Harbor Freight Free Flashlight and Work Light Question

[DerbyDad03]

First, the important question:

When I presented the coupon for the free flashlight, I was given the choice of Red or Blue. Just curious...are those the same colors offered everywhere?

Second:

I used my most recent 20% off coupon on one of these:

This unit stands just under 4' high and is d*mn bright maybe too bright - 500 watts. I can't imagine turning around, accidentally looking into these lights and then being able to see for the next 10 minutes.

I've never used free standing shop lights this bright so I'm curious - are they too bright to be practical, unless mounted much higher than the 44" stand allows?

[Limp Arbor]

My HF has a bin full of the lights and you can pick your color from red, blue or black.

I know whatt you mean about those lights. The best way to use them is put them behind you and shine near where you're working. At the ceiling or on an adjacent wall usually works.

[Jim Elbrecht]

Red & Blue here- [Albany, NY, store]

I've got a couple 500watt lights I bring out for paint and spackle jobs only. I usually bounce them off the ceiling from behind me. When I think I'm getting close with a spackle job I 'wash' the wall with them. . . and get back to work.

Once something looks good to me under those lights, SWMBO is called in to check things under normal lighting. They haven't failed me yet.

Jim

[Joe]

I have always removed the overbright 500 W lamps and replaced them with 300 W. They last longer and there is no practical loss of illumination for your work area. Sometimes direct lighting is needed, but indirect is usually more useful as above.

Joe

[Stormin Mormon]

Most of the time here (Rochester, NY 14623 store) they have red or blue. Last time they had black, which I kind of like. saturday, they were given out, and the free ones will restock, Thursday.

I got one of these

which is disappointing. Puts a spot on the far wall, instead of spreading light around. But, I had a coupon. I can also run it off a small battery and inverter, for light when I don't have house power.

My old boss used to use 150 watt bulbs in his clamp on lamp

was too bright for me. I'd have to guess that 500 watts is much way extremely too bright. My old fire department used to use 500 watt lights for night accident scenes.

[aemeijers]

The red and blue ones are off the '2-for' sku, and the blacks are off the singles. Local store only hands out naked red or blue, when they are out of the blacks.

I'm up to 13 of them. How many have you guys got so far? Come deer season, I'm gonna get me one of those shotgun shell belts (a cheap one, of course) to hold them all.

[Bob F]

If you turn them all on at once, will you take off?

[aemeijers]

No, but I'll probably do something artistic with them, before they find their permanent homes in both cars, one in each jacket, one in each toolbox, one in each bedside table, etc.

Hey, as long as they keep giving them away, what the hell... I pass within a block of HF on my Saturday errands almost every week, and it isn't hard to space out my 'needed stuff' list to only buy one or two things a week. (Don't wanna be a total dweeb and not buy ANYTHING, which is of course what they are counting on.) Most of the stuff I buy there is consumables or low-tech, and I seldom spend more than 10 bucks total. Most expensive thing I ever bought at HF was a compressor for forty bucks, after I figured out it was the same compressor Sears was selling for eighty, just in a different color.

Getting tempted by their multi-function tool, though.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've long since lost count. However, the shotgun shell belt sounds like a winner of an idea. I laughed out loud, which is rare.

My store has been handing out the red and blue. I like the black ones.

[Stormin Mormon]

That, or Porter Cable for much more. I'd guess the quality of the bronze berring is much less, but it will work for a while.

I'm the same way, try to buy one item while I'm scarfing up the free light. They are out of stock till Thursday. I may make a pilgrimmage on Thursday AM.

[George]

I guess I am missing something. What is the point of having 13 (or 30) crappy quality flashlights?

[Thomas]

They are really not that crappy. Especially for the price.

[Stormin Mormon]

They come in handy for quick bit of light, at unexpected moments. As to quality.... I've had some of the blue ones come unglued. The light module slides out the front, and the light stops working. However, only one or two. The store replaces them without hassle. It's also fun to try to get stuff for "free".

A couple bits of advice. Promptly take the cheap batteries out, and put in real brand alkalines. The cheap batteries provided are OK if you use them up, in the first couple days and promptly remove them.

Second, the tail cap threads are a lot rough. A bit of grease or vaseline helps a LOT. Aluminum Noalox, or Ox-Gored is good, also.

[HeyBub]

You DON"T have the Harbor Freight MultiMiracle tool???

Slit your throat! You've missed the good one.

[DerbyDad03]

I see that they're dropping the price on the variable speed one also.

[aemeijers]

Ooh! Shiny! And when you line them up in a row, they look even keener!

Yes, they are one step above junk, and probably not worth buying replacement batteries for. I definitely would not pay list price for them. But the one in my briefcase has come in handy several times, finding stuff buried in the back of a 19" rack.

-- aem sends...

[George]

So it sounds like they really aren't worth bringing home.

A really easy solution much better is to get a good flashlight. I have a single cell CREE LED that came with a belt holster. It is really rugged, reliable and dependable and because it is so small I can have it with me all of the time. It does double duty as a really good bike light. I bought a velcro strap mount to attach it to the handlebars.

[Stormin Mormon]

Well, if you are one person. Who never loans flash lights. Never has a flash light break. Never leaves his light some where else, never has neighbors ask to borrow one. Never needs a light in two places at once.

Then, your one light system should work fine.

[Fake ID]

I wonder why Harbor Freight didn't put their name on them like cheap promotonal pens.

With counts in the dozens, make a mobile and hang them all out in the wind.

m

[HeyBub]

Because they're not "crappy." They would be worth it at TWICE the price!

Seriously, they are perfectly adequate flashlights.

• They are all metal, not the "crappy" plastic of some brand-name, "inexpensive" flashlights.

• They have an actual switch (in the base) instead of a sliding contact.

• They have NINE LEDs instead of seven or five found in the commercial, brand-name, .95+ flashlights.

• They come with a handy little noose, enabling them to dangle from a knob on the dash.

• They come in colors to match your political persuasion: Blue (Democrat), Red (Republican), and Black.