Harbor Freight tools thread.

The last (and consequently, only) time I ordered from HF, it took weeks for delivery. Someone said they wait till they can fill a truck before shipping.

 

Same with the Bauer led shop lights, their torque wrenches are pretty decent too, tool boxes are skookum AF.

Their chicago machinery power tool line though? flaming garbage. But if you only need an angle grinder like twice in your life, $19 is hard to say no to.

 

Eh? All the cheap power tools have paid for themselves time and again for me. And I'm cheap as fuck when it come to labor and effort.

None have ever failed me. In fact, the only tool that didn't work was their wonky exhaust expander.

 

agreed, it outta say "Fischer Price" on it. seriously. In my experience it may not last the first project.

BUT...i think that's the secret with Harbor Freight. Temper your expectations. Basically I'll stay away from most anything powered. Although I have a Pittsburgh 175 psi pressure washer I paid $80.00 for which, well, it's 175PSI $80.00 pressure washer. I don't expect it to do much, and that's all I bought it for, and it does not much exceedingly well. Spray out the gutters, clean the truck, basement floor mess, no sweat.

Tool boxes are excellent. $9 for a 27MM box end wrench? Score! Need a ball hitch? Tow strap? shit like that? Nothing wrong there. The low pro hi reach Dayton jack is awesome. So pick your poison. If you're gonna clear an acre of trees or need an air nailer for an addition on your house....shop elsewhere.

 

Pretty much my mindset. Like I said, not great tools depending on which you get, but often pay for themselves due to the low price point.

 

Big fan of their wood clamps. Obviously not as nice as Bessey, but most wood work shouldn’t be clamped hard enough to flex the clamp anyways.

 

I've had great success with the air nailers. Built my woodworking shop with them.

 

I have no complaints with their tools for the most parts. Definitely lowered my expectations for them, but at the price point, they pay for themselves after a use or two. But most tools have held up regardless.

 

Here's how I break it down for harbor freight

Hand tools - yes
Tool storage - yes
Corded power tools - no (porter cable, ryobi etc are cheap enough and typically way better)
Anything cordless/rechargable - no
Corded lights - yes
Large shop equipment - no (typically try to find used name brand)
Jack's and stands - yes
Consumables (drill bits, grinder disc's etc) - no. Benchmark abrasives has been awesome for anything that hooks to a grinder, and don't cheap out on drill bits.

Most of the other stuff in the store is going to be rebranded and available under a lot of different names a lot of different places, and will work fine.

 

I had a nearly brand-new HF jackstand lose a tooth holding the back end of a Volkswagen bus while I was under it changing the oil in my early 20's. I got lucky and squeezed out with no injuries. That unforgettable experience taught me to never count on HF for anything critical, especially for safety, so for me Jacks and stands are a sharp no.

That said, I did get a refund for all 4 jack stands and am an active member of their Inside Track Club.

 

just left neighbors, he showed me the electronic calipers he has from HF, mm, inches, etc... NICE

 

Rebranded as Husky, those sell for over $35 at my local HD. Every few months they are under $10 at HF, I have 3 at home at bought 5 for the office. One of the best purchases to be found at HF!

Currently closer to $20

 

I have had a cheap version of one of those for 15yrs. Not a hiccup. But if you like that, be sure to look at one of these: I have rebranded version. It has been stellar. I use it a lot for steel fasteners into AL threads. Never a problem.

 

That has a good range, thanks. Currently searching for coupons for it lol.

 

If it is truly similar to mine, the lower range is actually a lot better. Mine had the same listed range but is actually good down to 6N-m / 4ft-lb. When you get up to 80ft-lb (lug nut) region, it is hard to pull an even, slow torque and still read the display. That is about the only use that I have for my clickers.

 

Most of the big tools are older models of legit designs - the bandsaw I had was a copy of the popular 14" import. The lathe the Jet 1236. The difference being you are the QA tester. I put a Powermatic riser on the saw and it bolted up like it was painted gold. The dust extractor is used in thousands of hobby shops and has been hot rodded as needed.

 

I have a couple of their clickers, they aren't bad considering how cheap they were. Work will have to wait, as their coupon shopping is over-addictive. Here's a couple good ones that are too cheap to go wrong with.

 

That first one, is probably fine if you are clamping lots of things with the same thicknesses.

If you aren't, I highly urge anyone to spend the extra money and buy an automatic version like Kreg has.

 

I hear you!

I'd had one of their clickers for almost 25yrs now. Zero complaints.

I have been wanting those clamps, but I keep forgetting to grab them while there.

 

I have the Kreg poket hole/screw set v5. It is truly awesome, and came with that clamp you described and it's my favorite clamp by far. I'm building a horzontal fence this summer so some of those cheap $5 11" clamps are ideal to hold boards for leveling.