Another HF find, best value ever?

A little off topic, but I was looking for a new tool belt and was really drooling over some of the Occidental Leather offerings at my local Performance Tool store. Really liked the suspension/vest systems there. But it was just wishful thinking as a framers package was about $350. I have no hips, so my old cheapo leather tool bag was always trying to slip down, taking my pants with it. I don't often do any framing, just occasional house flip work with my son and electrical projects here and there. But I do like a tool belt, especially when doing electrical work. So I picked up a set of HD suspenders at Performance Tool hoping that would do the trick on the cheap. Then I head down the street and pass by the local HF and stop in looking at a chain saw sharpener which they were selling for $20. Very good deal on a cheapo tool. Then I ran across a tool belt that really caught my eye. Selling for $25, I got it for $20 with my 20% off coupon, and got a free multimeter with it. 18 pockets, velcro belt closure with a HD buckle, pull-up side loops, steel hammer loop and D rings for suspenders. Similar offerings by Occidental Leather were pushing $300. Best value EVER. Quality tool belt system for an amazing price. Next stop, church where I had another 7 troffers that needed conversion to LED by rewiring and removing the ballasts. Used the suspenders (clip style for my jeans, not snap style that would work with the new belt). Three hours later I was elated that the belt stayed in place as did my pants. I am really loving this new tool belt. https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/tool-bags-belts/18-pocket-heavy-duty-tool-belt-63294.html

https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...mage_27059.jpg

Good deal indeed! It's a steal at that price. Does it come with visiting rights too?

I have to admit I own a lot of Harbor Freight stuff that if I had to buy Milwaukee, DeWalt or Snapon I probably would not own at all.
But there is a flip side:

One of our long time customers was a leather company in a town near us. I serviced some of the equipment used in screen printing on the products they produced. On the 2nd foor of a 3 story building, I would walk past at least 2 dozen industrial sewing machines used to assemble the leather products, on my way to the printing department.

We received an announcment that Atchison Leather was changing it's name to Atchison Products. On the next service call, all of the sewing machines were pushed against a wall and the entire floor was pallets of boxes. The leather products were now fabric products made in China. The 3rd floor was where the leather was cut out, so I assume it was now storage, too.

We heard the company was purchased by a big name company that makes unrelated stuff. Then we received an announcement that the Atchison plant operation was merging with another plant and moving to another city.

We lost a customer and a small town lost a fair sized employer. We have lost bigger customers in similar ways.

I'm done complaining now.


John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John McClanahan

I have to admit I own a lot of Harbor Freight stuff that if I had to buy Milwaukee, DeWalt or Snapon I probably would not own at all.
But there is a flip side:

One of our long time customers was a leather company in a town near us. I serviced some of the equipment used in screen printing on the products they produced. On the 2nd foor of a 3 story building, I would walk past at least 2 dozen industrial sewing machines used to assemble the leather products, on my way to the printing department.

We received an announcment that Atchison Leather was changing it's name to Atchison Products. On the next service call, all of the sewing machines were pushed against a wall and the entire floor was pallets of boxes. The leather products were now fabric products made in China. The 3rd floor was where the leather was cut out, so I assume it was now storage, too.

We heard the company was purchased by a big name company that makes unrelated stuff. Then we received an announcement that the Atchison plant operation was merging with another plant and moving to another city.

We lost a customer and a small town lost a fair sized employer. We have lost bigger customers in similar ways.

I'm done complaining now.


John

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I hear you. You won't catch me buying other than GM/Ford/Chrysler/Jeep products, but then I live in the Detroit area and my FIL worked for GMC for most of his life. Can you say the same? But when I can spend $20 to get a product that will have the same functionality as one for $300, I jump at the chance. It is a world economy and has been for a long time. It hurts those that loose their job, but helps others obtain goods that they would otherwise never have.

Yea, really good buy, Ole. I'm going to have to check that out next time I go to HF. The small tool belt I have from back in the time I was in the insulation trade for a couple years isn't particularly comfortable and could use to be replaced.

I feel compelled to note that I also don't have "hips" and for the last few months since retiring from full time work and starting to spend up to 6 days a week in my shop and/or doing home improvement and other "duties", I switched to wearing suspenders full time. I no longer have to pause work multiple times in an hour to tuck my shirt(s) back in...and I already wear extra long shirts from Duluth Trading to begin with! Who knew something so simple as suspenders could make life so much easier. I only do the belt thing now on "casual Saturday", etc., when I'm doing things like food shopping or just hanging out.

Oh, and I own a very nice Grand Cherokee that was "born" at Jefferson North in Detroit...and also help moderate one of the largest Jeep oriented forums on the 'net. Good folks work in that factory and turn out a very nice product...every single one is "sold" before it's made, too. They run over a thousand vehicles a day (80% JGC and about 20% Durango) out of that Detroit plant!

I hear you Ole, I was born in Detroit and was always a GM man. That is up until a few years ago. It is a global economy and I'm sure many will disagree with some of my comments. But I own a 2015 Honda Odyssey minivan.

You might ask why. It is better designed and more reliable than any of the others. It was made in Alabama by U.S. workers and contains 1% more American parts than the Chrysler and Dodge minivans.

So you say well, the company is in Japan and the profits go there. If I had bought a Grand Caravan, or a Jeep, back in 2015 where do you think the profits from that purchase would have gone? Fiat totally bought out Chrysler back in June, 2014.