"robo hippy" wrote:

$150 for 6 months vs $30 times 4 (I am figuring 1 1/2 months life) is
$120 for the same time span. The cheap one may be the better deal.

Owen Lowe wrote:

The cheapie must be *replaced* due to housing failure - an item likely
not easily/inexpensively procured.

Being a cheap bahstid, I wonder if a glob of epoxy might do it, but I'm
having a bit of trouble envisioning the failure mode from the
description.

Owen Lowe wrote:

The Milwaukee/Sioux can be
*repaired*. The upper and lower bearings can both be replaced for, what,
$12-$15 total? (not going to take mine apart to find out what specific
bearings are required - but the general range for "premium"
double-sealed electric motor bearings would likely be less than $5 each
and certainly not a difficult job to do for an owner/user)

You'd have to check to be sure. A different model of Milwaulkee I have
needed a 25 cent (my estimate) brush holder and spring, but that was
only available as part of a $22.50 kit with a bunch of other parts I did
not need (this being for a drill I got on sale for $100). Bearings at
least might be more generic with a good bearing supply house.

An observation - the Hip Robot might well have entered the level of use
and abuse (8 hour sanding days) where certain inherent advantages of air
tools come to the fore (though one does have to bite the price of a big
enough compressor if you don't start with that in hand). They run cool
and they keep the dust blown out of themselves.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by