Harbor Freight tools thread.

It’s kinda wishy washy but looks like they’re bringing manufacturing back to the US, when possible

WILL CRAFTSMAN BE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES?
CRAFTSMAN will be manufacturing products domestically whenever possible. Currently there are over 20 CRAFTSMAN manufacturing locations in the US, across a wide range of categories, and more are in the works!

https://www.craftsman.com/customer-care/frequently-asked-questions

 

"Fell"
Here's the sale location:

 

I'd report that to the police. I hate thieves

 

There's a guy I work w/that buys pallets of tools from some big company that gets all the rejects from Home Depot. Some are used but most are new/like new. They're all returns that for some reason, get rejected by the manufacturer(s). A ton of it is Ryobi but there's also DeWalt, Milwaukee, whatever.

 

I scroll Craigslist, th, and offer up. I see a lot of husky and craftsman stuff that looks like returns/stolen goods.

I was at home depot about 6 months ago and saw a shady couple acting nervous in the tool aisle. I got what I needed and left. Hit up a pawn shop on the corner and guess who was walking in with brand new Milwaukee power tools. I called the store and gave them a description of the two.

 

I have a friend that runs an E-scrap business that buys stuff like that at metal auctions. Called me over one day to show a new purchase and it was a dozen or so Gaylord’s filled with craftsman tools. All were damaged. I picked through the top layers of each and found a few things that I didn’t already have and swapped them at the stores within the next few months.

I can’t imagine what kind of patience and end profit you’d be looking at if you tried to exchange every item in those boxes for new to resell. I’d imagine after the 2,500th exchange someone might catch on, then again.

 

My dad managed a pawn shop, they used to purchase tons of pallets of walmart returns. Some good stuff came out of them. I got a few cast iron skillets out of one

 

Envious of the cast iron stuff. Now that we’ve fallen in love with induction cook tops our cast iron has moved inside of the house and out of the camper.

 

Speaking of stolen tools...

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article228826284.html

 

Must not have anything in there already taking up space. But then again I’ve seen footage of a lady stuffing a slab of beer between her knees under a huge skirt so...

 

That building has a sign on the side that says: "Pet Grooming". I believe the building behind that one is where you should be looking.

 

Yeah there's also this one. Which is insane.

https://abc7news.com/exclusive-brazen-construction-theft-caught-on-camera-in-hayward/5273354/

Not to mention the ones that get stolen from firefighters/PG&E crews during emergency situations which is so so wrong.

But to get back on point, we might be jumping to conclusions on the harbor freight tool craigslist sale or we might not. Local PD can probably run serial numbers if they're not too busy. I highly doubt that they'd have the budget to do that in most of California though. Everyone at the Flea Market here would get arrested that's for sure.

 

The businesses listed at that address (which came from the CL ad for the tools) are "Puppy Paradise" and "I'm in Doggy Heaven"

 

Never met a dog groomer that didn’t have a handful of side hustles.

 

Read the craigslist ad again. It says "we are located right behind the pet groomers shop...". If you go on Google Earth, you can see what looks like a small warehouse behind the pet groomers.

 

Ah shit. Missed that part. I did see the warehouse in the street view, but was just going by the address.

 

Milwaukee giveaway

 

No worries. The whole thing does seem a little fishy still though.

 

Rule #13: If they offer to show you the discounted axes around back....... RUN

 

Nothing I love more than buying tools... has been an expensive several days.. I bought a house ( that I have been living in for years) about a year ago, and my roommate moved out recently and I now have 3 1/2 car garage too myself finally. Kind of went on a binge with bigger purchases recently, and they will all get used regularly. First was the big 72" toolbox last week, have been eyeing this thing like a kid looking at his favorite guitar in a pawn shop waiting for the right time. That same trip I ended up finding the omnipro 220 in the open box aisle so that came home too, as well as a metal chop saw... today I went in to buy the bauer da polisher, and it so happened that the titanium 125 welder was on sale for $150, and I really wanted a smaller welder to move around for certain tasks. Good times!