rotary for $60?

jason rawls

jason rawls

Weekend Warrior
I was passing thru Sears today and decided to take a look at their polishers. They had two rotaries for sale - one was a Milwaukee for $200. Seemed like a pretty heavy duty machine and it felt a little too heavy for my comfort level - 11 amp motor with variable speed 0 to 1750 rpms.

Then I saw a Craftsman for $60. It was a lot lighter than the Milwaukee - 4.5 amp motor, 2 speeds 1400 and 1650 controlled by how hard you squeeze the trigger.

I don't have any experience with rotaries at all but I would like learn how to use one. Right now I just don't have $200 to spend but I do have $60.

I was just wondering if anybody has had any experience with the Craftsman rotary and what they thought about it. Is it a sorry excuse for a machine, is it a good deal for $60, or will it even be suitable for my purposes being that its only speeds are 1400 and 1650?
 
Save the cash, go to a Pawn brokers and get one with a variable speed dial - just like on the DeWalts. There are plenty of brands out there. You'll spend more money on backing plates and pads than on the rotary. Just get one with a standard 5/8" shaft and light weight - remember how far it it is to the centre of an SUV's roof. Happy hunting. If it blows up its not my fault ;)

"If I throw a dog a bone I don't want to know if it tastes good or not" -quote Bricktop, "Snatch."
 
I hate Sears stuff anymore. If it breaks, usually nobody but Sears will repair it or be able to get parts for it. I say save for a Makita, Milwalkee, or DeWalt.
 
If you are going to spend money on a rotary,
Get one that has an adjustable speed from 0 to 1750 or higher though you really don't need much more speed on todays finishes.
If you aren't going to use it very often, something in the Sears line, if they have it, should work. (I have found their power tools to be lacking in the durability department)
If you are going to be using it often, buy a DeWalt, Milwaukee or Mikita.
Check on ebay or Amazon.com for some good deals.
I have purchased some Factory refurbished (renewed) tools and have had great success with them.
If you cannot afford what you need, keep saving up until you can afford something that won't need replaced in a year or two.
Just my .02
 
All of the above.

I bought a Wen for about $75 - worst investment I ever made. It works, but just barely. It has the speed control on the trigger, which is a big pain.

Having said that, however, the Vector Rotary mentioned, above, by Gadfly might be worth a look; for us weekend warriors that is.

Me, I'm going to buy a DeWalt or Makita.
 
i bought a harbor freight rotary for $24.99+tax no shipping because it was an in store pickup and i pricematched it with an internet ad from the internet website. as far as i know, it's identical to the vector rotary except it costs half as much and includes a 7 inch velcro backing plate. great for rotary newbies that don't want to break their wallet testing the rotary waters. my 2 cents!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top