Thread: Tools of the Month Club

Tweet

Originally Posted by stovens

Harbor freight had them on sale for 19.99 last month! They are powered by 120 volt plug. Mine is in the mail on back order! 120 Volt 3" High Speed Cut-Off Tool

Steve, why didn't you tell us about the sale last month, they are $29.99 now!! I would have bought one at the sale price just to keep from running the compressor.

Mike

Okay, Mike inspired me to come up with one.

Before I was given one as a gift I wouldn't have thought I'd use it much, and compared to ratchets and air tools I don't, but have more than I would have expected. And it qualifies as a stocking stuffer too.

An infrared thermometer with laser pointer, here's an example, but they're everywhere nowadays: http://www.amazon.com/Kintrex-IRT042.../dp/B0017L9Q9C

".... Before I was given one as a gift I wouldn't have thought I'd use it much...."

I was the same way, but after having one, if mine broke it is one of those things that would qualify for imediate replacement.

Good call Bob

Charlie
I like that story ........ GOOD for her and three cheers, way to many people out here with titles that only know how to spell that title cause it is printed on the business card. Of course if he had his cell he could call someone LOL.

Originally Posted by Mike P

Lamin you hit it on the head.

"......a flash name to make you think you are buying American made?....."

MADE IN CHINA

Here's a link Chicago Electric Power Tools

That being said for I've had a couple of their 4" grinders over the years and for occasional light duty use they do work....if you try to push them too hard or work them too long they do have a tendency to let the magic smoke out.

Aha,the magic smoke...I buy cheap Chinese 115mm electric grinders for use in my shop. Cheapies at $20 a shot,,but in the fiberglass game,I can wear out a good quality grinder,at $80/150 almost as quick as a cheap chinese jobbie..They usually last from 6 weeks to 18 months,so it aint too bad..I get these little beauties so hot,I have to put them down,, so I reckon they arent too bad value..

This was in a magazine I read many years ago; who wrote it initially I don't know, but I thought it so amusing I copied it.
Some of you may have seen it before, but for those who haven't:


Everything you wanted to know about auto electricals.

I will now reveal to you everything you wanted to know about electricity. Forget all that nonsense about magnetic fields and the flow of electrons along a conductor, for it is just that, nonsense…….a myth put about by Auto Electricians to support their lavish lifestyles at your expense. The reality is…….Smoke!
When you think about it, it all becomes startlingly obvious. Smoke makes all electrical things function, and if the smoke escapes the component stops working. For example, the last time you had to grovel under your car to replace the starter motor, didn’t it start smoking before it stopped working? Of course it did!
The wiring loom in your car carries smoke from one device to another, pumped around the system by the dynamo, and when a wire springs a leak it lets all the smoke out and everything stops. The starter motor requires lots of smoke to work properly, so it has a very thick wire going to it.
The battery stores up lots of smoke dissolved in the battery acid, which is why they were once called accumulators, until it became apparent that we unwashed home mechanics would twig to the secret. Naturally, if you try to store too much smoke in your battery it will escape through those little holes in the top, which is why those newfangled batteries with sealed tops explode when they get too much smoke in them.
With regard to Joseph Lucas and his wrongfully sullied reputation, why is he so maligned? Why are Lucas components more likely to leak smoke than, say, Bosch or Marrelli? It’s because Lucas is British, and British things always leak. British motorcycles leak oil, British sports cars leak rain, British hydrolastic units leak fluid, and British Governments leak military secrets.
So, naturally, British electrical components leak smoke.

So now you know.

Dang I knew it was a conspiracy! I've always wondered about old Lucus, the Prince of Darness, but I guess he just was a little loose!

After all this talk of great tools, I just had to exercise my $9.99 Harbor Fright coupon option for this little $29.99 gadget. So far all I've done with it is to fit up some metal cutting jigsaw blades and install an air line nipple and run it no load. Initially, kind of puny sounding, but no real test yet. If it's a POS - I'm out only the price of a couple of adult beverages at my favorite watering hole.

Metal saw.jpg

Dave I've seen those and thought of getting one too! One can't have enough cut off tools!

Originally Posted by IC2

After all this talk of great tools, I just had to exercise my $9.99 Harbor Fright coupon option for this little $29.99 gadget. So far all I've done with it is to fit up some metal cutting jigsaw blades and install an air line nipple and run it no load. Initially, kind of puny sounding, but no real test yet. If it's a POS - I'm out only the price of a couple of adult beverages at my favorite watering hole.

Attachment 52381

Dave I bought one several years ago, its done quite a few exhaust cuts, and light steel stock, and its still holding together...!

If you've ever built a deck or any woodworking project, one of these is a must. It's a counter sink drill bit, that flips around to a phillips head screw driver, without you removing the housing from your drill. It just slips and locks into the bit housing. Worth every penny! Here are a few photos of what I'm talking about. Excellent for drilling pilot holes for screws, and then with a quick flip, you can drive the screws in with the driver bit side.

Here is something I use on a regular basis. They are called forceps and are normally found in operating rooms. I bought a couple many many years ago (cheap harbor freight knock off as I recall) and they were great for the small Jesus clips on carbs etc, but they didn’t last too long.

20 years ago I bought a real set of 6 medical grade forceps (small medium and large straight and curved jaw). They are great not only for the small clips (that my fat fingers have a harder time with each year), but clamped in a vice to hold wires for soldering, holding small bolts to get a nut started, hold wires together when bench testing circuits etc.

I had to go to a medical supply store to find the good ones back then, but you can find the suppliers on line now. Believe me getting the real deal is worth it.

Originally Posted by Mike P

. Believe me getting the real deal is worth it.

Wise words in many cases.........

Saw this yesterday, the F series put my hands on it: Miller - ArcStation

It is real nice stout will hold 500 lbs. like the way it stores folds flat. The deck is true has nice slots to clamp the work, the price is not that bad 250. I have a welding table that hinges off the side of my work bench and folds down out of the way, but the miller allows you to take the table to the work or place it in the middle of the shop. Had a Miller 135 sitting around after a few welds opted for the 180. Got 400 for it so this table would be a freebee and still have 150. Just looking at this time but tipping Miller builds some nice stuff.

stroker, here's another one to consider; http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Hand-To...5340332&sr=8-1

I got one of these a few months ago. I especially like the height adjustability, and the edge guides hold a good 90 degree corner. You're right about portability, a decent trade off for light work or where a fixed welding station isn't practical.