Harbor Freight Tools

I have bought from them quite a few times during the life of my never ending, ever expanding remodeling project.

My experience is their hand tools are really good, at least to a layman like me, I like it, and I like their prices too.

However, their power tools are junk. Prices are attractive, but you really get what you pay for. Much heavier than the competitive brands, bulkier and not as functional.

What are your experience?

MC

Reply to
MiamiCuse
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great for tools only needed now and then, like a hammer drill, i use mine perhaps every 2 or 3 years.

pro tools are far bettyer but costly

Reply to
hallerb

Well, they're a good way to find out if you need the tool. I bought an angle grinder for, like, $7.98 or something. My Lord, I never imagined the uses to which I could put the tool! I've used it for:

  • Removing the concrete nails from carpet tack strips (actually just cutting them off).
  • Cutting window screen frames
  • Undercutting trim to lay flooring such as laminate or tile
  • Trimming branches - a lot less trouble than a chain saw

On "Black Friday" I'm gonna find out how well their $40.00 knock-off of a MultiMaster works.

Reply to
HeyBub

We get this question once a year, or so. Turns into one of the longest threads on the group. Anyhow, I'll play.

Hmm. Pittsburgh flare wrenches. Some years ago. Too big for English nuts, and I don't have any metrics. Metal too soft. Ended up pitch em in the short steel.

Hammers. Took me several to find a design I like. Ended up with 24 ounce waffle faced ripping / framing hammer. I can pound staples, and they don't go flying like the polished faced hammers. Ripping claw useful for taking apart sheet metal ducts.

Impact wrench. Got the electric plug in model. Works fine.

Electric sheet metal shear. Needs allen wrench to loosen the "swivel head". But other than that, works fine.

I'll think of more, in the morning. Will help extend the life of this thread.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Their lineup ranges from high quality items at amazingly low prices to absolute junk that they should pay you to take. Given that range, it is pretty much critical to either have a HF store where you can inspect an item in person, or reliable reviews to the specific item. It also helps to have a very good understanding of a given tool and where potential weaknesses would be found.

Items like hammers and the like are pretty safe bets. Many of the air tools are decent if a bit high on air consumption. The digital calipers and the micrometer set are exceptional deals.

Reply to
Pete C.

Bought a great tile saw from them for $199 and couldn't be more pleased with the unit. I had searched other locaions and couldn't find anything nearly as good for twice the price. Nail gun I got from them was fair but for the price, I have gotten several times the value that I paid. Engine hoist has also been well worth the price. Like anything else, you have to be aware of what you are looking for and how you intend to use it.

PS: I have since seen as least two professioinal tile installers who were using an HF Tilesaw.

Reply to
BobR

On 11/13/2008 6:40 PM MiamiCuse spake thus:

Recently picked up their "sawzall" (Chicago reciprocating saw) for $20. How could I *not* buy it at that price? It's worked as well as I could have wanted it to on half-a-dozen jobs since then and shows no signs of quitting.

Of course, if I used this tool hard every day, I'd get a "real" (brand-name) one, but for the amount of use I'm likely to give it, it seems to be just fine.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

On 11/13/2008 6:58 PM HeyBub spake thus:

Please report your findings back here afterwards. I'm interested in this tool too.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

"MiamiCuse" wrote in news:MPSdnR4nwOi0eIHUnZ2dnUVZ_s snipped-for-privacy@dsli.com:

I bought a jigsaw from HF that is a clone of the Bosch 1581,and it gives good service,but only infrequent use. I don't believe they sell it anymore.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

I bought a battery drill that is pretty much crap. The price was good, came with 2 batteries, one of which was broken. It has low run time and hardly no power. Had to go buy one at Loew's.

Reply to
Claude Hopper

The unstated part of this question is usually something like, "Are the Lowes/Home Depot/Sears tools any better? Usually some fanboy will jump in and make a blanket statement about how their favorite supplier makes a full range or perfect tools.

The fact is that most of the low range tools regardless of where you buy them from are made in China or some other Asian location. Some work fine, others are junk.

HF products tend to not be leading edge, so you won't see a lithium powered Hitachi equivilent.

In my experience, the chucks on their drills aren't quite as good as a quality brand. They don't guide the bit as well when tightening and loosen up while using.

Their drill bits are crap. They may be titanium coated at the molecular level, but they don't clear sawdust while drilling very well. They also don't seem to be very sharp to begin with. OTOH, you can buy a box of 50 and toss them after the job when they cost less than $10 on sale.

Their saws are fine. In fact, I really like my 12" compound chop saw.

Grinders and other hand tools are fine. I wouldn't buy production equipment there, but for household use they work fine.

Reply to
Robert Neville

I agree with most of the above and hallerb's opinion. HF is great for a tool that is either essential for a particular job or makes it a lot easier, but that you will only need for only light, occasional use. They do have some tools that could be good for regular, steady use, but usually for that there are better though more expensive options. For example, if I were buying a set of combination wrenches, I would go with Craftsman or similar, because the HF ones are cheap, not precision made, more likely to round of a head, rust, etc. On the other hand, I bought a sand blaster there to do my concrete patio with and for like $75 it not only was fine, but HF was the only place I could find one. I have a local store 15 mins away here that makes it a lot easier.

My only real bad experience was I bought a slip ring plier set a while back. They had such soft tips that they just bent. I returned them and they took them back, no questions.

Reply to
trader4

Fine for occasional use by the hobbyist, but not for a machinist. As a machinist I want Starret, Mitutoyo, high end SPI, etc., basically just about anything German, Swiss, Japanese, or American, with rare exceptions. OTOH, I did buy a dial indicator, mount, and a few other oddball items from HF to have in case I needed them. Never used them much so didn't upgrade to the real stuff. I ended up using the dial indicator 2-3 times in a year and never for anything critical. If I were to have a real need for them I would have bought a real dial indicator. Their vernier caliper needed to be replaced after only a month of use due to soft "hardened" steel. I bought a cheap $7 off brand from MCS Industrial supply and it lasted over a year and is still in great condition.

Reply to
Michael Dobony

My son bought one and I tried to use it to change outlets and covers in a house we bought (they had up to 3 different colors in one room). The battery didn't last a whole room. In about a year I am also on my 3rd Dewalt cordless hammerdrill. The clutch is junk, driving screws through decking on setting 1 and the locking chuck doesn't, often dropping drill bits. For cordless drills, stick with Milwaukee or Hitachi.

Reply to
Michael Dobony

On the other hand, a pneumatic impact hammer for less than $5.00 (on sale with 4 bits) and used for ripping up carpet tack strips is a bargain even if it used twice the air. I also got a brad nailer (up to 2") for $20.00 and installed about a million feet of baseboards in eight minutes (not counting breaks). Woo-woo!

Reply to
HeyBub

I have purchased a ROBOZIP knock off from them for like $29.00 but it was not doing anything for me, so I tossed it.

The hammers, PVC cutters, screw drivers, plumber's pliers I got from them was bargain price, and I found them to be acceptable quality to me at least.

MC

Reply to
MiamiCuse

I have the same saw and have been happy with it also. I let a handyman use it to cut out a window sill a couple of years ago and he was impressed with it also. After telling him how much it cost he asked for the catalog from me.

Reply to
badgolferman

I have purchased quite a few tools from HF over the years. A few are junk. Most are a great bargain. And a few are exceptional values. The way I look at it, I could never justify the expense of a professional quality tool for the amount of use I will give it. And given the choice of having the right tool for the job or not having the tool at all, I am grateful I can buy a cheap tool at HF that gets the job done for the fews times I need it.

Reply to
Ike

I bought a torque wrench from them a few years back. Compared the torque readings against one that had been calibrated by a precision measurement lab. The HF one was within 2% of the calibrated one. I was definitely surprised. Red

Reply to
Red

not all chines poroducts are bad.

they may be better than off brand stuff produced in the US, and heres why.

A US producer may cut costs so much, by cheaping out on parts that a chines item of the same basic design is better.

china can afford slightly better materials because the lkabor costs are so low.........

Reply to
hallerb

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