Rate your Harbor Freight Tool Experiences!

[P B G]

Originally Posted by WacoDirtryder

Every thing they sell is junk.

Relatively yes.

Their screwdrivers arent Wiha, Their tool-chests aren't waterloo. Heatguns aren't master.

But your comment is worthless. Many of their items are good enough to be worth the low price.

I would argue that if not for low price tools there are many people out there who wouldn't have tools at all.

[Warney]

I seriously pondered the HF US General 4-drawer Service Cart @ $99 but opted for the heavier built Harbor Freight US General 5-drawer Service Cart (available @ $159), coupon in latest Motor Trend magazine. That is an excellent tool cart, better than anything priced within several hunderd dollars of it.
HF Driveway Alarm, bought it on sale, works ok. Appears you could use multiple sensors if they are on the same frequency. Still experimenting with it but so far so good.
My HF rule is never buy anything without a coupon. Pick up the free Centech VOM or whatever other freebie they are offering while you are there. Slickdeals always has coupons available for printing.

[barko1]

Originally Posted by P B G

But your comment is worthless.

Tool chest does a great job for me, hydraulic bike lift is great, heat gun is used a lot, plenty of their stuff is just fine. I stay away from the more complicated or electronic and you do have to watch their constantly changing prices.

[P B G]

Originally Posted by barko1

. I stay away from the more complicated or electronic and you do have to watch their constantly changing prices.

Even then, I have some ok luck with their electrical stuff, I have a cordless vibrating tool I use a few times a week.

[Dusty_Bottoms]

Originally Posted by P B G

Even then, I have some ok luck with their electrical stuff, I have a cordless vibrating tool I use a few times a week.

When you can get it away from your wife right?

[barko1]

Originally Posted by P B G

Even then, I have some ok luck with their electrical stuff, I have a cordless vibrating tool I use a few times a week.

Don't think I'll be wanting to borrow it

[frog]

Originally Posted by WacoDirtryder

Every thing they sell is junk.

I've had a 3 inch cut off air tool for 8 years. Paid $8. And six of that 8 I was a diesel tech using very often. But your right everything they sell is junk. Btw I still have it and use it. Works great.


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[P B G]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Bottoms

When you can get it away from your wife right?

My gf would not even catch the inuendo. but Bravo.

[JSharp]

A few things that others have mentioned that I've had good luck with -

The 20 ton press. A few shims and it's been great. Mine has become part of the neighborhood tool collective since no one else seems to have a press. It's not a Dake but it was under $150 on sale with a coupon.

The auto darkening welding helmet. No complaints.

The orange dead blow hammers are fine.

The $5 battery minders. I have 3 of them. The voltage is accurate enough to keep small batteries up in cold weather and I haven't had one fail yet. I didn't take any of them apart but I assumed they were just a simple 3 terminal regulator circuit.

The step drills. They're great for thin sheet or wood or plastic. I wouldn't try them on real steel.

The 6" digital calipers. I have good Mitutoyo calipers both here and at work. But I bought a set of the HF cheapies to leave in the garage and a few sets more for people at work so they'll stop borrowing my good Mit's.

Now some things I haven't seen mentioned -

3/4" socket set.

I have the older one in the red metal case. It's been fine for working on my old tractor.

2 ton shop crane.

We've pulled multiple engines with this and I use it all the time to pick up the front of my mower to remove the deck.

4" angle grinder.

Under $20 on sale with a coupon. If you have a large enough compressor to run it you'll throw your 4" electric grinder away.

3" cutoff tool

It beats dragging a torch out for small stuff.

Split leather work gloves.

These go on sale for about $2 a pair. Hard to find any leather gloves that cheap and they hold up ok.

1/2 a success for their $30 swingarm stand

I got one of these for under $20 on sale with a coupon to modify so I'd have a fork stand. The bends are cooked as hell and the adjustments are so sloppy it's embarrassing. But I cut a couple of inches off of it and made some pin adapters to replace the swingarm pads and it works fine on my Ninja forks. A friend of my kid's uses one unmodified on his Busa.

I'm sure there are more if I think about it.

Now for some failures -

Ever have a c-clamp snap in 1/2 with just hand pressure used to tighten it?
How can you make an air chuck for tire valves that can't fill tires but still leaks?
How about a rafter square that isn't square?

[Alton]

PASS on the hose reel:


It isn't 100% perfect, but for the price it works SO much better than my brother's $50 retractable reel from HD.

[barko1]

Originally Posted by Alton

PASS on the hose reel:


It isn't 100% perfect, but for the price it works SO much better than my brother's $50 retractable reel from HD.

By saying pass I thought you meant skip it. I bought one on sale not long ago and is has been fine. Better than just floppin the hose around, well that's not so bad ut I like the reel.

[Alton]

Originally Posted by barko1

By saying pass I thought you meant skip it. I bought one on sale not long ago and is has been fine. Better than just floppin the hose around, well that's not so bad ut I like the reel.

I went through the first page and thought we were doing PASS/FAIL.

[wcohl]

I've had mixed results.

The bad
Their $3 electrical multi meter failked 2 times, was replaced twice and then refunded my money. Bought a Radio Shack meter.

I've split several impact sockets 19mm and smaller, the big ones are holding up. I replaced the broken ones with individaul Craftsman brand sockets.

Cut-off wheel with plastic housing had so much interanl drag, I had to sping the wheel by hand to get is started. The one with a metal housing works fine.

Metric wrench set bought to carry in my car. One of the wrenchs was not metric. IRC, the 17mm was labeled 5/8 or the closest SAE equivalent. Work OKs in an emergency.

The good
Jack stands work well
$20 pneumatic stapler for T50 staples works great. Mucj better than the name brand electric staplers I bought at Lowes
Metal housed cut-off wheel works great.
Torx head sockets work great
ATV lift stand works great
Free LED flashlights work great, normall cost $3 or less without coupon.
Internal ID/pilot bearing puller works great

YMMV

[2Stamp]

I broke my Torque wrench from them last week tightening up a 74lb nut. Surprised me.

[MrPulldown]

Just returned an item at Hf. I never return stuff there.

The self priming siphon hose. It is a copy of a super siphon. The thing jsut does not work. If it was a couple of bucks I would have kept it, but it was 8. Might hvae been becuase the hose had some kinks in it. But It would not start I spihon. Tired several times, with the sorce fluid as high as the hose would allow me to go.

I even stuck a stick in the hose in order to straighten it out, and left it for several days. It jsut won't flow.

Just bought a real super siphon. Let's see if it does better.