For whatever it is worth ...

[Stan Curtis]

I went to Harbor Freight the other day to pick up some miscellaneous small items. While walking along I noticed a rotary shaft carver on display; something I had no intension of buying.

But when I bought a Foredom TX recently at an auction, mainly to get the cutters at a low price, the hand piece mysteriously disappeared sometime between the hammer going down and unloading my treasures at the shed. Anyhow there in HF sat a new rotary shaft machine with foot controller, hanger, and chucked hand piece with key for less that a replacement Foredom hand piece. With the coupon etc. it was less that half the price. I figured that my Scotts great-grandfather would approve, so I bought it.

To my surprised delight the unit works quite well. It is no Foredom, but it runs and cuts pretty good. It can be stalled, but so can my Foredoms. And for the price it beats any Dremel-type tool I've used and it is an inexpensive way into power carving. I will leave it hanging over my bench with the Foredom’s, but it will never replace them.

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by Stan Curtis

I went to Harbor Freight the other day to pick up some miscellaneous small items. While walking along I noticed a rotary shaft carver on display; something I had no intension of buying.

But when I bought a Foredom TX recently at an auction, mainly to get the cutters at a low price, the hand piece mysteriously disappeared sometime between the hammer going down and unloading my treasures at the shed. Anyhow there in HF sat a new rotary shaft machine with foot controller, hanger, and chucked hand piece with key for less that a replacement Foredom hand piece. With the coupon etc. it was less that half the price. I figured that my Scotts great-grandfather would approve, so I bought it.

To my surprised delight the unit works quite well. It is no Foredom, but it runs and cuts pretty good. It can be stalled, but so can my Foredoms. And for the price it beats any Dremel-type tool I've used and it is an inexpensive way into power carving. I will leave it hanging over my bench with the Foredom’s, but it will never replace them.

Just for grins and giggles.......how long is the warranty??

[Stan Curtis]

Warranty ???? I will have to check. But I don't expect any long-term results!

[telecarver]

Harbor Freight power tools only have a 90 day warranty. They usually sell an extended two year warranty for an additional price. I have a couple of their die grinders. They are a pretty nice tool and the price was right. I wouldn't expect them to last that long under everyday use but I keep specialty bits in them that I don't use that often. It's faster to pick up a different tool that to change the bit. I figure that with intermittent use they will probably last quite a while.

[Stan Curtis]

Telecarver is right. I went out to the shed to check. There are several HF tools there; side grinder, 90degree VSR drill, belt sander, recip saw among them. Quite candidly I've had fewer problems with them than Black & Decker. I don't expect them to be used like my DeWalts, but for occasional use they are a good buy.

So giggle away Dull Knife.

[SeaLeveler]

I have a HF rotary tool that has worked for 6-8 years with no problems so far.
Tony