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Started By
Message
re: Harbor Freight
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:23 am to Wtodd
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:23 am to Wtodd
quote:
OK I know most of you guys have bought stuff from HF and I'm "rediscovering"; bought a 15A chop saw recently and it works pretty damn good.
Whatever you do, stay away from their abrasive/cutting wheels for grinders, chop saws, etc. Several people have been injured by them or had them explode apart during use.
The materials they use are crap for their abrasives. While the saw itself is probably fine, don't use the wheel that comes with it. Buy another brand from a reputable manufacturer. I've had some of their grinding wheels come apart on me during use.
As with Harbor Freight they have a lot of crap tools and a lot of good stuff. I'll commend them for increasing the quality over the last few years on their hand tools. The ratchets, combo wrenches, etc were once all made in the cheapest factories in China and India. Lately a lot of their line has shifted to much better plants in Taiwan and its obvious in the quality.
They recently upgraded their power tool line as well and they look to be quite a step above what they used to sell.
I personally don't have any of their Torque wrenches, but several guys over at Garage Journal do and they pretty much all agree they are decent for the price.
1
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:38 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
Mrs. Midnight has 2 of those. (Her tool collection, overall, is better than mine. Of course, she does 10x the projects that I do, so that's fair.)
I couldn't pass it up. I have two older toolboxes, but both have lids so I couldn't toss a drill and a hammer in there to take out of the garage for a project. I keep my drill, impact, level, hammer, socket kit, screwdrivers, a few sets of pliers, and a tape measure in mine, with room to spare. I'm thinking about buying another just to keep in the Jeep and put any auto tools in it along with a tow strap and my jumper cables.
As far as projects, mine got into making things to sell in a little booth space she rented about this time last year. I did a ton of woodwork for her to end up painting. She's still scared of the table saw, but will work the chop saw now. Mainly picture frames and boxes, but those are easy to make quickly. Once I switched to torx screws and an impact driver, and a finish nailer, I could blow through some wood projects.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:57 am to Wtodd
quote:
I usually go a little bigger for the "just in case" scenario....wasn't thinking this big BUT
It isn't overly cumbersome, though. Comes with the cheap, shitty, kid's wagon wheels and handle. 2 baws can easily lift it into a truck bed, although I would secure it pretty well in that case.
It's comparable to $400 to $500 compressors from name brands - that you'll occasionally see on sale for $350. Heck, for $400 to $500 you can get twice the compressor at HF.
I do like the IR for name brand stuff, but I don't think Craftsman, for example, Chinese made compressors are any better than the HF.
This post was edited on 12/15/17 at 11:58 am
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:58 am to TU Rob
A friend of mine says their ammo boxes are a pretty solid deal too.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:59 am to BayouBengal51
quote:
I personally don't have any of their Torque wrenches, but several guys over at Garage Journal do and they pretty much all agree they are decent for the price.
I have the 3/8" and 1/2" click style - I think I'm out $40 to $45 for the pair (coupon for one was like $20) - I mean, that's still less than a single comparable one from Lowe's or HD. If I'm really worried about torque, I'm getting a better wrench.
This post was edited on 12/15/17 at 12:08 pm
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:07 pm to Ace Midnight
I get the overall point and I'm not trying to torque stuff to OEM specs to within .0000001 but I'd like to closer than "yeah that feels right" 
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:09 pm to Wtodd
quote:
I get the overall point and I'm not trying to torque stuff to OEM specs to within .0000001 but I'd like to closer than "yeah that feels right"
I figure, new, the 3/8" is maybe a pound, pound and half either way and the 1/2" is maybe 2 to 3. That's close enough for government work. Now, torque 50 things and not store it correctly? A couple years down the line it might be 10 to 20 pounds either way.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:11 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
A couple years down the line it might be 10 to 20 pounds either way.
So I should stop before the bolt breaks???
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:12 pm to Wtodd
Don't buy anything from there that is a support structure. I bought a metal cart table from there that had a supposed 350 pound weight capacity to put a 200 pound industrial margarita machine on. The second I put it on there the whole thing buckled and broke. I was able to get a refund but never again
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:18 pm to nvcowboyfan
quote:
Birmingham
quote:
UK
Okay. I'll allow it.
quote:
200 pound industrial margarita machine on.
You limeys are lush as frick, baw.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:27 pm to Ace Midnight
I have a good German torque wrench
Posted on 12/15/17 at 12:33 pm to Ace Midnight
Bar clamps up to 24" after that they bend to much.
The yellow levels are nice
4 1/2" Angle grinders
The cut off wheels are junk, they wear down very fast
Floor jacks are really good, The tire shop by house uses them, he said they last just as long as anything you can get from NAPA
Air Impacts are decent
Impact sockets are good
Pocket Hole Jig is good
I buy a lot of drill bits there because I seem to break even the expensive ones drilling into hardwoods or metal
Dust collector is supposed to be excellent but I dont have one
Brad Nailers but not the HF brads, they suck
Framing Nailers, never used the HF nails in it so I dont know if they worth a shite
Stapler/Brad Nailer works great, even with the HF staples
Paint sprayers are supposed to be good
The yellow levels are nice
4 1/2" Angle grinders
The cut off wheels are junk, they wear down very fast
Floor jacks are really good, The tire shop by house uses them, he said they last just as long as anything you can get from NAPA
Air Impacts are decent
Impact sockets are good
Pocket Hole Jig is good
I buy a lot of drill bits there because I seem to break even the expensive ones drilling into hardwoods or metal
Dust collector is supposed to be excellent but I dont have one
Brad Nailers but not the HF brads, they suck
Framing Nailers, never used the HF nails in it so I dont know if they worth a shite
Stapler/Brad Nailer works great, even with the HF staples
Paint sprayers are supposed to be good
Posted on 12/15/17 at 2:51 pm to Wtodd
i look at them as a cheap but decent line of tools on par with the old black and decker stuff. the Pittsburgh brand hand tools seem to be decent quality like any other low priced hand tools.
nothing there is high quality but its decent occasional project tools but i wouldnt buy them to use as daily work tools for a tradesman.
so i would buy them before the walmart stuff, but.... when it comes to the point of critical strength such as jack stands, lifts, and jacks, they are very cheap construction and i look elsewhere for better quality.
nothing there is high quality but its decent occasional project tools but i wouldnt buy them to use as daily work tools for a tradesman.
so i would buy them before the walmart stuff, but.... when it comes to the point of critical strength such as jack stands, lifts, and jacks, they are very cheap construction and i look elsewhere for better quality.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 2:58 pm to Chris4x4gill2
quote:
Some of it is junk, but you just have to weigh the job you at using it for and the potential for damage against the cost should you get a bad one.
This.
I bought a mouse sander for like $13 and i've gotten 4 years of heavy use out of it. I'd say thats a win. I like thier long metal bar clamps as well. They are like 1/4 of the price you would pay at lowes.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 3:07 pm to TU Rob
quote:
I am interested in buying one of their little fold up trailers
Yeah, quoting myself here. I did a little research, this thread inspired me. Couldn't find the trailers on their website at all. Went over to google and there has been some sort of recall on them for their tires. So they're not selling them at the moment.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 8:04 pm to TU Rob
My dad basically has an entire store full of their "free" stuff. So many dang blue lights, magnetic strips, orange handle pick sets, tape measures, and on and on. The free stuff you have have to buy something now. Few years ago it wasn't that way. He learned if you brought one coupon in, they'd take it. Bring a sheet of them and they didn't mark thru the bar code like they do now. He'd go sit in the truck for a minute, go back in and get something again.
He's retired and wasn't doing much at the time.
He's retired and wasn't doing much at the time.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 9:12 pm to Wtodd
The air impact that is red in color and is usually on sale for $85.00 works well, and seems to hold up. I use it mostly on lug nuts and removing the nuts on lawn mower blades. A friend of mine buys them for his tire store, he says they last about as long as Snap On or anything else he has tried.
Posted on 12/15/17 at 11:42 pm to Wtodd
quote:
Smaller compressor (size TBD)
Wireless surveillance cameras or complete system
Solar motion detector (not a big fan of solar lights but would provide 'some' deterrence)
105 piece tool kit for the truck (just added this bc of a suggestion on this thread )
Bar pole saw (probably corded since I won't use it a ton and I won't have to worry about the fuel getting stale)
Compressors are good.
You can find better cameras on Amazon for same price / cheaper.
Solar motion light again check Amazon, you can find deals for cheaper alot of the time.
The 105 pc kit is decent for what it is and is intended for.
I have no experience with the pole saw.
Cable is dirt cheap there. Eyelets for the ends are average price but decent quality.
Posted on 12/16/17 at 12:06 am to Wtodd
Mu hf torque wrenches have been great. Over 12 years old now
Posted on 12/16/17 at 6:16 am to Wtodd
Not sure about HF torque wrenches and it appears they are okay.
If I have a concern regarding the accuracy of a tool or its durability under professional use, I won't buy it.
HF has been advertising new tool lines and they are probably trying to capture the lucrative home owner market.
Casual use HF power tools are fine and the cost savings are in the quality of switches, bushings, bearings, cord lengths, machining, etc.
If I have a concern regarding the accuracy of a tool or its durability under professional use, I won't buy it.
HF has been advertising new tool lines and they are probably trying to capture the lucrative home owner market.
Casual use HF power tools are fine and the cost savings are in the quality of switches, bushings, bearings, cord lengths, machining, etc.
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