Best HF tool

[David Ragan]

A fellow who was a broker for power equipment told me yrs ago that the best brand @ HF is Chicago.

Had a pneumatic paint shaker that was great. Needed frequent lubing, but was great.

Lots of the plastic/rubber stuff has broken early on.

Probably the most I have from there is the assortment set of nuts/bolts.

Anyone found any brand or tool from HF is reliably a durable economical tool?

[Jerome Stanek]

I like their dead blow hammers and 2hp dust collector. I did get a set of combination wrenches to take to trade shows as my good ones get lifted that are my go to set when I work in the field. Love their free flash lights and scissors

[Mike Null]

+1 on the db hammers. Also find their air tool equipment (spray guns, pressure pots, blasting cabinets,) to be more than adequate for my hobbyist use. I bought a heat gun which lasted about 30 seconds.

[Matt Day]

I guess it's time for another HF thread! There are a couple websites dedicated to HF gems by the way.

Personally, I've been very happy with my HF power tool purchases. No comparison for the money IMHO. The the two that stick out in my mind the most are my angle grinder (probably the loudest tool in my shop but it works) and my narrow crown stapler. i think i spent $10 or $15 on each.

[Mike Cutler]

A few years back I bought one of their hydraulic lift table/carts. I thought it would a one time use thing, to install our wall mounted oven, at that time.
I gotta tell you though, I use that little hydraulic table a lot more than I thought I would. I just used it to get a Delta Shaper, and a snowblower, out of the truck bed, and I constantly use it to bring things I'm working on in the garage to a more convenient height.
The other item I have is an electric log splitter. It gets used virtually everyday during the winter. It sits right by the wood stove in the basement. Sorry, I'm a wimp. My shoulders are blown and using a mini maul was really aggravating the injuries. My wife can also split the wood as needed to keep the stove going.

[Jim Andrew]

Their hydraulic jacks and lifts seem to be ok. I have the large motorcycle lift platform made into an assembly table, a lift cart and hydraulic jacks, which seem to all be fine. Seems hydraulic jacks have been built in China for a long time. I also buy the assortment packs of various items. Handy to have those assortments around. Also buy their chain hooks.

[Stan Calow]

they have some Japanese flush cut-saws that I think are a bargain.

[Curt Harms]

Their F style bar clamps are a good value, especially if you need a bunch of 'em. They're not Bessy but sometimes 3 HF are better than 1 Bessy. We have an appliance dolly from HF we've used a number of times and their engine hoist can be useful for loading and unloading heavy items from a truck.

[John Schweikert]

I have the 20 ton shop press, 18 gauge narrow crown stapler, nitrile gloves, and F style clamps have all been excellent and pay for themselves first use.

[steven c newman]

Been using a benchtop 5 speed drill press from there....for a few years. Only thing that was needed on that $70 tool was a $0.49 set screw in a pulley.

Have the Windsor #33 handplane ($10) and made it into one of the best scrub planes around

Stopped in there a while back, and bought a bunch of belts for the 1" x 30" sander. And a few for the 3 x 21 beltsander.

Two levels of "Chicago Tools" are in use @ HF.. IF it says just Chicago, it is the cheapy one, the other is a Chicago Professional line. It is their top-of-the-line models.

Wife won't even go in the door at one of these stores......says it STINKS inside....

[Matt Day]

Wife won't even go in the door at one of these stores......says it STINKS inside....

I must admit I like that smell. Screams tool store to my nose!

[Kevin Womer]

For me it was the drill chuck with #2 more taper for use in my lathe. Must have saved around 20 bucks instead of going with a woodcraft or other kind of purchase for the same tool.

[Scott Stafford]

Obviously there is a demand for the tools they sell or they wouldn't be successful. And sometimes nobody else has that special little widget that you need.

I can't help being cautious though. I look at their tools and think, "if this breaks how bad am I going to be hurt?".

I was recently at one of the big box stores and saw an unknown brand of high-speed pneumatic right angle grinders including four free 4" cutter/grinding discs, on sale for $9.99. What could go wrong?!


Scott in Montana

[Brian Henderson]

There isn't much with a tail that I'd buy at HF, but their air nailers are virtually impossible to kill and for the price, you can't go wrong.

[John Coloccia]

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/tool-chests-roller-cabinets/44-in-13-drawer-glossy-red-industrial-roller-cabinet-68784.html

This really isn't bad. I have one and I'm satisfied. Now, it says "Industrial", and that's a load of cow you know what. The biggest drawer is only good for 80lbs. The rest of the drawers are good for something like 50lbs. Not quite industrial. My heavy duty Craftsman can take 100lbs in every drawer. Snap-on will take even more. So it's not industrial by any means, but it's pretty high quality and unless you're stuffing them full of mechanics tools, it will serve you well.

[Ron Kellison]

I have one of their floor nailers, on sale for $80 a couple years back. It's now been used for ~1,000 SF of T&G hardwood flooring without a problem. I put a few drops of oil in every day and I think it's only misfired 2 nails in that time.

[Howard Pollack]

I've been thinking about an electric log-splitter. Would you tell me how large a round it will handle? Thanks -Howard

[Tom Howarth]

I've picked up several of their 4 wheeled moving dollies (modified to put under some floor machines), a 2 wheeled hand cart (get one with the solid wheels, the pneumatic tire ones are worthless), my favorite is a 3piece set of machinist squares (made in Pakistan). The squares work great for my usages...
Their shovels are bad, I was happy when someone stole it out of the back of my truck...

[Cary Falk]

oscillating multi tool
red tool chest
nitrile gloves
zip ties
HVLP spray guns
Goodyear rubber air hose
Airhose reel
4"x6" metal horizontal bandsaw
propane torch(for burning grass and such)
open end wrenches,
34706 lathe(copy of the Jet)
dead blow hammers
free tarps
free flashlights
free electrical power strips
free magnetic parts holder

[Steven Satur]

Electric Fly Swatter. I bought their DB hammer last year. The head became loose from the handle. I took it back to get another one and the lady said "Where is your receipt". I said this is your hammer there are three on the rack, they all have the same sticker on it. She would not give me another one. That is the last time I was in their store.

[Joe Arcimboldo]

Best thing to my mind is the bar clamps.
They work better than the junky Irwin's I bought at Lowe's, and for less than half the money.
If you need a lot of them, and you do, its a great way to go.
And I actually like the way they look and feel compared to some others.

[keith micinski]

Vibrating multi tool, dust collector and another hidden gem I just found was a toe kick saw that I hope to never use again for 70 bucks as compared to 400 for the Crain. Have to imagine that three of those saws would more then equal the one Crain if I needed it to but for a one time use it can't be beat. I do have a rule of buying nothing thst involves safety since the time the spring compressor I bought promptly broke during the first use and almost took my head off.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Multi tool, HVLP gravity spray guns, dial indicator, dial and digital calipers, 6 N 1 nail gun, 1/4" crown stapler, 23 ga pinner, hollow punch set, lettering stamps, HSS mortising bits for router, tarps, multimeter, air line fittings, regulator and moisture filter, toggle clamps, replacement wheels for hand truck. All have served me well.

[Paul Wunder]

For me the following tools have paid their keep:

Chicago basic single speed Multi-tool. At $25, it is a steal. Three years of moderate use "for everything" including removing ceramic floor tile today and cutting notches in 50 year old fir 2X4's.

Their 23 gauge pin nailer at $21 plus a box of Grex pins from Amazon.

Chicago 15 speed 1 hp table drill press at $149 (now about $290; model 38142), Built like a tank and almost identical to the Gtizzlyy

[Mike Cutler]

I've been thinking about an electric log-splitter. Would you tell me how large a round it will handle? Thanks -Howard

Howard
I don't quite use it in that capacity. The wood is already split to manageable sizes and the electric splitter allows me to make it smaller in the house to either, make kindling, or more efficiently pack the stove.
I gotta imagine that an ~ 10"-12" diameter, green, is about max. Even at that you'd have to rotate it through the cycles. I have a QuadraFire 5700, so my "stove lengths are about 21".
It's definitely not a machine to split cords with.

[Michael Sapper]

I purchased a floor HF nailer for on sale for $114 shipped to my door, over a week or so I put down 300sq feet of hard maple without a single misfire. Turned around and sold it on Craigslist for $85. Difference was cheaper than a single day rental on a 'brand" name nailer. Would do the same thing all over again.

[steven c newman]

My main power tool from HF
302735
Been in use for a few years. 5 speeds. Paid $70 out the door. Needed a 49 cent set screw for the pulley on the quill. Hate when you pull the spinning bit down to the wood, and it stops spinning. Simple fix, cheap, too. No problems since. It WILL stall out if you drive it down too hard.

[Edward Oleen]

As far as I am concerned the very BEST tool at HF is their "36" PICK-UP AND REACH TOOL". Mine is item number 94870, but there are, of course, others. I got it on a coupon. Actually, I have several. One for downstairs, one for upstairs, two in my basement shop (I keep mislaying them...) and a couple for our summer cottage. Absolutely invaluable, especially as my back is beginning to get a bit creaky at 73... AND their flashlights are great too...

Seriously, we were visiting some friends about 300 miles from home base, and she asked my wife if I could do a 'couple of things" for her. (He's a very nice guy, and we are fast friends, but he is all thumbs when it comes to working with his hands.) The "couple of things" turned out to be putting up some molding in various places - like almost the entire house...

Glue? no problem - but I can't clamp it and tape won't work because of the geometry. A neighbor was kind enough to "loan" me a compressor, (the "loan" was in return for an invite to that evening's barbecue - Bob has access to the greatest steaks this side of Nirvana, and boy can he cook...), but all he has is a framing nailer - he builds swing sets, etc. for his many grandchildren.

So I went off to HF and got their brad nailer for $30 and some brads...

I've got to tell you: I thought that it would be a piece of junk, but it isn't... I had to crank down the air pressure to not put a little ding in the wood where the hammer hit the brad, but it works like a champ. I bought it in June, ran about a million brads through it, and I'm still using it in the shop - I've run a whole lot of brads through it since.

[Charles Wiggins]

Don't know about the brand but I bought a box of 500 coarse hacksaw blades from HF more than 20 years ago that I still have not used up. They are better and outlast any others I've seen.

[Howard Pollack]

Thanks. -Howard

[Kieran Kammerer]

Bag of Zipstrips

[Mark W Pugh]

Best thing to my mind is the bar clamps.
They work better than the junky Irwin's I bought at Lowe's, and for less than half the money.
If you need a lot of them, and you do, its a great way to go.
And I actually like the way they look and feel compared to some others.

That's funny. The first time I used them I thought they were crap. Then, I took my time and figured out how they really work, a bar clamp guy here, and I love them!!! There is a glitch, which involves opening the jaw with nothing in the clamp, but easy to figure out. Cheap clamps doing what they are suppose to.

[glenn bradley]

I bought a heat gun which lasted about 30 seconds.

And this may really be the answer to your question. You will get mixed results because QC is semi-non-existent. My heat gun, recip-saw and angle grinder are all still going strong although every time I turn them on the grinding, shrieking noise they make assures me this use will be their last . . . nope, they keep going. I had other tools last from a few moments to a few days and now steer clear of pretty much anything that requires electricity or any degree of accuracy. Their clamps were OK (I have spun the handles off several) but, the selection has narrowed to only a few options. Their brad and pin nailers are OK for hobby use. Dad has a 12" disc sander that works surprisingly well but, the guy who bought the next one on the shelf may have had it let the smoke out on first run. I went through a dozen boxes and found 2 woodworking vises that I put on a bench temporarily 8 years ago or thereabouts and am in no hurry to replace. Yuh spends yer money and yuh takes yer chances.

[Rich Engelhardt]

The 100 pack of single edge #8 razor blades is a "best buy" when they go on sale for $2.99.
Their canvas drop cloths - on sale - are also an excellent price.

Acid (glue) brushes and 2" chip brushes - on sale - are good buys.

[Dick Latshaw]

Angle corded drill, think it's 3/8". Use it for sanding on just about all my turnings - bowls, boxes, hollow forms. My first one lasted six years, in a very dusty environment. When it died, I got another for around $20 with a 25% off coupon.

[Brian Henderson]

The 100 pack of single edge #8 razor blades is a "best buy" when they go on sale for $2.99.
Their canvas drop cloths - on sale - are also an excellent price.

Acid (glue) brushes and 2" chip brushes - on sale - are good buys.

Actually, I need to go get some more razor blades, I ran out over the holidays. I went through the giant pile of ads they've sent and cut out all of the 20% off coupons and have a big stack of them on my desk, just waiting until I can go get some stuff. I don't tend to buy things with tails from them but for disposables, they're just fine.

[Brian Henderson]

Multi tool, HVLP gravity spray guns, dial indicator, dial and digital calipers, 6 N 1 nail gun, 1/4" crown stapler, 23 ga pinner, hollow punch set, lettering stamps, HSS mortising bits for router, tarps, multimeter, air line fittings, regulator and moisture filter, toggle clamps, replacement wheels for hand truck. All have served me well.

I've got a pile of their free multimeters, the ones you get free with any purchase and a coupon. I got one of their digital calipers but it lasted a week or so until the battery ran out and there is no way to replace the batteries. I think at least one of the air reels I have for the compressor came from HF but I really don't remember.

[Myk Rian]

Electric Fly Swatter.
I bought a bunch of those and gave them away to family. They're great.
Nothing like hearing a mosquito go SNAP.

[Jerome Stanek]

here they are using you phone number to keep track of your purchases and how many free things you get.

[Brian Henderson]

here they are using you phone number to keep track of your purchases and how many free things you get.

I doubt they care, so long as you keep coming back into the store. All of their "free" coupons require you to buy something at full retail, nothing on sale, nothing with another coupon, etc. So long as you're buying, they don't care what free stuff you get.

[Bob Falk]

HF plasma cutter works well to cut 1/4" steel, but not the 1/2" advertised.

[Matt Meiser]

I have nice Snap On standard 80 tooth ratchets and HF 1/4 and 3/8 "composite" ratchets which are really plastic over a steel core. Guess which ones I'm most likely to grab? I probably wouldn't trust them as my only tools in the desert but boy do they feel nice in my hand. I opened them up and cleaned them good and relubed with Super Lube synthetic grease and the mechanisms are really smooth now. I think I have $18 in the pair.

[Michael Yadfar]

I just bought my first item ever from Harbor Freight today, which is the 2HP dust collector, so I guess that will qualify for best tool. It might be my last too, because it had different hardware than whats in the instructions, and the holes don't line up properly

[David C. Roseman]

I doubt they care, so long as you keep coming back into the store. All of their "free" coupons require you to buy something at full retail, nothing on sale, nothing with another coupon, etc. So long as you're buying, they don't care what free stuff you get.

Sorry, Brian, that is not correct. The "free coupons" work with any purchase, even on a sale item bought with a 20 or 25% off coupon. I'm also now seeing many coupons for free items with no purchase required. They do have a company-wide policy of one free gift and one 20 or 25% coupon per customer per day. Whether the particular store staff diligently enforce that, though, varies.

David

[Brian Henderson]

Sorry, Brian, that is not correct. The "free coupons" work with any purchase, even on a sale item bought with a 20 or 25% off coupon. I'm also now seeing many coupons for free items with no purchase required. They do have a company-wide policy of one free gift and one 20 or 25% coupon per customer per day. Whether the particular store staff diligently enforce that, though, varies.

I'm not going to disagree since I don't have any ads handy, just a pile of coupons. I do know that when I tried to use a freebie coupon a while back, I was told that I had to make a full-price purchase and they only allowed one coupon per purchase, I could use either the free one or a discount one, not both. That could have been the store though, I have no idea.

[Mark W Pugh]

I'm not going to disagree since I don't have any ads handy, just a pile of coupons. I do know that when I tried to use a freebie coupon a while back, I was told that I had to make a full-price purchase and they only allowed one coupon per purchase, I could use either the free one or a discount one, not both. That could have been the store though, I have no idea.

Not at our HF. No need to buy any thing to get the freebies. My dad and I do it once a month.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I've got a pile of their free multimeters, the ones you get free with any purchase and a coupon. I got one of their digital calipers but it lasted a week or so until the battery ran out and there is no way to replace the batteries. My first pair of digital calipers ATE BATTERIES for lunch. Held of for a couple years before buying second pair, which don't eat batteries. When purchasing second set, mentioned that first set ate batteries. Manager said "Bring them back." I reminded him that I had them for a couple years, so warranty had run out. He said " No problem as new ones were same stock number." Took his advice, second and replacement sets work nicely. I have a pile of the multimeters. When someone borrows one, I tell them to keep it. The problem with the free flashlights, other than the smell, is the batteries leak. Change them out the first day you have it, and you are good to go.

[Brian Henderson]

My first pair of digital calipers ATE BATTERIES for lunch. Held of for a couple years before buying second pair, which don't eat batteries. When purchasing second set, mentioned that first set ate batteries. Manager said "Bring them back." I reminded him that I had them for a couple years, so warranty had run out. He said " No problem as new ones were same stock number." Took his advice, second and replacement sets work nicely. I have a pile of the multimeters. When someone borrows one, I tell them to keep it. The problem with the free flashlights, other than the smell, is the batteries leak. Change them out the first day you have it, and you are good to go.

I have some nice digital calipers, the set I got from HF literally has no way to replace the batteries, they are embedded inside the plastic, no door. When they're dead, you throw the calipers away. I've got them hanging around, they're occasionally useful to transfer a measurement from one piece to another. The flashlights are useful, I got a bunch of them a while back for the guys at work to put on their keychains, it's easy light when they need them and it makes the keys too big to easily lose.

[Ole Anderson]

My HF digital calipers are good so far, over a year old. I have the $90 1-1/8" SDS rotary hammer, used it for demo and some bigger holes in concrete, so far, so good. 1/2" breaker bar, not broken yet, and a few other odds and ends, nothing to complain about. I tend to go to HF for tools I won't be using frequently.

[Brian Henderson]

Not at our HF. No need to buy any thing to get the freebies. My dad and I do it once a month.

I just got a couple of flyers from HF today and I took a look at the small print. The freebie coupons specifically say "free with any purchase", but the small print says "cannot be used with any other coupon, discount or prior purchase". I guess some stores may ignore the small print, but that's officially what HF corporate has to say on the matter.

[Brian Henderson]

My HF digital calipers are good so far, over a year old. I have the $90 1-1/8" SDS rotary hammer, used it for demo and some bigger holes in concrete, so far, so good. 1/2" breaker bar, not broken yet, and a few other odds and ends, nothing to complain about. I tend to go to HF for tools I won't be using frequently.

Like I said, I have a nice set anyhow, the Starrett 799a, I think I got this cheap piece of crap from HF for free on a coupon a long time ago. I went and looked at reviews for it on the HF site and people were talking about removing the battery so maybe it's possible. I went out and grabbed it and there appear to be two tiny screws in one side, maybe the size of eyeglass screws, maybe if you take those out, you can replace the batteries. The HF site says the batteries are good for a year, that certainly wasn't my experience, but that doesn't mean people weren't playing with it in-store and I got one that was almost exhausted.

[Mike Fusick]

The clamps are pretty well priced at HF.

[Bill Space]

OK I guess I am a kind of a fan of Harbor Freight...

Their SDS hammer drill rocks for my needs.

I bought their sawmill on discount and could not be happier for the price delivered.

Their 20 ton hydraulic press is a good value and has worked well for me.

The 42" toolbox for $360 or so is wonderful...I bought two of them...

Bash them if you like...but there are a lot of good values there if you use common sense.

Bill

[Brian Henderson]

The clamps are pretty well priced at HF.

And you can never have too many clamps.

[Lornie McCullough]

I consider the wood jaw hand-screw-clamps to be one of their best values. I suggest you buy two of them every time you go to their store (in each of the sizes), until you know you have too many. And you can never have too many.

Lornie

[Edward Oleen]

Just thought of another HF-GEM: they have some "Ammo Boxes" - they look like military 30 cal or 50 cal ammo cans, except smaller and made of a rugged plastic. (Maybe they are sized for the current 6.52mm plastic rifle ammo. I wouldn't know: my last army issue weapon was an M-14, and I trained with an M-1. Boy do I love my M-1. It'll NEVER die...)

At any rate the "ammo can" is a great buy. I have several, and keep them set up as "go help out a friend" kits with mostly hand tools.
You can stick labels on them, or paint them or whatever you want, and they are sturdy enough to protect that-which-is-inside.