HF Tools that do work well

[goodfellow]

Ok -- I'm new here, so it may not be my place to post this, but I'm seeing many posts that constantly trounce HF tools. In most cases I agree, much of their stuff absolutely is inferior, BUT I also think that many of their items are a great bargain and well worth the investment.

So I'd like to hear from everyone as to what you have purchased from HF that you think is worth looking at and has performed well (c'mon fess up, we all buy some items from HF -- even if sometimes we won't admit it)

Here 's my short list

4.5" orange angle grinders (w/ paddle switch) -- have six of them and some are eight years old -- GREAT!!

4X6 vert/horiz metal cutting bandsaw -- never had a problem with that saw (HF blades are not good, so I use ENCO of Grizzly bi-metal)

12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw -- Love it! It's used to cut wood and light gauge aluminum -- works great

[eschoendorff]

I use jacks and jackstands from HF and have never had a problem. Also, their impact sockets are a good value.

[Will H]

I bought a little trailer dolly from them that has been great. Got it on sale for $40, and I've seen the same model in the overtons catalog for more than twice the money. The instructions were useless, but I figured it out no problem and it makes trailer shuffling much easier. Only modification I made was to add some grease to the wheel axles.

Digital calipers are good enough for rough measurements to take to the bolt store or drill bit case.

I've also been using their impact sockets. No failures yet, but sometimes they are a bit too bulky to use. I also got my 1/2" air ratchet there and it has done well.

Last thing I can think of is the bench grinder stand. You can tell its cheap steel and booger welded, but it does the job just fine.

I'm sure there are a few more things, but can't think of it now.

[NOMAD]

I have a 5lb sledge that hasn't given me problems.

[Coach James]

I bought two moving dollies there that have worked fine as well as two wheels for a hand truck frame I found. Plastic parts organizers from there have been ok. And a rubber pad that replaces the steel saddle on my floor jack has been ok.

Coach

[george4]

A levered gadget for pulling up metal T type fence posts. A puller for tensioning wire fences with a crimper for securing the wire ends together.:thumbup:

[Rickster]

I have a bunch of their zip ties and bungee cords and the seem to work very well. Also they are my main source for rubber gloves!

[wilbilt]

I had nothing but bad luck with the angle grinders.

4x6 bandsaw does a decent job.

The 21 degree full-head framing nailer is a good tool unless you are a pro framer.

The $16.99 Hand truck is identical to the one U-Haul rents for $7/day. You do the math.

[brianpgriset]

I have:

- several of the bench grinder stands. I mount all kinds of stuff to them. For $17 on sale its hard to beat.

- Throatless "Beverly" type metal shears. A little tunning on the blades and they cut 18 ga. no problems.

- Bead Roller. The frame needs stiffeners welded to it to make it do anything nice, but after that it does well. Heck, the 3 sets of flanging dies and 3 sets of beading dies are almost worth the sale price.

- Metal Bender. Works pretty good right outa the box (rare).

- Plastic parts bins.

- $6 plastic wrench racks that cost 3x as much at sears.

Pretty much anything electric or with many moving parts I don't buy. Most stuff needs some tweaking, but there are some OK values.

[tweety652]

i bought their deep std. impact set and its held up for about 2yrs of almost daily use, so even if they all break tomorrow ive gotten my moneys worth. id like to get that 1/2dr. 24" breaker bar they carry but have been weary about it. anyone here have some experience on how good it is?

[MustangRick]

I have a weed eater from them that is going on 6yrs now no issues, the pipe threader paid for itself for the air line build out, the thundergun seems to be holding up, asell as the impact sockets. One of the sockets did split on me when it was fairly new, the rest are fine.

[Roospike]

I havent had much luck with Harbor Freight tools ...................

they seem to put frends and family "OUT OF WORK"

I'll stick with quality and support my fellow man in the USA . :thumbup: I'm not too cheap to do at least that. :beer:

[jimvannoy]

I have the bead roller, shrinker/stretcher, and planishing hammer. All have done what I need them to do so far. The bead roller did need some stiffing up though and I made foot operated stands for the shrinker and stretcher. Just got the shrinker stretcher a few weeks ago on sale for $169.00 and the planishing hammer on sale for $119.00 and I had a 15% off coupon that they took off both of on them.

Several grinder stands, jack stands, some 1/2 deep impact sockets, car dollies. All doing fine.

3/4" socket set. Got it several years ago for $19.99. Ratchet has broken twice but I bring it to the local store and get a new one no questions asked.

Large blast cabinet. I had to go around and seal all the seams good. Other than that it's working fine.

Large parts washer. Been working with no problems for over 3 years. Got it on sale for $39.99. I have cleaned a Lot of parts in it to.

Assorted air tools. Cut off wheel, body saw, drill, right angle grinder, die grinder. All working fine for over 2 years. The cut off tool and right angle get a LOT of use too. Can't beat them for the price. Cut off on sale for $7.99, saw on sale for $14.95, die grinder on sale for $6.95, right angle grinder for $9.99, drill for $9.99.

I try to stay away from most of their hand tools and electrical hand tools. I do have one of the orange 4 1/2" angle grinders though. Been using it for several years. It has held up to a lot of abuse grinding patch panels, cutting out floors, and cutting body panels.

I also have a floor model drill press and 4x6 metal band saw I got a few years ago at an estate sale for $50.00 each. They are not HF but some other brand (HDC I think) that is pretty much the same thing. They have both been working fine.

The trick is to get signed up for the sale flyer they send out then get the stuff you want when it's on sale. They also sometimes include 15% or 20% off coupons. It's suppose to be for a single item but everytime I have used them at the local store they deduct it from the total price. You can also bring a catalog to the store and they will charge you the sale price in the catalog for the item. you can also print a sale page off their web site and bring it in to get that price.

[Uncle Buck]

I will add what I have gotten through the years.

1) 20 gallon parts washer
2) 2t Engine Hoist used
3) Porta Power $10.00 swap meet score works fine
4) The 16" xtra long needle nose set
5) diagonal cutters extra long (love em)
6) 3pc thumbwheel ratchet set (how can you break those?)
7) double flare set (worked fine for me)
8) shop clock battery job
9) Wrench sets I could never find used, nor afford new. The s shaped wrenches, and full sets of the obstruction wrenches in both s & m
10) magnetic bowls
11) set of long handled gasket scrapers
12) flex head gear wrench sets (I swear they are the same as everyone elses guys!)
13) A few air tools, I have had nothing but great luck with them, firm believer in em.
14) Old 3 ton floor jack bought used worked great for years, no complaints.

I am still no real fan, I have taken chances on things I would never have bought at all, and that are used only infrequently. I have probably bought more from them in the last year though; but the core of my mechanics set is nothing but quality tools, no HF crap there!

[eschoendorff]

i bought their deep std. impact set and its held up for about 2yrs of almost daily use, so even if they all break tomorrow ive gotten my moneys worth. id like to get that 1/2dr. 24" breaker bar they carry but have been weary about it. anyone here have some experience on how good it is?

I have one. It does work, but there's a little more deflection than I like. My 24" SK doesn't deflect at all....

[JohnHenrys48]

I haven't purchased many tools but I did get the 24" Jumbo Adjustable Wrench...I've got some big nuts... LOL... I needed it for a compression fitting on a 1 1/4 " water line...the 15 inch would have worked but bigger is better...right ?

Also, HF is a great source for latex and nitrile gloves.

[wythors]

I have a large aluminum dust pan that hasn't broken yet. My lidded rag can used to be okay, but the inside of the bottom has started to rust badly. I have two pair of Pittsburgh long-handled pliers that are holding up well through two uses. Every other thing that I've ever purchased from them has been either returned or thrown out after it broke.

[-lecroix-]

I havent had much luck with Harbor Freight tools ...................

they seem to put frends and family "OUT OF WORK"

You got friends and family in the junk tool business? :wtf:

[kythri]

I haven't used it much, but so far, I'm pretty impressed with the $79.99 1/2" drive Earthquake impact wrench...

[oldgoat]

Have quite a few HF stuff.
Rubber & Nitril gloves for changing oil
12 compound sliding miter saw
4 or 4.5 angle grinder
Impact sockets
Long pattern metric and sae wrenches
volt meters
ratchets
air compressor
JUNK stuff
10 slider miter saw
palm sander
router table with router the 169.00. Motor crapped out real fast.

[Jay H 237]

I have one of thier orange $14.99 heat guns that I took to work since I could never find one of the shops when I need it. It has held up for over a year now with frequent use, robotics industry, many wires need heatshrink.

I also have the 1/2" drive 24" breaker bar mentioned earlier and have had no problems with it and it even came with a 1/2" drive 18" one when I bought it also.

The other thing that has worrked well for me the few times I've needed it so far is the 3/8" right angle Jacob's drill atttachment.

[MAD]

Ok first the decent stuff:

Ratchet tie down straps

Three piece step drill bits

Plastic dead blow hammers

Three piece mechanic's pry bars (ok for light -medium duty work)

Fluorescent drop light.

3/8" right angle drill. (Used a few times, no problems yet)

Harmonic balance puller

Heat gun.

Now the total CRAP

1/2" DR. deep metric impact sockets (snap crackle pop- these put the crack of dawn to shame)

Strap wrenches (strap broke in short order)

Screwdrivers (not even very good for opening tubes of RTV)

Halogen work lights (sockets burn out fast even with glass removed to reduce heat)

Halogen t-3 work light bulbs (lasted only a few hours, tested in different fixtures, handled carefully without touching glass)

Open end-socket Saltus wrenches (Total crap these make the cheap Great Neck ones look like Snap-on)

Shop stools- (still picking up the ball bearings from the swivels)

Plastic zip ties- (Got a big load of these that were brittle and would snap like a twig)

Multi-meter (works ok but takes an uncommon expensive battery. No auto off function so batteries die -don't bother)

D-cell aluminum LED flashlight (not very bright and flew to pieces after short drop to floor)

As you can see my success rate has not been very good. I do not think you can look at this thread and be certain which H.F. stuff is ok. Their stuff is often very inconsistent. I bought one "workmate" like clamping stand that was pretty good. I ordered another a few weeks later and it was a totally different type and a P.O.S. . I will not say that I will never buy anything from them again, but for the most part I say why bother with it.

[eschoendorff]

I do not think you can look at this thread and be certain which H.F. stuff is ok. Their stuff is often very inconsistent.

This is real true. There are a lot of guys who have used the impact sockets (myself included) with great success, and yet you have had terrible luck with them.

[daveinwestland]

i bought their deep std. impact set and its held up for about 2yrs of almost daily use, so even if they all break tomorrow ive gotten my moneys worth. id like to get that 1/2dr. 24" breaker bar they carry but have been weary about it. anyone here have some experience on how good it is?

I have had great luck with thier impacts as well, and I have one of thier right angle drills which I have used a lot (including mixing a lot of mortar and grout) and it is holding up well

[tazman69]

I havent had much luck with Harbor Freight tools ...................

they seem to put frends and family "OUT OF WORK"

I'll stick with quality and support my fellow man in the USA . :thumbup: I'm not too cheap to do at least that. :beer:

Oh here we go, most tools are made overseas now and most of the american tools are too expensive. What puts the american worker out of business is the fact that as a country we are fat and lazy. If overpaid american workers would work for what the chinese work for, we would have no problems. We would be shipping goods to china. But Americans have gotten to a point of where they expect handouts, look at UAW workers. I mean c'mon, does anyone need to make 70 grand putting on lugnuts. It's high time that we get knocked down a peg and get "hungry" again. Blame the companies who buy and sell the imported brands and good luck with buying american. Take a look around your house and tell me how much stuff bought in the last 10 years is made in American you hipocrit.:shocking:

[eschoendorff]

Oh here we go, most tools are made overseas now and most of the american tools are too expensive. What puts the american worker out of business is the fact that as a country we are fat and lazy. If overpaid american workers would work for what the chinese work for, we would have no problems. We would be shipping goods to china. But Americans have gotten to a point of where they expect handouts, look at UAW workers. I mean c'mon, does anyone need to make 70 grand putting on lugnuts. It's high time that we get knocked down a peg and get "hungry" again. Blame the companies who buy and sell the imported brands and good luck with buying american. Take a look around your house and tell me how much stuff bought in the last 10 years is made in American you hipocrit.:shocking:

Let's see.... you've made 5 posts to this forum and are already attacking senior members. Not cool dude. You have a right to your opinion. You do not have a right to toss it around here with little or no tact. :mad:

[tazman69]

Let's see.... you've made 5 posts to this forum and are already attacking senior members. Not cool dude. You have a right to your opinion. You do not have a right to toss it around here with little or no tact. :mad:

Just like it's his opinion that imported goods and not lazy workers are the problem:headscrat


Wow them sound like fightin' words...12237

And how about you keep your opinion to yourself, nice picture I thought this was a nice little family site.

[Uncle Buck]

Just like it's his opinion that imported goods and not lazy workers are the problem:headscrat




And how about you keep your opinion to yourself, nice picture I thought this was a nice little family site.

It usually is till some asshole like you pops up!

Damn, I was right after all guys! THIS CLOWN WANTS THAT THIRD SPOT AFTER ALL! WHAT TO DO......SLOPING FOREHEAD? YUP, DRAGGING KNUCKLES? YUP, WELL I WAS RIGHT, THIS ONE GOES TO THE IGGY LIST!:spit:

[Uncle Buck]

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Asshole? who is the "senior" member using profanity at new members. I guess this must be an exclusive club for old dudes who watch the 3 stooges:thumbup: :thumbup:

Sorry bro, if the shoe fits!

[sunshineFC3s]

ANd does the "senior member old dude who watched 3 stooges" shoe fit?

Funny...I happen to agree with you 100%. However, you approach is just silly. No one likes opinions shoved down their throats. You woulde'nt happen to be a uber right wing republican, would ya?
-a

[wrenchr]

I like to pickup drawer liner there when it is on sale. Then walk around and check the rest of the stuff out. Not a big fan of their hand tool's. Never used them, but they would work fine for limited use.

[tazman69]

Funny...I happen to agree with you 100%. However, you approach is just silly. No one likes opinions shoved down their throats. You woulde'nt happen to be a uber right wing republican, would ya?
-a

Nope, pretty much smack dab in the middle politically. I just think the workers in this country have gotten used to making an overly inflated wage for doing what are usually menial tasks. I have a friend who works for Ford who brags about taking 5 hour naps and reading on the job and another who made almost 1000 bucks for working a holiday. I know that Levi had the choice of going out of business or closing its North American plants because workers just made too much money here. I am in Michigan and it is in so much trouble because for years we have had so much money being pumped into the local economy because of the big 3. I drive around and see these silly bumper stickers that say things like "still have your job? Keep driving a foreign car and you wont" I drive a Honda which is made in America by American workers who are damn happy to be making the wage that they do, which is about 60% of what UAW workers make. The car is superior in fit and finish and reliability to American cars yet is made by American workers. The difference? No UAW to drive the price of production up. Unions are killing America's ability to produce goods and we can only be a consumer nation for so long before the money runs out.

My opinion is no harsher than someone writing in big capitol letters about buying American and saving jobs, that person should do as I suggested and take a walk around their house and see how much "made in USA" they see.

[PanelDeland]

I have a
Ball joint press-the same as in the auto parts store 1/3 the price
Dead blow hammers-Ok but I got a brass and a lead from American Hammer=Best hammer deal ever I paid shipping
Couple of fibreglas handled shop hammers-don't use enough to judge
4 in grinder
3 pc prybar set
wood and tree saws
router-NIB
router bits -NIB
Doweling jig-used a couple times-seems OK for ocassional use
always get my wire brushes,nylon brushes,ect from them.
Oh and the one time my wife went with me I got a manual meat grinder NIB
BTW I said HF but some is Northern Tool I find they are just about interchangable.We just had a Tractor Supply open here but I haven't been there to check it out.

[kidney]

I used to buy a lot of my cut off disks and flap wheel there. They worked ok when I wasn't using them all the time. Now that my grinders see regular duty, I try to buy better ones. For every 1 that I used, I threw away five of them b/c the centers would give out.

I have one dead blow hammer, it still works, but there are these plastic inserts on the side that blew out the first time I used it. I also bought one soft faced hammer that cracked in half after a few days of use. The only thing I can think of that I would possibly buy from there is one of their presses. I really need one badly, and can't quite bring myself to spend 1k+ on a name brand one.

Last time I was there, I looked over the counter and saw numerous power tools with little tags on them saying broken. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, just one huge pile of broken power tools.

[chad s]

Last time I was there, I looked over the counter and saw numerous power tools with little tags on them saying broken. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, just one huge pile of broken power tools.

HAha, Id love to see that. What do you expect from such a classy establishment?!?!

HF Cut of discs are very dangerous. Seriousely. People (search the HAMB) have injured themselved preatty badly using those. Its just not worth it. Nortons are around $1.35 (for a 4.5") from home depot, but they are much safer (ive used tons, and never had an issue). I have never used the HF ones myself, but I have tried cheap brands from swap meet tool sellers, and they dont cut nearly as well as the Nortons, Im sure the HF ones are in the same leage as the cheapies I tried out.

[Roospike]

You got friends and family in the junk tool business? :wtf:

No ..............

Its when people are cheap a$$es and buy junk tools and items from China it puts us USA workers out of business. :wtf:

[-lecroix-]

So because I bought a cheap ass sand blaster from Harbor Freight you now are unemployed?

Damn, I'm sorry ... but you wouldn't believe how much money I saved. :bounce:

[Roospike]

I would hope you are smarter than that so i dont feel the need to explain....

[-lecroix-]

i'm not. explain away.

[CarpenterJC]

I bought a few Misc items from HF..last thing I got was a bandsaw blade for My Metal Cutting bandsaw..its over an hour away from me so I only go their when I'm in the area anyway..isnt worth the trip just to shop their..I did notice alot of HF Tools look identical to Northern tools...also chinese/aisian made i think..not saying wich is better but the store I do go to employs some Americans so it cant be all bad.


JC

[SteveL]

I will try to list the "good" items I've gotten from HF.

Large HVLP spray gun - sale price $39 works awsome! **get the Delta large needle to spray acyrlic**
Bearing seperator/ wheel puller - sale price $24
tap/die set - not great but works OK
bench grinder - very quiet and smooth
1/2" impact deep well sockets
chip brushes for cleaning
wood turning tool set - sale price $20 and they are great!
3/8" Goodyear air hose
Pittsburg gear wrenches
dead blow hammer for $5
10ga fraiming nailer
1/2" crown stapler
6" digital calipers
dial indicator/ magnetic base
12"-24" adjustable air gun $4- very handy for blowing out the garage
3" casters - both swivel and fixed ***wish they offered a locking version**


I'm sure I've got some other stuff, but this is all I can remember for now. Only items I've had to return were a 4" air grinder and a gear puller set of three. The air grinder was so loud, you could hear it down the street!