The best investsment ive made as a noob scrapper

[Igigi]

Is a ****ing cheap as hell grinder from harbor freight with a fat pack of cut off wheels! Ive done some small motors by hand and its hell, but some money is better than no money, took in a big freezer though and pulled that compressor off (thats
MAde like a nuke), without that grinder im sure i would have been the dummy trying to beat that weld off with a sledge, if your new to home scrapping i reccomend getting one for sure.

[miked]

I agree just make sure you buy metal cut off disc's, Mike.

[demillo]

I've done the same thing, but have had some problems with harbor freight's cut off wheels.

[happyscraper]

I hf grinders and cut off wheels all the time. The grinders are cheap as most of the stuff at hf, but for 20 bucks or less if they go bad I just fork out an other 20bucks. I have some problems with thiere cut off wheels but most of the time its my falt, cann't put to much presure on the blade, you have to let the clade do the work. If you use a thin blade on hard steel and to much presure will cause the blade to brake up. Use caution when using any power tools.

[CFoote]

make sure you use safety glasses and leather gloves with a grinder...of any kind. You can not buy a spare eye.

[CFoote]

Oh, and hearing protection!!!!!

[IdahoScrapper]

Huh? What?

[CFoote]

Exactly!!!

[zito]

Around here, every so often Home Depot or Lowe's has pretty good sales on name brand grinders like Makita, DeWalt, or Milwaukee. I picked up my last DeWalt for $79.00, came with a pack of blades and a 3 year warranty. I tried the cheaper ones here in Canada from Princess Auto (our version of HF), and I was wasting far more time replacing crappy tools than I ever saved by buying cheap. Currently Lowe's here has DeWalt 4 1/2" cutoff blades for $0.88 when you buy 10 or more. Usually, the prices down in the U.S. are even better. Might be worthwhile to check out the big box stores and get a good deal on a better tool. And I really dislike the cheap Chinese-made cutting wheels/blades, will never use those again. Had too many just disintegrate from not holding the blade perfectly straight and square to your cut. Even when they don't grenade, seems you get a lot more cutting per $ from a decent blade, at least I thought I did.

[Igigi]

For sure ill look into a name brand... Its still kicking though, takes a wheel to get completely around a fridge compressor....is that normal?

[hobo finds]

The best investment for a newbe scrapper is this site! Thanks to all who make it work so well!