WHEEL WEiGHTS no good deed goes unpunished!

[CRF857 592]

Scored a set of 25lb. IH wheel weights at a garage sale. While looking at them the lady asked if she was asking too much and seemed willing to reduce the price. But they were already cheap. I knew she was a recent widow with teenagers so I paid her price and bought some other stuff I really didn’t need.

The weights were an ugly shade of red over some yellow paint. Using a wire bush on an angle grinder most of the paint came off. But the magic smoke started pouring out of my good Makita grinder.🤬🤬  Have had it for about 25 years.

Painted the weights orange and will install them on the Roper with the front boom.

Gonna miss that Makita.🥺

 

[ri702bill 12,850]

Similar happened to me last fall with my 25ish year old Craftsman corded reciprocating saw. I was working it hard trimming branches early last Fall when it had a "Thermal Event". Just stay up wind from that Electro-toast smell! I already own a couple of Dewalt 20 Volt items, so I caught a Black Friday sale & purchased the cordless model. Works great, but sucks thru batteries! About 4 in an hour..... My son has the cordless angle grinder - says it works great.

Edited Saturday at 06:23 PM by ri702bill

[Ed Kennell 47,040]

3 hours ago, CRF857 said:

Using a wire bush on an angle grinder

Those big wire brushes kill a lot of angle grinders.

[ebinmaine 80,400]

6 hours ago, CRF857 said:

The weights were an ugly shade of red over some yellow paint

 

I've seen that as well. Both are IHC colors.  

[Brockport Bill 2,461]

luv that Workmate - - looks like mine after its 30 plus years

[CRF857 592]

5 hours ago, Brockport Bill said:

luv that Workmate - - looks like mine after its 30 plus years

I have had that one since the mid 70s. When theyfirst came out. Christmas present.

Have two more in the workshop. Garage sale finds with no pegs. One had the foldable legs removed.

Edy has a generic knockoff model in the garage. She threatens to get rid of it, then she uses it for something, and glad she kept it.

[Kenneth R Cluley 693]

I hate when one of my "OLD Stand-by" tools goes south! Knowing that I will never be able to replace it with anything even close to that quality or durability.

[Handy Don 17,342]

On 9/13/2026 at 8:37 AM, Kenneth R Cluley said:

I hate when one of my "OLD Stand-by" tools goes south! Knowing that I will never be able to replace it with anything even close to that quality or durability.

I know the feeling although over the last few years I’ve been acquiring Milwaukee M12 cordless tools both to replace and augment my corded and NLA 19.2v Craftsman collections. So far, I’ve been very pleased with the quality, usabiility, and battery life, especially with the brushless “Fuel” models. Only rarely do I go back to the corded tools--except that I am sticking with the corded Craftsman 4” angle grinder! As @Ed Kennell notes, angle grinders work very hard and need a LOT of energy. 

Edited 8 hours ago by Handy Don

[sqrlgtr 3,736]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I know the feeling although over the last few years I’ve been acquiring Milwaukee M12 cordless tools both to replace and augment my corded and NLA 19.2v Craftsman collections. So far, I’ve been very pleased with the quality, usabiility, and battery life, especially with the brushless “Fuel” models. Only rarely do I go back to the corded tools--except that I am sticking with the corded Craftsman 4” angle grinder! As @Ed Kennell notes, angle grinders work very hard and need a LOT of energy. 

I'm still using a few of the 19.2volt craftsman stuff but have been replacing with Dewalt stuff and have had very good luck with them so far. Had good luck with the Craftsman stuff too. The craftsman became NLA right after I bought some off brand batteries from the jungle to fit them . 

@CRF857 I very seldom pass on 12" Wheel Weights that are reasonably priced, they are pretty rare around here.... 

[CRF857 592]

2 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

I'm still using a few of the 19.2volt craftsman stuff but have been replacing with Dewalt stuff and have had very good luck with tthem . 

Most of mine are 18 volt Dewalt. Down to just 3 good batteries.

Will eventually have to breakdown and buy the adapter and larger batteries.  🤬