Admit it-What Harbor Freight tools do you have?

[dennis thompson]

So yesterday I asked for a recommendation for a pin nailer as my Harbor Freight one had stopped working. I was completely surprised when several Creekers recommended I buy the Harbor Freight one. I did buy it (for $22 after a 20% coupon) what did I have to lose? It works fine. Mine was about 10 years old and not used very much, but it does appear to me that the Harbor Freight line has improved over the years.

So Creekers admit it: WHAT HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS DO YOU HAVE? Don't be scared we won't, at least I won't, yell at you:)
I'll start :
obviously I own the pin nailer,
I own the mini lathe , very happy with it.
I owned the scroll saw, junk, it broke in a week and was returned for full credit and I bought a Ridgid.
Own the cutoff tool, works fine.
Sandpaper, don't even think about it.
I bought their small pack of epoxy, $1.79, works fine
I own several of their clamps, they're OK but I prefer my Irwins and my Jets
I have the 2hp dust collector, works great
Digital caliper, works fine
Benchtop.drill.press, 10 years old , still going after one repair
I'm a hobbyist, and I think that most of the Harbor Freight line is aimed at me, I'm would imagine that if I were a professional ,using tools, all day, every day, I'd use different brands.

[Steve Eure]

more infoI'll bit.
First is the 2 HP dust collector. A real gem for the price.
#2: 4" belt and disc sander- junk, under powered.
#3 sandpaper, like you, won't go there again
#4, Rosewood marking gauge, junk
#5, 6"-36" bar clamps, small ones are fine for hobbyist, large ones not so much, but will work ina pinch. I do like the handles on them though.
#6, 18 ga. pin nailer, good for the cost. Had mine for 5 or more years with no issues.
#7, 12" disc sander, heavy weight, good deal and another gem. Took a bit to get the platform square and I wish that it was cast iron instead of aluminum, but for the price, it works surprisingly well.
#8, 5" random orbital sander. The sander itself works well and my dust extraction hooks up to the older ones, but the new ones have a square fitting that cannot hook to a hose. The on/off switch is a piece of crap. Won't hold up and HF has no replacement parts for it. I took both of the last ones apart and put in an inline switch. Then went and bought a Bosch.
#9, 2 1/2 gal. Paint pressure pot, used for resin casting. Works well for the price.
#10, Wife has a blast cabinet that works well. The gun isn't great, so it was replaced with a better one. Cabinet is good for the price.
#11, older (5 years or so) hose reel. Leaks. Hose is garbage. Dry rots around the fittings within a year. Constantly cutting a replacing hose.

[Josko Catipovic]

Hot knife for cutting foam and rope. Worked for about an hour.
Chainsaw sharpener that doesn't.

[Pete Staehling]

I own or have owned a lot of HF stuff. Some of it I am very happy with, some of it is junk. The following is a list of HF stuff currently in the shop. I am probably missing some items. Some of the worst junk isn't included because I no longer own it.

Here is my long and probably incomplete list:


2 HP dust collector - good value
4" belt and disc sander - No longer has the disc. Gets used regularly alongside a ShopFox with a different grit installed in each.
F clamps - Lots of them. The short ones are fine, the longer ones are pretty useless.
Aluminum bar clamps- junk until stiffened with wood inserts
18 ga. pin nailer - decent value
digital caliper - good value
pneumatic die grinder - Just okay
pneumatic 3" cutter/grinder - Just okay
1 ton arbor press -Good value
mini lathe (don't currently use)
drill press (don't currently use)
1" belt sander (use with a leather belt for honing)
12" disc sander - good value
Pocket Hole jig - a gem
Dowel jig - worthless junk, no luck getting any decent results with this one
Dovetail jig - unused
Trim router - not great, but see regular use in shop built fixture (not using the original base)
7x10 metal lathe - nice machine for the price
Nitrile gloves - Good value
CA glue - I like the little tubes
Hand truck - Good value
Various casters
Movers blankets - good stuff
Movers dollies - good stuff
Air hose reel - okay
Hand tools (pliers, cutters, etc) - better than expected
Lots of small items some good some junk

EDIT... Forgot to include 2 purple spray guns. Very good value IMO.

[Robert D Evans]

1. Angle drill for sanding bowls. I splurged and got the one with a keyless chuck. Works great
2. 13" bench top drill press 3/4 hp. Works ok but not for accuracy. Too much runout in the chuck. Would not buy again but my good drill press was down and I needed something quick to finish a project.
3. 12" F clamps. Great deal at about $3 each. I have a dozen.
4. Foam floor mats work pretty good. Not really a tool but good for the feet while working with tools.
5. 2" spring clamps. I have lots of these and they work.
6. magnetic dish for keeping up with little metal things.
7. magnetic strips for attaching bigger metal things to the wall.

[Rob Luter]

- Stick of green polishing compound for my strop. Threw it away after one attempted use.
- Spring loaded center punch. Threw it away after a few uses. The punch portion wasn't hardened and deformed immediately.
- Backpack garden sprayer. This actually worked pretty well. I'll be breaking it out for the third season soon. It was $20 so I got my money's worth.

[Tom M King]

Their 1/2" breaker bar is the best deal in the store. For less than 20 bucks, you get one as good as the top name brands that are over 200 each out of the tool trucks.

[Alex Zeller]

I have a few items
-10" tile saw, works great
-14" bandsaw (was free to me and free tot he next guy after about 1 year of use)
-a few air tools that work ok
-lots of 4 1/2" grinding discs (work just as good as any other brand I've used)
-a tool box that's well built but came with the usual HF dents
That's about it.

[Peter Kuhlman]

None! I am old and already own most everything I need so my point of view is different than others getting started. I have walked through the store twice now. First time could not find anything meeting my needs or quality standards. Last time a couple months ago when I had one of those 20% off coupons. Wanted some type of adjustable height cart or roll around table. Turns out the coupon can’t be used for anything larger. Amazing the incredibly long list of excluded store items for the coupons.

[Bob Cooper]

- tile saw
- SDS drill
- hole hawg type drill (high torque 90 degree)

[Stan Calow]

No power tools. A hoist, tarps, gloves, truck ramps, acid brushes, foam brushes, bungee cords, digital calipers, and solar lights. They used to have Japanese flush cut hand saws which I liked, but now they are Chinese. Used to see US-made Pony pipe clamp sets.

[Jon Grider]

2hp DC- good
tile saw-good
1" belt sander- pretty good
1/2" torque wrench-adequate
floor jack for truck- good
free blue LED lights with magnetic base- love them. One stays on the BS.
"Mechanics" tool chest- not so good. One drawer slide failed early on, other than that it does the job for weekend warrior stuff.

[David Buchhauser]

So it sounds like HF has some pretty nice stuff! I'll have to check it out.
David

[William Chain]

My general rule there is nothing with a moving/motorized part but:

screwdrivers (like clamps, can’t have too many at hand)
f-clamps (not bessey but they work great)
bar clamps (crappy but still do a job here and there)
sandpaper (never again)
moving blankets (awesome)
moving dollies (awesome - I sometimes get these just for the casters)
work gloves (nearly disposable but work great for $1/pair)
tarps
wrenches and sockets (again, no moving part, no problem!)
random Allen key sets
pliers
specialty pliers (random car jobs for example)
quick clamps (not as good as name brand but for the price they work great and I don’t care when they break)
random low quality chisels (I tend not to use my good ones to repair household hinges, etc)
speedsquare (I still maintain that this is a gem - it’s square next to my expensive squares and a helluva lot cheaper)
carpenters square (see above)

I know there’s more... but again, no moving parts, no problem.

[Jim Becker]

Ratchet straps, a dead-blow hammer, step drills and some sanding sleeves for my OSS. that's about it based on my best memory effort.

Edit...oh, there's a 14" HF bandsaw in my garage bay that a friend left with me when he moved to Idaho a number of years ago. I've been planning on refurbishing it to sell, but still haven't gotten around to it. I need to start making that a rainy day project or something.

[Mike Kees]

you guys all missed one of the best things they make ....zip ties.:D Gloves,a couple 12'' f clamps ,bearing puller and one of those hard plastic cases with foam for my handguns.

[Mike Cutler]

Low profile aluminum floor jack. Great value!
Vacuum brake bleeder, another good value.
Pneumatic die grinder.
Pneumatic 3/8" drive ratchet.- Good for running bolts and nuts in and out, but not strong enough for breakaway.
Lots of small pneumatic tool accessories. Not their actual fittings though, because they are junky.
Portable walnut media blaster.
Aluminum loading ramps for a truck.-Very clumsy product. Kind of works, but unsafe for anything truly heavy.
30", 500lb., Hydraulic cart.-Best $150.00 I can remember spending.

[Gail Ludwig]

Pocket hole jig—but I replaced the drill bit with a Kreg.
heat guns - I use them to roast coffee
bar clamps - strengthened with a long piece of wood
paint spray gun + stand + filters
pin nailer
dead blow hammer
cheap square sander - works fine but DO NOT use their sandpaper
ok - I lied....drum sandpaper kit for drills works fine.
dust collector - bought on craigslist with a Winn filter and baffle inside—works very very well!
Mult-tool. This has been a very good purchase.

[Peter Kelly]

I’m starting to think this HF dust collector blower isn’t such a gem. The very marginal motor trips my 20a breaker on startup pretty well every time and cannot be rewired for 220v. It also seems to be an odd non-NEMA frame that cannot easily be replaced with something else.

[Patrick Walsh]

Motorized winch. Brooke it the second time I used it.

Hydraulic press, broke it the first time I used it.

Number punches and self centering finder thingies.

I do love their $2 mechanics gloves!

[scott lipscomb]

I have, no doubt, bought a bunch of stuff from Harbor Freight that ended up in the trash, however:
The vibratory compactor lasted nearly 5 years and I build landscapes for a living. Mine just died-going to buy another one. Those Predatory engines are actually pretty good.
The concrete vibrators don't last, but for about $80 they were 1/10 the price of the others.
The tiny F clamps come in handy all the time (they are tiny) and from my recollection, they were pretty much free.

[Paul F Franklin]

Many of these have been mentioned already, but.....

I have their portaband and think it's a deal when bought at 20% off. Don't use it that often but when I need to cut unistrut, or pipe or angle iron or anything like that it's a gem.
The aluminum low profile floor jack has worked well for me; way better than the craftsman cheapie it replaced.
Couple of jack stands (not the type that was recently recalled, fortunately).
Little magnetic dishes for holding parts.
Purple HVLP gun that I haven't actually used yet.
Flux brushes.
I think my abrasive cutoff saw came from HF.
1/2 drive metric and imperial impact sockets
I have 6 or 8 of their 8" non-pneumatic tires on various lawn/garden implements and my portable generator. Not good for heavy loads but for things like a hose cart and the like they don't have to be topped up with air every spring. They flat spot a bit on the generator, but who cares...
The little magnetic tool trays that someone here recommended for keeping wrenches and the like close to stationary power tools.
The pneumatic mechanics stool: another deal.
Rubber wheel chocks.
A few of the little hardware assortments, like springs, retaining clips, roll pins, cotter pins. All pretty cheap stuff, but works for the short term in repair situations.

[glenn bradley]

My gosh, I never knew I had so many until I started listing them.

1" ratchet straps. They are starting to die after years of hard use.
$5/foot Acculink Link Belt. Works just like the Powertwist we are used to seeing. I even have sections mixed without issue.
$few Foxtail brushes. I have one at the bench, one at the spindle/disc and one by the tablesaw.
$14 Sawzall. Darn thing just won't die.
$14 Oscillating Multi-Tool. I found so many uses for it I bought a nice cordless Ridgid version. The HF is still in use for the nasty stuff.
$9 Heat Gun. Still going after over 10 years.
$10 Angle Grinder. Still going after over 10 years.
$10 Dial Gauge. I have used this and a 1-2-3 block as a poor man's Rotocator for machine setup since forever.

Lots of their stuff has served its purpose and promptly died. Some died without ever managing to do the job but, the diamonds in the rough live on.

[Paul F Franklin]

I forgot to mention the wood handle bench brushes. For $4 or $5 they are a deal. Bristles are little stiffer than ideal for fine dust, but at that price I have one hanging by every machine and work surface.

[Brent Gamble]

A few wrenches, sockets, 4" angle grinder, but the real HF gem I own is their 3000 watt quiet inverter generator. I was seriously considering buying a Honda and in the course of researching that purchase came across a Consumer Reports article that pretty much said the only reason to buy the Honda over the HF unit was the longer warranty on the Honda. Bought the HF unit with extended warranty for about 1/3 of the price of the Honda. I've used it quite a bit for my RV and running power tools when I'm off the grid. It may die tomorrow, but so far has performed very well.

[Darcy Warner]

I have the hydraulic knock out set (needs replaced with a greenlee as the sizes are stupid) and a needle scaler which needs replaced with a IR version asap.

I have found the few things I tried to be dangerous in use because of the poor quality, some didn't last through one use.

The saying is true, I can't afford cheap tools.

[Jon Nuckles]

I walked through the store once with a 20% off coupon, but didn’t see anything I needed or wanted. Maybe I’d have found something if I searched longer, but the smell drove me out of the store!

[Andrew Seemann]

I hate to say it, but all I have from Harbor Freight is a couple F clamps and some chip brushes. They didn't come to MN until after I had gotten most of the standard HF type stuff form other places. I do remember being excited to go to the Des Moines one though 20 odd years ago.

Actually Northern Hydraulics (now Northern Tool) filled the role of HF back then. Even now, there are twice as many Northern's as Harbor Freights here (Northern is based here and started here). They are closer to me, and I think there stuff is a little better, so that is where I still go. Even Menards carries a lot of the HF type stuff.

[John K Jordan]

...
So Creekers admit it: WHAT HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS DO YOU HAVE? Don't be scared we won't, at least I won't, yell at you:)
...

Dennis, I have none with moving parts. I have a couple of things for welding. I have known too many people who have had things with motors quit and have returned them repeatedly for replacement but I don't want to stop and drive for that. I've never been sorry for buying pro tools for hobby and farm use. More power to those who shop at HF and I'm glad it works out.

Maybe I'd stop in and look around more often if it wasn't a 1+ hour round trip. However, so far I've shopped at HF exact twice in my life that I can remember, once accompanying my brother who bought an anvil for me. It has no moving parts.

JKJ

[Steve Fish]

Tarps, lots of tarps. Good for the guys to do yard clean ups so either way they get trashed.
hvlp spray guns. Plenty good for shooting DTM on the steel equipment trailers.
I also picked up a vacuum pump and a pressure pot that has worked pretty good for casting resin.
seems like the “go to” for one use items or for something on the cheap to eh “experiment “ with. At least for me anyway.

[John K Jordan]

...
hvlp spray guns. Plenty good for shooting DTM on the steel equipment trailers.
...

What is DTM?

I can't imagine spraying Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or Digital Transaction Management on trailers.

[Doug Dawson]

Dennis, I have none with moving parts. I have a couple of things for welding. I have known too many people who have had things with motors quit and have returned them repeatedly for replacement but I don't want to stop and drive for that. I've never been sorry for buying pro tools for hobby and farm use. More power to those who shop at HF and I'm glad it works out.

Maybe I'd stop in and look around more often if it wasn't a 1+ hour round trip. However, so far I've shopped at HF exact twice in my life that I can remember, once accompanying my brother who bought an anvil for me. It has no moving parts.


It will when the moving part chips off and falls on your foot. :^)

Seriously, I have the shop crane and the 20-ton press, but I always try to keep in mind where stuff is gonna go when they fail. I also have some bodywork tools. No woodworking tools, ever, that I can recall.

[Steve Fish]

What is DTM?

I can't imagine spraying Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or Digital Transaction Management on trailers.
�� Direct To Metal paint. I was doing that for my cousin, he loves quick and dirty when it comes to that kind of thing. Can’t blame him, his guys beat stuff up pretty fast

[Stephen Rosenthal]

A magnetic base for my dial indicator, because I wasn’t willing to spend over $100 for a Starrett. Works as it should.

[Steve Mathews]

None! I am old and already own most everything I need so my point of view is different than others getting started. I have walked through the store twice now. First time could not find anything meeting my needs or quality standards. Last time a couple months ago when I had one of those 20% off coupons. Wanted some type of adjustable height cart or roll around table. Turns out the coupon can’t be used for anything larger. Amazing the incredibly long list of excluded store items for the coupons.

Same as Peter except I felt slightly nauseous after leaving the store the one time I was there.

[Matthew Hills]

Their stubby hammers are great for working with kids -- they have enough mass to be useful.

Matt

[Paul F Franklin]

Geez: I thought my old man was cruel for using a yardstick :eek: ;)

[Jim Becker]

you guys all missed one of the best things they make ....zip ties.:D Gloves,.

Ah, I forgot those...yea, in the very rare moment I go to a HF store (none are close by), I always pick up packages of zip ties and 9 mil nitrile gloves if they have them in XL.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have too much to list everything.
I think people are a little hard on HF considering the price point. And they have improved quality too.
I have like 3 of the angle grinders. https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/grinders-sanders/angle-grinders/corded-4-12-in-43-amp-angle-grinder-69645.html got them on sale for like $7.99. Low end quality for sure but handy. I keep one with a grinding wheel to sharpen mower blades, another with a wire wheel, another with a cut off wheel. Just grab and go. My good name brand grinder I will use for big jobs.
Years ago I purchased a Milwaukee reciprocating saw. A beast for sure. But if I had to do over I would just get the $19.99 HF job. We had one at work and it is about as low end as one could get. But It would have done 100% of my needs the two times in 20 years I have used it.

[Roger Feeley]

I have this gizmo on my air compressor that drains it for an instant when the compressor starts and shuts down. It’s worked fine for 10 years. Someday I’m going to want another one and I don’t think HF sells them anymore. What are they called?

my general take is that anything that’s made from cast iron and doesn’t have to be accurate is fine. I have a 6” bench vise that’s fine.

[Jim Mackell]

1/2 inch breaker bar
1/2 inch torque wrench
pancake compressor
cutoff grinder
sawzall
heat gun
rolling toolbox (incredible bargain when they're on sale)

probably a few more. They're cheap and for a hobbyist, most of the time they're "good enough". For something I use only occasionally, I can't see paying the big bucks for a name brand. Which, many times is made in the same factory in China!

[Jim Becker]

I think people are a little hard on HF considering the price point. And they have improved quality too.

I suspect I would visit one of their stores more often if there was one a lot closer...all three "within range" are a bit of a drive in directions that I don't typically go. That means a planned trip, so it only happens once or twice a year. I agree that while there is often negative commentary, HF provides a service that is useful/helpful if what they sell is kept in perspective. Many of us have certain things that HF has become the go-to for, like the wire ties previously mentioned. Set realistic expectations and have those coupons ready!

[Bill Dufour]

I have this gizmo on my air compressor that drains it for an instant when the compressor starts and shuts down. It’s worked fine for 10 years. Someday I’m going to want another one and I don’t think HF sells them anymore. What are they called?

my general take is that anything that’s made from cast iron and doesn’t have to be accurate is fine. I have a 6” bench vise that’s fine.


Automatic drain valve. I have an electric one with a timer. It vents on start up, shut down and every 30 minutes. It will drain the tank overnite so I wired it to only get power when the motor is running.
Bill D.

[Mike Kees]

I was just working in my shop all afternoon and realized there is one more HF item that I will buy more of, the knit gloves with the "grippy" rubber palms and fingers. I only see HF a couple times a year when we go to Montana and I grabbed two pairs of these to try out. I use them face jointing lumber and handling and cutting sheet goods,saves on splinters and provides my very dry skin with more grip.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

When my shop burned, I could not afford to replace all the fancy tools I had acquired over the years. So it was off to Harbor Frt for most of it. Not the best quality, but for my use the tools seems right. The belt sander seems under powered, but for the money, I would have to spend 2 or 3 times the amount and still not great. I have 2 of the 12 x 34 wood lathes, the 4 inch belt sander, the 1 inch belt sander, A small small drill press, a saber saw, an electric drill, I use their goat skin gloves on the farm, go through 2 or 3 pair a year. (They are normally quite tough) Assorted screw drivers, the life time warranted sae wrench set and metric wrench set, tri square, Air brush kits, air compressors, paint guns, etc. I have had the 29.99 chain saw sharpener for about 17 years. It works great for what it is.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Dial indicator, with magnetic base, dial calipers, digital calipers, F clamps, tarps, painters drop cloths, moving blanket, moving dollies, brad / staple nailer, pin nailers ( both purple and silver/red ones,) 6n1 framing nailer (it's heavy, works perfectly, replaced with a Hitachi, which doesn't work perfectly,) air tool oil, air hose fittings, air pressure regulator, multi tool, green link belt, 10" pneumatic tires, purple HVLP guns (own several , one for each color,) multimeters (free,) 5 minute epoxy, magnetic tool trays (free,) click type torque wrenches, 25" breaker bar, roping gloves, nitrile gloves, chalk for welding, welding rod, rechargable NMH batteries ( AA, and AAA,) mortising bits for router, zip ties, 50' hose reels (took hose off and replaced with 100' hose,) 4 1/2 angle grinder ($9.99,) pick set (free,) blades for my Porta-band, led flash light, head band light. Latest purchase is a Pierce coil roofing nailer..On recent rebuild of shed across back of shop, worked flawlessly. Wish I could say the same for my Hitachi framing nailer

[Bryan Lisowski]

I have bought a bunch of stuff, all has worked well, the only thing I really wasn't happy with was the 4x6 belt and disc sander.

[johnny means]

Some mechanics stuff.
Deadblows.
3/8" cordless ratchet, I think this is a gem of a deal for the guy that wrenches enough to need a powered ratchet, but will never get paid to do it.
Automotive code scanner with live data, SRS, and all the other nifty data stuffs. Internally it's a repackaged big name brand unit that would cost much more elsewhere. Also a gem.
In my opinion, their top shelf power tools are at least on par with the consumer stuff from the borg.

[johnny means]

Oh, and their Icon brand is pretty sweet for the price. I'll definitely be looking at them when I'm in the market for some new grease monkey stuff.

[Rod Sheridan]

What Harbor Freight tools do I own?

None....Regards, Rod

[Charles Grauer]

I was in H. f. One day and this older fellow came in to return an idem. Seems he buys a cheaply and gets the free gift and then in a few days returns the purchased Idem gets his money back. “FREE GIFT”. Then he buys something else and gets a free gift and then. You get the idea. Any way the manager came out and told the clerk after he had left that had to stop. Not sure what happened the next time. There are all kinds of ways to skin the “——“

[Jim Becker]

Charles, there are always unfortunately some folks who try to game the system. They get away with it for awhile, but underestimate the ability of store staff to begin to recognize repeat behavior. I managed a retail operation back in the 180s for about 8 years...and there were folks who did the same kind of thing.

[David Buchhauser]

I've just heard about the Harbor Freight store. Was planning to go take a look this coming week. What kind of "free gift" are they handing out?
David

[Jim Becker]

I've just heard about the Harbor Freight store. Was planning to go take a look this coming week. What kind of "free gift" are they handing out?
David
There is usually a coupon involved and it's tied to your spend, I believe. Definitely worth the trip to browse...

[Jim Dwight]

I will probably forget some but I have the 2hp DC, hooked to an Oneida super dust deputy and discharging outside. I have a right angle grinder, a flooring nailer/stapler, 15 guage finish nailer, framing nailer, narrow crown stapler (have 2, one will only do 3/4, other is fine), wide stapler, big 10amp hammer drill (works as demolition hammer too, great for the price). Also have 48 and 60 inch aluminum clamps and some 16 or 18 inch clamps and a bunch of C clamps. I also have a flush trim saw and wish I could find another. In general, I am a bit leery of their power tools but I have some that work fine. I see little difference in clamps, especially C clamps. The long aluminum clamps are not exactly a pleasure to use but they exert enough pressure if your joint is good. And they are a pleasure to carry around.

[Charles Grauer]

Jim, I was not condoning his behavior by any means. I was in the utility business my whole working life. My dad told me when I was quite young, “ 10% of the people will give you 90% of your problems and take 90% of your time. The 90% never complain, you hardly get to see and really never get to know”. “Don’t judge the 90% by the 10%”.

[Ryan Yeaglin]

For work I replaced my old craftsman bottom box with the US general, very nice for the price slides are a lot better and very much better than the new Chinese Craftsman boxes. I also have transfer punches and gasket punches for work, they are fine unless your an animal and beat the hell out of them which even American made stuff wouldn't hold up to. One of the best buys from Harbor Freight is their 5000k, 5000 lumen 4' shop lights, with coupon they are $20 and are like the sun! I wouldn't buy stuff from there for everyday use, but for a one off job that you might need a specialized tool much cheaper than buying a name brand tool. I look at tools as an investment to which you should try and get the best you can afford if it's something plan on using a lot and having for a long time.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, I was not condoning his behavior by any means. I was in the utility business my whole working life. My dad told me when I was quite young, “ 10% of the people will give you 90% of your problems and take 90% of your time. The 90% never complain, you hardly get to see and really never get to know”. “Don’t judge the 90% by the 10%”.

Oh, I understand that...I was just piling on to what you wrote in support of it.

[Rollie Meyers]

I've just heard about the Harbor Freight store. Was planning to go take a look this coming week. What kind of "free gift" are they handing out?
David

Be warned they all reek of Chinese cosmolene & rubber. :D

I have a few things from HF, largest is a bead blaster, no power tools, & some small tools, & a digital caliper. When you could buy one of their 4" grinders for around $12 bucks, was asked to look at one, realized why, cheesy wiring, no UL or other NRTL, listing just a cheap throwaway tool, since I made the repairs for free, that was the only reason it was worth repairing. I'll keep my old 30 YO Hitachi, & pre ChiCom Milwaukee grinders.

[Robert London]

I buy odds and ends in there. Saw the good reviews on the dust collector but ended up throwing mine in the trash. The metal was so thin around the dust bag it kept collapsing. The plug fell off and got tired of trying to modify it. I still have the same penn state industries collector I bought 20 years ago. HB is stepping up their game and some of their hand tools look a lot better.

[Curt Harms]

6" & 12" F clamps and spring clamps. Tarps and glue brushes, 3 Ton auto jack. T50 pneumatic stapler that will sink 1/2" staples flush in oak, way better than the electric stapler it replaced. It seems like their hydraulic stuff isn't too bad for weekend warrior use, don't know that it'd stand up to regular use. The pneumatic fittings I bought there leaked. I did buy one thing with an electric motor - I needed a buffer for a one off job and wasn't near home so I bought a Harbor Freight one. It did the job, still works but I know understand why they sell gloves that are supposed to isolate vibration. If I use it for more than a couple minutes my hands tingle.

Edit: I have 2 sets of combination wrenches, SAE & Metric. They seem to fit the heads fine, no rounding off or slipping. The edges of the handle portion are not well rounded over so they can hurt my hands a little if applying quite a bit of force. For my very limited usage that's not a problem, I have gloves if needed.

[David Buchhauser]

Be warned they all reek of Chinese cosmolene & rubber. :D

I have a few things from HF, largest is a bead blaster, no power tools, & some small tools, & a digital caliper. When you could buy one of their 4" grinders for around $12 bucks, was asked to look at one, realized why, cheesy wiring, no UL or other NRTL, listing just a cheap throwaway tool, since I made the repairs for free, that was the only reason it was worth repairing. I'll keep my old 30 YO Hitachi, & pre ChiCom Milwaukee grinders.

I'm gonna go down there tomorrow. If I see any evidence of Chinese cosmolene or rubber on any of the items, I will immediately exit the store. I want good quality without any undesirable smells on my tools.
David

[Curt Harms]

I'm gonna go down there tomorrow. If I see any evidence of Chinese cosmolene or rubber on any of the items, I will immediately exit the store. I want good quality without any undesirable smells on my tools.
David

Gonna be a short visit I think.

[Jim Becker]

I'm gonna go down there tomorrow. If I see any evidence of Chinese cosmolene or rubber on any of the items, I will immediately exit the store. I want good quality without any undesirable smells on my tools.
David
There's no way to avoid this kind of thing...at HF or any other tool purveyor, honestly. Even my big SCM/Minimax equipment had some healthy doses of cosmoline on them and where it was produced isn't evident by the petrochemical odors. :) Nature of the beast. That said, there may be a tendency to notice it more with a bargain/low cost supplier because there will be less pre-provided labor to remove it. You pay less but have to remove it yourself. :)

[David Buchhauser]

Perhaps they have some wrenches, hammers, or other items I might need with no smell or grease. I'll let you know what I find out. I'm actually looking for a smallish air compressor that I can wheel out to the from yard to air up some tires on some of my vehicles. A friend also told me he bought an aluminum floor jack there. Sounds like a treasure trove of nice stuff.
David

[Jim Becker]

There are bins and bins and racks and racks of small tools like wrenches, hammers, etc. You'll enjoy your visit no matter what you walk out with.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I’m starting to think this HF dust collector blower isn’t such a gem. The very marginal motor trips my 20a breaker on startup pretty well every time and cannot be rewired for 220v. It also seems to be an odd non-NEMA frame that cannot easily be replaced with something else.


Have you considered changing the breaker? They do go bad.

[David Buchhauser]

There are bins and bins and racks and racks of small tools like wrenches, hammers, etc. You'll enjoy your visit no matter what you walk out with.

I can use some new dead blow hammers also. I used to have some Stanley - but they eventually got hard and started chipping. Do you think that HF will have something similar?
David

[Peter Kelly]

Have you considered changing the breaker? They do go bad.I’ve tried three different 20a breakers, one of them brand new. They all seem to trip right off, I reset the breaker and immediately switch on the blower. If I switch the unit off, I have about 5 minutes where I can turn it back on w/o resetting.

Going to install a 25a breaker in the panel once I get the shop space back together here, hopefully this resolves things.

[Stan Calow]

I can use some new dead blow hammers also. I used to have some Stanley - but they eventually got hard and started chipping. Do you think that HF will have something similar?
David
Yes they usually have them.

[David L Morse]

I’m starting to think this HF dust collector blower isn’t such a gem. The very marginal motor trips my 20a breaker on startup pretty well every time and cannot be rewired for 220v. It also seems to be an odd non-NEMA frame that cannot easily be replaced with something else.


I’ve tried three different 20a breakers, one of them brand new. They all seem to trip right off, I reset the breaker and immediately switch on the blower. If I switch the unit off, I have about 5 minutes where I can turn it back on w/o resetting.

Going to install a 25a breaker in the panel once I get the shop space back together here, hopefully this resolves things.

Something's wrong. Rather than hijack this thread how about starting a new one in Workshops?

[Peter Kelly]

Okee.

Years ago (mid 90s) I bought an actual German-made AEG jigsaw from HF, still runs like a champ. Funny to look at their website archives from then, much less generic Made in China throwaway stuff. https://web.archive.org/web/19971016084527/http://www.harborfreight.com/

[Jeff Monson]

Read the reviews, I have several larger "one time use" tools that have gotten good reviews and the tool has performed above my expectations. I wont list the small stuff but the 3500 watt predator generator is nothing short of awesome. The central machinery plate compactor is awesome. The chicago electric 10" brick saw is great with a good blade on it. My opinion is they make some decent tools just do your homework.

[Marc Fenneuff]

About 2 years ago I went into HF to get a 10-ton shop press. They were out of the 10-ton and offered the 20-ton for the same price (I said yes). With the 20% off coupon in force at the time, I got out of there with a 20-ton press for less than $100. It's a cheaply-made, sloppily-welded-together and barely square tool that saved me over a grand in labor by replacing two wheel bearings myself in my garage.

I own no other HF tools, though I would like an HF pneumatic-over-hydraulic 20-ton bottle jack to upgrade my press. I've looked around and bottle jacks like that are either the same price/apparent quality as the HF jack, or vastly more expensive.

[Billy Merrill]

Titanium coated drill and step drill bits. Hard to beat for the $
Impact driver tips (seems to be as good as the name brands for 1/2 the cost)
Torque wrenches. My son worked at an airplane assembly plant and they used them.
Socket set (kept in camper)
4 way lug wrench
Fuses
Crimp connectors
Allen wrenches
Tie saw (top rated on review sites, works very well with a good diamond blade)
Zip ties
Heat shrink tubing
Heat gun
nitrite and work gloves (great value, purchase often)
bottle jacks.
brad nailer (10 years plus)
Ratchet straps, bungee cords (repeat purchaser of these)
Moving dollies. (large size, rated at 1000 pounds, hard to work in a mobile shop with out them, have about 10, some connected together with boards to make them larger, moved a 300 pound generator and a sawstop saw (before assembly) with them.)
Heavy duty hand cart w/pneumatic tire. (moved a 400 pound generator with it, several large appliances, use with yard work
folding chair with side table (wife's from the monthly tent sale, 3 years and going strong)
screw drivers
bearing/wheel puller (had to have one)
pipe clamps.
floor jack
jack stands (check yours, there is a recall on some)
metal stand for a bench grinder
sponge and chip brushes.
Pneumatic sheet metal cutter
Angle grinder

[Scott Winter]

1/2" Electric Impact Gun (great for when I need to pull the tires off my car)
Oscillating multi tool
Chisel set that I use when I don't want to damage my good ones
SAE and Metric ratchet wrenches
Aluminum bar clamps and small f-style clamps

[Doug Dawson]

Titanium coated drill and step drill bits. Hard to beat for the $
Impact driver tips (seems to be as good as the name brands for 1/2 the cost)
Torque wrenches. My son worked at an airplane assembly plant and they used them.


Was this by any chance Boeing South Carolina (Charleston)?

[Ole Anderson]

Let's see... wide crown pneumatic stapler, 1-1/8" SDS hammer drill, 8" polisher, saw chain sharpener, diamond circular saw blade sharpener (just used it yesterday), 1/2" breaker bar, 9 mil nitrile gloves, tee handle allen wrench set for starters.

[bill epstein]

12" Drill Press going on 20 years.

They had just opened in my town and it was $89. Fair amount of run-out with the chuck starting to go but for the price? I'd buy it again.

In fact, I'm about to look for a replacement chuck, nothing wrong with the motor.

[BOB OLINGER]

OK, here's a list off the top of my head -

3 wooden work benches - I attached them together for a nice workshop bench (with drawers and vices) - good value
3" belt sander - good
Pneumatic roof nailer - worked great for my job, better than renting one
Electrical plug ends - great value, lots of them
Screw drivers - great, have lots; great handles
Assorted sizes - boxes of cheap twist bits - how can you go wrong for most work?
Brass disconnect hose ends - good, but be careful as they end up leaking in a couple of years
Moving floor dollies - good
Nitrile gloves - excellent
Wood chisels - great for general work
3/8" & 1/2" rachet and sockets - great (like the handle grip better than my S-K's)
Digital calipers - good
Pneumatic disc sander - good
1/2" corded electric drill - good
Foam floor mats - good
Hard plastic compartment storage boxes - great
Work gloves - good
Pneumatic floor nailer - great - again, cheaper than renting; really impressed
Rolling metal storage cart - good
C clamps - good
Loading ramps - great
Oscillating multi tool - good
Rachet straps - good
Pipe clamps - good
AA & AAA batteries - not so good, wouldn't buy again
Portable air tank - good
Bar clamps - bad, worse thing bought at HF

As a hobbyist, a lot of their items work great for me. If I was a professional and used the tools more frequently, then likely a different story. But, they are a great choice for certain tools.
I bought several with hesitancy but was pleasantly surprised how well they stood up.

[Jim Barkelew]

Various tools. The standout is my floor model drill press that is over 40 years old. HF was selling tools by phone in the 70's and made an offer I couldn't refuse . I changed the chuck to a better one because of runout but it still runs perfectly . I believe it was made in Taiwan.

Jim

[Steven Cooper2]

Oh man, I love hazard fraught.... I will admin some of their stuff is crap, but much is a great deal.

10 in drill press, POS, but worked. Couldn't drive a reasonable size bit through metal or wood. Replaced with vintage Delta and have no regerts.
Clamps, F type great, I nee more...
Nitrile gloves, great, not as durable as name brand but still excellent. Dozens of boxes.
Admiral 80T 12", nice blade, not great but not bad. good price
HF 2hp dust collector, pretty good.
12" Chicago electric sliding miter saw. Meh, not good, but really not bad.
{insert dozens of other things here}
21 gallon compressor, loud but pretty solid. better than expected overall
cheap heat gun, if you don't have a heat gun, buy one.
drill bits, mediocre, but I now have the odd tap drill sizes i need and then some.
corded drill, not variable speed, I didnt even know that they made non-variable speed drills, don't buy this.
sandpaper, emery rolls are fine. not norton or 3m, but not too bad.
Lots of wrenches, sockets, etc
all of the freebies

I'm gonna stop here, but in general, if you aren't 100% certain that you are using it constantly, it is worth the investment. Most of their tools are pretty good. A lot are the same as store brand tools at a lower price, my planer and small bandsaw for instance (which are the store brand versions)

[Brice Rogers]

Over half the tools in my shop are from Harbor Fright. The vast majority work perfectly and "keep on ticking"

RF-30 Mill -
MIG welder
Floor drill press
14" wood bandsaw
5 x8 (?) metal bandsaw
Chop saw
Miter saw
Grinders (4)
Angle grinders (4)
Angle drill
Wrenches and then more wrenches
Dremel like tools (2) - lower quality but still running
Scroll saw (works fine but some unnecessary vibration
2 HP Dust collector
1 HP Dust collector
Reciprocal saws (2) - (I bought one to replace a Milwaukee that prematurely died)
A bunch of air tools.
MT2 drill chuck

I don't like their sandpaper, Dremel-like tools, and lathe cutting tools. And I realize that my HF tools are all lower-end tools and in some cases a bit more basic. But they do the job for me. Most are at least 10 years old and some older. The angle drill makes unnecessary gear noise and may end up having a shortened life. It is only three years old but continues to still work fine. I wouldn't be surprised if it fails in the next 5 to 10 years. (Humor).

[Donald G. Burns]

4"x36" with 6" disk sander
mobile base with casters (for my table saw)
roller (out feed) stand (again for my saw)
heat gun
8" bench top drill press
drill press table with fence
dial caliper
foam mats
magnetic dish parts holder
dozen free flashlights more or less
fixed base router (back up router)
3 moving dollies
bunch of clamps (various sizes)
log splitter (manual pump)
red wagon
portable pancake air compressor
misc. small hand tools (jeweler screwdrivers etc)

[Curt Harms]

One thing I did buy from Harbor Freight that, while it works isn't easy to use. They sold blue 120 amp AC stick welders for $89 at the time. I bought a better ground clamp and a better shield, the shield was a flimsy cardboard affair though I did use it - once - and it worked. I was able to build some mobile bases and a few other metal projects but it is a challenge to strike an arc. Once struck it's fine. If I hadn't had experience with better stick welders before I'd have blamed myself. I read once that the problem is low open circuit voltage. This is an example of why I think Harbor Freight stuff has its place. I used the welder for a couple projects and put it away. haven't touched it in at least 5 years, probably longer. I could have bought a better machine, used it and sold it when I was done but then I may have to buy another and go through the same cycle with some loss of $$. Having $89 sitting doing nothing is not a strain.

[Billy Merrill]

Was this by any chance Boeing South Carolina (Charleston)?

Spirit in Kinston, NC

[Thomas Zamora]

Do they produce tillers/cultivators? For some reason I can't open their website. On the web there's info only about blowers and trimmers and review lists like here (https://www.backyardstyle.com/best-rear-tine-tillers/) do not mention Harbor Freight at all

[Brian Runau]

spindle sander. some clamps.

[Tom M King]

I forgot about the mechanic shop. I have a couple of their tool cabinets, a parts washer, and several of their Daytona floor jacks. I bought the floor jacks to make it easy to level shipping containers, and ended up liking them better than the old name brand one I have.

[Randy Heinemann]

A 23 gauge pin nailer which I bought for about $10. I have since upgraded but used it for years trouble free since it was something I used only infrequently.

A right angel VS sander which I use for sanding bowls on the lathe - $30. Works great with no problems.

Thinking about an electric body saw for carving on wooden bowls-$40. Cheap but I'm sure would work for the number of times I will use it.

[Todd Trebuna]

I have the 2 hp dust collector. I’ve had it for over 10 years and it still works great.
I have the small belt sander with the disk sander and the large belt sander with the sanding disk. The Large one is awesome. The small one is junk.
I have their Oscillating spindle Sander which is fantastic and works great.
I have their socket sets, breaker bar and Quinn digital Torque wrench which is awesome and compares favorably to the Snapon. I have their Mortiser, which I hate and have used twice. I should have known because it was missing the hardware pack when I got it home and when I went back, their manager tore open a new box and gave me the hardware kit out of it. LOL. (Mystery solved).

(Also go there for sandpaper, nitrile gloves and various odds and ends)

[Davis Young]

It smells like I just contracted cancer every time I step into their store. But the really troubling thing is I no longer notice the smell as I step out.

[Bruce Wrenn]

A couple more to add to my list. Thumb ratchets and wobble extensions for sockets. Used both in the last couple of days. Would be using a set of feeler gauges, but they were sold out when we went by on Monday after wife's doctor appointment.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Nothing with any moving part.

[Mel Fulks]

They had good soaker hoses ,that worked better than big-box schlock. I've even lent them to neighbors,and they still
worked when returned ! I've had big box stuff that performed like a geyser, the rest of the hose did nothing except
help find it in a messy garage. This year HF does not have them.

[Brice Rogers]

I think that there is some correlation between the cost of a tool and the "quality". Usually "quality" equates to longevity. So, if I had unlimited funds, I would not buy HF but would buy the tools from US, German and Swiss manufacturers.

But, unfortunately I have limited funds. I could buy better tools than HF, but most of my vast collection of HF tools are likely to outlive me.

[Ben Rivel]

Not a single thing.

[Erik Loza]

A bunch of hand tools plus a jigsaw and hammer drill. Both those power tools work fine for what I need. The hammer drill has been awesome, in fact. Used it to drill a ton of anchor bolt holes in a concrete slab during a CNC router install a couple of weeks back and it kicked butt. I guess if I made a living off these tools, I might feel differently but for the use they see, cannot complain.

Erik

[Bruce Wrenn]

Add two more to my list. Extendable magnetic pick up tool and inspection mirror. Used magnetic tool today to check if door hardware was brass (it is.)

[Mike Cutler]

Perhaps they have some wrenches, hammers, or other items I might need with no smell or grease. I'll let you know what I find out. I'm actually looking for a smallish air compressor that I can wheel out to the from yard to air up some tires on some of my vehicles. A friend also told me he bought an aluminum floor jack there. Sounds like a treasure trove of nice stuff.
David

David
The store does have an "odor" to it, but it's not as if everything in the store is packed in cosmolene, or packing grease. The large items though are certainly coated with protective coatings on the non painted surfaces. It is definitely going to smell like rubber. They have a lot of plastic and rubber materials in the store. I have 10's upon 10's of millions of dollars in jacketed cabling at work, and it stinks also. Makes you want to gag in some of the cable spreading rooms. It's not a "cheap" issue.
Part of the issue with he odor is the HVAC system in the store itself. I don't know that HF actually builds their own stores. All of their stores I've been in were empty stores that they just moved into. Depending on what was in there before, will go a long way towards determining how quickly air can be exchanged. Some smell worse than others.
Regardless, it just smells like an old time car repair shop.

[Ole Anderson]

About ready to pull the trigger on their 9000# Badlands winch for the Jeep.

[Mike Henderson]

The only tool I can think of now is their oscillating tool. I don't use it much so I went cheap for that one. I probably have a couple of others that I don't remember right now.

Ah, one I just thought of is their aluminum floor jack. I needed it for one thing and never hardly used it after.

Mike

[Bruce King]

A large shop press, large metal cutoff saw and misc small stuff. Probably should have included Northern Tool too.

[John A. Schaefer]

With a HF about 5 miles from the house, it's the most convenient place we have. I generally go with them for (1) stuff that doesn't get heavy usage, (2) stuff that I have "good" versions of that I don't want to destroy, or (3) things that I can modify to work for me.

Here's what I can remember.
- Hanging Storage Cabinet (for storing stains, dyes, paints, etc.)
- 44" rolling cabinet
- 13" floor drill press (has the same casting numbers as Rikon)
- 2HP dust collector (highly modified)
- 12" ratcheting clamps (a bunch of them)
- Framing nailer
- Wood chisels (sacrificial)
- Heat gun
- 3/8" ratchet handles
- Metal folding saw horses (for outside work)
- 24 compartment storage containers (for screws, electrical bits and pieces, etc.)
- 50' air hose reel
- Variable speed oscillating multi tool
- Ratchet straps
- Hydraulic table cart
- Metal ammo can (to store extra sanding belts)
- Misc. other stuff like heat shrink tubing, crimp-on electrical connectors, tarps, etc.

I know I'm probably missing some stuff, but you get the general idea.

[Ray Newman]

No tools, just rubber gloves.

[Roger Feeley]

I get various gloves from HF like nitrile, latex and so on. My metal bench vise is from there. I wouldn’t buy anything that requires precision or quality material. If it’s big, heavy cast iron and it doesn’t have to be accurate, ok.

I ran into roofing contractor with a cart full of hammers. He said his workers stole so many he stopped getting nice ones.

[Michael Donnermeyer]

My old rule of thumb was to never buy anything electrical or mechanical (more than a few moving parts). That said, they've stepped up their game the past few years. The US General toolboxes are hard to beat for the money and build, have been for a few years. They're definitely focusing on better quality with their "premier brands". Like everyone else, they're made by the same few companies...they just don't settle for all the rejects like they used to. It'll be interesting to see where this goes in the next few years. The CEO seems serious about the changes and making it the destination for tools. Noticed a few days ago they added their own store "credit card". Rate is ridiculous, but better than what most other stores offer.

In the last year I've bought a few items that break my rule, so far so good. Still a bit hesitant to buy anything big yet.

My list
(1 Horrible, 3 Average, 5 Excellent)

Krause & Becker Airless Paint Sprayer - 4/5
Mover's Dolly - 4/5
Mover's Blankets - 5/5
Pneumatic Tires (replacements for a dolly) - 5/5
Orange Ratchet Straps - 5/5
Link Belt - 5/5
Merlin Air Chuck w/Dial Guage - 4/5
Masonry Drill Bit Set - 3/5
Bauer Impact Bit Holder - 4/5
Magnetic Tool Holders (multiple) - 5/5 [Great cheap source of magnets when you have to have them]
White US General 5-drawer Series 2 Cart (Woodworking hand tools cart) - 5/5
Yellow US General 4-drawer Series 2 Cart (Sockets, Wrenches, Pliers, Extensions) - 5/5
Icon 1/2" Breaker Bar - 5/5
Daytona Super Duty Low Profile Floor Jack - 5/5

[Jim Becker]

I just bought the first HF power tool for me ever...an impact drill/driver for a specific home improvement job where the impact feature will be an asset. The sale price was also on sale further... :) :D KF is sometimes like Kohls...you never know what the actual bottom line price will be until you figure out the sale deal. LOL

[David Davies]

I just bought their electric rotary cutter and it works surprisingly well.
Dave Davies

[Tom M King]

Bought another US General little roll cabinet from them today. It's for little used stuff in the mechanic shop. I don't think they would be for a mechanic that uses one every day for a living, but for occasional use I like them better than Craftsman.

[stephen ferretti]

A box of gloves and some shrink wrap.

[dennis thompson]

Today I was trimming some small tree limbs with my sawzall, I had a Bosch blade in it that was pretty old and seemed to be dull so I changed it and put in a new Harbor Freight Master Mechanic blade. Maybe it would cut butter but it certainly couldn't cut small tree limbs:mad:.
I ordered some more Bosch blades and am going to throw out the Harbor Freight blades.

[Ole Anderson]

Today I was trimming some small tree limbs with my sawzall, I had a Bosch blade in it that was pretty old and seemed to be dull so I changed it and put in a new Harbor Freight Master Mechanic blade. Maybe it would cut butter but it certainly couldn't cut small tree limbs:mad:.
I ordered some more Bosch blades and am going to throw out the Harbor Freight blades. Were you using a pruning blade?

[dennis thompson]

Were you using a pruning blade?

Both the Bosch and the Master Mechanic blades were 6", 6tpi, wood cutting blades

[Curt Harms]

Today I was trimming some small tree limbs with my sawzall, I had a Bosch blade in it that was pretty old and seemed to be dull so I changed it and put in a new Harbor Freight Master Mechanic blade. Maybe it would cut butter but it certainly couldn't cut small tree limbs:mad:.
I ordered some more Bosch blades and am going to throw out the Harbor Freight blades.

Dennis this reminds me of our most used HF power tool - their 'chainsaw on a stick'. We can reach everywhere on our lot with a 100' 12 ga. extension cord so saw is electric. Little thing is downright handy. I have a Stihl gas powered saw that hasn't run in years, the electric saw is just so convenient and we're mostly pruning limbs so don't need more than about 3" capacity.

https://www.harborfreight.com/95-in-7-amp-corded-electric-pole-saw-56808.html?_br_psugg_q=pole+saw

[Dave Sabo]

Bought another US General little roll cabinet from them today. It's for little used stuff in the mechanic shop. I don't think they would be for a mechanic that uses one every day for a living, but for occasional use I like them better than Craftsman.

Why wouldn’t they be for the professional mechanic ?

My unscientific comparison btw my HF and Matco carts tells me that HF will certainly last a career of wrenching on cars. It certainly doesn’t carry the braggin rights of a Snappy, MAC, or Matco, nor is it made in the USA. But then again it costs 1/10 of the big boys.

Which , to me represents the smarter play for a pro mechanic.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Bought the $8 Countersink set. It dulled after about 50 uses. Complete junk.

[Peter Kelly]

I was in a pinch and needed a 4" angle grinder for some masonry work, happened upon the below review and picked one of these up. Doesn't compare to my Metabo (which I wasn't able to get to) but it isn't bad at all for $37 out the door. I'd wager it's certainly as good as similar 8a Makita / Bosch / DeWalt home centre ones for slightly over 1/3 the cost.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrRDiEZBU30

Probably not a forever tool but surprisingly nicely made.

[Ron Selzer]

My little suitcase Mig welder showed up today will try it out around Thanksgiving when i am allowed to be on my feet again

[Alex Zeller]

I was in a pinch and needed a 4" angle grinder for some masonry work, happened upon the below review and picked one of these up. Doesn't compare to my Metabo (which I wasn't able to get to) but it isn't bad at all for $37 out the door. I'd wager it's certainly as good as similar 8a Makita / Bosch / DeWalt home centre ones for slightly over 1/3 the cost.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrRDiEZBU30

Probably not a forever tool but surprisingly nicely made.

I don't know about the Bauer model but I have read people having good luck with the HF brands when it comes to 4 1/2" angle grinders. The only issue they seam to have is that the Chinese don't put much grease and it's a low quality grease on the gears. They just clean it off and grease it up. They even note that the sound level drops some and it's cooler to the touch when using.

I did pick up a Bauer jigsaw a couple months ago for a specific job when my DeWalt broke. For less than $50 with a coupon it looks like it's a good deal. Other than the LED light always being on (just like my Bosch router) it's done several jobs now without a problem.

[Jim Becker]

My little suitcase Mig welder showed up today will try it out around Thanksgiving when i am allowed to be on my feet again

Dude...you can weld sitting down. :) :D You really want to wait that long to try out a...new tool? LOL

[Peter Kelly]

I don't know about the Bauer model but I have read people having good luck with the HF brands when it comes to 4 1/2" angle grinders. The only issue they seam to have is that the Chinese don't put much grease and it's a low quality grease on the gears. They just clean it off and grease it up. They even note that the sound level drops some and it's cooler to the touch when using.I'll need to remember to do that, thanks. Any idea what grease to use as a replacement? I'd noticed that all of the major brand 4.5" grinders at the store were also made in China, might as well spend as little as possible if that's going to be the case.

Going to be using mine next on my roof to grind out pointing on a chimney, hopefully it doesn't somehow accidentally fall to it's death below. Won't kill me if it does though.

[Ron Selzer]

Dude...you can weld sitting down. :) :D You really want to wait that long to try out a...new tool? LOL
Need to get some parts out of the basement and then set everything up out in the garage. Kind hard to do when foot is supposed to be heart height all the time. Too high a risk of amputation this time around to do anything other than doctors orders.
If I behave should be back to light work at home by thanksgiving, or I can end up back in hospital for fourth operation in a month
Ron

[Jim Becker]

Ron, I hope things heal up very well for you and yes, being cautious is totally worthy. THAT is the most important thing. The new tool absolutely will wait for you.

[Alex Zeller]

I'll need to remember to do that, thanks. Any idea what grease to use as a replacement? I'd noticed that all of the major brand 4.5" grinders at the store were also made in China, might as well spend as little as possible if that's going to be the case.

Going to be using mine next on my roof to grind out pointing on a chimney, hopefully it doesn't somehow accidentally fall to it's death below. Won't kill me if it does though.

I think any high temp grease would work but I have heard that grease for the angled head on a string trimmer and CV joints works well. I'm sure every brand that makes the grinders has their own special grease that they will sell you for a premium. I do know you want to fill it about half way. Enough so once the grease warms up it'll flow back to the gears and bearings but not too much because it'll start causing resistance.

[Tom M King]

Why wouldn’t they be for the professional mechanic ?

My unscientific comparison btw my HF and Matco carts tells me that HF will certainly last a career of wrenching on cars. It certainly doesn’t carry the braggin rights of a Snappy, MAC, or Matco, nor is it made in the USA. But then again it costs 1/10 of the big boys.

Which , to me represents the smarter play for a pro mechanic.

Maybe so. The slides seem to work a lot better, once I loaded the drawers with some weight.

[Glen warner]

So yesterday I asked for a recommendation for a pin nailer as my Harbor Freight one had stopped working. I was completely surprised when several Creekers recommended I buy the Harbor Freight one. I did buy it (for $22 after a 20% coupon) what did I have to lose? It works fine. Mine was about 10 years old and not used very much, but it does appear to me that the Harbor Freight line has improved over the years.

So Creekers admit it: WHAT HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS DO YOU HAVE? Don't be scared we won't, at least I won't, yell at you:)
I'll start :
obviously I own the pin nailer,
I own the mini lathe , very happy with it.
I owned the scroll saw, junk, it broke in a week and was returned for full credit and I bought a Ridgid.
Own the cutoff tool, works fine.
Sandpaper, don't even think about it.
I bought their small pack of epoxy, $1.79, works fine
I own several of their clamps, they're OK but I prefer my Irwins and my Jets
I have the 2hp dust collector, works great
Digital caliper, works fine
Benchtop.drill.press, 10 years old , still going after one repair
I'm a hobbyist, and I think that most of the Harbor Freight line is aimed at me, I'm would imagine that if I were a professional ,using tools, all day, every day, I'd use different brands.


Hey mate, If you are still looking for it then i have some bits recommendations:-

>WARRIOR Carbide Tip Woodworking Router Bit Set
>LIFETIME CARBIDE Carbide Tip
>WARRIOR 1/4 In. Carbide Tip Roundover
>DRILL MASTER High Speed Steel Spiral Mortising
>WARRIOR Carbide Tip Straight




These are some of the good Router Bit for Harbor Freight tools. I got to know about that from an article(read (https://theedgecutter.com/harbor-freight-router-bits-review/)) which i personally recommend to read as in that some good information are there which i like when i read it first. Discussion is goes around Why choose Harbor Freight router bits and its good and bad side, detailed description for top router bits.
I can't quote whole article there that's why gave you a reference. That will give an good idea for your prob

Hope it helps you!

[Peter Kelly]

I think any high temp grease would work but I have heard that grease for the angled head on a string trimmer and CV joints works well. I'm sure every brand that makes the grinders has their own special grease that they will sell you for a premium. I do know you want to fill it about half way. Enough so once the grease warms up it'll flow back to the gears and bearings but not too much because it'll start causing resistance.Odd, I disassembled the gear housing on mine and it was already packed with what looked to be a higher quality synthetic grease. Here’s hoping this thing lasts for a while.

[Alex Zeller]

Odd, I disassembled the gear housing on mine and it was already packed with what looked to be a higher quality synthetic grease. Here’s hoping this thing lasts for a while.

I guess when you buy the better brand from HF you get more and better grease. Good to know.