Opinion On Harbor Freight Tools

[John McClanahan]

Here's one opinion on Harbor freight Tools. Some of you can relate. You know who you are. :cool::D

//jalopnik.com/5959822/i-love-you-harbor-freight-but-you-smell-like-plastic-hell

[Kevin Presutti]

That's funny. I have to agree on most points, I use magnetic nutdrivers frequently and the HF ones seem to last for what I use them for, the 3/8 impact sockets I have more than adequate. Tools such as those fit the bill for me because people at work always need to borrow something and if they lose it or never bring it back I'm usually out just a few bucks. On the other hand if they offer to pay for the replacement they are happy with the price. I have only purchased a couple of electric power tools and I can honestly say that the only one I would even recommend would be the 5" ROS, dust collection sucks but I can't kill it, it seems tough enough that I picked another one up for $20 on sale and it's still in the box and that was over a year ago. I don't believe I would buy any other thing electric I prefer brand name stuff when it comes to power tools.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have their 2 HP dust collector that is really good also their spindle sander works like it should. One other thing that I really like is the folding utility knife had it now for 6 years and use it every day.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Their 1000 pound capacity furniture dollies... I buy a bunch at $8/ea and repurpose the casters to my shop stuff. Logging/tow chains, rated at 5400 lbs for $13, I use for small stuff. Mechanic gloves at $3, lasts a few of months. Auxillary car heater for $10, for my son's really old car; saved his bacon one winter when his windshield defroster went on the fritz, got him home and later to a service center.

Don't really buy stuff that I use heavily, but it has its place.

As an aside, does anyone else think their prices have gone up considerably since the son took complete control? I can get most stuff as cheap or cheaper at my local Menards or Farm and Fleet.

[David Weaver]

Aside from some of the tools being underpowered and the fit and finish offensive, I have to admit that I haven't yet gotten anything from HF that broke. I don't buy tons of stuff there, but I might have a dozen various things.

Well, that and everything stinks when you get it.

[John Pratt]

That rant is spot on. How often do I need to use that 2 1/2" wrench I bought at HF for $16.99? Well, I needed it that one time and if it breaks the next time I use it, so what. I got my money out of it. For things I need to use every day, I look elsewhere and spend the money for quality.

[Mike Cutler]

Some of the stuff is a little, uhmm,,,,, junky, but for the DIY'r on his back, under the car, in the garage, some things fit the bill nicely. The $10.00 brake caliper tool is worth the 10 bucks. I can tell you that.
I have one of their hydraulic lift carts. It did what I wanted it to do, lift a 300# oven, and a 200# freezer up so I could slide them into place. I think the money spent was worth the savings to my back. I've used that cart for projects also. It's nice to change the height of wood working project with the pump of a foot lever, or squeeze of a handle.
It's just a store.

[Erik Loza]

There's a HF right up the street from my house and I actually have bought quite a few tools there. My wife ordered a new steel mailbox and wanted it mounted on the wall next to our front door. Our house has stone exterior walls and I needed a small hammer-drill for the job. Probably only ever use it once or twice and then it will just sit in the tool chest. My options were $30 from HF or $100+ from Sears, et al. Bought the HF one. Yes, it is cheap and has plastic knobs and levers that would probably break if I were a general contractor but for my use level, it made more sense. Their tools have their place.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Peter Kelly]

http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/08/buyer-beware-a-harbor-freight-buying-guide-the-good-enough-the-bad-and-the-abysmal

[Stephen Tashiro]

I am a frequent customer of Harbor Freight. Some thoughts:

1. Casters: I buy a lot of casters at Harbor Freight, mostly the light duty kind. The quality control is poor. You must be selective. Test each one individually. Spin the wheels and see if they wobble. See if they bind when you try to pivot them. They don't restock casters quickly. Don't count on finding a given type there in a given month. Keep your receipt. I've never had a problem returning a defective caster. Given these cautions, their selection of casters is one of the best in town.

2. Clamps: On those with the red plastic pads, the pads tend to fall off. I glue them on with Goop brand "Household" glue and they stay. They've started to stock a new type with a dark colored, smaller pad. I haven't tried those.

3. Corded and Cordless Vibrating Multi-tools. They always stock the blades for them. The blades also fit the Rigid mult-tool head which attaches to my Ryobi multi-tool body. Their blades aren't particularly cheap. They don't stock the battery for the cordless tool. (The shelf has a tag for it, but there is never any product there. Perhaps I could order it online, but the store says it can't order it.)

4. Corded impact driver: Most of the time, I use my DeWalt cordless impact driver when I need a impact driver. However, it's handy to have the Harbor Freight corded driver as a backup because it is slightly more powerful - and, of course, not dependent on a battery. It saves hooking up the air compressor to use the air impact tools.

5.Tarps: Their tarps last about 1 season if not exposed to flexing in the wind. If exposed to wind, they last about an hour.

6. "General" brand leak-down cylinder tester: Don't buy it. Get a brand where both gauges give a pressure readout. You can't really tell what the pressures are with the General. I think it only reads correctly at about 20 psi.

7. Borescope: The one I bought there isn't useful for automotive work. Of course, I've heard poster on the forum say that most borescopes aren't.

8. Crescent type wrenches: The quality control is poor. The jaws on most them wobble. Some jam.

9. Diagonal cutters: The quality control is poor. Examine the jaws and see if they meet precisely.

10. Countersink bits, the sets that come in a wooden box. The blades cut nicely but the bits break easily. To replace them with ordinary drill bits, you must grind the end of the stem flat. The hex shaped shaft is too short to fit securely in some jaws for quick-connect bits.

11. Digital calipers: I bought one that was completely unreliable and I returned it. They no longer carry the brand that I bought.

12. Corded metal shears. These work about as well as my DeWalt corded metal shears. I'm not impressed with anybody's brand of metal shears. All types I've used get stuck too easily and you spend too much time pushing on them or wiggling them up and down.

[Brian Elfert]

I buy stuff at Northern Tool as much as Harbor Freight. Some of the mechanic's tools can be less money than Harbor Freight and arguably higher quality.

I did just buy a garden wagon from Northern Tool the other day and it stinks pretty bad. There is something about some stuff made in China that just smells really bad. It is still in the box so maybe the cardboard smells.

[Rick McQuay]

The little wooden handled flush cutting saw for $6 w/ coupon is the bomb. I bought it for cutting fret slots but have used it on every project since.

[Jim O'Dell]

HF cordless tools stink. The corded multi-tool does what it is supposed to do, but man is it LOUD!! I have their 10" sliding tile saw and it is the best tool I've purchased from them. Wooden hand screws are cheap, but work pretty good. Make sure there are no burrs on the threads and that they work smoothly through out their range. Disposable gloves and glue brushes are a good deal. Air staplers and brad nailers are ok. The brad nailers do leave a good dimple in the wood, so not good for finish work. Air lines (Goodyear brand) and connectors are ok. Used their air pressure regulator for the repair of the old air compressor, and it is fair. Works but that's about it. They aren't real close to me, but if there is something I need that I want from them, it's not too bad. OH, and their mail flyers work great for starting a fire in the fireplace.:D Jim.

[Jim Rimmer]

My personal guideline for buying at HF is: When it breaks, will I be seriously injured or killed? So, I will buy an occasional hand tool, casters, the multi-tool, clamps, etc. but I stay away from things like jack stands, lifts that might induce me to get under whatever is lifted, or anything whose failure could cause a dangerous situation to me or anyone near me.

I have gotten some little pick sets for cleaning corners of glue, a magnifier headset and some individual loupes (5 strengths in the set). The headset and the loupes I use a lot and I think total for all was $15.

[Thomas S Stockton]

Our local Harbor freight can be great people watching at other times completely frustrating, they do seem to have gotten better employees lately.
the gems I have found there are
Nitrile disposable gloves pretty cheap and last long enough.
Ratchet tie down straps, these things are great and I have never broken one
Like some one said the furniture dollies are a bargain.
the more expensive spray guns work surprisingly well and at around $30 if it goes bad and you can't fix it buy another.
The acid brushes make great glue brushes
I have one of there rolling car jacks works great
they sell lengths of chain pretty cheap
Really large wrenches and sockets why go to sears when you can get a whole set for the price of a single socket.
That said they also have some real garbage and most the powertools I have gotten their let the smoke out in less than 20 minutes of use. Oh well they have a good return policy.
Tom

[Greg Portland]

GarageJournal forums has a great thread where everyone shares their HF findings. I've had good luck with anything not complex (jack stands, tool cabinets, impact sockets, etc.). For rarely used power tools, I'll first look on Craigslist and then buy @ HF if I can't find a used item. For example, a toe kick saw is $80. I can use it and then sell it on Craigslist for less than the cost of a rental. As mentioned, HF does offer a replacement policy that you can buy... it's worth it if you're going to use the tool heavily.

[Kevin Bourque]

They opened up a store about 20 minutes from me. I've been there twice and couldn't find a single item that wasn't crap. :D

[Brian Elfert]

About the only thing I buy at HF is nitrile gloves, although I did find a wire brush for my hand held grinder a while back.

[Curt Fuller]

What can I say....

245632245633245634245635

[Gary Hodgin]

I've only been to HF a couple of times. The nearest one is about 40 miles from me. My opinion is mixed. Got a good buy on some light weight clamps and a few other things, but got a cheap bench drill press that was down right dangerous. I sold it for $10 at a yard sale after warning the buyer that the handle spindles come out unexpectedly and the chuck doesn't hold well.

[Rich Engelhardt]

HF is good value & it's a total waste of money.

Curt - that's hilarious!

[Ole Anderson]

I go the HF when I need a tool for what might be a one time job and don't want to spend a lot of money.

[Peter Kelly]

Only thing I ever bought at HF was an German made AEG jigsaw for $50 or so dollars some years ago. Great tool, still have it. Couldn't believe it was for sale there.

There's some pretty aweful stories about how the company has changed over the years and how the CEO's son booted his dad out and plundered the company.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/jul/19/harbor-freight-ceo-accused-by-parents-of-looting

Old article but I think they're still in litigation.

[Myk Rian]

I have a 21 gal, 240 volt compressor that's loud, but was only $129. My DC has been great. That's one of their gems.
I've been using my multi-tool for several years. For $20, it's been a bargain.
You have to look carefully, otherwise you'll get an egg.

[Chris Kennedy]

I have one nearby and I have been there twice, but doubt I will ever go again. Once to see what it was like and the second time I bought a cheap tool stand there, thinking it would be sufficient. After all, how hard can it be to make a tool stand? Man, was I wrong. Nothing lined up when I went to put it together and what should have been a ten minute job took over an hour. It flexed, wasn't level, and after less than a year, I tossed it.

Chris

[Curt Harms]

-Their red multimeter for $2.99 works good as a battery checker.
-They have a blue LED light fo' cheep that has 3 LEDs on an edge and a bunch on the face. I keep one in each vehicle plus some in the house. They've worked the times I've tested 'em.
-Plastic spring clamps aren't bad if you need a bunch of that style clamp for not a bunch of $.
-Nitrile gloves and acid brushes.
-I bought a wire wheel to mount on an arbor. It seems to be wearing pretty well.
-I bought a cheep timing light just to be able to tell if there was spark on a no-start issue. I cannot see using it as intended, the flash was so dim I had to look directly at it to tell if it was flashing. It was functional for my purpose though.

[Jerome Stanek]

Red multi tester quit working after only a couple of times i used it. Good thing I got it free.

[Jim Koepke]

One of my former co-workers was a big fan of Harbor Freight. He often bought tools he didn't need just because they were cheap.

My experience with "cheap" hand tools is they are seldom worth having. I have been in situations more than a few times where my tools got me out of my fix. Often these were on back roads away from some place where a replacement can be had.

It only took one time to have a tool crumble in use to teach me not to buy "economy" tools. Most of my new tool purchases are from vendors who will stand behind what they sell. In the past 45 years I have only had to exchange 4 tools. Two Snap On, one Craftsman and one Proto. The Snap On truck operator gave me a hassle about one tool. It was taken to one of their brick and mortar outlets and was exchanged. After this exchange, Snap On was never my choice for a new tool purchase.

Another caveat about used Snap On tools, during WW II to fulfill a government contract at a low price, the tools were stamped with a G in the number. These do not have the standard Snap On guarantee.

Currently my residence is about a half hour drive in to town. It isn't practical for me to drive into town to replace a broken tool.

There are a lot of things that come to mind when Harbor Freight is a topic of conversation. Some of my thoughts would likely get this thread closed. A quote from John Ruskin that may still be seen in Baskin Robin's ice cream parlors comes to mind.


“There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey.”
John Ruskin

jtk

[Mac McQuinn]

I've purchased (5)tools/items over 25 years from HF;

1) 1/2" impact/Japan, Still working well although I only used it for tire rotations on our vehicles at this point, 25 years old.
2) Pneumatic Chisel gun/Taiwan, Still working well, 25 years old.
3) 3/8" drive Torque wrench/Taiwan, Had it checked for accuracy, was within 1%, 3 years old.
4) Snap ring pliers/Taiwan, Purchased for a small gunsmithing project, Considering the torque I applied, I was surprised they did not break, used a hand full of times, 4 years old.
5) Nitrile 5 mil gloves/Mayalsia, work well, catch them on sale w/ coupon. My only repeat purchase,

That's my full list of purchases from HF, pretty minimal as I typically avoid purchasing any mainland China products.
Mac

[Michael Koga]

Yikes, I'm a HF addict. Is there a 10 step program? Mostly buy infrequently needed hand tools, very few powered tools. My dust collector is a gem, had it for over 2 years. Did the Thien mod and pleated filter. If I didn't have it probably couldn't woodwork due to asthma. Nitrile gloves are excellent. Cable ties, I use over 1000 every year putting up Christmas lights. Freeby flashlights and tape measures are decent, have them strewn around the house.

non-gems: 8" bench grinder that walked all over the garage floor, returned with no problems. Sonic dog bark collar, didn't work. Red multimeter, klutzy me dropped it 2 feet taking out of package. Surgery revealed plastic pin holding display broke. Fortunately was a freeby and 9v battery worked elsewhere. Freeby scissors, good only for cutting out their coupons.

[Darius Ferlas]

I bought only an HVLP sprayer from them 3+ years ago. One sale plus coupons, it cost me a little less than a gallon of decent quality topcoat. This is exactly the same gizmo Rockler sells for twice the price. If used only for WB finishes it would last for a good number of years.

Every now and then I see a power tool, or a hand tool in other stores such as Sears, that has an eerie resemblance to the HF equivalent.

[Mike OMelia]

Their brad point drill sets are good. Actually, very good. And at &19 for something like 30 bits or so, a steal.

[steven c newman]

I do have a power tool or two of theirs. Needed a benchtop drill press a couple years back, found one of theirs for ~$70. Needed a $.49 set screw in one pulley, and it has been good ever since. Got a $10 "Dremel" clone. use it to help clean the handplanes i restore. Speaking of Handplanes... BUY that Windsor #33! Only ~$10! I turned mine into a VERY GOOD scrub plane. It will make decent shavings right out of the box as a "regular" #3 sized plane, but as a Scrub? A1+!!250370This is how it does right out of the box. Grind a 3" radius or so ( about like a Stanley #40) and then it will scrub all week long.

Hand Tools: H-F does have two very different "grades" of handtools. The ones that just say "Pittsburgh"? Stay away! If they have added "Professional" to the name, should be alright. They cost a bit more, but it is worth it.

[george newbury]

HF is GREAT for second copy hand tools. I've gotten to the point I need a LOT of duplicate basic tools. Hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, measuring tapes, drill bits etc. I spread them around between my workshops and houses enough so I don't have to spend 5 minutes walking to get a tape measure or hammer or wrench that I didn't anticipate wanting.

Their power tools are useless. I only get them when I know I'm going to use them right off. I had a reciprocating saw ($19 on sale) I put about 5 hours on for a job, It worked for another 5 before it died.

Their 900 watt generators are fair for < $100.

[Ken Kimbrell]

Lucky for me HF is 30-40 minutes away, otherwise who knows the trouble I would be in... :D

[Larry Whitlow]

My local Harbor Freight is literally right next door to the local Rocklers store. It is like two opposite worlds about to collide.

[Peter Kelly]

Same situation with the Rockler store Pasadena, there's a HF just a few feet away. Probably didn't happen by accident.

[Dick Mahany]

I finally broke down and went into a Harbor Freight (with a bag on my head so that nobody would recognize me :rolleyes:) and bought one of their metal digital calipers. I used them to measure the pen bushings on a pen mandrel. To my surprise, the bushing IDs measured 0.002" smaller than the OD of the shaft that they were sliding on! Either my pen mandrel kit is magic, or these calipers are worth exactly what I paid for them ~ $15. :eek::D

[Dan Hintz]

To my surprise, the bushing IDs measured 0.002" smaller than the OD of the shaft that they were sliding on!
Sounds like that's readily resolved... file away some of the metal on the inside caliper wings. Though I understand your point.

My HF calipers seem to be dead-nuts on when compared to a Mitutoyo. They also make great tear-down units for use as a height gauge on planers and such. In fact, I should probably pick up another set or two during the next sale so I can have them at different spots around the shop.

[Jim German]

I've stopped buying stuff at HF. Its just too expensive. Half the time the tool works fine and I save a couple bucks. The other half the time I throw the piece of junk away and have to buy a good brand anyway, or even worse the crappy tool wrecks my workpiece.

Its not worth my time or money to buy stuff there anymore, I'll just buy a good tool to start with. If its something I only need once I'll either buy a good one and re-sell it or buy a used one.

[BOB OLINGER]

The first time I went to HF, I turned around about 10' into the store and left. However, I'm now a HF addict. Our closest store is about 35 mi. away. But I shop in others depending on the city I'm in. Over the last few years, I've found some very good buys, such as:

- I bought 3 of the wood work benches ($139ea) and put them together/side-by-side for a workbench. They work great!
- Dust collector kit
- Plastic drawer liners - super!
- Furniture dollies - work OK, save a lot of work
- Male and female cord ends
- Raised panel combination wrenches - don't use frequently, but seem OK for an occasional use
- Green/black ratchets and sockets - only had for about 1 yr., but seem fine for occasional use; reasonable price provided
me the chance to have SAE and metric; also the extensions
- Pneumatic orbital sander - seems very well made and it works beautifully; this appears a candidate for one of the most
under rated items.
- Goodyear orange air hose - great
- Just bought a pair of ramps like to load a snowblower into the pickup - like about $50 - how can you go wrong?
- I ordered a metal tool cart on casters for about $50 after the 25% off online coupon last week; hasn't arrived, but
the quality I saw in the store appeared very worth the $50.
- Rotary drill that we occasionally use at our plant; for occasional use, seems great for about $70 (or less?)
- Air compressor that we use at one of our plants; gets a good workout, seems OK, especially for the $

My only regret is not having a store closer.

[ray hampton]

the H F are under 10 miles from me and they sell tools that I never found in any other store, some of their tools may be bad but bad tools can be bought from the finest stores, thanks for this post

[Rich Riddle]

I tend to purchase consumables at harbor freight, things like sand paper, grinding wire wheels, heat shrink, zip ties, dollies (someone always seems to "borrow" mine), etc. I purchase their spray guns when painting and throw them away after the job is done. Works great for that. I am not inclined to purchase any power or cordless tools there though the plastic calipers have come in handy. A dandy place where you can leave with three bags of merchandise for $25.

[Lee Schierer]

I'm not a big fan of HF. I have purchased their VOM for $2.99 and it tells me if there is power present and if batteries are okay. I wouldn't trust it for precision work.

I also have purchased their Nitrile gloves. They are cheap and work well for putting on stain.

They have some decent C-clamps in the 4"-6" size that work great for woodworking.

I wouldn't buy major power tools from them as getting parts will be a problem if anything breaks since they change factories often. I'm not sure I would buy power tools from them nor safety equipment like jacks, jack stands etc.

[Steven Hsieh]

Surprisingly they sell michelin us made air hose

[Craig Michael]

Surprisingly they sell michelin us made air hose

Something US made at HF? I bet someone was fired for that screw up.

I'll buy a few things at HF. I bought a roll of drawer liner for my tool box, I buy a low profile creeper for auto work, etc. As with someone who posted on the first page, I will not buy anything there that could be deadly or seriously injure me. Jack stands are very basic but I do not trust HF for that, my life is worth more than saving $50. They have their place for the infrequently used tool. I always check the reviews on HF's website to see what people say. There are so many items with reviews "worked for 1 week" "worked 3 times, now won't work", etc.

I always try to buy a good brand used before I go HF.

[Roger Feeley]

I wouldn't buy anything there with moving parts. I bought a plastic dead blow hammer there that was fine.
I do get my grinder stands from there but I always beef them up with some more bolts through the base into the posts. As they are sold, I wouldn't trust them.

I talked to a roofer once that bought hammers there. He said his people stole his tools so he bought cheap ones. I took his card so I would never use him.

[Ron Bott]

I always check the reviews on HF's website to see what people say.

I'm not sure what value that would be. Would you trust a review of someone so clueless about tools that they would buy any of the garbage they have at HF?

[Steven Hsieh]

Something US made at HF? I bet someone was fired for that screw up.


Actually it was a brand new harbor freight store just opened here that has it.

[Lee Ludden]

There big rolling tool boxes are about the best value out there. I buy some leather work gloves there for $8 that are, as far as I can tell, the same as the $20 Carhart ones, lacking only the Carhart name across the back. Their brass threaded inserts are great, and although I never use most of the sizes in the bundle, it still is cheaper than buying them elsewhere. I stock up on the 24" wire straps when they are on sale ($1.49 for 10) - they make great tie downs to hold a tarp on a trailer. As someone else mentioned, their ratcheting tie down straps are pretty nice.

I get the feeling that a lot of the stuff they carry comes off the same assembly lines that make the brand name stuff, but there is basically no quality control. When I buy pegboard pegs from there, about 1 in 10 need to be bent to properly fit in the peg holes, but even if I had to throw that one away, it is still cheaper than buying them at the BORG.

I haven't bought anything from there that is electrically powered however.

[Dan Hintz]

I buy some leather work gloves there for $8 that are, as far as I can tell, the same as the $20 Carhart ones, lacking only the Carhart name across the back.
I believe I have the same pair... the first pair were slowly destroyed over the course of a summer while I was doing a lot of work in the wet and lifting heavy objects with just my fingertips. The fingertips eventually wore through, but the gloves overall were a champ. The second pair I picked up a couple of years ago... I've kept those dry, and they show no signs of any real wear.

[Curt Harms]

Something US made at HF? I bet someone was fired for that screw up.



I've purchased some USA made Supercut wood cutting band saw blades and they seem fine, comparable to Lenox IMO and may last longer. Imagine my surprise to see Supercut metal cutting bandsaw blades at Harbor Freight. I have seen a few U.S. made items there but those items are not the cheapest of their kind.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Just because I'm avoiding actually working this morning, here is my $.02.

One of the simple little things that I enjoy about my life is the feeling you get when you use a great quality tool. That is one of the reasons why I never buy less then the best tool I can find. I also hate stopping a project because a junk tool or component failed. Because I live an hour from anywhere, it costs me half a day to go get a replacement, minimum, and I consider my time pretty valuable.

Maybe some of HF's products are good, but I can walk in and see enough junk that I'm not taking the risk. Won't shop there, and will gladly reward the few stores left that actually carry good quality tools and products with my business.

[Stephen Cherry]

Just because I'm avoiding actually working this morning, here is my $.02.

One of the simple little things that I enjoy about my life is the feeling you get when you use a great quality tool.

I'm avoiding also, (actually I have a little bit of a bug). And I agree about the enjoyment of good tools.

BUT, I have a few tools from harbor freight. A little pump to suck the oil out of my boat, things like that. Personally, I never get a good feeling while changing oil. Also, I have a manual tire changer, and tire irons. That way I can by tires cheap and put them on myself. This has saved me big money over the years.

[Ben Johnson WI]

HF has a handful of "big iron" tools that aren't too bad. The big tools with induction motors tend to be the OK ones. Run away from anything with a universal.

The dust collector has been mentioned by a few folks. Walk out the door for $150 with a coupon, drop $130 into a canister filter, build a Thien setup for it, and for $300 you've got a decent machine.

I've got their 14" bandsaw. Looks like the same one as several of the other 14" saws. Got mine for $220. Added the riser block, urethane wheels, Cool Blocks, a link belt, a decent blade, and a Cobra Coil, and it does a nice job of resawing. I haven't needed to resaw anything thicker than 7" so far, but I have been able to peel off nice thin slices of cherry that only needed a few plane swipes to be good to go.

The 12" swing lathe is basically the same thing as the Jet 12x36 lathe from the ways up. The stock V-belt is cheap and the legs don't exactly inspire confidence, but those aren't the "high-value" parts of the lathe, and are both easily improved upon for not much money. The important parts work fine.

6" jointer? Looks like pretty much every other 6" cast iron jointer. For what I've used it for as a weekend warrior, it's done the job. Sometimes the fence needs to be convinced to be perfectly square and stay put, but for <$200 out the door, again, I'm willing to deal with having to tweak things a little.

Basically, if you go into those tools knowing that they probably will need a little tweaking, you might find yourself happy with the results. If you're expecting the tool to "just work" out of the crate, you have to pay for that. You either pay for it in your own time, or in the time of a higher-end manufacturer. If I were spending time in my shop every day, it might be worth the extra scratch to buy a higher-end tool. They do good enough for me.

[Eric DeSilva]

I'm in the "you get what you pay for camp." That said, my HF cabinet sandblaster works just fine when I need to sandblast something, and it was priced right. Their hex shank nut drivers and drill bits are so cheap, I keep some in the garage and in the shop and in the tool bag. I bought one of those furniture dollies, but its useless since the caster wheels don't rotate freely. The nitrile gloves are great. The wire brushes work as you'd expect, and for $0.50, I consider them disposable. Their cheap funnels work as well as any other cheap funnels. I'm also considering one of their combo 30" metal shear/roller/brake things, since they seem pretty much identical to all the other inexpensive ones I see around. So, they serve a purpose in my book.

I did love the quote in the article "They're robust enough for at least one serious use before breaking."

[Steve Peterson]

Something US made at HF? I bet someone was fired for that screw up.

They have (or used to have) US made link belts for about 30% cheaper than anyplace else.

I also like the $1.99 bench brushes that are almost comparable to the $10 ones. This way I can buy several any have a better chance of finding one when I need it.

Steve

[Chris Studley]

+ 1 on the 1236 lathe clone. Great starter lathe.

My only problem is that it is too small and underpowered. But I would have the same issues w/ the Jet for 3x the price.

[Prashun Patel]

I like their 12" bar clamps.

[Mike Manders]

I've made a lot of good purchases from HF over the years. The have many of the exact same items as Sears, Auto parts stores, etc. only much cheaper. Especially if you watch the sales flyers and coupons.

Pittsburgh Pro hand tools are as good as any of the other Taiwanese lines (husky, stanley, kobalt,) and for a hobbyist they work great. Their "heavy-duty" drillpress is excellent. The smaller ones not so much. Their floor jacks, jack stands, engine stands and hoists are the best value out there. So are their air compressors and so are their toolboxes with a special shout out for the US General brand boxes which are far better than any costing 2-3x as much.

Nothing they sell is the best available in the market. But a lot of it is the best value in the market. And they're consistently by far the cheapest on commodity disposable items like gloves, brushes, rags, safety glasses, etc, etc.

[Cary Falk]

I have their 4x6 horizontal metal cutting bandsaw. It has been running like a champ for years. It was cheaper than a chut off saw and is much quieter. HF is like any other store. HF is like any other store. Not everything is good. I have the same rule with HF as I have Rockler. I do not step foot in the store unless I have my 20% coupon.

[Mel Fulks]

They have a 25 foot garden soaker hose that is the best I have seen anywhere. They are covered with a braided nylon
cover,and don't break like the ones made from old tires. They are being CLOSED OUT with a big mark down off an
already low price. Yes ,I gave some for Christmas.

[Karl Card]

floating around the net is a list of DO's and DONT's about what to buy from HF... I have a drill press that I bought used for 50 bucks that came from HF. It is on the list of DO's and I love it. Has plenty of power and is very accurate. Do a google search and you will find plenty that list. One thing that I did that made things eve better was to throw away the oem belts and get the link belt for this drill press and that made it smoother than silk...

[Steven Hsieh]

Does anyone here own their paint can shaker?

[Michael Mayo]

Well I bought a full face visor to protect my face when working in the shop and immediately brought it back as I couldn't even see through the plastic face shield. The same day I also bought a HD slide hammer pulling kit. I was working on my front wheel hub on my 2000 Ford F-150 and needed to get the hub off the steering knuckle. Well it lasted exactly three pulls on the slide hammer before the adapter that bolts to the wheel hub snapped in half. So there is two DON'Ts. I have bought other stuff and not had any problems but it is definitely buyer beware when purchasing anything from there.

[Steven Triggs]

The linked article is very funny.

I love Harbor Freight. They are great for tools you'll use only a few times and could therefore never justify the price of brand name.

Probably my best purchase from them though has been a bed extender for my pickup. It puts a support about 4' behind the hitch, making it practical to tie down and haul 16' lumber in a truck with an 8' bed (it is then supported back to 12'). At harbor freight it was only about $30, and everywhere else they seem to be over $100. I have used it at least a dozen times, and it has worked great.

[ryan carlino]

I need to stop reading this at work!!1 Got a major chuckle out of that one!!!!

[David Hostetler]

Harbor Freight takes plenty of abuse at the butt end of jokes, some of it deserved, some just garbage being spread by a sort of wierd tool snobbish elitism. Some of their larger tools are actually quite good if you know what you are looking for, and have an idea of the features you want...

Northern tools, which carries almost exactly the same stuff as Harbor Freight with slightly different paint, and the Cosmoline cleaned off for you doesn't take this sort of abuse for their stuff.

Now having said that, I have bought a few items at Harbor Freight that were junk. But I pretty much knew it going in, I was being stupidly hopeful that the items would work for the job at hand. They didn't. Specifically the aluminum corner clamps, and hole saws, utter, and complete junk.

[Steve Peterson]

I've made a lot of good purchases from HF over the years. The have many of the exact same items as Sears, Auto parts stores, etc. only much cheaper. Especially if you watch the sales flyers and coupons.

I doubt that they are always the exact same item as other places. The castings may be identical, but anything electrical (motors, switches, etc.) often appear to be smaller on the HF versions. They may label it as having the same hp and it may use just as much electricity, but I doubt that it produces the same power. Most everything at HF with a motor seems to get labeled as underpowered.

Steve

[John Coloccia]

I've stopped buying stuff at HF. Its just too expensive. Half the time the tool works fine and I save a couple bucks. The other half the time I throw the piece of junk away and have to buy a good brand anyway, or even worse the crappy tool wrecks my workpiece.

Its not worth my time or money to buy stuff there anymore, I'll just buy a good tool to start with. If its something I only need once I'll either buy a good one and re-sell it or buy a used one.

Exactly. I go there for Goodyear air hose, and that's about it. Beyond that, it's like gambling and I can't afford to gamble with my time and money. When I buy something it has to work and it it has to work reliably. What's the point otherwise? I'm at a stage in my life where my interest in tools has become strictly utilitarian and I'd rather find a way to work around a tool I don't have than to work with a piece of junk that will just frustrate me and possible damage whatever I'm working on.

[Ben Johnson WI]

+ 1 on the 1236 lathe clone. Great starter lathe.

My only problem is that it is too small and underpowered. But I would have the same issues w/ the Jet for 3x the price.

Here's a good link to a guy who souped up his HF lathe with a variable speed DC treadmill motor, built a new base, and added riser blocks to get the swing up to about 16", all for around $200-$250.

http://hardpan.com/34706/

Pretty good setup for <$500 out of pocket plus your time.

@Steve - last time I was at HF before the holidays, they still had the US-made link belts.

[Jon Shank]

I'll third the 12x36 lathe appreciation. It's not a top of the line tool by any stretch of the imagination, but for the money it's pretty darn nice. I've had the opportunity to play around on the jet it's a clone of and other than better finish I don't think your missing anything. It turns as smoothly and as far as I could tell (didn't exactly mount it on testing equipment , mind you) it's at least in the same class power wise. No question the stand is complete garbage but with some wooden additions and added leveling feet it works ok. Another pretty good addition is the HSS lathe tools they sell. Cheap and crappy by comparison to the better name brands I've had a chance to play with, but good fodder for learning to sharpen them. Honestly they hold an edge ok too, pleasantly surprised, didn't expect much. Not really comparable to the better brand names from what I've had a chance to play with, but I heard alot of stories about burning up alot of tool length in the learning process and the stories have held true. By the time I figured out a proper edge on the 1/4 inch spindle gouge I'd ground off about an inch a and a half.

I wouldn't buy any of their cordless tools, but like others have said, the lesser used hand tools can be ok. Nitrile, latex, and leather work gloves, acid brushes, 1" x 20' sandpaper rolls for the lathe. Alot of simple consumables in other words.

Keep in mind, it is Harbor Frieght. So ya spends yer moneys, ya takes yer chances.

Jon

[Bud Millis]

Sucks to works very well. For the most part there stuff is pretty good and works well. I've had bad luck with raised panel bits and a tile saw. Hit or miss.

[Chris Fournier]

HF is a symptom of the current consumer/economic malaise in North America or rather Western culture. I would rather have 30% of what I want as long as it was good quality rather than 130% of what I need that is off shore disposable crap. I want the money that I spend to support my fellow North Americans (no not just the importers of cheap crap, the manufacturers) and be good value purchases that last me a life time. I'm not a flag waver nor a union member but I do have good quality tools that allow me to work with confidence and with a minimum of fuss.

[steven c newman]

Harbor Freight is....just Harbor Freight. One merely has to KNOW what they are looking at when they go in the store. They have KNOW what to look for. Buyer Beware? Nah, BUYER BE SMARTER. If you know what to lok for it theirs tools, you can find a few very good tools.

I was actually within a quarter mile of a H-F store twice last week, and will be in the area twice next week. Will power didn't keep me out of there, $180 a week sick pay did. Now, I'm sure to some out there, that is mere one days pay (if that) but those that have to live on that kind of pay, sometimes H-F does look pretty good. At least the stuff looks better than what is for sale a Walmart. I still have the same $400 tablesaw saw I've had for +30 years. For those that can drop $$$$ on a tool, Hey, have fun! For those that merely have to "make-do", Hey, we having fun, too.

[Michael Koga]

before Christmas there was a sign outside my HF saying they were hiring. Thought about it for a few minutes, love tools. Then I realized if a customer asked me about the quality of the tools I probably couldn't keep a straight face or live with myself..... :-/

[steven c newman]

Oh, no worries there. NOBODY asks that kind of question in the store. The main questions a clerk in H-F answers concerns Refunds. Be prepared to answer any questions about coupons as well. Quality? Ah, no, most people that go IN there, already know about that. It is the ones who stand outside the store, or never go in, that have a question about "Quality".

Currently using a Dremel Wannabe from H-F to clean my handplanes with. Yes it bogs down, gets warm. It is telling me to slow down a little, that's all. Have I "killed" it yet? No. If I go out and abuse it, just to kill it, so I can talk bad about H-F quality, yes it will croak. I DON"T abuse my tools, though. So this little $10 Dremel Wannabe will last a long time. I HAD a corded Dremel, for about a day. Fired it up to check it out, ran great. Put a bit in it to clean rust of a frog bolt, smoke came out of the "real" Dremel. Went to H-F, they had a sale going on. 80 piece set, with the Wannabe included. Haven't "smoked" it yet.... ( wore out a bunch of the "80 piece" bits, though) Mileage may vary, when looking down one's nose....

[John Piwaron]

My opinion. (meaning it's worthless) HF is mostly junk. some stuff seems o.k., but not all. Tap & Die sets - junk. little furniture dolly - o.k. 1/2" drill - junk. Appliance dolly, o.k. So far.

If I go into the local HF store I wear a paper bag over my head. ;) (just kidding)