Eastwood Bead Roller

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RAT IHC

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
525
Location
St. Petersburg, FL.
I needed a bead roller to do the firewall and floor pans. I've used Eastwood in the past and I've gotten good (not great) products from them. Like most of us here I don't have $500 - $1000 for a high end bead roller that I'm not going to use that much. I ordered and got the bead roller from Eastwood. Shipping was fast, but that about the best thing I've got to say about it.

I know these are made in China and that's why they are so cheap, but if Eastwood is going to put their name on it they should do some sort of quality control.

First and biggest thing that I noticed is that the gear mesh is extremlly loose. (see photo). Next thing I noticed is that all most every bolt was hand tighten at best. Next the bolt that tighten the dies on the sheet metal has very loose threads...almost like the wrong tap was used...same goes for the bolt that tightens the handle to shaft. Finally it looks like someone chewed it up and spat it out...not a new looking tool..

Needless to say I'm not happy and will be on the phone with Eastwood tomorrow. I didn't use it this weekend just incase they have me send it back.

I'll let you know the outcome.

-Troy
 

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Not a big Eastwood fan here. Their paints and stuff are usually good but I'm not real sure it's always a good deal.

Toad
 
They have the ability to make it well... All Ingersol rand's stuff is made over there. why not take the last cheap step and do it right. It's like them chinese have the same attitude problem everyone else has... "Yea I can do a good job but if I'm doing this for so cheap I'm making it crappy on purpose till they pay me more or just pay me at all."
 
I have been looking at these, HF has one that is about the same deal. Every once in a while they put theirs on sale for about what you can get them for in the net. I want one just have never got one, mainly for the same reason as you, don't want to spend the money, and not sure of the quality. At least if I picked one up at HF you can put your fingers on it and check it out before you walk out the door with it.
 
just picked one up at a car show for 135. havent got it out of the box yet but hope it works good enough to get by. Ive bought cheep tools before and they seem to get me by . it does seem like they could make them a little better but at the same time we always want something as cheep as we can get it
 
Well, since we're on the subject...

A while ago I bought a HF bead roller. I bought it on sale and I know you get what you pay for but this thing is a POS for sure. As is the case with most HF "machines", it's just a sloppy mess. The tolerances are a joke, the mandrels need a lot of work just to get the beads to look right and after rolling about 6' of beads, the threads stripped out of the tab that holds the tension bolt. It's no wonder just about every one that I've seen has been seriously upgraded and modified!
 
Bought a Woodward Fab bead roller.....

Still haven't used it......:( but .....if I need it, I've got it....seems to be of good quality.... but really haven't looked closely at the areas that you've mentioned....might take a look asap....thanks
 
Still haven't used it......:( but .....if I need it, I've got it....seems to be of good quality.... but really haven't looked closely at the areas that you've mentioned....might take a look asap....thanks

The woodward fab roller is nice!! My buddy has one and it works great!!!
 
RAT IHC, your beadroller looks like crap, no offense to you personally. I bought a roller from Eastwood about 3 or 4 maybe 5 years ago. Gear contact is tight, no loose bolts or sloppy holes. It even says made is USA. Sounds like their quality has gone downhill.
 

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No offense taken...and I couldn't agree with you more! They called today and are going to send another one...I told them to open it first and make sure that everything is right. At lease they are trying to make it right.

-Troy
 
EnglishBob...I've seen first hand a bead roller from Baileigh and I agree. Even though the look exactly the same the Baileigh is a much higher quality machine. I'm thinking about returning my eastwood POS and getting my money back then go for the Baileigh bead roller...is about $100 more...but I think it would be worth the money at this point.

-Troy
 
I have one from HF, I thnk, looks like the eastwood ,but doesn`t have the Eastwood markings. Anyway, it seems to work ok, haven`t really used it that much. But it is a pain for one person to operate.
 
Eastwood just called me. They are going to send FedEx to pick it up the crappy one tomorrow and send out a new one. Kind of sucks because I was hope to work on the firewall this week / weekend.

I'll keep you guys informed.

-Troy
 
Eastwood is making good on their promise. They shipped out a new one yesterday and it should be here tomorrow morning. At least I'll get to use it over the weekend and get my firewall done....that's if it is in better shape than the last one!

Updates to follow....

-Troy
 
I've dealt with Eastwood and they are pretty good

about taking care of their customers..... at least in my experience....:D
 

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