Harbor Freight Stepping up Their Game?

[Leon]

Yeah, some one that likes to disassemble tools rather than use them.

[nailshooter41]

I always remember the source of the information when I am retrieving it. If it is written, I check out who wrote it and why. If it is a video, I look at production quality, fairness, and reality vs. practicality and then see if the site was sponsored.

Regardless of the media form, there is one huge truth, one complete constan t. And that is if no one reads it, watches it, or hears it, it is a failur e. So it has to be chock full or information or entertaining, or a little of both. But with everyone an expert these days, and everyone being able t o monetize their opinions, how do you get clicks? More importantly, how ca n one MAKE MONEY by getting clicks for their day's work?

"Well by skookum hunky dory doodly diddly, that bearing is tighter than a h andmaiden's quim in church, okay!" No doubt that type of expression is ente rtaining, but hardly lends itself to the validity of a review. Tiring afte r a while for me.

I only trust new tool reviews from someone that has used the tool. That fo r me means asking around the job sites, and a quick review here and there, and like you Leon, buying from someone that will take it back if I am unhap py.

Robert

[Markem]

Big Snip

You know Jack that is exactly what he said by my reading.

YMMV I guess.

[krw]

Someone who has nothing better to do with his life? Yeah, an nutter.

...but not as nutty as those who click on his bait.

[-MIKE-]

Man, are you a judgmental, crotchety old fart. :-)

The guy's has turned a hobby into a pretty decent part time job. As someone who's gotten regular direct deposits from Youtube for my content, I wish I had the followers and plays that he has.

He's providing pretty entertaining and educational content and getting paid pretty well for it. You condescending and ignorantly ask if he has nothing better to do with his life?

What would you prefer he do with his spare time? Watch TV all night? How much do you get paid for bitching about guys putting videos on YouTube?

[Leon]

But do you really want to go with the opinion of some one that obviously does not have hands on experience with actual use? Or some one that actually uses the tools and and have determined that his findings are irrelevant? ;~) Just saying... ;~)

[Jack]

He uses tools just to disassemble tools. He has tools he made (with tools) and obviously knows how to use them. You can watch him actually USE tools yet you make dumb ass statements like this. No surprise there...

[Jack]

Well, it is exactly what I said. What he said was comparing a HF to Festool is stupid. THAT is a strawman. No one compared the tools, Leon made the statement that Festools were good because pros use them. My statement was pros use HF as well, so what. Further more, very few "pro's" seem to use festool, more use HF, so that obviously proves nothing at all, since HF is pretty much junk.

[Jack]

So you know all this about him yet haven't clicked on his "bait"? You must know this guy, or are you just making crap up?

BTW, bait for what? You insinuate he earns a living doing these video's? I'd be interested in your facts on this. I'm thinking most of these guys make next to nothing doing this stuff.

[Leon]

Leon made the statement that Festools were good because pros use them.

I made no such statement at all.

>

[Jack]

Just saying what? You sound like an endless festering tool commercial. AVe said festering tools are well made, with a surprising couple of weaknesses, which he points out, yet you cry like a baby. You say he 'trashes everything'. I recall watching about 4 of his videos, He praised Hilti and Kitchen Aid, said lots of good things about a festering tool, and trashed a HF drill, yet you attack him because he pointed out a minor weakness or two in a festering tool.

Will wonders never cease.

[Leon]

I did say that he was funny, haha. There is some value in that I guess.

[Jack]

I humorously call them dude ranchers. Sometimes I even make myself laugh.

Yes, I noticed the overreach on the saw price. Figured that was just saying for an expensive saw, he was surprised. Actual price was not that important, he wasn't giving a price quote. My Makita cost about

1/4th what a festering saw w/o accessories cost. Of course a festering track saw with festering tracks and all, probably gets close. I think he did use the track, mumbled something about it not needing clamped?

Truth be told, I didn't make up the name, someone else gets the credit for that. As for showing my hand before I say anything, good, I wouldn't be posting anything if I wanted to hide "my hand" whatever that might be.

[Jack]

Well, I said: "He said the festering TS 55 is not designed for continuous use and abuse that a contractor would need."

And you replied: "And yet pros have been using the Festool track saws for decades.."

I take that as saying festools are good because pros use them. What was it you were trying to say with that statement?

[Leon]

Exactly what I said.

[Markem]

With you it really does not matter, if it does not fit your narrative.

[-MIKE-]

Both and neither. I usually want to get my own hands on something before making a concrete judgment. But I also trust the words of people I know who have and do use tools the way I do on a regular basis, like you and Robert and Karl and other friends not in here. AND I trust what this guy has to say in the areas in which he obviously has a lot of experience and knowledge. I don't know his entire background or how much he uses or has used the tools. I can't see someone who doesn't have a lot of firsthand experience with these tool just deciding one day to start breaking them open and dissecting them.

I take it with a grain of salt, but I also have gotten some very good info from his videos.

[Leon]

He seems to rearrange words and often gets confused.

[Leon]

Well, the more clicks he gets the more he gets paid.

I totally understand that. He does have some interesting points of view but many of the weak areas that he points to do not seem to matter. In particular, the end cap of the track saw. Apparently the wrong kind of plastic that could be broken. I suppose a better plastic would be better if you are likely to take a hammer to that part or drop the saw. But the plastic end cap is going to be the least of you worries if you drop the saw on its end on a hard surface. It. like most any other brand saw. will likely not cut true after that. The rubber hand grip on the saw seems to be wrong too. If you spill a particular type of solvent on it it will melt. Is that really a likely event and if it did happen would it make the saw less functional?

I watched a video of him tearing apart a kitchen knife sharpener. His was not a kind review of how the machine was constructed He seemed to think the tiny internal fan was made out of the wrong plastic or something like that. Does that matter if the fan cools the motor? Irrelevant if the sharpener works for the few minutes you would use it each day. My dad has a similar style sharpener. The issue with it that I have is that it is too slooooooow. I did not watch enough of the video to see if he actually gave a review of how it actually performed.

FWIW I think he, myself, and you could find something, that we feel might be a problem, with most anything, But in long term use proves to not be an issue. I believe a proven track record far outweighs any one persons personal view.

Now if he offered a better design that would eliminate a known problem he might be more interesting to me. But so far what he thinks to be problems areas do not manifest to be problems, at least with the Festool track saw.

[nailshooter41]

I agree. And at this point in my career I tend to have a different set of criteria I use and have scribbled about it endlessly here. Years ago (OK, maybe 20+) I realized that I am a business man with a developed skill set. No so much the craftsman/artisan/artist I aspired to be in my youth. With an eye towards utility, I always consider who is giving me their opinion a nd what their level of use is to form that opinion. So many of my fellow c ontractors are tired of poor performing, short lasting tools that we all re spond with "well, it works great now, but I have only had it for a while", or "it's OK". The last tool I got excited about was the Ridgid 18V brushle ss drill/driver + impact tool combo. That was about a year ago.

So we all have an agreement: if it works well for me, it might not work wel l for you. If I recommend it, then don't cry to me if it is a failure for you.

Agree again. Regardless of whether we agree on testing methods, rendered o pinions, or any faulty premise we see, there is something to be learned fro m someone that goes that far in depth. Some of the findings are of value, and some are not. So his voice joins the choir when making a purchase deci sion.

I am a self confessed knife nut. I have a lot by most people's standards, but just about the right amount for my tastes. You guys should see the "te st" videos to see how "tough" guys decide a knife should be. They use fold ing knives to cut bolts, chop down small trees (talking about folding knive s!), split wood, and they smash the locking device on the lockers until the y fail.

The testers feel they have accomplished something when the knife fails afte r being hammered on (literally), wrenched back and forth to try to break th e blade, and gets dull quickly when cutting grit embedded material. Someon e has to remind them that knives are made to slice and cut, that's it. Bec ause some of the knife designs are so tough these days, they can take it to an extent.

But after watching many of the "test" videos, I realized that their aim was to find the deficiencies of the product and push it to a dramatic failure. Real world testing and use just doesn't cut it anymore. Sound familiar?

Robert