Harbor Freight tools thread.

Does anybody have the 3 in 1 framing nailer they sell? I'm building a shed soon and I'll probably be buying one.

 

Please tell me you have a better source than Home Depot for 3/4 tube? They are way overpriced.

 

I'm sure I will. I just needed a single piece to practise on and was there anyway. I have several metal supply places locally I will check when buying more than $5 worth.

 

Whew, I kinda figured that was the case but was just checking.

 

Fack it, I just picked this one up.

 

I like it when the Harbor Freight tool truck comes by my work...

 

Just put it to the test. Impressed so far with 2.5in nails.

 

Sorry Rakso. I'd recommend anyone looking for framing nailer to look at BigSkyTool. I built my barn with this one, and just a few more $ than HF. Drove 3 1/2" ring shanks flush, most of the time. It was in Amish wood, not big box stuff. Also survived a few drops...

https://bigskytool.com/hitachi-nr90...ted-framing-nailer-grade-c-reconditioned.html

 

I spent $60 on mine. %25 off

 

Anyone using their 3 ton floor jack I'm needing a new one but don't use one that ofen so I don't want to spend a lot of money on one.

 

I have the 3 ton and 2 1/2 and love them both. The 3 is mounted on my truck and sees lots of use and abuse.

 

Tacomaworld gives a thumbs up to their jacks. Can't go wrong.

 

Sounds good I'm planning on buying one next time I get a chance to go to by a HF. I'll post something after I use it

 

I have the 3 ton rapid pump and it's been great. No complaints.

 

I need a 3 ton jack to lift my for my trailer

 

another user of the 3 ton rapid pump jack. Worked just fine for my silverado and tacoma

 

I bought the 1.5 ton rapid pump aluminum jack last weekend for the sale price $59.99. Well worth it, works better than expected. I just use a 4x4 piece of wood for added height of the truck and then let the truck rest on jack stands. The size, weight, price and mobility of the 1.5 ton was right in my wheelhouse.

 

I used their impact sockets daily for almost 4 years as a semi trailer mechanic/fabricator. They are wearing out but none of broken. Also really like their jacks, including the rapid pump steel jack with foot pedal, which picks up my vw, with the foot pedal alone. Their breaker bar is not great, but is perfect to leave in the truck for a roadside tire change or other repair.

Their dead blow on the other hand, along with anything electric has done nothing but let me down. Their ratchets, wobbles, and most wrenches are also a disapointment. Their line wrenches are atrocious, and DO NOT BUY THEM. They fit loose, so even though they're line wrenches, you are inclined to strip the fitting you are working on.

 

I had posted this in response to a "using a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts" thread in the Florida B.S. section--though it might be of interest to others:
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Impact wrenches can be used on lug nuts/bolts, but with one big BUT--you have to use a torque limiting device like--a torque wrench with a calibrated torque clutch that can be preset as needed ($$$$); or torque sticks, a much lower cost solution. :



The set includes 10 sticks calibrated to 65, 75, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 lb·ft. I have had this set for over 5 years and use them frequently on otherwise difficult things to torque (like the variator and clutch bell on my scooters), or when consistent repeatable torque is required (like lug nuts).

torquing the clutch assembly on my Burgman 400 (here using the 65 lb·ft stick:


Used properly and not abused (i.e. not used as your everyday general purpose "go to" 8" extension) they are very accurate to within ±5% of their rating, same as most "clicker" type torque wrenches, but just as importantly the torque they transmit is very consistent (repeatable)--great for lug nuts.

How they work:

A torque stick is a resonant torsional spring; when the design torque level is reached they get "in sync" with the impact hammer blows, bouncing/twisting back before the next hammer blow hits.

The best analogy, one that I'm sure many have experienced, is trying to hammer a good sized nail into an unsupported end of a long board. You reach a point where it doesn't matter how hard you hit the nail, or how big a hammer you use, that little suck'a just isn't going in any further. The board is behaving as a resonant cantilever mounted spring, absorbing the hammer blows as fast as you supply them.

How to use properly:

• Use an impact wrench capable of 150% to 300% of the stick's rating;
  
  
• Do not use an impact wrench with some crazy high multiple of the stick's rating;
  (i.e. some ThunderBolt, low-yield atomic powered Grabthar's Hammer 50,000 lb·ft rated 2-1/2" drive with reduction couplings}
  
  
  
  
• Use a sturdy 6-point socket, impact rated if you got 'em (impact rated a must for higher torques (100+ lb·ft);
  
  
• Do not use any added extensions (extensions are all "torque sticks", they are just not calibrated);
  
  
• Support the weight of the impact wrench so that the socket and fastener are not "cocked",
  and to keep the tools weight off any bearings¹.
  
  
• Watch the fastener when tightening, stop impacting when the fastener (socket) stops turning,
  do not continue to hammer away--while the stick will absorb excess torque repetitive blows
  will result in the applied torque creeping upward;

Use them wisely and they are a quick and easy alternative to torque wrenches for things like lug nuts and other special situations.

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¹ - Never use an impact wrench on any shaft supported by anti-friction bearings, especially ball-bearings, without fully supporting the tool so that it's weight is not passed to the bearings, not doing this can create small detents in the bearing's races that will eventually cause the bearing to fail.

 

those sticks look interesting, I have to fire up my 1in elec impact to make sure it works still