New tools you've bought recently?

[Roert42]

I actually thought of one of those foot switches, but like you say, it’s the same price as the tool. And my use is heavy for a homeowner, but light for anybody who actually uses it to work for a living. Point is, I’m completely happy with one that has a cord on it, and I’m sure I’ll find a sale come Christmas time.

In the meantime, I’m just changing wheels on my old heavier, better one, but I’m still going to try to figure out how to put a switch right on the body of the broken one.

And one last thought on the foot switch: bad legs, that would be as risky as hot wiring it without a switch!

The one thing I’ve noticed about grinders, the nicer ones seem to have a lot less vibration.

I’ve had a few blue HF 4.”ones, a Porter cable 4.5”one, a dewalt 4.5” one, and a makita 5” one.

The HF and PC one were about the same, but the PC one latest 10x as long. The dewalt one is a little better with the vibration and has latest the longest. The Makita one is like driving a Lincoln vs riding a sports bike, almost no vibration.

9/10 I reach for the Makita even though it’s the heaviest because of that. Something else to consider besides just the sheer weight of the unit. Might be easier on the joints for longer use periods.

 

[Rick W]

I took the Harbor Freight warrior side grinder apart, here’s the pics

The two piece skinny black thing is the “clear plastic” slide that runs down the armature. When you push the orange button forward, that L-shaped head pushes in on the push button that actually turns the unit on and off.

Swi is right in the middle, with the button pointing towards the bottom of the picture. It’s actually a pretty stout switch, and it takes some pressure to click it on. I’m sure that that’s for safety.

I didn’t see how I could weld or glue that slide together, and I briefly considered making one out of a little strip of Aluminum, but I was not happy with the conductivity angle since it runs right up by the brushes and the armature

When I took the switch out, it’s about the size of a big sugar cube, or dice. I’m pretty sure it’s one of those switches that has two bars inside, and when you push the button, it flicks over into place. It makes contact on the two circuits, and when you release it, it bounces back, probably keep the contact from going all carbon.

I dug in the switch department of the shed of miracles, and I found a simple flat toggle switch. I took the old switch out, and I had to use a little fiber wheel to take away a little bit of the area that holds the switch. Then I cut a rectangular hole in the side of the cover below the armature. I had to add some wire to the hot leg, and I just put the neutral legs together with a butt connector. I don’t know if the switch will handle the amperage long term, but that switch is pennies, and now I can pop it out and change it without taking the tool apart.

The switch had little ears on the top and the bottom to snap into whatever you put it in, but the thickness of that handle wouldn’t let them flip out. I bathed it with E 6000, and put a couple zip ties on it until the glue sets. Should be ready to go tomorrow.

Was it worth it? If my time is worth two dollars an hour, I probably could’ve bought 10 more grinders, but it’s part of the hobby.

 

[Rick W]

I picked up a makita 10” chop/mitre saw for $10

It works fine, but it needs a new power cord. You’ll never guess, but I have two or three that will work in the shed of miracles.

I have a 15 inch Makita chop/mitre saw, I’ve had it for 20+ years and I love it, but it’s too big and awkward to carry around anywhere, So when I saw this, I jumped on it. Now that I picked it up, I realized the base is solid iron where as the base of the 15 inch is all aluminum. So it’s smaller and easier to carry based on the size, but I think it weighs more than the 15 incher!

I’ll swap the cord, clean it up and put a couple drops of oil here and there, and check it out. If I don’t like it, it’ll go in one day on Craigslist for four or five times as much.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I picked up a makita 10” chop/mitre saw for &10

View attachment 150396

It works fine, but it needs a new power cord. You’ll never guess, but I have two or three that will work in the shed of miracles.

I have a 15 inch Makita chop/mitre saw, i’ve had it for 20+ years and I love it, but it’s too big and awkward to carry around anywhere, So when I saw this, I jumped on it. Now that I picked it up, I realized the base is solid iron where as the base of the 15 inch is all aluminum. So it’s smaller and easier to carry based on the size, but I think it weighs more than the 15 incher!

I’ll swap the cord, clean it up and put a couple drops of oil here in there and check it out. If I don’t like it, it’ll go in one day on Craigslist for four or five times as much.

I was going to comment these are heavy suckers...

 

[Curious Hound]

I have two or three that will work in the shed of miracles

Will they work anywhere else? Or must you always use the saw there?

 

[pjtoledo]

Will they work anywhere else? Or must you always use the saw there?

considering the tape near the power switch, best to stick close to miracles.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Will they work anywhere else? Or must you always use the saw there?

Well maybe the miracles do not happen outside of the shed.

AJ

 

[Rick W]

I picked up a makita 10” chop/mitre saw for $10

View attachment 150396

It works fine, but it needs a new power cord. You’ll never guess, but I have two or three that will work in the shed of miracles.

I have a 15 inch Makita chop/mitre saw, I’ve had it for 20+ years and I love it, but it’s too big and awkward to carry around anywhere, So when I saw this, I jumped on it. Now that I picked it up, I realized the base is solid iron where as the base of the 15 inch is all aluminum. So it’s smaller and easier to carry based on the size, but I think it weighs more than the 15 incher!

I’ll swap the cord, clean it up and put a couple drops of oil here and there, and check it out. If I don’t like it, it’ll go in one day on Craigslist for four or five times as much.

I knew the $10 was a deal, but I didn’t expect this

Yep, it’s basically the same one. It also came with an extra carbide blade, but I am missing the dust bag. I guess that’s why it had the discount. Cord is already changed.

Of course

considering the tape near the power switch, best to stick close to miracles.

I already lubed it up, and I replaced the power cord. It works perfectly. ANYWHERE!

The tape by the switch? The little button, you have to push to release the switch, was taped down. When I took the tape off, the button fell out. When I opened it up to change the power cord, I removed the little block that that pin pushes out of the way, so now it operates without the safety. It’s working perfectly.

I don’t know if the pin that was there was the original pin. It seems to me, that pin must have been longer, and must have a built-in belt around it, that belt there to keep it from falling through to the outside. I saved the block, and I’ll make that pin another day. Knowing Makita, I can probably buy one. I love Makita products, but I’m not sure if the wisdom of buying a $12 pin to fix my $10 saw that works.

This thing is a 12.1 amp with the old style grab handle. New one is 15 A. I’m going to ride over to Home Depot tomorrow and check one out.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I knew the $10 was a deal, but I didn’t expect this

View attachment 150404

Yep, it’s basically the same one. It also came with an extra carbide blade, but I am missing the dust bag. I guess that’s why it had the discount. Cord is already changed.

Of course


I already lubed it up, and I replaced the power cord. It works perfectly. ANYWHERE!

The tape by the switch? The little button, you have to push to release the switch, was taped down. When I took the tape off, the button fell out. When I opened it up to change the power cord, I removed the little block that that pin pushes out of the way, so now it operates without the safety. It’s working perfectly.

I don’t know if the pin that was there was the original pin. It seems to me, that pin must have been longer, and must have a built-in belt around it, that belt there to keep it from falling through to the outside. I saved the block, and I’ll make that pin another day. Knowing Makita, I can probably buy one. I love Makita products, but I’m not sure if the wisdom of buying a $12 pin to fix my $10 saw that works.

This thing is a 12.1 amp with the old style grab handle. New one is 15 A. I’m going to ride over to Home Depot tomorrow and check one out.

Basically the same except the 30 year age difference and the new one is a compound miter not just miter... I got an 8" Delta miter saw for free (just needed a $30 blade, less options like 23 years ago) a long time ago (back when the Craigslist free section was easier to get stuff on, guy was moving and wanted a bunch of stuff gone), I have beat the snot out of that thing and it keeps going, it can't quite do 2x6 clean but close enough... and small, I have a 12" that built most of my shop but that thing is bulky