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BOLTR: Dirty Secrets of Harbor Freight HERCULES | Better than DeWALT?
- Thread starter Goldhedge
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Just sent this to a buddy this AM after having a HF impact wrench VS others Convo the other day. Watched another half dozen of his BOLTR vids cause they're great fun and ejukashunil.
NOTER:: Most vids are NSFW Language*
NOTER:: Most vids are NSFW Language*
Probably my favorite BOLTR he's done.
here's what i've experienced:
i recently burned up a Bauer Cordless Angle Grinder
it worked fine until the electronics melted
i know this because i tore it apart...the rest of the machine was still in great shape but it would no longer pass current through the module which was located down near the battery, two wires, black and white, had melted through the 'epoxy' that covered that electronic module (at the ripe old age of 4+ months, beyond that 90 day warranty window)
the equipment may be hearty but there's absolutely zero chance you're gonna know if the electronics are any good or not
same thing with their hot glue gun, it leaked internally and made the trigger unusable(for $20 i bought another glue gun and will now use it a lot 'easier' than that last one and for the cost ($69) am considering buying another grinder but buy that three year warranty as I know i can burn another one up within that time...but when i add those costs together, perhaps i'll just get the Makita for $160
but, we generally all know: for 'throw aways', you can generally always save money by buying at HF
(i've also considered sending in these two machines to a YT video maker and let them have their way with 'em) idk yet
i recently burned up a Bauer Cordless Angle Grinder
it worked fine until the electronics melted
i know this because i tore it apart...the rest of the machine was still in great shape but it would no longer pass current through the module which was located down near the battery, two wires, black and white, had melted through the 'epoxy' that covered that electronic module (at the ripe old age of 4+ months, beyond that 90 day warranty window)
the equipment may be hearty but there's absolutely zero chance you're gonna know if the electronics are any good or not
same thing with their hot glue gun, it leaked internally and made the trigger unusable(for $20 i bought another glue gun and will now use it a lot 'easier' than that last one and for the cost ($69) am considering buying another grinder but buy that three year warranty as I know i can burn another one up within that time...but when i add those costs together, perhaps i'll just get the Makita for $160
but, we generally all know: for 'throw aways', you can generally always save money by buying at HF
(i've also considered sending in these two machines to a YT video maker and let them have their way with 'em) idk yet
I bought a HF Bauer Li battery and charger... Used the battery once and would not recharge. Pretty sure that is all that I will buy from them.
yeah buttttt.....
in HD the other day and i saw a guy at the 'return desk' seeking to get a warranty on a Milwaukee tool, it appeared to be a 'driver' of some type
he was handed a slip of paper, told to call them, they'll help him from there...
means shipping costs and packing and all that which means:
there will be a percentage of guys tossing their broken stuff into the garbage, buying a new one because they can't wait
at HF, walk in and walk out with a replacement tool, depending on your warranty level as the other option is You Should Have Bought The Extended Warranty, and you get nothing anyways
ymmv and you're situation needs to take that into account
like any 'good' repair guy, you're gonna have extras if only because your paycheck relies on having that tool available, right now, not three weeks or three months from now
warranties on these tools have a long way to go, we're no longer in Craftsman / Sears territory (or HF's either)
your mileage may vary
in HD the other day and i saw a guy at the 'return desk' seeking to get a warranty on a Milwaukee tool, it appeared to be a 'driver' of some type
he was handed a slip of paper, told to call them, they'll help him from there...
means shipping costs and packing and all that which means:
there will be a percentage of guys tossing their broken stuff into the garbage, buying a new one because they can't wait
at HF, walk in and walk out with a replacement tool, depending on your warranty level as the other option is You Should Have Bought The Extended Warranty, and you get nothing anyways
ymmv and you're situation needs to take that into account
like any 'good' repair guy, you're gonna have extras if only because your paycheck relies on having that tool available, right now, not three weeks or three months from now
warranties on these tools have a long way to go, we're no longer in Craftsman / Sears territory (or HF's either)
your mileage may vary
My understanding is the tools are on loan, HD doesn't buy the tools. That's why we get the papers in our products that say STOP - don't return this to the store. Call this number yadda yadda.
Also why all the "metal anti theft strips" come factory provided inside the tool.
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buy another one and return the old one as the new one that broke within the 90 day window?
If you watch DeWalt AvE above he shows how to charge a dead battery. Might be worth a go?
i was going to 'return them' but the tear-down was just too. . .available
and besides that, in my haste, before they broke, i modified these tools a bit, trimmed the housing, played with the battery region...i've got plans for the 'future' but these two are junk, i'll repurpose both the grinder and old glue gun and make something else, call it another lesson
i've been playing this tool game for over 30 years, i've got enough 'free stuff' over the years and actually don't believe my karma 'owes anyone' and since i've messed with these tools a bit, i've now 'got game', and some spare parts
i was doing rechargeable tools in the mid 80's, i was the 'first' to attach an extension cord and outlet bar onto my tool box, people were laughing at me (today, they're charging $100 and more on the boxes that have this from the factory, mine cost about $20 and worked great)
my first battery powered screwdriver was from Sears, Craftsman Brand and I burned through 4 of those in 12 months and they told me this fourth was to be my last warranty they'd give me...yes, they recognized me at Sears and i recognized the value of 'cordless' but i've broken so many that are just not 'worthy' i moved to pneumatic and stayed there for several decades
now that i'm no longer shop tethered, i've changed my style and cordless have changed in quality, if simply due to the change in battery chemistry
'gaming the system', i'm an old fart who doesn't need the life forces coming down on me because i cheated a company that can't make everything good quality...and i know that already
that does make me the one to blame...ultimately
but God knows me...i'm gonna do it again, only this time it won't be for only a few shekels...i'm gonna do it when the stakes are much higher
Viking
Yellow Jacket
Recently bought a ATLAS™ 80V Brushless Cordless 18 in. chainsaw from HF. Thing is a beast.
I've seen the process but it means I need to buy another battery to try. Dilemma.
oh yeah, i forgot about this part
i've got a box of dead 18650 batteries already, it's only been about 12 hard months of solidifying my position
but i'll add, they're all out of failed after-market packs, of which, i've been able to rebuild 3 packs out of 8 packs that have failed, and i've resurrected two others by taking the cells from another manufacturers pack, i got that pack from a neighbor before he 'gave it away' and that leaves me with 3 failed packs, as one failed from a controller circuit board that burnt through and one i let fail by running it below zero - iirc
all but the one i let run all the way down...they were all VANON
the one pack I allowed to discharge to the point of being zero volts, (i'm working on a plan to hard amp charge a few cells, do the same to the ones i've got in a box, see if there's a difference)
but one thing i have noticed: once a pack goes to zero, the cells don't seem to want to 'come back' with the standard milliamp chargers from amazon or ebay so, i'm going to set up my own, hit them with 2-3 amps for a few minutes, see what happens
i'm new to this rebuilding packs and stuff, it's doable with the right stuff...picking a proper welder was key to the operation
i spent less than $30 on the unit and i bought a lawnmower battery to supply it with power and saved a few hundred bucks on the machine costs and the repaired packs paid for themselves
now to find somewhere to buy used batteries as most electronics around here are recycled, not resold, especially those battery packs, they're hard to find so, i'm gonna have to do some work as i'm not ready to pay (5) batteries x $5 a piece when i can get a full aftermarket pack for $17 (and yes, i've learned who to buy them from, they ship from an air base, near me...kinda weird, i know, but that's the ticket)
re-reading, eh, i'm not gonna fix it...just cut to the chase: aftermarket packs are the way to go if a person were to invest in some re-build tools at the same time
and i've wondered, what happens to a cell if it's been shot while remaining duct taped to a can of pressurized brake parts cleaner?
oh the wonders of the human mind. . .
ps:
that charging thing didn't work on a single pack i've tried it on...but it's got potential, i've tried it on every pack that failed, but the cells have gone bad...there's not many videos about that, zero volts
i'll have to check again
More info on welder please
i got this type, check pricing...
(that didn't work too clearly, here's the Title:
but take the time and shop the price and seller...2¢
and i watched this video here and it convinced me...
well, i spent about 5 minutes searching, i couldn't locate it but, the 'version for dummies, from a dummie' goes like this:
Get the welder home, i extended my input leads by about a foot longer, i used similar sized wiring as what came with the unit, 10 ga iirc...i soldered the wires using shrink wrap, that gave me some working distance.
I attached the leads, per the instructions, there is an alternative method, one cable goes along a circuit, straight over to the other lead, some people just hook those leads together, i didn't, i followed the instructions
and the key part: you need AT LEAST a lawnmower sized battery, U4 or U1, idk, but i've got a small power station that has two of those inside, so, that was my power source. Don't try to use anything smaller, say a scooter battery, motorcycle battery, they're not able to pass current fast enough, so, use a car battery and it will function properly, every time
those are the key points i got from the video, yeah, i wasn't certain it would all work, it did in the guys video, but sometimes i've received electronics that don't work, but, i've got the refund policy to fall back on...i pulled the trigger, put it together and it works perfectly for what i need
the function: i had to practice a bit, i have a rotary tool station to grind off the 'tabs' that are left over on the case, craftsman cordless rotary tool that sits nicely in the holder is at the right height...i was searching the other day and it's one of the only few that has that ability, weird i got that right, first time, but anyways...running that off of an adapter with my BD battery packs too...yeah babeeee
i've got a small $3 two battery cell charger to charge single cells, but i'm working on something better, gonna put some meter in-line and read information, but gonna do it cheaply
etc...idk if there's more, but, practice a bit, you'll get gooder at it as time goes on and i wish i was doing this back in the NiCad days but we didn't have chineseium tools and electronics available in such quantities...we had Radio Shack and i had no real direction at that time...life changes are not always a bad thing
(that didn't work too clearly, here's the Title:
Portable Spot Welder, Geevorks DIY Spot Welding Tool for 18650 Battery Various Welding Power Supply / 12V car battery, Automatic/Manual Touch Welding Mode
but take the time and shop the price and seller...2¢
and i watched this video here and it convinced me...
well, i spent about 5 minutes searching, i couldn't locate it but, the 'version for dummies, from a dummie' goes like this:
Get the welder home, i extended my input leads by about a foot longer, i used similar sized wiring as what came with the unit, 10 ga iirc...i soldered the wires using shrink wrap, that gave me some working distance.
I attached the leads, per the instructions, there is an alternative method, one cable goes along a circuit, straight over to the other lead, some people just hook those leads together, i didn't, i followed the instructions
and the key part: you need AT LEAST a lawnmower sized battery, U4 or U1, idk, but i've got a small power station that has two of those inside, so, that was my power source. Don't try to use anything smaller, say a scooter battery, motorcycle battery, they're not able to pass current fast enough, so, use a car battery and it will function properly, every time
those are the key points i got from the video, yeah, i wasn't certain it would all work, it did in the guys video, but sometimes i've received electronics that don't work, but, i've got the refund policy to fall back on...i pulled the trigger, put it together and it works perfectly for what i need
the function: i had to practice a bit, i have a rotary tool station to grind off the 'tabs' that are left over on the case, craftsman cordless rotary tool that sits nicely in the holder is at the right height...i was searching the other day and it's one of the only few that has that ability, weird i got that right, first time, but anyways...running that off of an adapter with my BD battery packs too...yeah babeeee
i've got a small $3 two battery cell charger to charge single cells, but i'm working on something better, gonna put some meter in-line and read information, but gonna do it cheaply
etc...idk if there's more, but, practice a bit, you'll get gooder at it as time goes on and i wish i was doing this back in the NiCad days but we didn't have chineseium tools and electronics available in such quantities...we had Radio Shack and i had no real direction at that time...life changes are not always a bad thing
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This one?
on AMZN searching:
on AMZN searching:
"Portable Spot Welder, Geevorks DIY Spot Welding Tool for 18650 Battery Various Welding Power Supply / 12V car battery, Automatic/Manual Touch Welding Mode" $32
www.amazon.com/Portable-Geevorks-Welding-Battery-Automatic/dp/B09P3RPWXY
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Try removing the https:// bit - just use www....
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I have a kitchenaide mixer. It doesn't have the bowl that lifts and it has lower amperage, but it still kicks butt.
Sure takes the work out of making dough with the dough hook. Have to hand wash the implements as dishwasher does eat the metal.
Sure takes the work out of making dough with the dough hook. Have to hand wash the implements as dishwasher does eat the metal.
Their mixers are pretty legit.
Exactly!
again, beware, trying to use one of those skooter batteries or motorcycle batteries is not the thing to do...use a full size battery with this device, work with the output a bit, somewhere between 50 and 70 is the setting i use, and don't press like you're pushing the metal through the other metal, use just enough pressure to hold the piece onto the battery, then touch the other pin next to the first, the machine will beep then fire
on used
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"Canukstanian Pesos" always makes me smile.
Look at what the 2nd hit is for "grinding wheat berries into flour"
Grind Wheat Berries Into Fresh Flour Using A Vitamix in Nov 2022 - BlenderReviews.us
Put that expensive blender to use! You know that wheat flour has a shelf life and the older it gets the worse it tastes. Imagine making it fresh from the berry!
www.blenderreviews.us
I have that happen with Dewalt too. It seems to me Dewalt quality has really dropped recently. It is owned by the Stanley Black and Decker company whose stock is taking. Check out SWK on your favorite financial news
I've had one DeWalt 20v battery die a premature death. The new battery prices are retarded. Been using them for almost 20 years and the drill driver/Impacts can take an ass whoppin'- rode hard and put away wet. My cordless DeWalt reciprocating saw is a skookum choocher.
