For years I've telling people what a great deal the HF angle grinder is. I bought my first ones for $8.99, probably 10-12 years ago and I only just had one die (armature winding, I think).
So I pulled out one that I had in reserve, that I had bought a few months ago, on sale for $12.99. What a piece of SHIT! A brush wasn't seated right and quickly arced itself to death. On disassembly it was obviously too shitty to be worth bothering with (e.g., the bush holder was held by a rivet that was almost falling out).
So, I'm done with you, Harbor Freight - you and your crappy grinders. It was great while it lasted.
I'll have to spend a lot more now (and not on any HF look-alikes), but it is very satisfying to use a good tool.
I bought my first ones for $8.99, probably 10-12 years ago and I only just had one die (armature winding, I think).
So I pulled out one that I had in reserve, that I had bought a few months ago, on sale for $12.99. What a piece of SHIT! A brush wasn't seated right and quickly arced itself to death. On disassembly it was obviously too shitty to be worth bothering with (e.g., the bush holder was held by a rivet that was almost falling out).
So, I'm done with you, Harbor Freight - you and your crappy grinders. It was great while it lasted.
I'll have to spend a lot more now (and not on any HF look-alikes), but it is very satisfying to use a good tool.
Was the new one an Orange and White one? Those seem to last for a very long time. I had one die a couple weeks ago. The gear between the motor and the angle drive apparently. Motor runs, wheel doesnt go around. It was my first orange and white one, bought according to the engraving I put on the head, 11-13-2003
So Ive gotten almost 10 yrs out of it with regular use..its the oldest one I own.
Which appears to be this one....
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but evidently they have changed the handle color.
Is that the one you bought? Or was it one of the cheapies like this one?
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Too much plastic in the head..the spindle lock button is plastic.
Take it back to HF and either exchange it for a new one..and they will exchange it..or swap up for the one I recommended.
And they will do that as well.
Or you can buy this one
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Im sure it will outlast 3-4 of the HF grinders.
Now lets see here...hummm....$138/22.00 = 6.2222222
So you can buy 6 of the HF grinders for one Metabo. Given the apparent life span of each HF grinder > than 10 yrs....lets assume 10 yrs life under normal no professional use. So you can buy 60 yrs worth of grinders for the price of one Metabo..which will have a life span of at least 30 yrs under the same usage.
Now do you expect to live an additional 60 or 30 yrs?
I do...., but I doubt Ill be doing a hell of a lot of grinding at the end of that time frame. What I did was buy 3 grinders....or 30 yrs worth (grin) and if they are worn out..Ill simply use one of the others that I own..Makita, Ryobi etc etc. All of which..including the (2) 9" Milwaukee angle grinders...added up..doesnt come to $138. And I know the Milwaukees are older than 20 yrs each. Shrug Buying used at yard sales and swap meets ...certainly has some economic bennies....
Btw..I bought a HF grinder that cost $9 on sale a couple years ago. It was green, and had a cord about 3' long. Needed it on a job..for that job and I needed it NOW. So after the job was done..I took it home and used it for another 3-4 hours max..and the bushing in the head exploded/disintergrated. So HF sells good ones..and crap ones. You just need to buy the good ones.
And thats the end of my preaching to the choir for today.
Yes and no. I certainly blew off their angle grinders and other electric hand tools. There's some other stuff that I will likely continue to buy there.
No! I wouldn't want another one! (Even if I had kept the receipt.) And $12.99 isn't worth an hour's driving for a refund.
It wasn't that this one had a defect. The defect was in the _design_. That's really what I'm unhappy about - the design quality.
Maybe. Maybe also that I feel betrayed - I've been a believer and promoter for so long. A "How could they do this to me?" kind of thing.
So you managed to skate using the One Use Tools and are now upset you got one that didnt last more than One Use?
Very very good thinks
So you got a bad one. And are now refusing to "take another chance"
Take the crappy one back, and exchange it for one of the ones I pointed out as being decent units, shrug and tell yourself..."I got a bad one, shit happens"
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