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Harbor Freight tools cheap...

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Dick2

10-14-2004 16:33:03

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Went to the HF store yesterday and picked up these tools cheap. 3/8" drill $17; reciprocal saw for $20; 14.4 volt driver for $16. Dewalt wants $40 for one battery. I'll buy el cheapo and toss it when the battery goes.

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Big Jim

10-20-2004 00:21:56

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Duty cycle. The most important 2 words to remember when considering HF tools. I have a shop loaded with HF stuff but my main hand tools are Snap-On. I use a 20-ton press maybe once a month at most. If I had to buy and OTC, I could never justify it but I can have an HF. With the use I give it, it will last forever for me. I have an HF 9" grinder and it's great for occasional use. On the other hand, I have a Dewalt 4" that I use and abuse. I don't use it every day but when I do, it may see a couple of hours fairly steadly.
As far as welders, cheap doesn't cut it, period. If it doesn't say Lincoln, Miller, or Hobart on the label, I don't want it. HF allows me to have a lot of specialized tools and equipment that make life so much easier but would be out of economic range if I had to buy premium lines.
Oh, yeah, don't by their thinwall impact sockets. It took me 2 seconds to bust one using one of their own impact wrenches.

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Kevin2

10-18-2004 20:49:00

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

HF tools have allowed me to do accomplish two things: buy the right tool for various small jobs, like an angle drill attachment, power miter saw and 7" grinder, when buying a name brand would not have been worth it, and to buy power tools for use up at the cottage without lugging them back and forth in the truck on the off chance I'll need it.
If you're using it daily, you bought the wrong stuff, if you only need it 5 times a year, it should work out. B&D made Billions selling to homeowners who only use some stuff once every two years.(like my Dad)

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emglo kid

10-17-2004 21:56:45

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

im not going to say that i love hf but i can say i dont like dewalt, you see dewalt is one of those companies that took a 150 great american jobs and destroyed them. thats what happpened when they bought the emglo plant in johnstown pa. apparently some high ranking executies from dewalt went aroudn and got a general determination that if someone wanted a godo air compressor they woudl buy an emglo more so than any other brand. so what did dewalt do? they bought emglo ran it for about 3 years until i came time for a new contract and basically forced all of the "true blue" emglo guys to lose their jobs. (dewalt wanted to cut their pay in half and nearly remove all benefits) there is no way any man woudl do the same job fo r half the pay. well this may seem a little off topic but in my opinion i dont care if they make a good tool or not they screwed my family over so im never buying another B&D or dewalt tool so long as i live! just my four cents

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L. Glen

10-16-2004 10:49:28

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Hey Fellows; We are our own worse enemy, me included, we all go to the mass merchandizers and buy the cheapest we can then for the smaller co.s to stay in business they have to go over seas to get their products. That takes our factories to the foreign countries, and then we want to blame someone else for our lack of loyal buying.

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Gary in Geneva

10-16-2004 00:59:44

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

From my experience if it can be made somewhat crudely and is really a big hunk of steel you can probably get one that is fine at Harbor Freight. Pry bars, large wrenches, hammers, anvils, etc are what I find holds up. The wrenches are rather thick and may not fit in some places, but then I don�t care if I take a grinder or torch to one to make it fit where I need it.

Some of the drill bits seem to be a little brittle, but have been fine for wood and mild steel. I have a �� drill for occasional use and it does fine, so does the 4 �� angle grinder. If I am going to be using a tool heavy � all day long, or for long periods of running, the electric tools would probably not hold up due to excessive heat in the windings.

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Catskill Pete

10-15-2004 22:12:59

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

I"m probably going to start a fight almost as nasty as the political ones, but here goes. One of the things that bothers me is I buy a tool from HF and lay it beside the consumer line of the brand name products and the only difference I can see is the color of the plastic. It makes me wonder if I"m not paying a premium for a brand name that came out of the same chinese factory as the HF stuff.

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Van in AR

10-17-2004 05:17:10

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Catskill Pete, 10-15-2004 22:12:59

I have always bought Craftsman, DeWalt, B and D, Milwaukee, and Skil. The last several years most are junk and made in the far east, if I have to buy imported I now buy Bosch, excellant quality and workmanship. They will probably be made in china next year too! Americans need to get back to work and build our own quality stuff again, we will never do it with the "Wal Mart" mentality that we now have.
Van

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RichZ

10-15-2004 19:12:36

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

I have several Harbor Freight hand tools, and I've been happy with them. I got my first Harbor Freight power tool, a reciprocating saw. They have two, the regular duty, and the "industrial" duty. I got the industrial duty, and have used it a few times, and have been very happy with it. My buddy, who's a plummer, borrowed mine, because he left his Milwaukee Sawzall at a job site. He said he was very impressed with it, he felt it was as powerful as the Sawzall.

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Jon H

10-15-2004 21:55:30

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to RichZ, 10-15-2004 19:12:36

Have had a B&D 4-1/2 inch paddle switch grinder for 20 years,has been a good unit. Aprox 10 years ago Harbor Freight started selling a look alike grinder for about 1/2 what B&D got,I thought it was worth a try. The HF grinder is identical to the B&D except for the color of the plastic case. I have interchanged parts between the two brands and everything fits including switches and brushes,the gears are hardened steel. It has proven to be every bit as durable as the B&D. I bought 2 extras for spares when HF had them on sale for $18.
The silver& demming drill sets from HF are a terrific bargain at $18 and as good as anything I have ever used. Last year I bought 10 combination wrench sets(3/8-1-1/4 in plastic packs for $10 each. I keep 1 in each tractor and truck,quality is good. HF has some junk,but also some very good buys.

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thejdman01

10-15-2004 18:04:26

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

harbor freight is great for teflon tape but not black tape(shuiff dont stick), great for cotter pins and and have a great assortment of grease zerks better then farm and fleet and their little box of bully dog fitttings but harbor freight is no good for power tools or hand tools that are quality. i go to harbor freight for greese zerks cotter pins and cheap test lights i seem to loose but they never grow wonder why

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markct

10-15-2004 16:28:50

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

i have a decent amount of harbor freight hand tools (or equivelent such as homier,tsc cheapos, cummins,etc) and for the most part i have been very pleased with them, however i was never impressed with the quality of the power tools, i have owned a few that i got from tag sales for next to nothing and other places like that, most were very poorly made in my opinion, up until a week ago i had never bought a brand new chinese power tool, well harbor freight had there portable bandsaw on sale for under 60 bucks so i figured i would give it a try, well it works pretty well now that i put a brand name blade in it, but i dont think it will last very long with the amount of use i have been giving it, i dont use it proffesionaly but i do a fair amount of fabricating and stuff so it sees alot of use, so far i been very impressed with its power and feel, but when i took it apart to regrease everything with good grease rather than the dry hard chinese grease i was a little dissapointed to see plastic bandwheels and a plastic gear molded into it, i think that will be a weak point, but i will see how long it lasts, for 60 bucks i would say i have almost gotten my moneys worth outa it already, i didnt buy it expecting it to last forever, but more to see how usefull a porta band actualy was to me before i shelled out 300 for a name brand one, and the way its going i think that when this one does die i surely will spend the 300 on a name brand one, its the handiest thing i own for sure, cuts out gussets, cuts up pipe, angle, anything sawable and without sparks or alot of noise.

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T_Bone

10-15-2004 14:25:32

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Hi dick,

It's getting anymore where you need to read reviews to see what tools do best as most of them are forigen made.

Delta, Porter Cable, Dewalt and? are all owed by Black & Decker and made in China.

Makita is made in China although it still appears to be of good quality. Hope so as I just bought several Makita tools so we'll see.

Milwaukee although USA made had very poor reviews for the tools I was looking at.

T_Bone

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BobR

10-16-2004 06:50:26

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to T_Bone, 10-15-2004 14:25:32

I bought a Craftsman 1/2 inch drill last year and was shocked to find that it was stamped "made in China". It seems that most major brands are made in China now. So much for American quality, and American jobs.

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MN Scott

10-15-2004 20:05:10

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to T_Bone, 10-15-2004 14:25:32

Most Milwaukee tools are now made in china to. Bought a Milwaukee chop saw 2 years ago, works good but has made in china cast in base.

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MAC,IL

10-15-2004 15:45:54

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to T_Bone, 10-15-2004 14:25:32

Tools have changed drastically whether or not a guy likes it. BUT, I still have a milwaukee 3/8 hammer drill with VS trigger and 2sp hammer for over 30 yrs. Then an old 3/8 B&D drill that if the drill bit hangs it will almost break your wrist. Plus a 6" angle B&D grinder. It will wear you out in short order. Genuine USA made. The older tools you could buy individual parts and keep them going, Cost almost nothing to repair. Cant buy parts for nothing anymore.

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Bus Driver

10-15-2004 16:11:53

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to MAC,IL, 10-15-2004 15:45:54

T Bone, Milwaukee is being bought by a company in Hong Kong. It's the truth.

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Brian in NY

10-15-2004 13:53:57

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

To each his own Dick....and at least at the actual store you can put your hands on the stuff. I wouldn't write off a certain brand just because it is cheap, but I wouldn't expect it to perform or last like the big $ one either. I bought both a Makita cordless drill for $195 and a Craftsman for $39 on sale, and guess which one holds a charge longer and is easier to handle....the cheapo. So much for getting what you pay for there. So enjoy your new tools and don't worry about what other people think. For what you are using them for they might be just fine. And you have $ to take the little lady out to dinner and butter her up so you can buy...more tools!!!

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big fred

10-15-2004 13:51:42

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Did the cordless come with a fast charger?

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bj17b

10-15-2004 12:49:46

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Interesting comments-got to add my two cents....30 years ago bought an electrical item from Harbor Freight---was junk ---Last year my older neighbor (against my advice) bought a wire feed welder from HF--was still junk--Seems after all these years they still furnish junk but they are still in business so it must mean enough of us Americans don"t care for quality items????

In our shops we do not always buy brand name--and when we don"t we soon find out why things are cheaper in those catalogs...

I use lots of Dewalt tools, try to buy recon when I can..and have been very very pleased. For my woodshop I sold most of my late model Delta and replaced with Dewalt when I could buy similar item...Dewalt table saw fence was 10 times as accurate cutting as the Delta....For our metal Fab shop we used brand name only --30 years experience dictates that..

As you can tell--it"s raining here--have too much timne to ramble on

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RusselAZ

10-15-2004 09:58:52

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Nice of you to make it easier for your heirs to settle your estate. These they can just throw away. Hee hee hee.

I have a few cheap tools around. fewer each time I use one.

I like yard sales, pawn shops, and Ebay. You have to be careful on all three anymore because the cheap stuff has been coming in for 30 years now but when I find a good tool the wait is worth it.

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Fred OH

10-15-2004 09:10:20

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Well, if you understand the oriental way of doing business, you will know that they sell real cheap to drive everyone else out of business and then guess what happens? They control the market and they control the prices. Are you helping to make life miserable for your grandkids that will want to buy tools?
If your reciprocating saw has a pot metal gear in the head of it and you jam it cutting wood or metal...the teeth can strip right off of it...I saw it happen to a Makita...and the price they wanted for the new gear was worth more than the saw to the owner.
Remember when the Japanese controlled the fishing line business with the silk stuff way back there in the thirties and forties? And the American scientists invented something called nylon? Supposedly, the nylon was an abreviation for "Now you look out Nippon"! I read about it in one of the fishing magazines of the day. Someone recently told on one of the boards that Milwaukee Tools has sold out to a company in Hong Kong. Ain"t we lucky? Fred OH

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10-15-2004 08:37:32

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Bought a 1/2" air drill, though should not be too bad. Sits in tool box, does not work worth a hoot, too slow, stalls easy. What you should look for is DeWalt recon units. We buy a new DeWalt recon 4" grinder every year. $40.00, I think. We use it hard every day. I have started finding and buying a lot of recon tools for occasional use. What is a recon? it is tools someone returned to a store, because, did not like it, did not work, (defective) returned because they did their job and no longer needed it, whatever. Goes back to factory, they check them out, then sell them as recons, they are basically new, but cannot be sold as new, because they have been used.

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CEB

10-15-2004 08:15:57

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

I but a fair amount of stuff from harbor freight, but I think you will be sorry for buying that cheapo cordless drill. I have the same blue drill. The problem with it is that the batteries are absolute crap. The charger will overcharge the batteries and ruin them if you don't disconnect it after 8 hours (says so right on the instructions). I have better things to do than try to time the charging of batteries. My Milwaukee cordless will automatically shut off when the batteries are charged. Plus you will find that each charge on those batteries will last about one quarter as long as a Milwaukee or DeWalt would.

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lucas boy

10-15-2004 08:11:51

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

if you use them every day all day long you will not be happy with them..not saying an occasional user wont like them because of the price...but dewalt and milwauke fit your hand better,,more powerful and lasy years under everday use... hf wouldnt last a week useing it every day.a pro has to have good tools cause it cost you money not to.... lucas

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stoneybrook

10-15-2004 08:04:58

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

the best tools for most of us are somewhere in the middle. the cheaps are junk, but if your not a professional, de walt is more than you need to spend.

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Jonwithanm

10-15-2004 05:56:54

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

I had one of their 14.4 cordless drills, dropped it, broke it, bought a 18V dewalt, dropped it, picked it up and continued to use it.

If It"s all you need then It is all you need but I like Dewalt.

Jon

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SB in AR

10-15-2004 05:48:53

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

My Dad used to tell me "You get what you pay for." There"s probably a reason those tools are priced low.

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rustyfarmall

10-15-2004 04:49:19

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Log into E-Bay sometime, You can buy those same tools, in lots of 5 or more, for the same price you just paid for one.

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Leland

10-15-2004 01:10:48

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Just try running those tools hard and really use them you'll find out what a real hosing you got.

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Dick2

10-15-2004 04:17:10

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Leland, 10-15-2004 01:10:48

Will only do light duty work with corded. Reciprocal saw is light duty, but that is all I need for that task. Cordless seems to be substantial, even better than my Dedewalt.

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Leland

10-15-2004 06:24:46

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-15-2004 04:17:10

WE had a store open here about 18 mth ago so I tried out harbors tools hand tools ok but power tools did not last long they start out strong but small windings,short brushes, and light switches and this was putting wall covering on a carwash. not that hard of work at all.

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rottenrobert

10-14-2004 18:28:30

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Re: Harbor Freight tools cheap... in reply to Dick2, 10-14-2004 16:33:03

Most of their power tools are junk. I do buy some stuff there like hammers, clamps, LARGE wrenches, caster wheels and such. Had a neighbor that bought a bunch of their power tools and wasn"t happy with them.

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