HF vs Eastwood vs Woodward clones of Beverly B1 shear

[DS_park]

I am considering buying a knock off of the Beverly B1 shear. Would love to own a genuine Beverly B1 however, its for home shop use and they start at $650 new. Will keep an eye out for a good used one but when the used price crosses 3/4 of new, I tend to balk.

Harbor Freight (Central Forge)is the low price leader at $150. Following are Eastwood at $200, Woodward at $300, and KAKA Industrial at $430. Probably a few others in there too.

Is there a difference in build quality between units? I am happy to pay more for a better quality unit, what I don't want to do is pay more for paint and a different name tag.

Does anyone have any experience or own one of these that they can share / recomend?

[JoeLee]

All the same low quality. Just different colors. And all made in the same Chinese sweatshop.
Some companies think they can charge a little more because of their name.

JL....

[reggie_obe]

If you have an Eastwood store near you, go see and try it in person.

[DS_park]

Looking at one in person would be nice. The closest Eastwood store is a good 2.5 hour drive. My closest HF store had them in stock but not on display. They did not want to open the box. Eastwood claims up to 14gauge mild steel, same as beverly. HF claims 16 gauge mild steel max.

[754]

I drilled a clone, and installed a safety pin. Remove before use.
The main handle if bumped was, getting loose so it may fall if bumped, don't Want to lose a fingertip in there if it gets bumped into with a few people working in that area.

[nickel-city-fab]

I would be more inclined to trust Eastwood --
--even if it is no better than HF, at least it is an American company that will stand behind the product.

Failing that, I would find an original Beverly and bite the financial bullet for it.

[reggie_obe]

Not much on YouToob except advertisements from Eastwood. One vin from an actual owner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pNeyGuMZIc

One of the reviews of the Horrible Fright version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwXc96r7Igg

[JRouche]

I also wanted an actual Bev, no dice, too price

I ended up getting the HF unit because I am 3 minutes from the warehouse and would just drive it back.

I still own it, surprisingly a really nice hand shear. JR

[JoeLee]

Not much on YouToob except advertisements from Eastwood. One vin from an actual owner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pNeyGuMZIc

One of the reviews of the Horrible Fright version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwXc96r7Igg

He doesn't seem to have much to complain about other than the paint and the poor castings.

He must have go the prototype.

JL..............

[Bob Innes]

I have owned a B-2 for many years. I have used the Chinese version of the B-1 at a friends house. The Chinese version is not bad and I would not hesitate to get one for auto body and general sheet metal use. Maybe not for a high volume shop though.

[J.A.Miller]

I think Baileigh Industrial makes decent tools. I believe they have several manual shears.

[reggie_obe]

I think Baileigh Industrial makes decent tools. I believe they have several manual shears.

Baileigh and importers like them don't make anything. They just choose a paint color.

[754]

There might be a grading process at the factory.... better and best go to Baileigh. Not good and poor go to Harbour Freight.
I suspect that happens. ALSO some big buyer may spec out some small changes..

[DR]

I had an original, brand new (or hardly used) B-2 on factory stand purchased at Boeing Surplus, $150. Didn't like it. Talked a number of times with Beverly about blade adjustments, never could get a cut edge without a slight edge roll to it when curve cutting. They told me that was a fact of life with their shears.

Sold it for $250 (that was 10 years ago).

[JoeLee]

I would be more inclined to trust Eastwood --
--even if it is no better than HF, at least it is an American company that will stand behind the product.

Failing that, I would find an original Beverly and bite the financial bullet for it.

Corrected it for you..................

"I would be more inclined to trust Eastwood --
--even if it is no better than HF, at least it is an American company that will stand behind their cheaply made Chinese product."

JL.................