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Just curious on if anyone has bought any Chicago Electric tools or anything else from them guys. Way cheap, but do you get what you pay for?
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"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
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Of course you get what you pay for.
-Peter
*a few items that i consider disposable but no serious tools
*I went into one of their new stores, in Topeka. Saw an awful lot of stuff that looked like it might work once......or not. Got me wondering if all the construction cats in China gotta build buildings with those tools, or if they can get made in Japan tools. Last time I was in Graingers they had a big display of some real slick looking blue tools named West something-- all made in China.
*They sell a lot of stuff that's junk, but not all of it. I've got a set of Forstner bits, I think 16 from 1/4" up to 2 1/2" that was about $20. Believe it or not, they are damn good tools. I don't know of anything else personally, but this is one deal that's for real. Got a wood box too, not even plastic. I'm not sure that I would buy anything electrical there though. Joe HOh yeah, blue tarps....they got 'em.
*CDD, I vowed years ago to never order/purchase anything from this firm after getting the run (fast)around on an order, pay this small price increase, send us your address, we lost your payment, etc. Then a year ago a friend lent me a Chicago Electric angle grinder, right out of the box, to do some sanding and the damn thing was so underpowered I was embarrased for my friend. Made another vow to no longer bother w/HF and related products. I then went the distance and bought a Milwaukee grinder and have never looked back, spend the extra $s on something else and be happy-er. Good luck.
*I feel somewhat embarrassed defending a low price competitor, but I have purchased several tools from Harbor Freight and am completely satisfied. I would never purchases anything Chicago unless, like Ron said, I only planned on using it once. They have alot of "disposable" tools. However, I have found that their name brand tools are just the same. I have not had any concerns of factory seconds being sold or anything of that nature. And, like Joe said, they have alot of tarps. Give it a try on something small and non-essential like Forstner bits, and if unhappy don't go back. Jon
*Impact sockets are super....Whaaaat aaaa baaaarrrrgaain.!!!!!!However...near the stream with a few disfunctional chainhoists and such from the rip off companies and China...Can't imagine the Chinese actually using their own crap!aj
*Jack, Did you buy Pittsburgh or Ingersoll Rand?Jon
*Pittsburgh I think, as I bought sockets years ago....lots of sets actually...maybe ten sets so far...Ingersoll Rand has only been the name of choice recently...near da stream,aj
*Never been took by them, the one thing I called to return they took off the bill and said to keep it.Automatic 9.2% discount in WA if mail ordered due to high sales tax here. The 7" Chicago angle grinder gets used a LOT for welding projects, no problems for 3 years having gone thru probably 40 wheels (some batches of $1 wheels (taiwan) are better than others).8" bench grinder is good, but you need to replace the internal capacitor which is crap and will fail early.Anything like squares, etc. you need to know how to adust or grind to be 90 degrees, as nothing is true out of the box, probably true of most brands except Starrett$$$$..$89 5 HP (really only 3 HP) motors have the starting winding tap buried in the main winding, so takes about 1/2 hour to rewire and make reversible (catalog says CCW only)$5 10" carbide blades are run of luck (used to be all Credo, now mostly China) as often a tip is chipped, otherwise excellent for $5 especially when used for ripping old pallets. FHB actually had the $39 5" vise featured a few years back, have not broken mine, works good. Bought 20 sets of the wood chisels (as "loaners")when they were on sale a while back, turns out they are better steel than sears (faint praise) and keep a good edge but handles are barely functional.Cast iron anvils are truly junk according to keenjunk.com
*In regards to e-mails asking how to reverse the motor: a quick google search showed this site, an Army/Navy field manual. http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/55-509-1/Ch17.htmFigure 17-24 on that site is the diagram of the HF motor. (last catalog the price was $99+), 15 A @ 240.The connection between the aux winding and the main winding as shown on Figure 17-24 is buried in a connection within the motor. Better motors bring all 4 leads out to the terminals, this one only brings the line leads out. You'll need to cut some of the cords tying the wires in place and dig out the leads and connect new separate leads. Solder leads with 40/60 or other higher temp solder and use heat shrink and tie wraps to reassemble, glass tape and lacing cord also work (vinyl tape alone will likely fail over time if you run the motor hot). You will need to add an auxilliary box on the outside of the motor for a reversing switch if that is the final intention as there is not enough room in the motor for anything except a direct connection to the now 4 wires. PS: my brother tried a HF framing nailer, sent it back, it was junk.
*The only electric gizmo I've bought from them has been a Halogen work light. Neat little booger with an automotive bulb built in so I can use it off the car too. But it's mounting hardware is crap. Requires constant tightening. Otherwise I got some Quickgrip reversable clamps at a significant discount due to mismarking and some off-brand bar clamps, very happy with both. Basically I think it's like anything....look at what you're buying, and don't expect a silk purse when all you're paying for is a sows' ear. My Less Than Humble Opinion.
*Grizzly has some power tools in the same price range as HF. Are they any different or are these made by bigger companies with the Grizzly name on it?
*Although some of the stuff you will find at Harbor Freight is junk, they have plenty of decent quality items that I have found to be bargains:- 1/2" and 3/4" Pipe Clamps (Pittsburgh brand) can be purchased for $3.49 or $3.99 each on sale.- I bought a fancy portable miter tool stand (like the ones advertised in FH) for about $60.00. This thing extends to something like 13', has wheels, and is foldable. - Bench top drill press for about $60 was a great deal. Brand was Central Machinery. Helped me build my kitchen cabinets when using a 35mm forstner bit for european hinges. - 16g 2" nail gun was a great deal for $79. as nice as a Senco or Porter Cable? Definately not. While doing the mouldings in my cabin it may have jammed 2 or 3 times but i still consider it a good decent tool. Also bought 1 3/16" nail gun for $20.- Makita 9.6v batteries are something like $26They definately sell junk as well. My dad bought a $99 sliding compound miter saw from their mail order division and found it to be junk. Called them up, they had him return it and reimbursed the return shipping costs. If you happen to live near one of their stores you can at least see what you are buying. Inventory changes all the time. I stop in every month or so. You just have to be careful what you buy from them, but great deals can definately be found.
*Gotta go with ya there AJ. Bought a set of those same 1/2" impacts about 10 years ago and I've NEVER broken ONE! That's after 10 hard years on the business end of a 600 lb/ft Snap on IM5100.
*I purchased a preconditioned Camp bell HausfieldProfessional paint sprayer and it arrived just before we moved out of state. It was in storage for several years and when I opened the box and we tried to use it, it was all plugged up with dried clogged paint.Manufacturer wouldn't talk to me and HI said that Iprobably used it and didn't remember. I paid almost$400 for it. Needless to say, I wouldn't purchasefrom them again.
*boy, this is so hard...was just down south to visit my dad. he is still using a (shhhhh) Chicago Electric. 7.2 volt cordless. It got used Hard but never abused! I know because I used it hard for 5 years before I left 11 years ago!!!!!!!!! I do not understand. I do not.My dad believes in buying only quality tools but we needed a small cordless and money was tight at the moment so he bought this one. Would either of us do it again? NO! We did 2 more times! Taught us! LOLBut, I still don't understand. I would pass it off as a tall tale if someone else told me. Those tools do ot last that long. But before my very eyes...(Wet Head walks off very confused)
*Wet head, If I understand correctly, you bought it in 1985?
*i have a good bud who swears by there tools. I however do not
*Jon, if I remember correctly. I could not drive yet. Bought it at a store in KY while on a trip. If it was the trip I think it was is was somewhere around there. My dad actually bought it. Why?
*Wet head, That just seems like a long time ago for cordless drills. My memory must be incorrect, but it seems strange to me that the generics were already starting to sell drills.Jon
*Hey, I could be wrong... but I checked with my Dad... he thought maybe in later 80's. Even if I am off by 2 or 3 years (can't be more than that) it is still a long time. It was a direct copy of a Makita. At that time I had only seen Skil, Makita, and these copies. I often wondered if it was actually a Makita...case was black but everything else was identical. Even if it was a Makita it has lasted a long time. Near daily use and HARD use.
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Just curious on if anyone has bought any Chicago Electric tools or anything else from them guys. Way cheap, but do you get what you pay for?