Chicago Electric with LCD

R

RogueM3

New member
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90820



As found in the link..this seems to be the cheapest of the cheap rotaries that people have some experience with. I think it was Papi_Jay who said these bog terribly and werent worth the money..he did say to make sure if I got it to get the LCD version..



Now, as the price is $50 its inching towards the used market pricing for Hitachis, and Makitas (not saying its really close but getting closer than the standard Chicago Electric..)



Should I save my money? .Will this absurdly loud (according to Papi) and less powerful rotary cause me to learn bad habits or make more frequent mistakes?



I have a '97 white ford contour beater to practice on (dont know if it has a clear coat or not..I would assume so as its only 8 years old) and its badly swirled from years of neglect...



I think the LCD would display real time RPM...so if it started to bog I could read the speed and increase it accordingly while compensating for the lagging motor..(say running it at 2000rpms according to the knob but 1500rpms as a result of the bogging and as displayed on the LCD)



Anymore thoughts on this topic would be great.... :woot:
 
The ebay deal for the Hitachi at $134 shipped is IMO the best deal around. It doesn't bog, it's quiet and don't forget that 5 year warranty!:)
 
Can you say loud like a weedwacker ? I think teh LCD uses a different motor though , but none of my local harbor Freight carry the LCD model in the store for me to try it ..
 
It's now $119 +$10 shipping.



Is this tool comparable in quality to the DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Porter 7428? Or is it closer to the ubiquitous Chinese rotary that the Coleman, Chicago Electric, and others are based on?





Tom
 
Autogeek has the hitachi on sale for $169.95

hitachi at autogeek

I emailed them and asked the difference between the hitachi and makita since they sell both

this is what he said



"The Hitachi and Makita polishers are very similar. However, the Hitachi does have a slightly more powerful motor, and weighs less than the Makita."



Hope this helps,

Mike
 
Mosca said:
It's now $119 +$10 shipping.



Is this tool comparable in quality to the DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Porter 7428? Or is it closer to the ubiquitous Chinese rotary that the Coleman, Chicago Electric, and others are based on?





Tom
Click to expand...



Yeah Tom, they make you pay insurance and that's the additional $5.



To answer your question, I have had my Black & Decker 6138 for a little more than 9 years and it hasn't skipped a beat at all. It is HEAVY and that takes a toll on me when I work side panels with it. IMO, the Hitachi is every bit as good if not better than what's being offered from other brands. It's so much like the Makita that I think that they're kissing cousins. ;) It's got a 5 year warranty to help me feel secure and it's also very quiet.
 
BCW, I have used the Makita and they have *very* similar sound traits. They both are almost silent when you let them spin freely(no load) but when they contact the surface or are under any load they have a distinct whine that isn't annoying at all.
 
Cool. I have to say that the Chicago tool is a great bargain. But the more familiar I get with the rotary, and the more I understand how it can be used at low speeds for light work, the more I want to use one frequently. I could sell my Cyclo on ebay, buy the Hitachi, and pocket the change.





Tom
 
does anybody have any input on the chicago rotary other then it sucks don't buy it get the hitachi?



Because I seem to recall a lot of threads a whilea go about how it worked pretty well.
 
Chang said:
does anybody have any input on the chicago rotary other then it sucks don't buy it get the hitachi?



Because I seem to recall a lot of threads a whilea go about how it worked pretty well.
Click to expand...



It does work pretty well; but it's hardly the tool for a dedicated professional. If you're going to use it as your primary machine buffer for a business, you will DEFINITELY want to purchase a more durable machine.
 
It still works well, I'm thinking about using it more than a couple times a year though. I never had a problem with mine bogging down. But for $25, you don't get the balance and smoothness and refinement that you get from the more refined tool at the higher price point.





Tom
 
I have the 92329 (?) Model and I so want a Makita or Metabo. IMO, sure the Chicago Electric is bloody cheap and somewhat easy to find however there are alot of issues I have with it:



1) Sometimes the trigger won't engage and I'm left standing continuously toggling the trigger

2) It smells horrible and the appearance is ugly.

3) Feel for the polisher is somewhat good, however dewalt is alot more balanced

4) Speed 1-6 is still a bit iffy, is it 500 rpm each time?

5) Biggest issue is the speed at which it runs. It bogs so easily, I have no idea how well the polish is breaking down, if there is heat, and what speed its running.



If your a professional, get the real deal, however for a bargain and if your not picky at all, grab one of the CE.
 
I agree with the above for the most part . If you are only doing your car or very few like buddies , family etc ; then the need to CORRECT paint shouldn't come that often per car .

I only recommend spending the extra $20 for the LCD so you KNOW what speed the thing is running to get an accurate mental picture of what you are actually working with .

When I used mine on the hood of my GMC work truck it still removed swirls with a yellow pad and Optimum polish , then cleaned up nicely with blue pad and optimum , it just was somewhat of a headache when applying pressure and the noise is silly .
 
so buy the one the LCD instead of the regular one? But the LCD one speed range starts up pretty high I htink its 800rpm's or maybe 1000.
 
Considering that I VERY strongly believe this one would bog down also , I doubt that the 1000 rpm starting speed will be any more than 600-800 rpm once the machine weight + backing plate + pad is observed . Remember that's the rating unloaded .

Also just for an example - when i used DACP or something to actually remove defects I would go with 1500-1900 rpm to do so . Then whatever I used after to remove marring down to about 1200 rpm . Usually machine glaze at the 1000-1200 rpm stage .

Also the machine has soft start feature so it spins up slowly when 1st starting it up .

What would you need a speed of less than 1000 rpm for though even it thats actually the lowest it goes loaded weight and all ? Final polishing would be done with a polishing pad anyways , so as long as you know to move the buffer no worry about burns or anything from excessive speed .
 
i read somewhere that the 50 dollar LCD display one has the ability to not bog and it keeps constant pressure unlike the 25 buck one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top