An Apology to Harbor Freight

[ken gibbs]

I own an old used Central Machinery 14" X 40" wood lathe and needed to order a base for the tail end assembly and a base for the tool rest. My neighbor suggested that I try Harbor Freight to see if they stock parts for old lathes. Harbor Freight had the owner's manual on-line and had just about everything I need to be back in business with this lathe. The pricing and shipping costs were minimal. I will follow up within ten days to let you know if the quality, accurcy, and customer services are acceptable. This lathe is over thirty years old and I hope my plan comes together. I have always been scared to do business with Harbor Freight but I may have been wrong all of these years.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I have used HF for close to 20 years I would guess, you just have to know what it is you are buying from them. Is it the highest quality, no way. But some of their tools/items are very serviceable and will get the job done at a good savings. I have a bench top drill press I bought from them 15 years ago, I had a machinist friend turn me a longer pipe to get more height out of it, but it has never failed me, used it 3-4 times yesterday in fact. On the flip side, some of the stuff they sell is total junk, you just have to understand up front what it is you are buying from them, and the limitations they have on the things they sell.

[Michael James]

There is a HF less than 2 miles from my house. My wife hates them:cool:
I would echo what Tim says about knowing what you're looking for. Hand drills, air tools, grinders, etc are cheap and for the most part handle my occasional abuse.
My problem with their lathes is speed. I did buy the little cast iron mini one aobut a yr ago and it was certainly adequate to make pens, but the slowest speed is 500
Save your receipts and use the tool immediately to make sure it works - I've returned them no hassle other than the paperwork to prove it happened.
I've saved a ton of pesos on there misc hand tools - wheel pullers, tap and die, ect that I need for a 1 off job and then have on hand down the road.