Grabo Classic vs Pro vs DeWalt?

[peter halle]

Luckily I have some of the Dewalt batteries and chargers so I was able to get the Dewalt version bare tool for $229-$249.  I have two now but am waiting for warmer weather projects to test them out.

Peter

 

[Michael Kellough]

The Dewalt version is on sale for $149 today only at Lowes.

 

[Scott in San Diego]

Thanks for the heads up Michael,  I picked up a bare pair of DeWalt Grabo lifters at Lowes this morning for $298 total.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Thanks for the heads up Michael,  I picked up a bare pair of DeWalt Grabo lifters at Lowes this morning for $298 total.

I did too. Glad to help a fellow old timer lighten his wallet.

I’m still curious why the load rating for the Dewalt is so much lower than the Grabo. Anyone know?

 

[Cheese]

I’m still curious why the load rating for the Dewalt is so much lower than the Grabo. Anyone know?

I assumed it was the Dewalt corporate lawyers getting involved. Dewalt has been around a long time and been subjected to many, many lawsuits while Grabo is the new kid on the block and probably still needs to learn a few lessons.  [smile]

 

[Michael Kellough]

I’m still curious why the load rating for the Dewalt is so much lower than the Grabo. Anyone know?

I assumed it was the Dewalt corporate lawyers getting involved. Dewalt has been around a long time and been subjected to many, many lawsuits while Grabo is the new kid on the block and probably still needs to learn a few lessons.  [smile]

That’s what I’m guessing (betting).

 

[PaulMarcel]

Thanks, Michael! Grabbed one of the three left at my local. Wonder if they are dropping the product kinda like when HD moved to Milwaukee from Klein (which moved to Lowe's fortunately)

 

[PaulMarcel]

It was interesting playing a bit with the Dewalt. Tried it on some surfaces to see how it works, etc. Knew MDF is rather porous, but didn't know how porous. Put it on a scrap of MDF and the vac was much lower but still held on. Set it down on the tablesaw deck and couldn't lift it. It was sucking right through the MDF to lock down on the tablesaw. Now I know better why some vacuum experiments with [member=2022]Qwas[/member] failed so miserably

 

[brbeard]

I bought a couple of these too. One was a definite dud (only gets to -4.7psi on the exact same surface that the other gets to -12.0). If I hadn't gotten two, I wouldn't have known that it was defective rather than just lackluster.

On that note...I've noticed that, of the three (what I thought were) filtered suction points on the bottom of these, there's only one that's doing any sucking - the one in the top left, when looking at the bottom straight on. Just so that I can make sure that I don't have TWO duds, can anyone else confirm that this is how theirs works too?

 

[PaulMarcel]

I bought a couple of these too. One was a definite dud (only gets to -4.7psi on the exact same surface that the other gets to -12.0). If I hadn't gotten two, I wouldn't have known that it was defective rather than just lackluster.

On that note...I've noticed that, of the three (what I thought were) filtered suction points on the bottom of these, there's only one that's doing any sucking - the one in the top left, when looking at the bottom straight on. Just so that I can make sure that I don't have TWO duds, can anyone else confirm that this is how theirs works too?

Same on mine: only top left sucks. I put 3 brass discs on the vents and only that one ever pulled a vacuum. Even when it pulled the vacuum, the discs slid off the other vents with no effort. Kinda wondering, too, why put 3 vents but only connect 1. The vacuum won't pull more air with 3 ports so it's likely moot.

 

[brbeard]

Same on mine: only top left sucks. I put 3 brass discs on the vents and only that one ever pulled a vacuum. Even when it pulled the vacuum, the discs slid off the other vents with no effort. Kinda wondering, too, why put 3 vents but only connect 1. The vacuum won't pull more air with 3 ports so it's likely moot.

Thanks, Paul! Good to know that my other one is working as intended (even if we don't fully understand the engineering choices!). Thanks again.

 

[Michael Kellough]

One 6mm hole anywhere within the gasket is plenty.

Now I'm thinking the high Grabo lifting limit is closer to the breaking point of the device and the lower Dewalt lifting capacity spec is the "safe working limit".

 

[brbeard]

One 6mm hole anywhere within the gasket is plenty.

While the black ring that holds the filter in would make one think that the hole is 9mm, the hole hidden behind that filter is actually around 3mm. But yes, it seems to do the job!