Pro tip: don't cheap out on your forge blower

I bought a cheap $150 blower online last fall thinking it would get me through a few cold months. It burned out after three weeks of steady use, right in the middle of a big shoeing job for a ranch. I had to shut down for two days and rent one at triple the cost while waiting for a real one to ship. Now I'm $600 into a good, solid unit and it's like night and day. Anyone have a brand they swear by for heavy daily forging?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.beth9d ago

Totally agree, my cheap one lasted maybe a month. Felt like I was babysitting it the whole time, waiting for it to die. The good one just WORKS, no stress at all.

taraw1610d ago

Honestly, I've had the total opposite experience. My cheap Harbor Freight blower has been running strong for almost two years now with no issues. I use it most days in my home shop. Spending hundreds more just seems like a waste unless you're running a full time commercial operation. Sometimes you just get a bad unit, but that doesn't mean all budget options are junk. I'd rather replace a cheap one every few years than drop that much cash up front.