Any good tools to pick up at HF?

[Djstorm100]

About to head to HF for another tool cart (should have gotten the red one instead of the black one).
Going to sears as well.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

This should be entertaining

 

[SKAutomotive]

Things that even HF can screw up:

- Dead blows.
- Pry bars.

 

[I van putski]

This should be entertaining

No doubt.
I'll start though.
"Good tools" lol

 

[Djstorm100]

Things that even HF can screw up:

- Dead blows.
- Pry bars.

This should be entertaining

Pry bars for sure..I bought a set back in the day...never again.

 

[Exceller8]

One of my favorite HF purchases is their 15pc service kit in both metric and SAE:

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-piece-sae-service-wrench-set-93667.html

 

[crewchief888]

i've had good luck with
impact sockets
ball joint kit
HD nitrile gloves (the black ones)
clamps (you can really never have too many)
$9.99 air cutoff tool

i dont expect top quality tools when i buy anything there, so if it does the job, and lasts for a least a year, i'm happy

the only thing that i really wasnt satisfied with was a cordless impact, battery lasted 6 months and died.

 

[General Geoff]

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-and-38-drive-x-14-38-double-head-flex-ratchet-wrench-67994.html

if they have it in stock. Great ratchet, super slim.

 

[Jeff]

The Daytona store has a hot brunette on register 2!

 

[cmandp]

If socket rails can be considered a tool then the plastic ones are great for the price. They're clones of the Craftsman ones and made in china, but they're reasonably sturdy hold sockets well and are easy to shorten to any length you want.

 

[Buckgnarly]

This.....sort tray, and one of the few fabled US made things in there.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185747

 

[carhouse]

If socket rails can be considered a tool then the plastic ones are great for the price. They're clones of the Craftsman ones and made in china, but they're reasonably sturdy hold sockets well and are easy to shorten to any length you want.

I picked up a few of the plastic socket rails and thought about that but...
How do you do that?
If you cut it down then the stop will be gone, what do you use to make a new stop so they just dont slide off the rail?

 

[Davefr]

For when your GPS fails:

http://www.harborfreight.com/brass-sextant-66096.html

 

[AirJunky]

Get a welder

Got one. Doesn't make the row of quarters **** welds, but it'll make it stick. I've modified the roll cage on my cart, built a surfboard rack on my truck, and built a snow plow with it. The trick is to use better quality Lincoln wire & some tip dip.

You definitely have to be careful with some tools from HF. Cordless drills are gutless, flashlights work.... for a while. But my chop saw has to be like 6 yrs old. I've trimmed out a couple of houses with it & the thing does great.

 

[murphaayyy]

someone i work with has a hf roll cart. does the job, doesnt seem like its just going to fall apart

old master tech/friend has a good bit from HF:
air hammer
angle grinder
sockets (not all)
1/2 impact universal set
most likely more too

he has a lot of snap on too including his box so its not like hes a cheap ***.

 

[allinon72]

USA made Goodyear air hose

Some of their jacks are decent.

 

[CWP1616L]

Superlube 21030

 

[pfbz]

Their epoxy (marine) heat shrink tube is excellent!

Also, my HF composite 72 tooth ratchets get used all the time, often I'll grab one over one of my snap-on's just because they are light and easy to grip. Obviously not if I'm trying to break loose a large, stuck bolt.

The CP 'earthquake' 1/2" air impact wrench might not be the equal of an Aircat, but it is still an excellent tool, far better than any $80 (less with coupon) air tool has a right to be.

The hardwood work-benches are a great deal at $140...

On the flip-side, pretty much anything from HF that either plugs into the wall or runs on batteries has been a disappointment.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

The Daytona store has a hot brunette on register 2!

Send her to Tampa, please...

 

[Spudland_Dave]

3/4" Breaker Bar w/Impact 3/4->1/2" Reducer....bulletproof combo. Even with 6' cheaters...better breaker bar then any CMan i've ever owned.

 

[pfbz]

3/4" Breaker Bar w/Impact 3/4->1/2" Reducer....bulletproof combo..

Good suggestion... For $19, I'll pick one up next time I'm there.

 

[cmandp]

I picked up a few of the plastic socket rails and thought about that but...
How do you do that?
If you cut it down then the stop will be gone, what do you use to make a new stop so they just dont slide off the rail?

I just cut off the end with the push tab to the length I wanted (add about 1/4" to what you want to end up with). Then hollowed out the reinforcement ribs with a dremel and rotary burr. Drilled a clearance hole for an 8-32 flat head screw and nut. Put the screw through the bottom, nut on top and trimmed the screw to length.

That's a really long description for something very simple.

For when your GPS fails:

http://www.harborfreight.com/brass-sextant-66096.html

I wouldn't trust the lenses to protect my eye from the sun and certainly wouldn't trust it to be an accurate piece of navigation equipment.

 

[franzdom]

No

 

[sberry]

The ball joint kit is super at 40$ and the battery load tester at 50 are super buys. Return their full value nearly every time they are used.

 

[AJH]

There's a "Harbor Freight Pass/Fail" thread that lists a whole lot of HF tools people have tried. Some good results, some not so much.

See the thread here.

 

[fivespdcat]

The dead blows are pretty good, or at least good enough to beat on metal objects and not worry about. I also have the 2.5 ton jack, and it works pretty good so far. It's definitely worth the $75 I paid for to tide me over until I buy a HW.

 

[jmm]

The little red chinese snap ring pliers with interchangeable heads. They're rated on the package as being good for something like 1.5" snap rings (that's a damn lie), but they are perfect for snap rings half that size and under. These get re-badged by several manufacturers for a lot more than the 1.99 they're often on sale for.

On the fly I needed a manual impact driver the other day. I was closer to HF than I was to my set at work so I dropped 5.99 on one and other than needing a little lube, it worked perfectly.

 

[wafrederick]

Their impact sockets,1/4 drive earthquake air ratchet.Won't buy their wire strippers anymore,tossed a pair in the scrap metal pile today.The jaws stuck while stripping wire and had enough of it.

 

[greasemonkey44]

the 59$ 1.5 ton aluminum jack
i love that thing; perfect for holding transmissions up while you drop in an engine
easy to pick up to fix something at home

 

[DesertRatAutomotive]

Theres some good tools there. Wouldnt ask people on here though. They expect snap on quality for a dollar. Half of them havent been in the store cause there to proud.

 

[Exceller8]

Come on guys, be the better man and keep things on topic.

 

[pmilin]

I bought a bunch of socket sets 1/4 and 3/8 drive and ratchets and was pleased with them.

Also, they have long handle combination wrench sets that are pretty good too.

My expectations are typically low so anything that doesn't break or fall apart the first time I use it is categorized as good.

 

[Jason280]

3/4" Breaker Bar w/Impact 3/4->1/2" Reducer....bulletproof combo.

Hey, that is a good combo. I have one of their 1/2" breaker bars, never crossed my mind to use one of the 3/4 versions with an adapter.

 

[diggerrick]

1/2" drive extendable ratchet - my favorite ratchet now.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-extendable-ratchet-98831.html

I bought a drop light on sale for like $8 a couple years ago and love it - I use it as much for an extension cord as I use it for the light.

http://www.harborfreight.com/drop-light-3489.html

Rubber wheel chocks - tied them together with a length of poly rope, and they are easy to pick up and remove when finished.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solid-rubber-wheel-chock-69326.html

...or just look at the recommendations here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27192&highlight=harbor+freight+pass%2Ffail

 

[kunkernator]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27192&highlight=harbor+freight+pass

 

[pendragon1998]

3/8" Ratchet With Indexable Head
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-ratchet-with-indexable-head-96092.html

I have used a cheater pipe on this and it held up in both the ratchet head and the lock for the spinning head part. It is great for when you can only pump the ratchet handle up and down but don't have room to turn it. I just wish the handle was round, so a smaller diameter cheater pipe would fit better.

They make a 1/2"drive version too.

 

[Goobzilla]

Big fan of the composite ratchets. The 3/8 drive is the 1st one out of my toolbox.

 

[fivespdcat]

1/2" drive extendable ratchet - my favorite ratchet now.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-extendable-ratchet-98831.html

I bought a drop light on sale for like $8 a couple years ago and love it - I use it as much for an extension cord as I use it for the light.

http://www.harborfreight.com/drop-light-3489.html

Rubber wheel chocks - tied them together with a length of poly rope, and they are easy to pick up and remove when finished.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solid-rubber-wheel-chock-69326.html

...or just look at the recommendations here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27192&highlight=harbor+freight+pass%2Ffail

+1 on the wheel stops, much better then some of the other hollow molded ones.

 

[andywander]

I just picked up the 30" 11-drawer U.S> General roller cabinet for $159.95, and while I was there I noticed they had replacement gloves for my (non-HF) blast cabinet.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Big fan of the composite ratchets. The 3/8 drive is the 1st one out of my toolbox.

Ill agree to this!
I was a bit reluctant when I had the 3/8" composite in my hand, but now it's my favorite ratchet in my box. Ill get more for sure.