Money-saving Tool Tip

[Bob Paulin]

If you need cutting blades for a Milwaukee, DeWalt or any other 18 ga. electric or air metal shear, READ ON....

I managed to pick up a Milwaukee Model 6850, 18 ga., electric shear for only $12.00 (Yes! Twelve dollars!)at my local used tool emporium.

This shear lists out for nearly $300 on the Milwaukee website, and it is the predecessor to the Model 6852 that sells for $170 or so in the Big Box stores.

Condition was like new, but it was missing the blades in the shear head. The shear housing was there, just the blades were missing.

It didn't appear to have much use on it at all considering it appeared to have been in an industrial environment - having "Night Shift Only" written on it with Magic Marker.

I figured, if worse came to worse, I could install a 3/8" chuck and have a nice, variable speed - albeit non-reversible - Milwaukee drill.

I searched the Milwaukee website and found the blades.

The side blades were listed at $31.45 each and the center blade was $33.15 with the center blade bushing at 85 cents.

That all added up to $96.90 PLUS s&h. Still would have been a decent deal, but I have other places to spend $100 these days.

While surfing the 'net, I kept on seeing the Kett 18 ga. shear, and the cutting head and replacement blades looked a lot like the Milwaukee - as did the cutting head on most other electric and air shears.

The "Kit-#102" Kett blade kit included all three blades and the center bushing for $39.99. Northern Hydraulics even had it on a "No shipping charges" special.

Then, I found a website advertising the #102 blade kit that stated specifically that it would fit the Milwaukee 6850, 6852 and the DeWalt 18 ga. electric shear, so I took a chance and ordered the kit fron NH.

I'm guessing one company makes the shear head and sells it to all the electric and air shear manufacturers.

I just finished installing and testing it, and I'm proud to say I now own a near-new Milwaukee electric shear for less than $55.00.

My guess is that  someone on the "Day Shift" must have broken their blades, and they purloined the blades from the "Night Shift" shear. When the company found out how much it would cost to replace the blades only from Milwaukee, it was probably placed on the back-burner - or bought one of those $49.99 shears from NH.

The "broken" shear likely ended up as "surplus", and I ended up buying it.

[Mikej]

I have 2 of the kett shears. The head on one is about worn out so I just use it in the shop. Much faster then by hand, but not always as straight.

[enjenjo]

A little trick, if you spray WD40 on the cut line, you can cut heavier material.