I have their biscuit joiner, a friend gave me after he used it a few times and decided he liked biscuits so he bought a better one. I used it to make my router table but that is the only time I've used it so far. It has a scratchy sound while running that makes you think its going to let the magic smoke out any minute but managed to hold together so far. It isn't very accurate, the plastic fence flexes and will move a bit from the start of the project until the finish so its not something you would want to make real fine furniture with or use a lot.
Harbor Freight seems to have some very attractively priced power tools, particularly those under the "Chicago Electric Power".
What has been your experience with Harbor Freight in general and with the Chicago Electric brand in particular?
- How does the quality and value stack up?
- If one is a serious hobbyist who doesn't have unlimited money to spend on tools, is it better to buy fewer name-brand, high-priced tools or go for a broader range of Chicago Electric brand tools to fill out my home shop?
Presumably you never get something for nothing so I imagine the quality of a 29.95 sawzall type tool can't be as good as a $200 Milwaukee version... but that being said, is it worth buying this stuff?
Please share your experiences and advice from a hobbyist perspective (I know that if you use your tools professionally 8+ hours/day then it pays to buy the best).
My personal experience is that if you are only a hobbyist, you can get away with buying *some* cheaper tools. For example, I would never buy cheap cordless drills because the batteries they put on them are pretty much useless. On the other hand, I have paid next to nothing for some corded drills and they have lasted me 5+ years with no problems so far (just brush changes etc).
I also have a cheap rotary tool, a couple small cheap routers I use for trimming and edging and these have worked fine too. You can get away with cheap air tools as well if they are only for occassional use.
For tools like miter saws, heavier duty routers, tablesaws etc, it pays to buy quality.
IF you can try it before buying, you can get a feel of the quality of THAT tool, quality control is very hap-hazard. One will be smooth, the next one ruffer then a cob. I do have a 14 in. band saw and a 7 in. jointer, pleased with both.
I have on of their edge grinders (less than $20) for about three years. Perhaps use it once a month so it does an adequate job for me.
$200 is kind of high for the saw. The price should be about $120. The Chicago saw is not as powerful. I bought one from Sears for about $50 a few years ago and am certain for what I had have used it for the Chicago would have been good enough.
Like the others have already said, if you are only going to use their tools once a month or so, and aren't going to drop them onto the ground from a couple of stories, they can do a credible job.
I got one of their portable bandsaws when it was on sale for around $60 and I swear it's the greatest thing since sliced bread for cutting almost anything from wood to 2" x 2" angle iron. I think I reach for it more often than any other hand power tool in my collection.
I've bought some of their router and other woodworking bits and they seem pretty workable for the occasional use I give them.
The only power tool I ever bought from them which was a real disappointment was their garden "shredder/chipper", bought when it was on sale for a little over $100. It's far too small do do any kind of real job converting brush into wood chips. I tried using it once last year and never bothered with it again, It took nearly an hour for me to get one bushel of homemade mulch. I'm about ready to give it to Goodwill before the year ends and take a charitable deduction for it, 'cause I get annoyed every time I look at it taking up space in the garage.
On Mon 22 Nov 2004 08:36:21p, snipped-for-privacy@consult.pretender (Jeffrey J. Kosowsky) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@consult.pretender:
I bought the recip saw. Actually it was on sale for 25$ when I needed one for a garage project. I figured, if it does this one job it was worth it and if I find myself using it a lot, I'll get a good one. It did the garage job, then another one, then the bathroom remodel, then it helped tear down the neighbor's old shed, and it still goes on and on.
I like having a reciprocating saw around so when it dies I'll upgrade, but I don't feel bad about having bought this one.
I don't know if I'd trust 'em well enough to get something that's supposed to be precise, like a sliding miter saw, though.
I have their larger bandsaw on a stand; it's great. Their blades, though, are terrible.
I also bought their electric impact wrench about 12 years ago. It still works fine.
Since then I have bought a disc grinder, sawzall knockoff, lots of hand tools, compressor, hammer drill, floodlights, and their largest 3-in-1 multimachine. Everything works as advertised.
Last week I borrowed a friend's small (1300 psi I think) electric power washer he bought for $79. The damn thing did a great job washing my brick house and sidewalks.
I have been a satisfied customer for years and will continue to be.
I have a cheap Chicago $49 router which works good. Great drill press for $39. Lathe for $149 seems adequate since it does indeed spin. But serious woodworkers (if that be you)need serious tools..... casual woodworkers (that be me) can make do.
I tend to shy away from the Chicago Electric brand. I bought a drop light and it fried the first time I plugged it in. Took it back. Second one fried. Bought a heat gun. Fried the first time I plugged it in. Took it back. Second one fried as well. That said, I have their 4" grinder and it seems to do the odd job that I demand of it ok. I tend to think the Central Machinery brand is better (have their floor standing drill press and it works great) and I've been pretty happy with the Central Pneumatic stuff. YMMV of course. Cheers, cc
I've bought a bunch of stuff from Harbor Fright. Their Pittsburgh wrenches are really sloppy, their flare wrenches are useless. Ended up pitching them out.
Hint: Buy a couple things, and then sit and wait for the catalogs. Most of thier stuff goes on half or third off, if you wait long enough. With some patience, you can save a bundle.
I like their aluminum pipe wrenches. they also had some slip joint pliers for turning pipes and nuts. They are really great. Their little yellow VOM goes on sale now and again for 2.99 and I buy four or so. Not super precice, but fits neatly into tool boxes and small spaces. I've also got some of their Sawzall blades, which go smooth in a hurry. But for what I use, they are OK.
I got two Drill Master drills in 12 volts. When the batteries go, I can wire them to a lighter plug, and use them near the car, or off a 12 volt gel cell jumper pack. Or buy more batteries. The Drill Masters are only 500 RPM, my Makita is 1300 or so. But they are better than just OK for twenty bucks.
I have never bought from H. F. simply because there is not one nearby. I have a distant friend who says their stuff is not top quality, but swears their stuff holds up pretty well, for the price.
I HAVE purchased from another company called Homier Distributors. They are mobile merchants and set up a sale in a tent in different towns. I have never been so dissatisfied with any other purchases. Their stuff is total junk, and once they got your money, forget about getting any help or being able to return defective items, or even having an email returned. This is the worst company I have ever dealt with. However, this same friend has also bought from Homier and says he has gotten a few deals from them. Of course too, he just putters around. I tend to really use tools, and those homier tools have all broken within one day or less.
I might consider buying from Harbor Freight if I have access. I will NEVER buy from Homier again.
I probably did not really answer your question, but this is just some personal experience.
Against what? A Chicago Electric tool makes a great disposable tool. IME it doesn't come close to a tool you will want to use for years or even where you want it to perform the same after a year of service.
No, because you used the word 'serious'. If you are serious about your work then start at least at the middle price range. I have some CE tools and every time I use one I wonder, will it work today? Is today the day it craps out? Can I tolerate the play in the movement or that awful grinding sound as it turns?
If you use the tool on rare occasions and you are not concerned about doing quality work (drilling screw holes in framing studs) then go for it. If you want to do fine woodworking and not spend your time working around the deficiencies of your tool but working with your tool. Get a name brand.
Take a look at the latest FWW (no. 174, Winter 2004 Tools & Shops issue). There is a good review article on 14.4 volt cordless drills. They show the inside of two drills and how they are constructed to show why there is a difference in price. Take a look at the difference between the $90 drill and the $170 drill. Now try to imagine what the inside of a $29.99 drill looks like.
Most of their tools are OK for occasional home use.
I have one of their: Heat gun kit, and I use it a lot and think it's great and recommend.
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for occasional use, and it's good too.
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Drill, for occasional use, and it's OK. Would probably buy a better one next time. I use it more as a regular drill so it gets used more often than I intended to use it.
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Sander, for occasional use, and it's OK.
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Saw, for rare use, and would recommend avoiding.
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Paint gun, use it a lot and love it.
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Compressor, use it a lot and like it.
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I also have one or two big wrenches from them that I use on really rare occasions. I agree with previous posters to get better hand tools (I buy Craftsman for that).
I think we can all agree that tools are dangerous. Lower grade tools make the jobs we do even more dangerous. For example, I would never consider a lower grade saw. If you think about it as simply a safety issue, I think the extra money is worth it to keep us out of the emergency room.
If you really need to a decent tool, and don't want to pay the money for it, then rent a high-quality tool to do the job.
buying from HF is great for somethings and bad or others, there abr clamps are great, and if you watch for a sale you can get them for as little as $3.99 for the 36" 3.49 for the 32" etc. and there pipe clamps are decent too. There air tools have a decent reputation, I only have a stapler/brad nailer but for $20 on sale can't complain, just wait to get them on sale, there 4 1/2" angle grinders go on sale just about everyother week for $15 and last and seem to hold up really well, and for $15 your 2 or 3 just in case. having said this DON'T buy and persision power tools! they wont be. also you can't beat there prices on all the little things you need, like the blue/green disposable gloves, or there storage bins, etc. but mostly watch for there sales, also if you look on like and they have something on sale there print it off and the store will honor the price
I got the cheap "Chicago Electric" Wet saw for $69 (made in China) a few weeks ago, and it has cut a few hundred 12" ceremic tiles with no problem. The top did get some rust since I left it without clean up for several days.
As for cordless, I got a cheap made in China ($50) 16.8V Craftman cordless 2 1/2 year ago. I used it to finish my basement - 2 25lb boxes of 3" and 1 25lb box of 1 5/8" screws later, it becomes weak a bit. But it will probably last while. That drill kit includes
2 batteries, 1 hand vac and a hard carry box.
So if you are not using those tools for a living, I guess they are just fine for your projects.
I tend to shy away from the Chicago Electric brand. I bought a drop light and it fried the first time I plugged it in. Took it back. Second one fried. Bought a heat gun. Fried the first time I plugged it in. Took it back. Second one fried as well. That said, I have their 4" grinder and it seems to do the odd job that I demand of it ok. I tend to think the Central Machinery brand is better (have their floor standing drill press and it works great) and I've been pretty happy with the Central Pneumatic stuff. YMMV of course. Cheers, cc
I can give you my input on a few of their tools...
I bought their "recip" saw on sale for $19.99 and it's a great deal at that price... but it is a piece of crap..lol I've agonized over buying a Sawzall for years.. or to be exact, once every 2 or 3 years, when I get in a spot where on is the tool to use or the only one that will reach.. for me, $20 is a great investment for this purpose, but if I was using it a lot, I'd go name brand..
I bought their $60 biscuit jointer on sale for $40, knowing that it was going to be a piece of crap compared to the dewalt or craftsman, but it was something to learn on without worrying about ruining it, and a way to get into biscuits NOW instead of 6 months later when my wife got the good one for me.. After using the HF one, I REALLY appreciate the craftsman and especially the fence..
I bought their 2hp 8 gallon compressor about 4 years ago for $100... It's great for the money, but I keep hoping it dies so I can get something QUIETR...
OTOH, I bought their 6x48" belt sander with 9" disk on sale for about $140 (with stand) about 3 years ago and hope it never dies.. great tool..
oh.. I've tried 2 or 3 or their combination squares and both of the 6" ones slide around no matter how much you torque the nut.. Even a cheap Stanley is a much better deal there..
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