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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. Goozgaz
    Joined: Jan 11, 2005
    Posts: 2,555

    Goozgaz
    Member

    Bought a wooden bench for our garden. Works great.

    I also dig there parking lot sales.
     
  2. Rusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2004
    Posts: 9,474

    Rusty
    Member

    Tranfer punches
    Die grinders
    Air Filter
    Dolly rollers
    Moving blankets (for the shiney stuff)
    Air nibbler
    Air Flange an hole punch
    Small floor jack to slide under heavy dropped axles

    Just upgraded my sheet metal brake but the harbor freight one worked great

    Wleding cart has held up too
     
  3. 60srailjob
    Joined: Nov 14, 2008
    Posts: 1,218

    60srailjob
    Member
    from nowhere

    for you guys who have the 4 1/2" grinder if you will take the cover to the head off and pack it full of grease it will last longer, mine has lasted 6.5 years.........and yeah I know American........ but when you have been laid off and are now making half what you was 2 months ago and you need a tool to do the job weather it be for a hobbie or professional, when you cant afford American and cant borrow it, stuff like a saw, drill press, brake those type of items............. are you just going to sell your project because you cant finish it.........I was a aircraft mechanic and I do everything my self and most of the time its because of necessity which includes buying made in china or japan or what ever I will buy it...................out of necessity to do the job which is in front of me at the time.............
     
  4. kookee
    Joined: Jan 19, 2008
    Posts: 526

    kookee
    Member

    They have a return policy....
     
  5. customs 4 life
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 12

    customs 4 life
    Member
    from AZUSA CA

    harbor frieght why not? they have alot of great stuff don't know if i would buy wrench sets from them but i have purchased a timing light battery charger gloves etc i work for a warehouse and alot of the claimed american made tools are really made over seas infact the only company i can think of that makes tool in the usa is hutchens air tools in pasadena ca so as far as harbor frieght you get what you pay for if you use once and it breaks wtf.
     
  6. ol'skool29
    Joined: Feb 15, 2006
    Posts: 1,077

    ol'skool29
    Member

    i have their body stud welder, still works great! the puller that comes with it should just be thrown in the scrap pile though
     
  7. i bought a 25 dollar hammer drill last weekend and it worked great! and i have a chop saw that i use every now and then and it's never let me down.
     
  8. kustombypook
    Joined: Oct 12, 2002
    Posts: 683

    kustombypook
    Member

    I bought a manual tire changer there about 10 to 12 years ago. Best $60 I ever spent. I have never had a problem with it either.
     
  9. herbet99
    Joined: Jan 16, 2009
    Posts: 194

    herbet99
    Member
    from Central NJ

    Quote: "strangely enough, you get more support if he DOESN'T buy american. If more people bought American in America, there would almost be no use for YOU. "


    Exactly my point
     
  10. jbon64
    Joined: Jul 26, 2006
    Posts: 511

    jbon64
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    feel free to use my parking space next time you're at Farm & Fleet in urbana. seems like i'm there dang near every other day
     
  11. I bought their long frame floor jack and their standard frame jack(1 1/2 ton I think). I have been using them for years with no problems ever. Whether I use their jack or one made in the USA I ALWAYS use jack stands. I used the long frame jack to jack up the rear end of my neighbor's motor coach to get him unstuck and I'll guarentee you it weighed more than 1 1/2 tons with no problem.
    Later,
    Dick
     
  12. customs 4 life
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 12

    customs 4 life
    Member
    from AZUSA CA

    iam not sure what you mean just because you buy american dose not mean it's made here hell harley davidson parts are not made here hershey chocolates moved there manufacturing to mexico it's a sad fact made in america dose not mean that any more if it is really made here than buy it support the american worker and our country but you will find that is not that easy to these days.
     
  13. havi
    Joined: Dec 30, 2008
    Posts: 1,876

    havi
    Member

    What I don't understand is when my washing machine craps out, I call the local Sears, who transfers me to a foreign country for cust. service, who then transfers me to another foreign country for tech help, who then sets up a time and day for the repairman to show up, who lives only 50 miles away? Couldn't Sears just give me his phone #?

    Anyway, I also bought a walking wheel odometer for measuring out my yard for surveying. Worked great. And alot of little things like zip tie assortments, and stuff like that. But with an L&M Fleet supply, and a Northern Tool co. close by, I usually go there instead.
     
  14. FCCOOL
    Joined: Jun 13, 2005
    Posts: 276

    FCCOOL
    Member

    we dont have harbour freight here but we have some cheapo shops like go-lo and supercheap and i buy alot of cheap stuff, in aussie money i bought a drill press for $59, its a bit light and rough but ive been using it atleast twice a week for 3 years, i would be happy with my $59 if it fell apart now after the use its had.
    I also use cheap angle grinders, on specail i get them for $12-$15, ive gone through abought 20 but they get alot of use and i can have on set up for cutting, 1 for grinding and 1 with a cup brush.
    i think my 2k gun i simular to what HF sells, it looks as good or better quality as my iwatta guns but the paint doesnt seem to come out quite as good, the price difference though is massive.
    alot of my tools are cheap crap, i buy them cheap knowing they might break, sometimes they dont.
    i bought a cheapo tourque wrench, after a few years i swore it was out so i compared it to a freshly calibrated hazet from work and it was still spot on. the price to have it calibrated is double what i paid for it.
     
  15. roddinron
    Joined: May 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,676

    roddinron
    Member

    Uh, yeah right, Chinese beef jerky.:eek:
     
  16. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    It's a mix of dog and people who don't agree with the Chinese government. Tasty stuff!
     
  17. Mudslinger
    Joined: Aug 3, 2005
    Posts: 1,964

    Mudslinger
    Member

    Hoist, engine stand, orange 4 1/2" grinders. I have worn one out when I used it almost every day for two years. Switch quit working and then one prong broke off the plug. I paid $14 for it. I bought another one. I use the cut off wheels, all their pneumatic air tools with no problems.
    Paint guns, 1" chip brushes, Goodyear air hoses, tarps, I have some of their cheap vise grip copies. I got them when they had a special. You spent over x amount and got a 3 pack free. Cheap for welding clamps, I robbed a spring out of one for an old pair of vise grips I had.
    I have their welding cart for my Hobart. I waited until it hit a sale its decent made but the hardware that came with it was shit. Used all new bolts I had and trashed theirs.
    I busted my come a long in the rain hauling a junk car onto a trailer and went to Harbor freight the only one they had was the 2 ton one. Its a beast.
    I have a few other small things torpedo levels etc.
    I use to buy a lot from Sears and started seeing their shit wasnt any better but the prices were double.
    I wouldnt have half the bigger items if I had to pay $80 a pop instead of the $15
     
  18. seret
    Joined: Apr 28, 2008
    Posts: 539

    seret
    Member

    About 4 years ago I needed a new drill press. I was low on cash so I needed to find one I could pay for with the credit card. Looked at sears and a bunch of other places, ended up buying a HF mill/drill press I was really nervous when I bought it because it was kind of expensive, but it spins nice and slow, and holds r-8 collets, I have had no problems with it until KIRK! Came over 3 weeks ago and broke the switch, we replaced it with a granger switch and its good as new! If I ever get A Bridgeport I’ll keep it for my friends to use. hahaha
     
  19. SakowskiMotors
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 1,240

    SakowskiMotors
    Member

    :confused:
    Kind of blows when you are the guy who is buying the expensive cut off wheels people are stealing.

    A pack about an inch thick or so from the paint supplier ( 3M ) were about $60:eek: the other day. The same size pack from HF is $5 to $10, and don't wear down 6 times as fast, maybe 3 times.

    And with so many thieves out there, you better not have the expensive ones sitting around.

    wil
    www.sakowskimotors.com
     
  20. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    bastard!
     
  21. LZ
    Joined: Sep 9, 2007
    Posts: 618

    LZ
    Member

    Soylent Jerkey is...PEOPLE........:p:D:eek:
     
  22. SakowskiMotors
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 1,240

    SakowskiMotors
    Member

    I have had problems with the black Goodyear hoses from HF, I think they might be the reject hoses ? from the Goodyear plant.
     
  23. I Drag
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 883

    I Drag
    Member

    I have cut so much material on their little band saw it's not funny.
     
  24. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Well, I'm glad I'm not the only guy who finds some usable stuff there. Most of what they sell is definitely crap, but it's cool to hear what has worked for others.
     
  25. t-rod
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 423

    t-rod
    Member

    My friend the Mac Tools salesman told me many of the tools on his truck are made in the same overseas factorys that HF tools are made. My toolbox at work is full of HF hand tools (company provides power tools) just in case something is "missing".
     
  26. zep058
    Joined: Jan 9, 2007
    Posts: 599

    zep058
    Member

    I wish we had HF here in Oz for the exact reason that a lot of people have said. There is not really a chain of stores here that would have everything in range from a cut off wheel to a milling machine...I am always surprised by the range of stuff they have (now including beef jerky and adult bibs).

    But with a couple of kids and a mortgage I dont have the extra cash to splurge on the big stuff and could surely get by with something affordable.
    I was in Vegas in July last year for a conference and was desperate to head out to the local HF from reading about it here, but for some reason I found it increadibly hard to leave the strip...I guess I will have to read what a bargain it is on the HAMB
     
  27. JeremyJames
    Joined: Aug 11, 2008
    Posts: 432

    JeremyJames
    Member
    from concord NC
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Hell I got a damn 100 ft Goodyear air hose for 25 bucks.... It was marked as a 50 ft but I wasn't gonna argue... Nicest air hose I've ever bought... Well worth it
     
  28. A Harbor Freight burned down once..... I can't get more positive than that!
     
  29. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Now that's funny.
     
  30. r8odecay
    Joined: Nov 8, 2006
    Posts: 787

    r8odecay
    Member



    You are right, and I agree. Perhaps I should have chosen my words better, this was a family owned shop, with me as part of the family (at the time). In addition to customers, I worked on the owner's stuff both at work and in my personal shop. His cars, bikes, lawnmowers. He was a banker, trying to make a buck as custom bike shop with no idea how to DO anything. I was no chump off the street here, I was in full permissions to everything in the shop, especially if he needed his truck lowered or something. Ended up he was robbing too many Peters to pay too many Pauls and drowned in it. He was the thief ultimately. Sorry for the crappy autobiography, just wanted my name clear.
     
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