A Truth About Harbor Freight

[Semi-hole mechanic]

I have an Earthquake 1/2” drive, long anvil, cordless impact, that I use all the time. My first electric impact, and I can’t remember the last time I used my air impact. Wish they still made the Earthquake, or if any of their current brand’s batteries are compatible, so I could buy other battery powered tools without needing a bunch of separate chargers. Also use a 24” breaker bar, a cheap set of fuel line disconnects, and a set of hose pliers that I bought to pull spark plug wires with.

 

[Semi-hole mechanic]

They need to start selling individual sockets IMHO.

I agree. We (TSC) stopped selling individual sockets, so now I have to go to a local competitor, Ace, or Menards if I need a single.
I did buy a deep impact single at HF a few years ago for the lugs on my old f150.

 

[dcg9381]

I started provisioning our summer place with tools.. HF is definitely my go-to for tool boxes.
I won't buy their electric tools. And even their heat shrink is pretty ******.
But some basic hand tools? Sure.. Impacts? Sure..
I've bought a few Predator motors and have done well on those, assuming they're not busted out of the box.

 

[haneyrm]

Here’s another truth about HF, for every GJ tool snob, there are thousands that spend money there.

This is clearly evident by the size of Eric Smidt’s $300m yacht. Cheap tools for the masses. Don’t like it, don’t buy it.

 

[M635_Guy]

Here’s another truth about HF, for every GJ tool snob, there are thousands that spend money there.

This is clearly evident by the size of Eric Schmidt’s $300m yacht. Cheap tools for the masses. Don’t like it, don’t buy it.

I've never understood the grump about this guy's yacht. He took his dad's company and made it even better/more successful. It's an American-owned company that employs over 25,000 Americans, paying pretty high wages (around here starts over $16/hr) for retail and even part-time employees get a company-matched 401K and medical, among other benefits. It's a privately-owned business, so he can do what he wants with his money, but it doesn't sound like he's grinding every drop of blood out of the employees.

 

[Steel_Rain]

Two words that ignite a fire on GC unlike anything else around here.

Harbor Freight

 

[haneyrm]

I've never understood the grump about this guy's yacht. He took his dad's company and made it even better/more successful. It's an American-owned company that employs over 25,000 Americans, paying pretty high wages (around here starts over $16/hr) for retail and even part-time employees get a company-matched 401K and medical, among other benefits. It's a privately-owned business, so he can do what he wants with his money, but it doesn't sound like he's grinding every drop of blood out of the employees.

Don’t mistake my post as anything negative against HF or Eric Smidt. I’m a big HF fan and even a bigger fan of superyachts. Post was meant to say that this group and its negativity towards HF are meaningless outside of this forum. A $300m yacht is perfectly symbolic of this. This is why we live here.

If I misunderstood your post, apologies. Pro HF here and pro capitalism. You get what you earn.

 

[ching0n]

I snagged a pair of Pittsburgh composite ratchets and they are some of the smoothest, comfortable ratchets I've ever had.

Now if they just had "S-K" on them they'd be perfect! (Maybe soon they will!)

harbor freight laser engraver when?

 

[ching0n]

Here’s another truth about HF, for every GJ tool snob, there are thousands that spend money there.

This is clearly evident by the size of Eric Schmidt’s $300m yacht. Cheap tools for the masses. Don’t like it, don’t buy it.

Don’t mistake my post as anything negative against HF or Eric Schmidt. I’m a big HF fan and even a bigger fan of superyachts. Post was meant to say that this group and its negativity towards HF are meaningless outside of this forum. A $300m yacht is perfectly symbolic of this. This is why we live here.

If I misunderstood your post, apologies. Pro HF here and pro capitalism. You get what you earn.

Eric Smidt is not Eric Schmidt

 

[haneyrm]

Eric Smidt is not Eric Schmidt

Correct. HF, not Google. Eric Schmidt owns superyacht Whisper, former Kismet.

 

[haneyrm]

HF Eric Smidt also owns support vessel Intrepid. It follows his superyacht Infinity and carries the toys, heli, etc. Looks like he also carries a submarine.

 

[ching0n]

Correct. HF, not Google. Eric Schmidt owns superyacht Whisper, former Kismet.

Oh, I see both Erics have tiny peckers.

yes jealous.

 

[haneyrm]

Oh, I see both Erics have tiny peckers.

yes jealous.

More than likely the best post I will read today. Thanks.

 

[ching0n]

They need to start selling individual sockets IMHO.

I've seen a few large ones but I agree

 

[Mandres]

They need to start selling individual sockets IMHO.

Agreed, that would be very handy.

I'll go one step further and wish they would start selling a small selection of steel for welding projects. Just basic stuff like 1/8" and 1/4" plate, square/rectangular tubing and pipe. The infrastructure is already in place for distribution, and with their buying power they could sell cheap. Everyone looks at their tools and says "I couldn't buy the steel for that price". So why not sell the steel directly?

 

[M635_Guy]

Don’t mistake my post as anything negative against HF or Eric Smidt. I’m a big HF fan and even a bigger fan of superyachts. Post was meant to say that this group and its negativity towards HF are meaningless outside of this forum. A $300m yacht is perfectly symbolic of this. This is why we live here.

If I misunderstood your post, apologies. Pro HF here and pro capitalism. You get what you earn.

I wasn't jumping on you - the pic just reminded me of the routine salty posts in the HF reddit sub and other places about that yacht. I doubt I'd have a yacht if I had his money, but IDGAF what someone does with their honestly-earned money.

I'm kinda the HF homer around here. I'm not a fanboi - if something ***** I'm definitely going to call it out - but I am grateful for HF filling the gap left when Sears folded and essentially took Craftsman with them. In a lot of ways, HF is doing more and better than Craftsman ever could (I recall thinking as Sears imploded that they should spin Kenmore out as an appliance store and Craftsman out as a tool store). In any case, Eric is doing a fine job IMHO.

 

[MOS3522]

It wasn’t selling the tools that paid for the yacht, it was very smart moves on financing and credit. Kudos to Eric he earned those boats.

 

[driftpin]

After work I stopped by the local HF for a pair of dolleys. Low price and works great plus the super coupon $8 makes it better. FYI: some of the newer stock uses composite lumber so I searched for the original hardwood version.

I have so much **** rolling around on these in the garage it's not funny

Same, until fairly recently (maybe 10 years) I only had a few Harbor Freight things, all of the simple and really hard to screw up up variety. When I started to get into metal working 2015-2016-ish that started to change. I held my nose and bought the 4x6" horizontal bandsaw with a 25% off coupon, my first HF tool with a cord. That little saw works just fine for my needs, and it is going on 10 years without any trouble. The quality has definitely come up, the mid grade brands like Bauer, Doyle, Quinn etc is more than good enough for DIY work.

I've got a nice Miller welder, but if I were buying a welder today I'd at least consider one of the a Titanium or Vulcan welders. The Miller was not cheap in 2019, but it was a doable buy once, cry once purchase. I'd have to sell a kidney to buy that same Miller in 2025.



I love those moving dollies. When they go on sale it is hard not to add another, I've got at least 5 or 6 of them around here.

I probably have 15 of these being used for easy movement of things. I also have bought them for the wheels, and I use 2 x 4's and 2 x 6's to make a more-sturdy platform.



I tried using one of their longer ones to support a 327 SBC long-block but it became sway-backed after maybe 6 months, w/the frame touching the floor in the middle of the long-sides. When I used some PT lumber in the above sizes and 1/4" carriage bolts to hold the lumber and caster wheel plates together, it easily held the 327 SBC off the floor and easily maneuverable until I sold it to someone who needed a correct date-code short block for his McLaren street/track car, formerly a Can-Am racer.

Why he needed a replacement 327 SBC:



The McLaren patiently waiting its swap:

 

[zendriver]

As much money as I have spent there, he should let me hang out on that yacht for 35 to 40 minutes, at least

 

[WisJim]

I bought a tap and die set and a pair of Bushnell binoculars from Harbor Freight about 40 years ago or so, when the catalog was a newsprint pamphlet. Still use both of them, and only replaced one or two of the taps. More recently we have gotten a HF store about 25 miles away, and there's one close to my son in Colorado, so I have picked up things like an angle grinder and an oscillating sander that I use occasionally, and they work fine, and were a lot less expensive than the other choices that I had locally.

 

[lardy1]

Live and let live. I'll buy the tools I want from the sources I want to buy them from. You buy the tools you want from the sources you want to buy them from. No arguments. No debates. Just everyone doing what they think they want to do. I'll never understand these threads.

 

[bwringer]

As much money as I have spent there, he should let me hang out on that yacht for 35 to 40 minutes, at least

Same.

I've made and saved a hell of a lot more than I've spent, though.

When my Dad died and we were in the process of dealing with his mountains of hoarded stuff and things, we considered sending a condolences card to the management of the nearest Harbor Freight. It was clear that hard times were ahead for that store without their #1 customer's business.

 

[M635_Guy]

Live and let live. I'll buy the tools I want from the sources I want to buy them from. You buy the tools you want from the sources you want to buy them from. No arguments. No debates. Just everyone doing what they think they want to do. I'll never understand these threads.

It's a cordial thread