but a few items are worth having. The trick is knowing what's good:
stick with the "orange" tools for best results. They're still junk, but
they last longer than their other junk.