# Harbor Freight



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

I don't live very close to a Harbor Freight, so when I am going somewhere and I see that I am going to pass or be near one I make it a point to stop.
Tomorrow will be one of those times. I made a list and checked out the newest coupons online
I am pretty excited..... It's the little things :thumbsup:

I was thinking about adding a bench grinder for cleaning and polishing parts. 
I used to use a buffing wheel everyday for cleaning fine jewelry, but I am not familiar with what I should get for general rust cleaning and part polishing.
Do I get a bench grinder or a buffer, or this one because it has both?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Actually, a wire wheel is pretty handy. I have the HF buffer with the two pads. Note that you can remove the pad and stick a wire wheel on it. I already had a dual grinder, so I didn't need the grinder part.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Ok so here come the "Never used one before" questions.
The wire wheel, would that only go on the side with the buffing wheel on it?
Or can it replace the stone grinding wheel on the left?
I am assuming that ideally I would want one side to be a wire wheel and the other side a cloth buffing wheel. Please correct me if I am wrong


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The wire wheel would mount on the side with the buffing wheel, you want it more exposed. OTOH, I'm guessing the grinding wheel shield probably comes right off and you could mount it there.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Then I guess this one would be the way to go.... and it's half the price of the first one! :thumbsup:


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

John did you ever try the Crazy Glue trick?
Also, I am guessing that the brass coated wheels are the best ones to use?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's the buffing wheel I have, and it's easy to mount a wire wheel in place of one of them.

As for the crazy glue trick with the Dremel wheels, it was a bust here. Even with a small amount, it appears to wick out and make the wheel into one solid steel chunk, it's no longer a wire wheel. I did a couple of them, reducing the amount of glue, but I'm not having a good result.


----------



## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Harbor freight thats a great place thay opened one not too far from me, Picked up a few good deals there


----------



## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

yea I have one about 5 or so miles from me and its a great place to visit, infact I probably need to run there to pick up some lighting for my truck...oi!


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> As for the crazy glue trick with the Dremel wheels, it was a bust here. Even with a small amount, it appears to wick out and make the wheel into one solid steel chunk, it's no longer a wire wheel. I did a couple of them, reducing the amount of glue, but I'm not having a good result.


Thanks for that update, John. It's been in the queue to try on my end, but I haven't had a chance yet. Sounds like I shouldn't get hopes up, huh?

Edison tried a few filaments before he got that bulb thing workin' out OK, though!

Cheers,

TJ


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Good thing I buy the cheap knock-off wire wheels, the experiment was cheap. 

Truthfully, since I've started using the Scotchbrite on the mandrel, I've had very little use for the wire wheels. When I do use them, I don't do it up in my office workbench, I take them down to the woodworking shop in the basement, less problem with the flying wires down there.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

I bought the 6 inch buffer shown above, put a wire wheel on one side and a buffing wheel on the other side. It vibrates and rattles so much that everything on my bench goes flying. I am concerned that even if I get a stand and bolt it down, the stand will move across the room. I read reviews and I believe it has to do with the balancing of the 2 wheels.
Not sure what to do


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have the same one from HF and it runs as smooth as silk. Are you sure the wire wheel isn't off-center or unbalanced? Mine currently has buffing wheels on both sides as I already have a wire wheel and a grinder separately.


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Take the wheels off and turn it on, bet it'll run smooth. One of your wheels has to be unbalanced causing the severe vibration.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

It runs very smooth with no wheels on. The problem is that I have a wire wheel on one side and a fabric buffing wheel on the other which causes the unbalancing.
I don't know of a way to fix it


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

One wheel being heavier than the other should have no effect. You sure you have wheels that fit the arbor correctly?


----------



## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*wheel balance*

Hi,fellas..You should be able to help it a little bit.Ballance it static way and dynamakly.Don`t know whether I can explain this or not.I`ll try..

Take one wheel off and let other wheel on.take the one on and move it around the circle of it in a fourpoints position and gently turn it loose. It will find it`s own heavy spot which will be on the bottom.light spot on top.With a little practice you will find where it is heavest at one point on the bottom.You can then decide whether to get a new wheel or replace it.

Same way to check the other balance condition. Cover center hole of the wheel and balance it on a somewhat of a point in the center of the wheel flat wise to your workbench. It will tip slightly to the heavy side.

Check both wheels for run out or wobble.Doesn`t take much to shimmy,shake.
If not too much out of balance you can solder or braze a gob on the light side to correct.bent wheel or wobble you can`t correct.

New wheels might be the answer. Also check runout on both side of the shaft.If runout is off take it back to Harbor frieght.

Some of these fellas might be able to explain it better..

Hope this helps. Have fun,sanepilot

********** 
Be safe at all costs
**************


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Ok this is what I found.
I have a 1/2 inch arbor.
I bought this wire wheel
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-crimped-wire-wheel-47936.html
It says it is 1/2 inch but when I measure it is 3/4 inch.
I matched up the receipt and that is the one I bought, which is the only one they have.


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

You've found your problem.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks Jack, I guess I need a new wheel!
Anybody have a preference in wire wheels?


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Wire wheels have a tendency to spit out a wire every so often so a good pair of safety glasses _and _a face shield should be on your shopping list too.

I'm assuming you'll be using this on your RR empire, I'd go with a soft brass wheel rather than a stiff brass coated steel. Plus the brass doesn't fester up as bad when it gets embedded in your eye. DAMHIKT

Grainger, Carr McMaster carry quality products. You can buy arbor adapters from them too so a wheel with a 3/4 inch arbor hole can be used with no problem if used with a 1/2 adapter


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can find adapter plates to make the 3/4" hole mate with the 1/2" shaft, they just go on either side of the wheel.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Well I went back to HF and saw that the wheel that I bought was supposed to have a plastic ring to make it fit 1/2 inch. So I got another one and it works great with very little vibration with one side brass wheel and the other side a stitched cloth wheel.
Jack, I have the goggles and the shield. I also wear gloves when I use the wire wheel. I know it is nothing to mess around with. 
Does anyone have a preference of polishing compounds? I got the gray one, but not sure if one is better than the other.


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Happy it was just simple fix. As for what type of compound I haven't a clue but don't think you'd want a very aggressive one.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The polishing compound is based on what you're polishing, and how much "polishing" you want. You normally start out with something a bit aggressive and work your way down to the finishing compound.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

If you didn't already do it, I would find a place to bolt it down too.


----------



## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Yep it is bolted down and ready for the next project!


----------

