I know a lot of folks get sand in their nether regions when you mentioned harbor freight. and I know that Covell thinks that there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them... However... I didn't find anything here on Eastwood. Has anyone had any experience using their planishing hammers, english wheels, or bead rollers? I am just starting out and I have my hand tools, but would like to step up a little with out remortgaging the house. Any thoughts?
Don't waste your time on their english wheel. You can build a much better wheel for not much more money. I got my upper wheel and anvils from Hoosier Pattern and built the frame and adjuster. I have ~$1200 give or take. A commercial wheel this size would be $3k+. You can find more info here: http://www.allmetalshaping.com/index.php
I have one of their English wheels here in the shop. The dies are nice, but need polishing, the lower tension device sucks ass, and the frame needs reinforcing. The frame has since been reinforced and dies polished, but the lower portion still has to be addressed. Probably going to cut off the lower tension/adjuster and redo it. It works okay for now, but has a difficult time staying in a set place without disabling the quick-drop release to change dies. Not sure on the rest of their stuff.
Yeah I have seen some of your post on the subject. To me, your english wheel is like me buying/building an tank. It can handling it all, but it is quite an investing for someone trying to get his feet wet. Now what i mean? Plus i am learning to weld as well. I don't trust my welding for that. LOL I do appreciate the advice. Thanks.
I hear a lot of the same about the HF stuff. One would think that there is some company out there building someone that falls in the middle. I don't want a frigging yugo but i don't need an f-ing panzer either. LMAO. Thanks for the reply.
Just to get your feet wet, use thin gauge on a HF unit. If you love it, spend more and sell the HF to someone who just wants to try. But if you decide you don't like it, you won't be out much. Its a small niche market, but there are more than two players. http://www.englishwheels.net/17.html
How much do you want to spend? Here is one that looks not bad and is not an arm and a leg. http://stores.affordabletool.com/Items/BAL-EWHEEL?&caSKU=BAL-EWHEEL&caTitle=Premium%20English%20Wheel%2038%22%20Throat%20with%206%20Lower%20Rolls IanBerky on here has one and it seems to work well for him.
Thats a good perspective to take on the situation. The cost of one of thier bead rollers seems good. But it looks like the central machinery crap the HF sells. I am also a little reluctant to buy either's metal brakes. Maybe I will try teh planishing hammer from HF, i havent heard any major bad things. and it is fairly cheap so that if it breaks I can yell and curse then bash it completely Thanks
I've drooled all over the Eastwood Catalog for years, they seem to have a great reputation as far as anything that I've ever heard, but it is what it is. I've been look'in at this site after see'in a small article on them in R&C as far as a cheaper way to go with an Ewheel and bead rollers, planishing hammer etc. http://www.lowbucktools.com/index.htm However, I'm permanently short on money (retired) so I'm seriously look'in at the information presented by David Gardiner at www.metalshapingzone.com His DVD on "Bodywork Restoration Tutorial" is going to be my next purchase. If he can make complete T bodies and a kick'in '34 full fendered coupe with just a shot bag and hammers... I'm there. Hopefully that will be my "frugal" solution
Yeah.. i have been to low bucks site. I specially like http://www.lowbucktools.com/MM1.html. It is a nice concept. But again... beginner welder so making my own frame=scary. I will get there. I will check out the other site as well. Hand tools are great for many reasons. First it gets back to the basics. If the world blows itself up... some of us will have the ability to make stuff with hand tools. Don't worry, i am not one of those tin foil hat kinda people. I woodwork too and prefer my hand tools over power tools. But sometimes you wanna make stuff and don't want it to take eons. Thanks for sharing. Man this place rocks.
I too am still somewhat of a beginner welder, my Dad was the welder in the family, but with just a little practice these universal machines can be put together with a cheap stick welder, MIG=even better. Do you have a friend that could do it? I know what you mean about not wanting it to take all day(eons!)to produce your work. In my case, I have the time, Lord willing. I'm wanting to do some sculpture as well.
I'm not a HF basher, I have some things from them. You want to be really careful going with Eastwood over HF because many items APPEAR (not confirmed) to be identical, as in the same Chinese kid made them, just the stuff going to HF gets painted orange, and the stuff going to Eastwood gets blue paint and a higher price. I'm not saying for certain that this is the case, but it really looks like it. I'm also not saying that it is the case with the English wheels you're looking at. I made my own E-wheel, and haven't even looked at the HF or Eastwood units. Just a Caveat Emptor. And for anyone making their own E-wheel, I'm another VERY satisfied Hoosier Pattern customer for the upper wheel and anvil. Nice finish, and every wheel and anvil was within the .001" spec that he promised.
I was going to say the same exact thing: I believe (unconfirmed, but based on very close inspection of catalogs) that anything Eastwood sells that is marked "imported" is identical to Harbor Freight. The Eastwood stuff that is good says "Made in USA" right there in the flyers. I no longer buy anything from Eastwood that is imported.