Been using HF tools for 20+yrs.

- ~5 regular floor jacks, plus a long frame

- ~12 pairs of jack stands

- engine hoist

- drill press

- hydraulic press

- tig welder

- angle grinder

- volt meter

- calipers

- and a variety of other small handtools.

Nothing screams "quality" like chinese manufacturing.

If that was aimed at me, not everyone works for a large, single employer that has a manufacturer's repair contract & 'solves' their hardware issues via FedExing broke shit back to Dell or whoever...



In the course of setting up and supporting computer & network equipment, you occasionally do have to make/run cables, open up PCs, remove/replace hardware, etc...



Which does require some basic tools...



Now...



Should I spend 'Sears' prices on wire cutters, crimpers, screwdrivers, and other small hand tools that I am more likely to lose than break?



Or go to Harbor Freight???





 

I bough the el cheapo Chicago Electric(?) 1/2" hammer drill 4 years ago. I had ordered all the hurricane shutters for the parents place and needed to drill a shitload of holes in the block. I think it was 19.99. The plan was to use it and throw it away. I drilled who knows how many holes. 4 Years later it is still going strong. I also have a bunch of their air die grinders. I can afford to buy 10-15 of the cheapos vs one Snapon for work.

Some things I'll buy,others I avoid...

Chris


   

Why in the world would you think it was aimed at you? It was aimed at the person I quoted, Triptech.

BTW, I have tons of HF stuff, I love the place. It's so cheap I buy tools I don't even need. Half of my shelf is full of their stuff that I bought simply for just in case situations. The stuff I have used works great.

Try a set of Starrett punches....you will pay for them..but they are nice...and they will last you the rest of your life

Pirate 4x4 has a huge thread on what HF tools are good buys as well as various threads on modifying HF tools to perform better.

The perfect store for shit you dont use often.

Their tools work just fine.  Why pay more for a tool or machine that might get used twice during the rest of my lifetime.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=928999

Harbor freight is great for simple hand tools, and power tools that you just need for a project or two.

I have a $19 power drill I've had for 4 years.
a $25 belt sander I've had for 3
Screwdrivers, cresent wrenches, drill bits.. etc..

I don't think i'd ever buy any of their air compressors or welding setups, but for hand tools they cannot be beaten

Oh yeah, I 'm so impressed I may cry

Oxy-Acetelene torch kits are pretty good and quite a bit cheaper than the exactly the same item but with a brand name on it version
I don't trust any of the "Precision" stuff they offer, I'll stick with Starrett thank you.

The oil lube air compressors are very good, the dry compressors they sell suck, ask me how I know!

it was an obvious joke... you should check your sarcasm meter.



I can promise you that im the poorest, brokest motherfucker on this board. I went to a community college that I didnt get a degree from, and I ate a fucking package of saltine crackers for dinner tonight.



Regardless, I am very picky about my tools... I had a Harbor-Freight quality tool fail on me and almost cost me dearly (as in my life).



If you use your tools once or twice a year/month... they may be just fine.



When you use them 16 hours a day in applications that may be life-critical, you tend to be pretty serious about your tools.



It would be like a HSLD operator putting Tapco shit on his rifle and loading up wolf ammo while in-country. Just because you can, doesnt mean you should.

Sigh.



Tips for shopping at HF:



-Never ever buy anything unless it is on sale or you have a coupon. Ever.



-Never buy any "house brand" cordless tool.  Ever.



-Be vary wary of any "name brand" items with batteries (They do have Makita and the like.  How old?  Refurb?)



-Never buy halogen lamps



-Expect any power tool less than $40 to fail eventually (some sooner than later)



-Expect any power tool above $40 to maybe be good, or maybe be a piece of shit.  



-Expect any air tool to possibly require tuning to work, possibly suck, or possibly be perfect forever.   If it sucks, tune it or return it.  (I have 18ga air nailers with tens of thousands of brads through.  I did need to tune them a little.  I have air wrenches that keep going, and going, and going)



-NEVER NEVER buy any big ticket item without fully researching it.  Take ALL advice with a grain of salt.  Learn who to trust...  There are forums for these things and it is usually obvious who the blowhards are and who actually has experience with the tool.  



-The air fittings are usually fine.  For a while.  I can't tell you how long "a while" is but I converted my entire shop to CEJN fittings and dumped my old HF shit.  The CEJN stuff will still be working when I am dead.  Maybe your HF stuff will still work when you are dead.  It depends on how much you use it and how lucky you are.  If you use an air tool once a month, fuck it just get the HF fittings.



-The U.S. General Air compressors are made in the USA, have Emerson motors, are ASME certified, and are the same shit sold at every other retail establishment in the country, just with a different label.  Don't listen to the lies.  Look at the damn label on the motor and the tank –– stop telling me it is Chinese shit the fucking label is RIGHT THERE.  Most of the other stuff in the store IS from China but please shut the fuck up about the U.S. General Air compressors until you learn to read.  Reading is a life skill.  



-The quality of the hand tools are usually obvious.  Pick it up.  Look at it.  If it looks and feels like shit, it certainly is.  If it looks solid, it probably is.  Either way you can return or trade it.



-Shy away from all all electric pressure washers, electric yard tools, and most of the generators.



-Also be careful about anything with a gas motor.  



-Avoid the cheap low duty cycle welders like the plague.  If you know how to weld, you already know this.  If you don't know how to weld, you cannot learn on these machines.  You will fail.  



-If it is hydraulically operated (jack, press, whatever),  test it either in store or the very moment you get home.  You might have a dud.  



-You cannot run the sandblasters 12 hours a day.  Sorry, if you have a production shop, spend the money get the real thing.  If you are a hobbyist, live with it, take your time, get a real compressor and quit your bitching.



-Never buy sandpaper of any kind unless it is a brand name

Is Northern Tool of somewhat better quality than HF? (e.g. Target compared to WalMart?)   Or better?  I get their catalogs all the time too.

A lot of tools by Craftsman, Sears, etc. are made in China.  There was a lawsuit a while back because they were marking the tools as "Made in USA" when in fact they were made in various other countries.

No, go to Northern Tool.  They have the cheap 6-in-one screwdrivers with nicer handles than the ones at Harbor Freight.  I've got a desk full of Klein drivers and a cheap NT 6-in-one in my laptop bag, and the cheap one does a lot more work. I'm not sure why these screwdrivers don't suck like every other NT or HF driver either.. It's weird.

 I told the cashier at Harbor Freight that I only buy items that are on sale.  I know it's a good price if it has a coupon or limit per customer.

 I know they can't cover all the costs with these 'loss leaders' so eventually –– If I buy enough tools on sale ––

 I'll bankrupt the Communist Chinese Government!    

Their hand tools now have a lifetime warranty on them.... yes, even the punches.

I have both HF and Northern Tool stores nearby.