Cheap Disposable Quality Paint Brush?

[Kroll]

Yes sir cheap,quality in the same sentence.Guys over the yrs I have rebuilt several machines which I posted pics of them here,asking lots of questions.Guys alot of time when I go to apply the first coat of primer on cast iron parts I will thin the paint just alittle and use a 1" paint brush for first coat.Now if its small sheet metal parts I will also use the 1" paint brush.I'm not expecting a smooth as glass finish cause I will sand after couple coats of primer and then sand and spray couple coats of the finish color.So you see that I use paint brushes then toss them just because they are cheap.
Guys since Harbor Freight came to town I would go down and buy a box of 1" paint brushes which I think is about 8.00 for a box and they were perfect.But I guess over time HF has decided to cut corners and go with a cheaper brush.The bristles are all different lengths and they just fall out even when you run the brush across your hand.(I know what do you expect for 8.00 box) Well at one time they were good.So guys what I was wondering if someone knows of a source on the web for 1" paint brushes that is just a step above HF quality that can be toss after use? I did google cheap paint brushes but its hard to tell looking at pictures so maybe first hand info would be better than rolling the dice.Thanks guys,being cheap---kroll
Guys I just look over on the auction site and there is a lot of brushes,but all the pics makes the brushes look good.Do you have a favorite seller that you purchase from?

 

[Whyemier]

I use the HF 1" brushes for applying cutting fluids directly onto the cutter/endmill or surface of the workpiece. They're meant to be sacrificial brushes, since the cutters will wear them down quickly/over time. I don't know how they work for paint but suspect, as you say, not so good

 

[tomh]

yep
Harbor freight, I just bought the 36 count 2" chip brush for $10.40 ish with the 20% coupon that's around .28 cents each. They paint just fine as I used them to paint a utility trailer with oil base paint with no problem.
They put them in the flyers for less than that sometimes

 

[Bob Korves]

I use cheap brushes and do NOT throw them away. I clean and reuse them, same as the ones that cost more. Even with enamel, it only takes a small amount of mineral spirits and a couple minutes to clean them up, then sudsy water. Have a bunch of pristine expensive brushes I have inherited, seems like the job is never fussy enough to use them. I have also recently taken to using disposable foam brushes as well. They are the best choice on many jobs, and yes, I clean and reuse them...

 

[Tozguy]

Depends on the size of the job. For quality work I use the best quality brush available. They clean up more easily than cheap brushes because the paint doesn't wick into the roots of the bristles so bad. For small 'quick n dirty' jobs anything from a Q-tip to a foam brush will do. Excess paint gets squeezed out before disposal. I pull the wooden handles off of foam brushes and add them to my dowel stash.
Cleaning disposable brushes just gives me more stuff to dispose of. Foam brushes tear easily and usually only last for one job anyways.

 

[pineyfolks]

Harbor freight chip brushes are just that, chip brushes. But their 1" paint brushes that cost roughly 60 cents are good enough for most jobs I'm doing. Sometimes I clean them most sometimes I pitch them.

 

[RJSakowski]

I realize this isn't for everyone but up in the Upper Midwest, we have a regional DIY chain which regularly offers free paint brushes. There is a catch in that free is in terms of a rebate redeemable for merchandise with their store but, hey, I spend a lot more there than I do a J. C. Penney. As it happens, this weeks ad has the free brushes, limit six per household. I have picked up these brushes when offered over the years and they are fairly good quality brushes. I have a running stock of twenty or so. I clean and reuse my brushes as well but if using something particularly nasty, I don't feel bad about tossing the brush.

As you can see, their stores run from Ohio to Wyoming and Ontario to Kentucky.