HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?


Thanks,
Alex

Alex wrote:
HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?

Did you read the book, or see the movie of Stephen King's "Pet
Sematary"? Well, imagine you took a dead Baldor buffer and buried it in
the old Indian burial ground. Next day, you'd have an HF buffer. It
would look about the same, but *something* would just not be "right".

Sorry, it just popped into my head and I could not resist

Rex

I've had one of the HF buffers for a few years. It's really not bad at
all, just not excellent like the Baldor stuff is. The left-hand arbor
comes with a GWOUH (Grinding Wheel Of Undisclosed Heritage, pronounced
"G-Woo"). Call me a coward, but I won't even spin up one of those to
test, I just throw them away. I put a wire brush wheel on that side,
which I've really gotten a lot of use out of. The tool rest that comes
with it is quite flimsy, and the plastic eye-guard didn't cost a lot
either.

If you want to buff and maybe do some wire-brushing, it's hard to beat
for $49. For grinding purposes, though, it lacks a sufficient stout
tool rest, eye guard, and dust discharge port.

HF stuff is great in the right context, but to paraphrase Mr. Eastwood:
"A man's gotta know his tools' limitations."

Dave

I don't have one, but if I were buying one, I would assume:
- it's probably usable as is, but not very smooth (vibration)
- it could be made to be very nice and smooth with new bearings and
balancing
- unless the shaft(s) are bent (easily checked and reason for return)

Bob

"Alex" wrote in message
ups.com...
HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Keep in mind that if the unit fails, you can always cut out the windings,
place a pulley on the shaft and drive it with a motor and belt from down
below. You would spend more than $49 on a pair of pillow blocks and a
shaft.

Ivan Vegvary

On 19 Jan 2006 14:26:49 -0800, "Alex" wrote:

HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?


Thanks,
Alex

I have a Chinese 2 HP buffer, not from HF but I bet it's from the same
factory though mine is green rather than orange. No complaints,
twerks fer me. Can't compare it to a Baldor because I've never
used one.

"Alex" wrote:

HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?

I bought one of these about a year ago.

The right side housing was not bolted down tight, so I tightened it.
Now that side runs hot. That bearing won't last long.

On cold days (40º) it won't start up. I've had to pre-heat the casing
with a propane torch to get it to spin up.

It's weak. I can stop it without much pressure while buffing.

I would not buy one again.

Sean wrote:
I bought one of these about a year ago.
...
It's weak. I can stop it without much pressure while buffing.
....

Ah! That's the Achilles' heel. Not much you can do about it and you
don't want to try to live with it - it would be too frustrating. Bob

Sean wrote:
"Alex" wrote:


HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?


I bought one of these about a year ago.

The right side housing was not bolted down tight, so I tightened it.
Now that side runs hot. That bearing won't last long.

On cold days (40º) it won't start up. I've had to pre-heat the casing
with a propane torch to get it to spin up.

It's weak. I can stop it without much pressure while buffing.

I would not buy one again.

Sounds to me like you got a bad one.
Now that I think about it, my HF 8" bench grinder was that way at first.
It eventually got over it, and now runs very powerfully. In fact,
sometimes I wish it was a little less so. Like when the wire wheel
slings that special part all the way across the shop and under the
dirties bench - the one without casters.

On 19 Jan 2006 14:26:49 -0800, "Alex" wrote:

HF buffer is now on sale for $49
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668

I was going to buy a 1/3 Balder buffer but at $49 HF buffer might worth
trying.
Does any one tried HF buffers? How does it compared to Balder for
example? Is it really that much difference between them?

I've got that exact buffer and it works great. I can't tell the
difference between it and a Balder, and I've used both.

John P.

http://pozadzides.com/john/blog/

On 19 Jan 2006 17:31:57 -0800, "LowEnergyParticle"
wrote:

I've had one of the HF buffers for a few years. It's really not bad at
all, just not excellent like the Baldor stuff is. The left-hand arbor
comes with a GWOUH (Grinding Wheel Of Undisclosed Heritage, pronounced
"G-Woo"). Call me a coward, but I won't even spin up one of those to
test, I just throw them away. I put a wire brush wheel on that side,
which I've really gotten a lot of use out of.

Dave,

I believe you're referring to the Grinder / Buffer which is a
different machine:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92425

I also have one of those and did as you did, replaced the grinder for
a wire brush.

With this machine beside the buffer you can have three different
buffing wheels, one for fine grit, one medium and one rough.

Works really well for a fraction of the cost of Baldors.

John P.

http://pozadzides.com/john/blog/

If you don't mind Alex I would like to expand your question to include
"Are any HF buffers/grinders considered good?"

From what I have read, the only one that does stand out is the HF
carbide grinder and apparently there is a problem finding suitable
sized wheels for it.

TMT