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OK: How About a POSITIVE HARBOR FREIGHT Thread???

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by KIRK!, Mar 5, 2009.

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  1. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    There are countless "Harbor Freight Sucks" threads...and they pretty much do if you think you are getting high quality tools for a dollar.

    I have found that there is some decent stuff there.

    I happen to like and haven't had any real issues with their:

    -4.5" cutoff wheels
    -Spring loaded center punches
    -Drill press vices (they're cheap and I don't give them much abuse)
    -Bungee cords
    -Motorcycle lifts
    -Gloves
    -Casters
    -Zip Ties
    -Wire Connectors
    -Carbide-Tipped Scribes
    -Combination Square
    -Aluminum Levels
    -Air Hoses
    -Air Fittings
    -Electric Bug-Killing Racquets
    -Adult Bibs
    -Bullhorns
    -Hitch balls
    -Beef jerky

    What do you LIKE there?
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2009
  2. Royalshifter
    Joined: May 29, 2005
    Posts: 15,586

    Royalshifter
    Moderator
    from California

    Transfer punches.
     
  3. 61TBird
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,640

    61TBird
    Member

    Have you started to paint without proper ventilation???


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  4. old1946truck
    Joined: Apr 9, 2008
    Posts: 685

    old1946truck
    Member

    I dont buy from them I would much rather spend the time and hunt for American made tools than go out and buy China crap!
     

  5. DLX-Fe
    Joined: Aug 10, 2008
    Posts: 21

    DLX-Fe
    Member
    from sacramento

    I steal the front casters off of their shopping carts and for the price they cant be beat!
     
  6. berresfordracing
    Joined: Jul 5, 2008
    Posts: 16

    berresfordracing
    Member
    from ohio

    They have some nice assortments of clips, brass washers, o-rings.
     
  7. Fairlane Dave
    Joined: Mar 23, 2007
    Posts: 634

    Fairlane Dave
    Member

    I got a 4.5" grinder there for $10 with a coupon about two years ago. It's still going strong after MANY hours of use.

    And when it breaks, who gives a sh$t because it was only $10!!!

    I've bought a ton of cutoff wheels there as well. They were Dewalt and about half what they cost at Lowes.

    I haven't had the best luck with their pneumatic tools, but I'll save that for the other threads.
     
  8. Kustom7777
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,184

    Kustom7777
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    never been to one,,,,but i think id like the beef jerky too.
     
  9. Grumpy
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 2,569

    Grumpy
    Member
    from NE Ohio

    Their ads are very colorful !!
     
  10. I buy things like

    Trailer Lights
    Tow Balls
    Leather Gloves
    Cutoff Wheels
    Steel Wool
    Aluminum Oxide Blast Medium
    Mover's dollys (engine dollys)
    Bungees
    Tarps
    Razor Blades
    Crappy Come alongs, since they are guaranteed
    Air hose and fittings
    portable Air Tank

    Mostly consumables, not many tools, if any.
    I haven't been brave enough for the jerky.

    HF has its good points.
     
  11. redbeard
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 713

    redbeard
    Member

    the bottom line is

    Chinese prison labor is just not what it used to be.
     
  12. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    I live very close to a Harbor Freight store and only 10 miles from the main retail location. I can't count the times I needed a "one time use" special tool that I made from a HF tool. To go down there and buy a 1 1/8" open end wrench for $2.99....take it home, cut one end off, heat and bend the hell out of the rest of it just to do one job..........priceless! I could never bring myself to modify a MAC or Snap-on tool for that stuff.
     
  13. Fu-Manchu
    Joined: Feb 19, 2009
    Posts: 70

    Fu-Manchu
    Member
    from az

    Their drill bit sets are dope. They start getting dull just buy another set, if you use them mostly in a press they are great!
     
  14. In-laws gave me a light duty air compressor for Christmas from HF, works great so far! That was 3 years ago.
     
  15. r8odecay
    Joined: Nov 8, 2006
    Posts: 787

    r8odecay
    Member

    I went thru a 3 pack of their cutoff wheels in one day! Minimal abuse. They don't do the job for me. I used the 3/M or Wurth/Winzer supplied whoever made them back when I could steal them from my old job, and they lasted a few months with some abuse. Never tried the jerky tho.
     
  16. Hanksville Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 23, 2006
    Posts: 246

    Hanksville Hot Rods
    Alliance Vendor
    from Denver-ish

    I like their thin little metal 6" rulers. That's about it.
     
  17. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    I buy stuff I consider disposable there. I'd never get hand or power tools there if I wanted anything even decent, but the place is always fun to wander through.
     
  18. rick finch
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 3,504

    rick finch
    Member

    You can't be serious...................... Take off the mask and clear your head!
     
  19. 39 All Ford
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,531

    39 All Ford
    Member
    from Benton AR

    In a pinch they are ok. I have a shrinker/stretcher set make in China of course, but I bought them when I thought I needed them NOW. Considering that I could have ordered these from an on line source and paid more for the same Chinese tools...

    Likewise, I really, really, really, try to buy American, but it sucks when your choice is Chinese from this source or Chinese from another source... When this happens Harbor Freight is an ok choice. (Or when I might be able to buy American in a Harbor Freight?)
     
  20. Evel
    Joined: Jun 25, 2002
    Posts: 9,038

    Evel
    Member
    1. 60s Show Rods

    Live Wire is proof you can build a show car using Harbor Freight,,, even Crazier... Speedway...
     
  21. Actually have a decent set of impact sockets from there - at least, one has not broken yet!

    Other than that, nothing else has been good from there.
     
  22. Thanks KIRK! for starting this and not being too tonque in cheek.
    I bought a press from them 25 years ago - still use it. The next year I bought a drill press and ......still use it. Bought a Cambell Hausfeld Air Compressor from them about 7 years ago and you guessed it, still use it, just about everyday and it ran my buisiness for 4 of those years.
    I also bought a set of Go Jacks and even though I've only used them once so far, they worked great. Along with about 20 of the very heavy duty jack stands.
    Yeah they have some junk, but some good stuff too.
     
  23. Chuckles Garage
    Joined: Jun 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,365

    Chuckles Garage
    Alliance Vendor

    HF good for....

    cut off wheels
    flap discs
    nitrile gloves
    c-clamps
    cheap vise grips
    jerky
    electrical tape
    sawzall blades

    Power tools....no.
     
  24. I actually got a set of impact sockets from there, or similar offshore supplier over 20 years ago. The only ones that broke were the 3/4 and 13/16 from lug nuts over the years.

    I still have a few of them left. I replaced all the cheapo stuff with snap on years ago, but the cheapos still roll in my junkyard toolboxes.
     
  25. happy hoppy
    Joined: Apr 23, 2001
    Posts: 2,327

    happy hoppy
    Member

    an air cutoff tool I picked up 11 years ago just gave up on me last month and I used it a lot and rarely oiled it.
     
  26. Johnny1290
    Joined: Apr 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,834

    Johnny1290
    Member

    4.5" grinders for around $10 on sale...not as smooth as my friends metabo but who cares
     
  27. srosa707
    Joined: Jun 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,573

    srosa707
    Member
    from Sacramento

  28. Crankhole
    Joined: Apr 7, 2005
    Posts: 2,634

    Crankhole
    Member

  29. NealinCA
    Joined: Dec 12, 2001
    Posts: 3,136

    NealinCA
    Member

    I've had good luck if you pick and choose carefully...

    Die grinders for $4.99...you don't need to change bits at that price.
    220V spot welder
    Bead roller...once stiffened up it works great
    Throatless shear
    110 v 1/2" impact. Had for 10-15 years and been a great tool
    transfer punches
    copper hammer
    dead blow hammer

    I don't care for their C-clamps or vice-grips...I buy good ones of those, but some of their bar clamps and spring clamps are good for the price.

    Neal
     
  30. r8odecay
    Joined: Nov 8, 2006
    Posts: 787

    r8odecay
    Member


    Not to be a prick, but I don't believe that the shit they carried 25 years ago equates to the SHIT they carry now.
     
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