The $29.95 angle drill continued

In my opinion, that's not really an accurate comparison.

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

So, taking the tool life spans at your values, your comparison should really be: at 6 months - $150 (M/S) vs. $120; at 12 months - $165 (M/S) vs. $240; at 24 months $190 (M/S) vs. $480. This doesn't take into consideration the environmental waste and impact of manufacturing, shipping, and packaging, plus material waste, involved in purchasing 8 new cheapie units per year.

Mr. Hippy, if you have the habit of throwing away all your tools, appliances and cars when repairs are needed, I'll be headed down I-5 to haul this "trash" away for you. ;)

If you're throwing out the Milwaukee, I'll pay the shipping up to Beaverton.

Be> The Milwaukee/Sioux can be

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.

Reed... seems like I got my Ebay special about the same time as you got your drill...

I use it a lot, probably not as much as you do yours as I have 3 drills and use the one that's closest, but I've put a LOT of hours on the poor clone..

I don't blow it out, brush it off or do any maintenance on it... I abuse the hell out of it with too much pressure, long sanding sessions on hot days, etc... I've worn out or over heated several H&L sanding pads but the drill seems to be like new... That said, I have to wonder about quality control, especially on the cheaper tools... I could have got the only good drill in a box of many...

Mac

I use the flexible shaft, which goes for 50 or 60, depending on source, and use it for a couple/three years. Not to mention the advantage gained by having a sander I can support on the rest rather than the work when sanding on the lathe. Couple hundred pieces a year average usage.

Then there's the benefit gained in having a great lap sander as well. Put the piece between my knees, grip one edge, sand with a full handshake grip on the handle. Tough to beat it for a lot of work, especially the bowls of the spoons I carve..

Oh yes, I never blow it out, the motor residing some three or so feet away from the sanding dust production. Easy to pick up ninety plus percent at the source.

Oh yes, the 'rest' of the story.

I gave the cheap drill to a friend in our club who is one of those 'oh boy, this gives me something to do during my lunch break' types. Me, I love to use my tools, but don't like to work on them. Kind of like cars, that is a mechanics job. My friend is going to try some epoxy in the shaft (where the chuck attaches to the drill, there was a lot of wobble in the pad (1/4 inch) as it spun) and see if that works. I will take my M/S drill, and have it repaired which is usually about $75. I probably could repair it myself, but they can do it a lot faster, and easier than I can.

Right now, I am starting in on a pneumatic Sioux angle drill that I have had, but not used much, and see what I can do to it. robo hippy

If I were to use them as a drill, for the sake of accuracy and dependability, I would go with the Milwaukee. But.. that is using it as a drill, not a sander.

But if you are only using the machine to spin a piece of sandpaper I think you are missing the boat. Next time Harbor Freight has their model on sale, go buy it for $29 bucks. Then add the 1 year replacement warranty for $5 that may start after the original 90 warranty (I think it is literally $5 for anything under $50). It would give you a minimum of 12 months replacement in the store. This would preclude replacing anything inside the drill or taking anything apart to find out what broke. It would save you a few hours anyway by the time you dismantle the drill, locate the parts, drive to get them, and reassemble.

And it would compare favorably with your economic model.

Milwaukee - $150 X 2 (one year) = $300 annually

Current brand X Chiawanese - $120 X 2 (one year) = $240 annually

HF Chiawanese with warranty - $35 for one year = well, $35 for one year

Robert

I'll gladly pay the postage for you guys replacing your Milwaukee/Sioux's to ship them to me.

I think you're selling yourself short as well as paying at least $50 too much over buying the bearings and replacing them yourself. I can certainly understand your reluctance to regularly plop down $75 twice a year to repair a tool - but it's something that's easy to do and only costs the price of the bearings.

Milwaukee - $150 X 2 (one year) = $300 annually

I'll gladly pay the postage for you guys replacing your Milwaukee/Sioux's to ship them to me.

I think you mistunderstood my post. I was following his economic model for thriftiness.

I am happily hanging on to my Sioux/Milwaukee. However, I use my Sioux/Milwaukee for drilling and light sanding, not dedicated to sanding. The intent of my illustration was to expand on this and earlier reports and experiences that pertained to the $29.95 drills. I personally would not use a drill of the caliber of Miwalukee as a dedicated sander as that is not its strong suit.

If all you are wanting to do, knowing that you will wear out the tool no matter what, is find a solution to spinning sandpaper around (no accuracy needed) why not go the least expensive route? If a set of bearings is almost $30 for the S/M on one hand, and on the other you have a machine under warranty that allows you to replace the whole thing with no repairs or money at all on your part, why not? I am not understanding your reluctance to this since the original investment in the tool >you know you will break regardless of the brand

I guess that my real point if that most people only think of buying one drill, and probably won't wear it out like I do. Which one is the better value for the origional investment? I probably should get another cheap one, and see how long it lasts. I think that I will wear out the pneumatic one first. robo hippy

You wear kevlar boxers when you lap sand? *g*

Mac

IMHO, being really cheap and lazy, I'd buy 3 more cheap drills before spending $75 to fix a good one... Let's see... a holder over the chisel rack with 3 cheap drills holding maybe 80,

180 & 220 grit....

Mac

Hi Reed

It's not only the Sioux/Milwaukee angle drills that have the problem of the bearing problem, I have had this happen with a B&D drill that I used for sanding, this problem occurs just because we use these drills for sanding, and when those shielded only bearings do get grit inside of them the outside race gets yanked around and the plastic housing just does not stand up to that. (some of those bearings are shielded on one side only)

So I wonder how long a brand new Milwaukee would last if they had the shielded bearings replaced for sealed bearings (or do it themselves) before using it, I would expect that the initial investment would pay off well, and the drills last for several years.

I use just normal cheap drills and my Milwaukee only when I am unable to do the sanding with my other drills.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

One thing that I am noticing about the pneumatic Sioux, is that it keeps my compressor running continuously (5 hp, 60 gal. Cambel Hausfeld). I know that the compressor used a lot more ecectricity than the M/S drills do. That may end up being a considerable cost that I did not consider. On the other hand, it works very well, and the cool breeze is a relief, as I am one of those people who is always warm. I wish it had a better air flow mechanism than the toggle switch it has. You can't fine tune it, and wide open is 2200 rpm. The trigger switch is very touchy, and it is difficult to get fine control. So far, 50 bowls from 16 inch diameter to 7 inch, and about 16 hours. Another 6 or so hours tomorrow, then off to a show. robo hippy

to be continued

To which Mac added, see ya there Saturday, Reed...

Mac

Man, you killed a Milwalkee in 6 mos.? They're good tools... Maybe you're using the wrong tool for the job, have you considered using a heavy-duty angle grinder instead?

He might be using sandpaper that has the grit come off and get into the drills bearings.

And to think that a pair of double sealed bearings on sale at Enco cost only $4.78 right now and normally only about $3.50 each.

They would keep all the crap out and the drills last a lot longer.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo