Harbor Freight 12 inch disk sander
woodenfish3
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
For years I have had a small disk/belt combo sander and have been looking for a used larger unit but haven’t found one.
There is an older 6×48 belt only sander for sale in my area. I am thinking about getting this one and then a separate 12 inch disk sander.
Disk sander is a simplier technology. Roundout is the only major concern, IMO.
Would anyone who has a 12 inch Harbor Freight purchased within past several years tell me how good it has been?
Edited 12/1/2007 5:24 pm ET by woodenfish3
Replies
Vibration is another concern.
I've been to Harbor Freight. I didn't know they sold tools. I thought they were a junk yard.
Many of their clamps are great values. Their C-clamps are unbelievable values. 3/4 inch pipe clamps work great. Once I sacrificed a Pony (the little cushion thing fell out often) before a HF.
Their cast iron bed lathe for about $200 on sale is a great value. Works great! Highly recommeded.
For years I did not want to buy any of their portable power tools. I now have their 10 amp drill. Tremendous power. Runs quite smoothly. Chuck closes tight. Holds well. Time will tell how well it will last.
Selective! Some great values in HF, some lemons.
That is why I ask about the 12 inch disk sander specifically. Has anyone actually has it?
Edited 12/2/2007 4:16 pm ET by woodenfish3
Edited 12/2/2007 4:26 pm ET by woodenfish3
I’m not a snob who thinks you have to buy the best of everything, and lord knows I can’t afford the best of everything, but you nailed it. I’d rather give myself a root canal with a fork than to depend on a Harbor Freight product.
I used to feel that way. Then my brother gave me a used HF "sawzall" for some project I was working on.
He did it to irritate me.
Darn, ugly, orange, nasty looking piece of cheap Chinese tool worked (and still works) just fine. Imagine that? It won't break. How can I buy the Milwaukee one that I truly want if this one won't break?
He borrows it from me occasionally, just to further irritate me.
Mike D :)
I also have a Milwaukee Recip saw. I like it quite a lot. I have Dewalt, Bosch, PC, Makita, Hitachi
but I also have this Chicago Electric 10 amp drill which I also like. The power and functionality of this drill is great.
That is why a forum like this SHOULD be helpful.
Oh, yeah!
I get a lot of help from the good folks on this site.
I like my Chicago Electric (AkA Harbor Freight) recip saw, too. It works great, and it was free!
Mike D :)
I do not want to buy the HF combo sander because I don't think it is well made.
There is no worthy table saws in HF, IMO.
But
Their drill presses are pretty good. Their production model drill press is/was excellent value.
Their cast iron bed 12x36 lathe is GREAT value, works great for years for me .
Their 3/4 inch pipe clamps are great, those with multple rings. Never slip
Wood screw clamps are also great. Never slipped on me yet, wood as straight as ever but where i live is dry and all hard wood is very stable.
I also have their Dust Collector. Excellent value on sale!
HF get their stuffs from diverse sources. That is way each is different.
I just don't think broad stroke is helpful. That is why this forum is helpful, or should be.
Edited 12/2/2007 8:56 pm ET by woodenfish3
Edited 12/2/2007 8:58 pm ET by woodenfish3
I think that it is. One problem is that our discussions start to feel like conversations, and we (I) get conversational in print.
But, we forget (I forget) that fully 75% of a conversation's information value comes from expression, body language, and voice tone.
Missing those inputs in print, I sometimes come off sounding just a tad strident (just a tad).
But, it's all good. I for one am glad that I stumbled onto this forum several months ago.
Mike D
Like any other tool/machinery dealer, some is good, some is bad. I have a H-F dust collector and actually ran a Jet and Delta unit (same basic units- 2HP) and didn't notice any difference in the three. It works fine and the only thing I needed to do is replace the switch because it died, probably because the genius who wired my garage is an idiot and didn't wire it correctly. Didn't meet code, either.I recently looked at the 12" disc sander and while it has a nice heavy disc, base and the motor looks just like many of the others I looked at, the platform is a POS. I also looked at the 10", and it has a cheesy disc but the platform is rock solid. Extruded aluminum, really a nice looking piece. If their marketing/engineering/technical/whatever they call them staff would ask around or think for about 5 seconds, they would find that the heavy disc and solid platform is exactly what they need to include on both. Apparently, they don't use many of the tools they buy.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
I suddenly realize that I have an old 10 inch Craftsman table saw.
I have not used it much since I have my Unisaw.
Can I use it as a very good dedicated disk sander? I need a 5/8 -11 sanding pad attachment that does covers up the arbor.
Easy to find?
I thought about using the disc I bought on my table saw as a disc sander and while I was staring at it, I though about how a disc sander is different from a TS. The bearings on a table saw aren't really made for side loading. Sure, they can handle some but there's no thrust bearing at all. I took it back. I also thought about the possibility that I would need the TS immediately after using it as a disc sander and how I hate constantly changing blades for a quick dado and then changing back to rip or cross-cut something. Some use a router for all dados and grooves, but I find that they come out cleaner with an actual dado. I bought the sanding disc setup at Woodcraft. You need any zero-clearance inserts for either saw? I have three that I was told would fit, but are too small. I bought them at the WoodWorking Show a few years ago and didn't make it back to return them. The guy swore that they'd fit, but I should have measured mine first. It was an impulse buy. Let me know if you're interested and I'll measure them..
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
I used an old tablesaw for a disk sander for years,worked great. I took a piece of mdf ,bandsawed it to 10" circle with a 5/8" arbor hole. I varnished the edges and both sides several times. I used the regular paper with sanding disk cement.One side had medium to coarse paper, the other side at least 150 grit.One time I even cemented paper on the edge, supposedly for tool sharpening.This did not hold up very well though.I sold the saw as a combination tool for almost as much as it cost new in the early 60's.I bought a Grizzly 12" disksander to replace it,works fine ,almost as good as the saw I sold.Takes up very little space.
mike
Thank you
Here is my concluding thoughts.
I'd tried to get the vintage Delta/Rockwell belt only sander.
For disk sanding, I can get the $100 12 inch HF. If the fence is POS I can build one easily. I'd mount the disk sander on an MDF platform and the fence will be attached to the same platform. Easy for flat and flat miter cuts (think table top).
Fence for bevel miter will be more difficult. If I need bevel miter (think drawers), I will use a table saw disk as described; then I need only to tilt the arbor of the saw.
I find it hard to sell tools, especially major stantionary tools, after having used it for years, so I find it hard to part with my old Craftsman TS a couple of years after I got my Unisaw with Beis fence, finally. How much can I get for it? $100? It is the space, but as a sander I can have it flush against a wall, with the disk parallel to the wall.
Edited 12/3/2007 6:31 pm ET by woodenfish3
Remember the old sign you used to see at the "Mom & Pop" stores:
"The bitterness of poor quality will last long after the sweetness of low price is gone."
Everyone has their own preferences and standards. If you can make fine things with Harbor Freight tools then by all means do it. And my hat will be off to you.
But I can't. So what I do is save up my money, (and sweet talk my wife), until I can afford something that will help me to make fine things.
Right now I'm interested in a bench top mortiser. Say, Honey, are you losing weight...
I understand. I’m just feeling comical.
I’d rather tease a tiger with my manhood than to depend on a Harbor Freight product. I’d rather be Rosie O'Donnell’s love toy than to depend on a Harbor Freight product. I’d rather have my rear end sewed shut after eating a bag of White Castles and drinking a case of Old Milwaukee than to depend on a Harbor Freight product.
I’d rather have my rear end sewed shut after eating a bag of White Castles and drinking a case of Old Milwaukee than to depend on a Harbor Freight product.
ROAR!
I've not seen that reference in a loooong time. Yup White Castels (sliders) and Old Milwaukee, bad comb!
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http://www.drawingwithlight.smugmug.com
Ya Woodman, but what do you really think about HF.
TTI know less than half of you, half as much as I should Like;
I like less than have of you, half as much as you deserve.
I agree that some of the tools from HF are for the person who will use it once, and never touch it again. OTOH, some are decent. The sockets and wrenches are definitely one of the better deals- I bought Snap On sockets when they still owned the patents on Flank Drive. Now, everyone and their third cousin sells them, for a fraction of the price. Clamps, the dust collector (which I bought when I knew someone working there), the HVLP conversion gun ($39.95) works really well, air hoses, and some other things. Nobody ever said they sell the best but if someone looks around, they can find something that is very useful and decent quality. For someone on a limited budget, it can be a goldmine and quite a bit of what they sell is name brand.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
The HF Ratchet Bar clamp/spreaders are also unbelievably great value. Never slipped on me yet. Work great.
Their plastic spring clamps are also great.
There are many HF stores here in Southern Cal.
There are also certainly many things there I won't buy.
He who quickly generalizes HF also loses some very good deals, IME.
On my pipe clamp rack there are two orange Pony's, which I bought first long ago, and many more red HF. I really have no preference at all.
Edited 12/3/2007 10:57 pm ET by woodenfish3
Edited 12/3/2007 10:58 pm ET by woodenfish3
Another of my favorites is the web clamp from HF. $2.5 on sale. These work great.
You just make four corner wood blocks and you have a very effective web clamp for WWing for10% of the prices many places have the audacity to charge.
Edited 12/3/2007 11:07 pm ET by woodenfish3
woodenfish,
Buy it without fear. I got mine about a year ago for $80 on sale with a 20% off coupon. Works fine. A buddy bought a Grizzly for about $140 plus shipping. Only difference was the color. Needless to say, he didn't need Exlax for a while.
I own their 14" bandsaw ($160 on sale), 6' jointer ($180), 2hp dust collector ($129), 1"x30" belt sander ($24), 10" sliding compound miter saw ($80--it's grate! Tweaked it, put on a $20 Grizzly blade, and it's a freaking wonder), dozens of their f style bar clamps ($1.99 for a 6"!), bunches of 1/2" pipe clamps, and if my wife will turn me loose, that lathe is mine! Only problem I had was with a 1/2" hammer drill that burned. Got a cheerful refund and bought a Milwaukee. The chuck on it won't hold! Go figure.
I've been pleased with everything I've bought there. You do have to be selective, but by and large, they offer serious bargains, and quality comparable to many high-priced brands. Those who eschew HF do so out of ignorance or snobbery. They are only cheating themselves. Now, Cry Havoc, and let loose the Dogs of War!
SteveThere are two secrets to keeping one's wife happy.
1. Let her think she's having her own way.
2. Let her have her own way. President Lyndon Baines Johnson
Hi Highfigh;
Actually while enjoyed the fun of the comments on HF, I must confess I been an avid fan since the mid 1980's Essentially, when I fell in love with Norm's shop I couldn't afford lots of stuff made by the branded manufacturers, hence I started buying from Harbor freight. I own a dust collector, floor standing drill press and 6 inch jointer, large compressor on my large piece. From there i have their version of a saws all, two routers, extra heavy duty impact drill, and two other over sized drills. from there I have a bunch of other assorted tools from them. I have only been burnt twice on their tools and both were their pneumatic nail guns. I bought a 16 guage and a stud gun and both jammed regularly, I finally threw out the 16 gauge and also replaced the stud gun with a Grisley..On the other hand I buy Veritus products and Lie Nielsen stuff also.
Harbor Freight is a great company with excellent customer service. All kidding aside all the stuff I bought from them still works fine, aside from the two exceptions noted above.
I know less than half of you, half as much as I should Like;
I like less than have of you, half as much as you deserve.
Living in SoCal where there are so many HF stores makes a difference. We can handle the tools, keep only the better product types.
Probably half of their stuffs are not worth owning.
The only stationary tools I recommend are the higher end drill presses and that 12x36 cast iron lathe, and dust collector.
Just a few years ago I shunned their portable power tools but now their drills, grinders are pretty good. I will use some now. They seem to run quite smoothly. The finish is still not attractive and I still feel that perhaps the electrical switches on them may not last as long as name brands. Time will tell but a 25% the cost it is worth risking, certainly. I have enough routers so I haven't tried their yet; the plunge doesn't seem smooth enough.
Some of the clamps are truely amazing values.
Cutters of all sorts are still patchy IMO, but they have a few very good ones.
One worthy of mentuion is their adjustable dado with a set screw that fixes the width of cut. Excellent! I bought three and set them for the three popular plywood widths. Cheaper (about the same price perhaps) and FAR better and more durable than any plywood router bit set. Partly changed my opinion about adjustable dado, since others without set screw have to be reset each time.
Edited 12/5/2007 12:35 am ET by woodenfish3
Edited 12/5/2007 12:38 am ET by woodenfish3
Edited 12/5/2007 12:40 am ET by woodenfish3
I'm glad you reminded me about their clamps. Although it's a cliche, I never seem to have enough clamps, and some cheaper ones than I have right now would be a welcome addition.
Mike D
In the old wood shop I had a bunch of HF pipe clamps. IIRC the 3/4" I was not fond of (I like the handles on the Orange ones better) butt I also had some 1/2" clamps for smaller sizes (the 3/4 are just to heavy for use on smaller stuff) and those seamed to be six in one half dozen in the other. I have looked at the wood screws and these seamed ok, and the cheep C clamps are not bad (but then again I wipe out/destroy/lose C clamps a lot to the point that I view them as disposable.
Some HF stuff as said is not bad, and others is the type that you pick up to use and abuse and then toss out.
Doug
Harbor Freight just opened two stores in my town. I was looking for some deep-throated clamps and HF has some for about $8 each. These are 4-inch C clamps with an 8” throat. They looked well made with a good thread and seemed to be heavy. I took all they had then drove to the other store and cleaned them out also. I went back to the shop with 8 of them thinking I saved a ton of money. Similar sized Jorgensen’s were $110 each. However, when I tried to use the clamps the C just keep spreading instead of the clamp getting tight. The Spread continued until the threads bound up because the angle changed as the C spread open. Bottom line I now have junk clamps. They look good but they do not work. Since these were the only clamps I had that fit what I needed to do I ended up cutting a three inch deep C out of plywood to fit around the outside of the HF C clamp. That reinforced them enough to get some clamping pressure.
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This is my first HF purchase, and I am not impressed. If they can’t get a simple C clamp right what does it say about there other tools? I also took a look at there 12-inch parallel clamps selling for about $5 bucks. They looked so bad that I passed on them. The parts didn’t fit well, the thread were very thin like a screw instead of a course thread link a clamp should have and the metal was already corroding.
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Some of there stuff may be ok, but it is definitely a case of “Let the Buyer Beware”.
Bob T.
Edited 12/5/2007 9:48 am ET by Y1RET
Edited 12/5/2007 9:49 am ET by Y1RET
Woodenfish;
I am in the market for a new lathe so I will check it out. You said your set on routers, but, check out their laminate routers if you don't have one, I prefer the size to standard routers on simple 1/4 " shank cuts.
regards
TTI know less than half of you, half as much as I should Like;
I like less than have of you, half as much as you deserve.
That 12x36 cast iron lathe for about $200 on sale is the one I recommend. Grizzly has one that looks almost the same for $300, Jet too for $400 or more.
I have enough routers.
Thanks.
TTI know less than half of you, half as much as I should Like;
I like less than have of you, half as much as you deserve.
Hey...c'mon. They have great deals on latex gloves. Their sandpaper is junk though. How can something feel abrasive yet not cut wood?Jeff
I recently spoke with a man I work with who was going to Harbor Freight this weekend for the first time to pick up a meat slicer. I told him to be careful. I have never used anything they sell except a few clamps. I told him that my dentist (who is a woodworker) uses the stuff and swears by it but that I wouldn't consider it due to the cost being so significantly out of line.
This thread very much reminds me of that conversation. Everybody who has used the stuff doesn't complain and, in fact, kind of likes it. The people who do complain about it, like me, have apparently never used it. I don't think a single person has written about a failure yet.
If you have a lathe, you could just mount a disk on the face plate and make a little platform for supporting your workpiece.
Yes, hope I can find a larger 8 tpi faceplate than the one that came with it.
I shouldn't think you would need a larger face plate. I think my face plate but I think I could mount a fourteen inch disc on it since it is a fourteen inch gap bed lathe. I've had the lathe for some thirty seven years and would you believe I've never used the face plate.
Yes, one can add a bigger disk onto the faceplate. Thanks
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