New Cut Off Tool from HF

[PoorUB]

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-amp...k0523_new_tool_tuesday_0_60_ENGAGED_V2&plcc=N

The only reason I bring this up is I wonder how many dissatisfied customers they will have? It doesn't seem well thought out.

Look at the pics, 3" wheel and the body of the tools is about the same size. So unless you don't mind cutting at an angle, or you only want 1" long bar ends it looks like a bad idea to me as the body of the tools gets in the way.

I use a 4-1/2" DeWalt right angle grinder to cut steel and even then the gear box eventual gets in the way.

 

[vanapplebomb]

This is the problem I have with electric tools of this sort. They are big and just don’t fit where I want them too. I have the same problem with the Milwaukee straight and angled die grinder… pain in the **** for use in tight spaces of if you need to get right in a corner.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Seems odd to buy when the pneumatic version is so cheap.

-Ryan

 

[budget76]

agree, looks useless for most of my needs

 

[mike93lx]

Seems odd to buy when the pneumatic version is so cheap.

-Ryan

Many don't have more than a pancake compressor.

The only air tools I have are nailers and that's unlikely to change

 

[VolvoRyan]

Many don't have more than a pancake compressor.

The only air tools I have are nailers and that's unlikely to change

Good point. If it weren't for needing a big air hammer, my compressor needs would be pretty low.

-Ryan

 

[mike93lx]

Good point. If it weren't for needing a big air hammer, my compressor needs would be pretty low.

-Ryan

An air hammer is pretty much the only air tool I could imagine ever adding. But I am trying to avoid that by moving out of New England.

 

[PoorUB]

This is the problem I have with electric tools of this sort. They are big and just don’t fit where I want them too. I have the same problem with the Milwaukee straight and angled die grinder… pain in the **** for use in tight spaces of if you need to get right in a corner.

I have a straight and right angle air grinders for tight areas, but they are smaller tools and will not swing a very large wheel. 3" maybe.

 

[four.cycle]

Looks like a great idea if you need to cut off a 1" diameter steel post in the middle of a cow pasture.
Otherwise, not so much.

 

[zendriver]

I have the cheap one (they have sold forever), it's one of the handiest tools I have.

Shorten bolts. cut off clamps, make cuts in tight areas.

I don't have a big air compressor.

 

[M635_Guy]

The only air tools I have are nailers and that's unlikely to change

Same. I have the very-quiet California Air 4 gallon and got rid of my pancake and larger oiled compressors. Never going back.

As far as the HF tool, it seems like a giant dremel. That might be handy occasionally for the kind of stuff I do, but I probably wouldn't but it since the dremel works well enough for the times when I need it. Not fast or particularly great, but well enough.

 

[PoorUB]

I have the cheap one (they have sold forever), it's one of the handiest tools I have.

Shorten bolts. cut off clamps, make cuts in tight areas.

I don't have a big air compressor.

Sure, but do you have any other cut off tool?

I have other tools that I believe will work better in most situations. If it is the only one you have it probably works great as you have nothing to compare it too!

 

[mike93lx]

Sure, but do you have any other cut off tool?

I have other tools that I believe will work better in most situations. If it is the only one you have it probably works great as you have nothing to compare it too!

So what are the better cut off tools that you have?

 

[Zewnten]

Wouldn't a corded 4" grinder do everything this does?

 

[mike93lx]

Wouldn't a corded 4" grinder do everything this does?

Depends on clearance

 

[zendriver]

Sure, but do you have any other cut off tool?

I have other tools that I believe will work better in most situations. If it is the only one you have it probably works great as you have nothing to compare it too!

Of course I do.

This is like any other tool. If people feel they don't have any use for it, they probably shouldn't buy it.

I will say that the the 3 amp cheap one ( that it looks like they no longer sell) did get a bit warm if I really pushed it, but it was 19 bucks and overall was pretty decent quality

I find it useful but not in every cutting application.

 

[PoorUB]

So what are the better cut off tools that you have?

4-1/2" angle grinder, plus a couple air grinders. The thing that gets me most on this HF is if you are trying to cut off a longer piece you will need to cut at an angle as the body of the tool is in the way. I suppose there may be a few instances where this HF tool might work where the angle grinder wil not, but I have yet to see it.

 

[mike93lx]

4-1/2" angle grinder, plus a couple air grinders. The thing that gets me most on this HF is if you are trying to cut off a longer piece you will need to cut at an angle as the body of the tool is in the way. I suppose there may be a few instances where this HF tool might work where the angle grinder wil not, but I have yet to see it.

Sounds like it isn't the tool for you.

Cutting at an angle is no different than using a dremel and those sell like crazy. Doesn't really hit me as a big issue. Worst case, you square it up or make a rough cut at an angle then a cleanup cut straight.

 

[PoorUB]

Sounds like it isn't the tool for you.

Cutting at an angle is no different than using a dremel and those sell like crazy. Doesn't really hit me as a big issue. Worst case, you square it up or make a rough cut at an angle then a cleanup cut straight.

Why not make one square cut and get it over with?

 

[mike93lx]

Why not make one square cut and get it over with?

No one is stopping you.

I can think of lots of times when using a grinder was either not possible or very awkward.

Like when I had to cut off studs inside of a diving board base. Had to take the whole thing apart, but with this grinder, would have been done a lot faster. And perfectly square didn't matter at all

 

[zeke67]

I have the 3 inch cutoff wheel adapter on my rotozip. Looks like that HF tool but s a little more bulky. Yes, it doesn't do cutoffs well in some instances but it is handy where my 4.5 in grinder can't fit. Good for the stuff, like sheet metal cutting, cleaning up certain welds. I don't have enough air for the air tool version.

 

[Renegade1LI]

For a few bucks more this milwaukee cut off tool works great, very handy for lots of stuff. But 40$ is pretty cheap if you don't mind the cord.

Amazon.com

 

[Joemctag]

This is the problem I have with electric tools of this sort. They are big and just don’t fit where I want them too. I have the same problem with the Milwaukee straight and angled die grinder… pain in the **** for use in tight spaces of if you need to get right in a corner.

Honestly, with all respect, a lot of it is planning your assembly. I’m a long-time fabricator. There a lot of places that you can’t grind or finish after you assemble some of the parts. That’s just life.
A welder thinks to himself:” I won’t e able to get in here to grind this out later” before he makes a weld.

 

[cmandp]

I have the cheap one they've sold for years too. It's is handy and yes the body sometimes gets in the way but it's one of the essential tools for bodywork. It's great for cutting rust out of a panel or grinding spotwelds/rivets to remove a rusted panel. Something you would typically do with an air cut tool or straight die grinder with cut-off wheel.

I also have a Dremel, and 4-1/2" angle grinders for situations that this tool won't work in though.
I don't have a large enough compressor to run a comparable air tool so electric is the option I have for now.

 

[johninct]

Does it have a collet like a die grinder?

 

[joel_400]

I've got grinders with up to 6 inch wheels...a Dremel for anything smaller than they work for... oh and there's always a torch too! Haha.
Joel

 

[619DioFan]

Take the guard off and put any size disc you want on it. Who uses the guards on angle grinders ?

 

[dnschmidt]

An air hammer is pretty much the only air tool I could imagine ever adding. But I am trying to avoid that by moving out of New England.

When did Virginia, one of the original slave states in the Confederacy, become part of New England?

 

[mike93lx]

When did Virginia, one of the original slave states in the Confederacy, become part of New England?

I recently moved out of MA.

 

[vanapplebomb]

Honestly, with all respect, a lot of it is planning your assembly. I’m a long-time fabricator. There a lot of places that you can’t grind or finish after you assemble some of the parts. That’s just life.
A welder thinks to himself:” I won’t e able to get in here to grind this out later” before he makes a weld.

And, sometimes things come to you already assembled…

 

[scooterbum46]

Looks like a great idea if you need to cut off a 1" diameter steel post in the middle of a cow pasture.
Otherwise, not so much.

If the cow pasture has 110 V in the middle of it..