So I walk into a Harbor Freight store......................

[Dave Lehnert]

Got a chance to visit Harbor Freight today. I was in the area and needed some sockets for work.
"looks" like they are upgrading some of the tools they offer.
Got a chance to look at the new Hercules Professional 12" sliding miter saw. Looks a lot like the Dewalt DWS780
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLCrCz1_2rc
Have to say it looked and felt just as good as a name brand saw. If not better. Priced at $399.
Not in the market for one but wondered if anyone has got to use one and your thoughts.

Other tools I noticed that looked upgraded was welders and hand tools.

[Bill Space]

It probably won’t be long before there is a $299 super Coupon or just a reduced price with a 20% off coupon, which may even be cheaper.

[Frederick Skelly]

Hmmmmmm.
An unproven HF for $399 vs a Dewalt for $599?
I think I'd save up a bit more and get the Dewalt, even with a 20% off coupon.
At least until this saw makes the "HF jems" list.

But that's just me. YMMV.

Fred

Edit: Looks like we have parallel threads going on. Here's a link to the other (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?262743-389-for-a-HF-scms)just to tie them together.

[Mike DeHart]

I wonder if HF is getting better tools while preparing for Sears to go out of business and grab their customers.

[Mike Heidrick]

LED over blade shadow line of the Dewalt is the cats meow. Other than that bosch glide and Deltas new shallow depth glide like design seems nice.

[Darcy Warner]

The smell in there burns my nose.

[Nick Lazz]

Cmon man...,, :)

[Curt Harms]

I have so far followed the advice to avoid anything from Harbor Freight with a battery or power cord. Though their multi tool gets pretty good reviews. No pro mechanic but I find their wrenches and sockets suitable for light/casual use.

[Jeff Bartley]

The smell in there burns my nose.

Man, that's too funny!! They sure do all smell the same.

[Ken Kortge]

I'm not sure if this is too political for this forum - if so, sorry - but it bugs me to think that a Chinese company is making cheap knock-offs of popular well-designed stuff - letting other companies develop the designs, and then sell them for a portion of the original stuff. Even if Dewalt manufactures their products in China, it still bugs me. I respect the opinions of those who disagree and can understand the concept that this is simply marketplace competition, but I'm not sure the playing field is level.

[Nick Decker]

I don't think it's political. It' economics. If consumers wouldn't buy junk, somebody would make better stuff. And they do, but most people won't spend what it costs.

[Dave Lehnert]

I'm not sure if this is too political for this forum - if so, sorry - but it bugs me to think that a Chinese company is making cheap knock-offs of popular well-designed stuff - letting other companies develop the designs, and then sell them for a portion of the original stuff. Even if Dewalt manufactures their products in China, it still bugs me. I respect the opinions of those who disagree and can understand the concept that this is simply marketplace competition, but I'm not sure the playing field is level.

First one would have to assume Dewalt designed and manufactured the saw in the first place.
I would not be surprised there is a manufacture overseas making this saw (with mods for each customer) Any brand could have their name placed on it.

[Gregory King]

Tool quality reminds me of the time many years ago when our supervisor at work bought a new Jepson circular saw. An exact Makita look a like . He was so proud of the money he saved. That was until the bearings went soon after. When it went to the garbage bin and replaced with a Makita, there was never any more cheap take-offs in the shop.

[BOB OLINGER]

[QUOTE=Jeff Bartley;2785212]Man, that's too funny!! They sure do all smell the same.[/QUOT

I agree!

[cody michael]

I have a handful of items from harbor freight, some great some not. I have noticed their new lines that they have look very nice. They have a lot of nice looking welding accessories also.

[Rod Sheridan]

I read the thread title " So I walked into a Harbor Freight Store.........", and I was expecting a punch line.............So disappointed:(

Regards, Rod.

[Marc Rochkind]

First one would have to assume Dewalt designed and manufactured the saw in the first place.
I would not be surprised there is a manufacture overseas making this saw (with mods for each customer) Any brand could have their name placed on it.

Don't know if that's exactly the case, but I do know that sourcing is much more complex than the name-brand tool sellers would have you believe. I think a lot of tools (and other devices) are designed in China, and then tweaked according to US designers' requirements.

Harbor Freight sells such a variety of tools, at all different quality levels, that I don't know that one could generalize, especially as it seems that they are starting to move up.

[Nick Decker]

I read the thread title " So I walked into a Harbor Freight Store.........", and I was expecting a punch line.............So disappointed:(

Regards, Rod.

No, Rod. If it were a joke it would have been, "So, this monkey walks into a Harbor Freight store..."

Not sure about the punch line, but the possibilities are endless.

[Ben Rivel]

I read the thread title " So I walked into a Harbor Freight Store.........", and I was expecting a punch line.............So disappointed:(

Regards, Rod.
Ha! The joke comes later, AFTER buying the garbage from HF!

[Bob Bouis]

The generalization about harbor freight's higher end tools is that they're uneven. I wouldn't buy one that wasn't thoroughly reviewed first.

[Art Mann]

I defy anyone to prove how the $9 rubber hammer I saw at Lowes is any better than my $3 HF one. :)

[Frederick Skelly]

I defy anyone to prove how the $9 rubber hammer I saw at Lowes is any better than my $3 HF one. :)

But Art, you know that Lowes bought theirs from HF (too) and turns a tidy profit, right?

[Larry Edgerton]

I'm not sure if this is too political for this forum - if so, sorry - but it bugs me to think that a Chinese company is making cheap knock-offs of popular well-designed stuff - letting other companies develop the designs, and then sell them for a portion of the original stuff. Even if Dewalt manufactures their products in China, it still bugs me. I respect the opinions of those who disagree and can understand the concept that this is simply marketplace competition, but I'm not sure the playing field is level.

With you 100%.

[Curt Harms]

.................................
but I'm not sure the playing field is level.
I don't think the playing field is level, but making it level will be unpopular in some (quite a few) quarters. My understanding is that the U.S. granted lopsided trading rights to countries devastated by WWII to help get their economies rebuilt. Those economies have long since been rebuilt but lopsided trading rights remain.

Another issue is that the 'really cheap labor' manufacturers are going to run out of really cheap labor before long. Chinese wages have gone up and China has tightened up its environmental standards for foundries which has partially contributed to the backlogs at Grizzly and I'm sure others.

[David M Peters]

If you squint hard enough at one of their 20% coupons you'll notice that they do not apply to their higher-end brands such as Bauer & Hercules.

[Butch Spears]

YEA I met a Gal in a Bar late one night, nice smelling and looked all shiny. Bar closed and we stepped out for breakfast before going to my house. Got to the BRIGHT LIGHTS of Denny's and Boy O Boy " I saw the light. Did not make it past a cup of Coffee. things can look and smell different in THE LIGHT LOL