OK: How About a POSITIVE HARBOR FREIGHT Thread???

I have several of their 4.5" Paddle Switch angle grinders. I also have a Makita brand grinder and I think after some quick maintenance, the HF grinders are just as smooth.



Before doing anything, I remove the 4 screws holding the output shaft pinion and put some good quality grease in there. Then assemble and use. I have one with paddle wheel, one with rigid wheel and another for whatever I might need. Saves a bunch of time and frustration. This model of Grinder actually has a rubberized coating and is ergro to fit your hand.

 

On a positive note SWAG manufacturing makes various products for fabrication that tune up Harbor Freight tools. I've used their dies and extention wings for the tube roller with very good results. I just purchased their press brake for the 20 ton harbor freight hydraulic press. The concept and quality look great. I'll know when I finally asssemble them.

 

How about a positive thread about buying American when we can?

 

I make my living micro machining parts and fine assembly of prototypes. I have bought expensive pliers and found that the HF pliers work just as well for a fraction of the cost. Power tools with a cord have all worked well for me. The air impact that I bought for $10 was junk but they refunded my cash. Gloves, brushes, diamond cutting tools are good but stay away from the abrasive belts. Adjustable wrenches work well.

Patriotic people say buy american but face it, those days are over. I remember the days when you would have to wait 6 months to buy a Bridgeport mill, they asians started copying them and you could get one the next day for a third of the price. I guess we just screwed it up.

 

Hmmmm, so you guys actually think that is "beef" jerky? What kind of a cow has whiskers again? The Norwegian brown miniature.

 

Got an air body saw with a coupon for $10. Works great, son stole it, had to buy another one for my toolbox.

 

You want positive. I'm positive I wont buy from Harbor Freight. Been there done that got the tshirt that didnt hold up. HA!!

 

I pick and choose, but HF has been great for disposables.

I had a makita 4 1/2" grinder that died - brushes wore out. Called my local dealer, waited a couple of days...only to find out they couldn't get the right brushes. Went to HF, bought a $10 grinder - it came with an extra set of brushes IDENTICAL to the Makita. Still use the cheap grinder for running a cup brush, no issues just not a smooth runner.

 

I've got 2 plannish hammers,bead roller,4 foot pan/box brake,and a beaverly type shear,12 ton press.I have no complaints,and I beat and abuse all my tools.If I had 1 complaint is that I should have never bought the 400.00 Kett electric shear,cause my buddies HF 29.99 copy cuts way better and I paid more than that just to replace my blades!

 

Yes, I have one of those, the 110 volt model. It works fine. I have used it on steel up to 16 gage.

 

In Canada we dont have H/F but we do have a Princess Auto, a similar type store with similar type products.... Yea, the china made stuff is cheap...so the rule of thumb for me and work is.... If its a once every blue moon use tool...Princess tools (powerfist) is ok, if it is a everyday use tool..i look for a quality made tool.

I must say though, it is easier to replace or refund the cheap ass tool than the ones i have paid through the nose for at the quality made stores.... And the B.S about having to keep your receipts for the life time warranty tools.....wtf... it has your stamp on them. Just another way the good old boys are driving people to H/F and Princess stores.

 

I have a 10(?) gallon parts washer from them. It's about 17 yrs old. I constantly am running the motor/pump with the thing low on solvent, allowing the pump to suck air, which I'm sure isn't good for it. I've also forgot it running....low on solvent overnight a few times. It's still ticking. I also punished one of their tranny jacks for many yrs until I fucked it up

 

Most every thing we see today is made off shore ,including dewalt milwaakee snapon and down the line so that bull wucky, those little panel clamps are the stuff,there abracives oh well but look at the price of the good stuff 10 time or more speakin of those clamps eastwood sells em for abot 6 times the price and there the same ones!!! and check you repro retro stuff you would be surprised how much unmarked stuff goes through those rags

 

I'm "positive" that this is a very informative thread!

I visited my first HF retail store about a month ago, it's a couple of hours away from me but I wish it was closer. I had one of their HVLP spray guns in my hand, but set it back down because I wasn't sure it would be much good. Thanks to the posts in this thread, I think the HF gun would be just fine for my needs. When I get back there I'll likely pick one up... along with one of those cheap 4-1/2" angle grinders.....

Thanks for the input, guys!!

 

I use the HF jack stands & the furniture dollies make great motor & transmission stands. I've bought tools i thought i'd only use once and have had pretty good luck. I hate going in there though, the last time a woman said to her husband/boyfriend/ pimp? "This place smells like anal lube" I laughed out loud a little and she wasn't embarrassed. I think they were looking for a lock pick set.

 

My reply was for the question J.C. Sparks asked about the 110 volt hand held spot welder.

 

Hey terr, ya coming to the banquet I can get ya one

 

I have bought the following products:
jack stands-$15.00
plastic tarp $3.00
nuts, bolts, and screws storage bins-only $5.00 on special!
breaker bar $9.00
I have bought zip ties once, but I got a bad batch. Perhaps I'll try again as I see you have them on your list.

 

Careful there, there might be a police officer on here needing to fill his ticket quota. LOL

 

Other things I've had good luck with from HF:

Die grinders - for less than $10, I can load several with various bits and not change out all the time. They typically last several years and I never oil them

Pneumatic air cutter for running cut off wheels - have a couple, same as above

Pneumatic Metal saw - the blades sort of suck that come with it, but I've used them extensively for cutting openings on sheetrock when remodeling my victorian home and completing the upstairs of this house. Usually $10

Pneumatic Grease gun - beats pumping

Pneumatic nibbler - again, great cheap tool

Pneumatic Shear - Not the greatest ever, but great for cutting out patch panels

Electric winch - mobile, attaches to hitch ball or chain the bracket to the front of the trailer. I've actually pulled a '57 Plymouth SIDEWAYS about 15' or so with one. We've had it for probably 10 years and was @ $50

Pneumatic board sander - held up for years. I have a high dollar one now, but for under $20, and still going, it can't be beat

Floor Drill Press - it's not the quality of the Clausing in my father's shop, but it's as good as you can get from HD, Lowes, etc. Does what I need to it to do, runs true.

Spray guns - I'll never lay finish paint with a HF gun (I'll leave that to my SATA), but they are great disposable guns for primers, etc. I always keep one around for spraying crap through, and in a pinch could probably get good results.

Cheap tarps - always need cheap tarps for swap meets, covering that vehicle that won't fit in the garage, etc.

HF is also a good source for zip ties, cutoff wheels, etc as others have said. Again, not always the best quality but helps when on a budget.

Lastly - HF is HQ'd in California. At least the profits are staying stateside. The truth is, a lot of corporations that get supported send the profits overseas.

When most of us are on a budget, HF can get us through. If I find I use a tool often - or can't afford to buy it twice - then I'll step up and buy good quality. If it's something that I need for a specific application and may never use it again HF is where I tend to start.

 

My grandpa's was an old time farmer who had a saying that applied to everything from $0.99 screwdrivers to $100K combines, "Borrow tools you need once in a lifetime. Buy tools if they pay for themselves on the second use. You will likely find a use for them a 3rd time." I have not been able to disqualify this advice and it seems to work especially well at HF. He also said, "If you can't find your tools, you might as well not have them." Everything had it's place.

Cleaver

 

nuts, bolts, washer, o ring sets etc.. and .99 cent kitchen shears for the mrs

 

flap wheels
hose crimping pliers
zip ties

and their bathrooms have a fresh, lemony smell.

 

We dont have HF down here but ive seen their stuff and its sold here through different vendors. Im a fitter and turner by trade and use mainly SK, Facom and snapon etc. I have however noticed in recent years that alot of the high end tools are still chinese made. Snapon punches = $150. Exact unnamed punches = $30.

 

I am in Canada, so its Princess Auto. I dont buy mics, bore gauges or wrenches, rachets or sockets from them, unless I need a wrench to hack and weld on.Other than that, I take a look at it, if it looks and feels ok, I will probably buy it. Sitting on my ass, fantasizing about building show cars with all the snap-on tools I cant afford is fun, but not overly productive.

 

Been using their stuff for a lot of years. Got wrenches, sockets,screwdrivers (nobody seems to make good ones anymore!), hydralic stuff, some air tools, angle grinders, jack stands, even a plasma cutter (a heavy duty, 3 phase 220V one) that works great.
Now I need a new media recovery system for my blasting cabinet, anybody used the HF one?
Dave

 

I'm outta state and needed some cheap tools to do a little junkyarding and carb rebuilding and whatnot. I got a set of 8 screwdrivers with nuts on the shaft for getting a wrench on , and also to hammer with them. They were kinda expensive, maybe $15 or so dollars. They're a lot better than using a vice grip on a snapon to twist out a stuck bolt!

I've got a ton of vicegrips at home, but needed one here. For $3 this largish chicom has worked fine.

I bought a set of polished Pittsburgh wrenches that I haven't used hard but seem fine and certainly feel better than the craftsman raised panel wrenches.

Then I saw what looks like a pretty decent Husky? set at wal mart for $40 on sale that looks way better than this stuff and the china socket set I bought at an autoparts store.

I should go pick it up, they're in different colors so perfect for junkyard tools and harder to lose!

 

all depends what you are buying and how often you will be using it.........some things are OK

 

Well, I'm still using my bead roller I got on sale for $99 a few years back. I did take everyone's advice and beef it up before I tried to use it. I'm happy with it.

 

The one near me allways has a few good lookin chicks working there.