Jump to content

Fein knockoff at Harbor Freight $49.99


Cozy1200

Recommended Posts

Wow. Appears mighty close to my Fein.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=65700

 

Looks like other manufactures are finally seeing a market here as well.

 

The blades sure are cheaper.

 

 

the current draw is similar to the fein. this might be the old*version of the fein that they are marketing though Freight. that would be great. I could use another one.

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Her is a link to the Sonicrafter. This is a much better quality unit than the HF model for sure and the specs are similiar to the Fein at half the price! I have found that with HF power tools, you get what you pay for. FWIW, Fein's patent recently expired, that is why we are seeing some knock-offs now. https://www.sonicrafter.com/index.asp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. Appears mighty close to my Fein.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=65700

 

Looks like other manufactures are finally seeing a market here as well.

 

G'day

 

Yesterday the UPS truck left this at my door from Harbour Freight. Take a look. I put it on the workbench and snapped a pic of what is in the box.

 

I don't have an origional to compair, but maybe some of you folks that know the real thing can comment.

 

Hope this helps.....but for $49.95 if it is half as good as the real deal it is a steal.... All the bits are on my workbench that come in the box.

 

I welcome constructive comments or questions.

 

Jeff

post-2642-141090165455_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How the HF version works out for you.

 

I cringed at the thought of putting that much money into a tool that I had never seen or used when I bought my Fein Multimaster but I'm a believer now. There is no doubt in my mind that this is THE most important tools I have for this project. I very rarely trim until my glass has cured then a quick trim with the Fein and I'm good to go.

I can remove bondo from flat surfaces using the same blade without damaging the glass.

 

I would be lost without it. I can't begin to calculated how much time I've saved on some of the most mundane tasks associated with this type of construction.

 

........ and on top of that, it's safe to use.:cool2:

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a Chicago angle grinder from harbor freight about 7 years ago, and while it has kept working, it is defiantly not a quality tool. The on off switch barely works now (it is hart to turn OFF), it rattles like the bearings are cheap and it is just plain low quality.

 

However, the tool was very cheap and it does keep working, so I think it was a good value if even if it is low quality.

 

I am of mixed option on tool buying. On one hand, there is nothing worse than a tool breaking down when you need it most and after you have spent money on it. On the other hand I don't like spending big $$$ for a tool I will seldom use (obviously not the case with the Fein).

 

I am glad you are willing to guinea pig the Harbor Freight Fein knock off for the rest of us.

 

I would like also to see the Dremel version. Hopefully the other tool companies will follow suit and put out some other versions that are not quite so expensive as the Fein.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, HF tools are not the highest quality, however, I have had similiar issues with "brand name" tools too. My Rotar Zip switch has become so tempermental that I couldn't get it to work last time I tried. I have gone through about 7 or 8 rotary tools (Dremmel, Black and Decker and Craftsman) in the last 18 months. Funny, my first B&D lasted over five years. I know that power tools don't like fiberglass dust but geeeesh.

 

I like HF stuff as much for redundancy if nothing else. So I have a big mix of "quality" handtools and then a number of HF stuff that may have caught my eye to support the better stuff. As to tools I know I will rarely use, HF is the way to go for me. If I was making my living with tools I don't think I could do so, but for the occasional or even one use HF rules. Also, it is kinda fun to go into the store and walk out with a cart full of stuff and not feel you spent all that much :)

 

All the best,

 

Chris

Christopher Barber

Velocity SE/FG w/yoke. Zoom, zoom, zoom.

www.LoneStarVelocity.com

 

Live with Passion...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Proxxon Industrial Drill/Grinder.

 

Zero to 20,000 rpm variable grinder. German engineering at some of it's best. You try this, you'll start thinking "Dremel" is a foreign word meaning "crap".

About $114, but mine's lasted me 6 years. I've replaced the main bearing once at a cost of $10.

 

http://tinyurl.com/67njbl

"I run with scissors."

Cozy MKIV N85TT

Phase One Testing

http://home.earthlink.net/~jerskip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

G'day

 

In the picture you may note there really are no instructions on how to use each blade. This may seem like a stupid question, but does anybody know if there are any YouTube videos on the use of the blades or another site?

 

I don't like the idea of learning on the canard I just took a month to build.....

 

Thanks;

 

Jeff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

G'day

 

In the picture you may note there really are no instructions on how to use each blade. This may seem like a stupid question, but does anybody know if there are any YouTube videos on the use of the blades or another site?

 

I don't like the idea of learning on the canard I just took a month to build.....

 

Thanks;

 

Jeff

Jeff

 

if you google Fein, you will see some TV advertisements which show the use of the various blades. You will find that the Circular HSS one ( full or otherwise) is the one that you will mainly use It will also last practically forever even on glass. There probably are many (long-waste) areas of your finished wing on which you can try the tool without risking the structure. The tool is very easy to use, it does not grab. One word of advise is to let the tool do the work. Don't strong arm it.

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff

 

if you google Fein, you will see some TV advertisements which show the use of the various blades. You will find that the Circular HSS one ( full or otherwise) is the one that you will mainly use It will also last practically forever even on glass. There probably are many (long-waste) areas of your finished wing on which you can try the tool without risking the structure. The tool is very easy to use, it does not grab. One word of advise is to let the tool do the work. Don't strong arm it.

I agree, what I really like about the fein tool is that it is very controlable. If you just take a couple of minutes to check out the different blades you should not have any problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Just to throw in my $.02,

 

I have the Dremel version. I bought it for $89.99. The tool itself is wonderful, powerful, adjustable, comfortable.

 

The accessories are a totally different story. The blades are crap. They cut fine, but dull smooth after a few passes through fiberglass. While the blades are inexpensive ($6-8) they are also very CHEAP. I went through 3 of them just trying to trim the 8 layer UNI on my Aft Landing Gear bulkhead.

 

My solution was to buy a Fein SuperCut HSS Blade. Cost me $70 but it fits on the Dremel tool, and cuts through anything I throw at it like butter. And from the feedback I've received here, the Fein Blades last forever.

 

If you go this route, you must get the Fein SuperCut blades as the MultiMaster blades do not fit. Not sure about the HF special one....

 

Anyway, hope this helps!

 

Jim

Cozy MKIV #1565 (Chapter 6)

Charlotte, NC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ordered the Rockwell, so I will have some feedback on that tool in a couple of days when it arrives.. One thing I noted which prompted me to buy it was the blades were "High Speed Steel" I guess we will see if the tool will work for our application. I purchased the tool through Amazon.com for $119. I had a bunch of Gift certificates so I got it Cheap! To bad Amazon does not have the Dritz scissors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well.. The Rockwell Sonicrafter arrived yesterday. It is lighter then the Fein. It looks like the blades might be interchangeable between the Rockwell and the Fein. I purchased the $119 dollar version which includes one HSS Flush Cut blade, one Rasp, the Sanding Attachment, and a Metal/Wood blade. The tool is single speed at 20,000 RPM which is 4k slower then the Fein. I went nuts and started to slice and dice through some practice layups which I did. Here is what I learned.

It is not instantaneous Spool up. It takes a couple seconds to get to speed and you can hear it. The Blade mounting system causes the blade to sing at a real High pitch note which could get annoying. The Tool is quieter then the Fein, Weighs less, and has a solid quality feel to it. After doing about 10 minutes of cutting, the Magnesium Alloy head was hot to the touch.. Not untouchable, but defiantly hot. The Cuts were nice with the exception of Glass only cuts (no foam) there were little fiberglass hairs on the edge which I did not notice while using the fein. Briefly sanding removes them. The HSS Blade shows no sign of wear or dulling other then the black paint wears off. I will have to do more work before I can tell how long the HSS blades will last.

 

Impressions are.. The Fein is still the King... But this is a pretty good knockoff at 1/3 the price. I am happy with my purchase and feel that it will have what it takes to build a plane. I thought about the Harbor Freight version but it is even slower yet at 11,000 vibrations per minute, and word on the street is the blades for it suck (but the Fein Blades can be made to work)

 

as aways.. YMMV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Info.. the Rockwell has a sort of Hex shaped hole, and the Fein has a more Star shaped hole I noted.. Wasn't sure if the Fein star shape would fit the Rockwell.. at first glance it looked like they might. Guess not. Have you noticed that cuts with the Rockwell, the edges are a little more "Ragged" then the Fein, or is that just me?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, have not had time to try the sample tool properly. If you are getting fuzz it is probably one of two things; poor blade design (or dull) or too much heating of the laminate. The ultimate proof will be with a quality Fein blade in it.

...Chrissi & Randi

CG Products

www.CozyGirrrl.com

Cozy Mk-IV RG 13B Turbo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

time for me to chime in here, got the fine about a year ago and i was very disappointed in the power, so today I'm at a show and they have the fine demo there and i tell the guy and even have the fine to show him and guess what?

the dam thing in veritable speed (i was at 1/3 power the hole time).

i now take back all the horrible things i said to you Chrissy;)

Steve M. Parkins

Link to comment
Share on other sites

time for me to chime in here, got the fine about a year ago and i was very disappointed in the power, so today I'm at a show and they have the fine demo there and i tell the guy and even have the fine to show him and guess what?

the dam thing in veritable speed (i was at 1/3 power the hole time).

i now take back all the horrible things i said to you Chrissy;)

It takes a very Fein man to admit to such a mistake!!!!:irked:

 

Now enjoy it!!

I Canardly contain myself!

Rich :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information