Changes coming to HFT.

[Dr Stan]

Personally I typically shop at Menards for hand tools. It has a made in the US line that are quite good and certainly better than Craftsman.

One needs to pay attention as Menards has 3 levels/lines of hand tools. Super cheap, homeowner grade, and their top line. The lower two are Chinese or where ever.

 

[PugetDude]

Personally I typically shop at Menards for hand tools. It has a made in the US line that are quite good and certainly better than Craftsman.

One needs to pay attention as Menards has 3 levels/lines of hand tools. Super cheap, homeowner grade, and their top line. The lower two are Chinese or where ever.

No Menards within a thousand miles of here. They aren't a national brand like HD, HF, or Lowes.

 

[TorKe]

Meh, a Yukon can run over a Husky.

China >>> China

 

[Brownsfan]

No Menards within a thousand miles of here. They aren't a national brand like HD, HF, or Lowes.

And the USA made Masterforce is being replaced by gearwrench. When Apex shut down the Allen and Armstrong brands Masterforce was made in the same facility. So no more USA made Masterforce. When a particular tools goes out of stock it gets replaced by a gearwrench equivalent.

 

[zendriver]

"I really hope HF doesn't lose sight of who they are"

They are a company in business to make money.

When quality and market share rise hand-in-hand, why wouldn't they raise prices and go after the "big dogs"?

They are already doing it.

Buy them while they're cheap!


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[HanShotFirst]

Where the hobby/weekend warrior market is concerned, HF is kicking ***. Their ratchets and sockets quality rival most Taiwan made which is to say, they're pretty darned good. Wrenches are okay, quality is improving on those. Their screwdrivers are nothing to look at, but the quality is pretty good. Much of their pliers are downright decent, but I'll pass on most of their cutters. I've heard really good things about their HF/start TIG welder from a friend of mine who welds for a living.

HF's tools are improving in quality while many of the other brands are rapidly declining. I look forward to improving quality from HF. They are a very handy store to have in your town because they have a little bit of everything; and that's always welcome.

It would be nice to see some US made tools make their way into HF.

 

[rhannan1988]

Hahaha.

Nope.

Now there will be 9. 3 lines for each of the current 3 lot numbers for the exact same item

EDIT: although, I did stumble on one older lot number actually making a difference. The 1/4" torque wrench, the older lot number is made in Taiwan and the newer is made in China. The 9.99 coupon shows both lot numbers as eligible but when scanned at register it didnt work (cashier did an override for me though). Sure it isnt the most accurate, but for 10.00 from Taiwan its probably a good deal.

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[theoldwizard1]

It sure looks like they want to position themselves to pickup as much Craftsman business as possible.

Their "professional" line needs better repair support than their current "exchange under warranty" policy. I don't care how good a compound miter saw is, it is junk if you can't get a replacement part after a couple of years.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Did the every sell made in the USA air hose?
They sold Goodyear branded air hoses, but I need to point out that the Goodyear name on hoses is a licensing deal, not something actually made by Goodyear.
I have Goodyear garden hoses, and they're made in China.

Yes. I have a made in USA Goodyear air hose I bought from them.

 

[Muzzy]

They're the no-name brand/knockoff tool store that sells 'good enough' tools. No informed consumer is going to buy the knockoff for the same price as the name brand.

So wait....how is that different than any other big box retailer?
Harbor Freight is here to stay guys. Lets all go over to a different thread where we can whine about Sears going down the drain.

 

[TURNA]

No Name brand?

Pittsburgh, Central Pneumatic etc have been around for over 30 years now

 

[PugetDude]

Is it really a big coincidence that HF makes/orders their new box to look just like the models at a very large big box store chain that most people are familiar with? No hate towards HF, but this is what they specialize in. We'll see the Yukon vs Husky ads soon enough.

Size matters? OK... I'm trying to follow the logic...Since Harbor Freight has more stores than Sears, is a very large big-box chain, and most people are familiar with them, then why aren't there a bunch of posts about Sears ripping off Harbor Freight's Chinese merchandise? After all HF was sourcing from China first.

 

[jrockford]

Personally I typically shop at Menards for hand tools. It has a made in the US line that are quite good and certainly better than Craftsman.

One needs to pay attention as Menards has 3 levels/lines of hand tools. Super cheap, homeowner grade, and their top line. The lower two are Chinese or where ever.

It's been my understanding on here that Mendards has or is planning to drop their US made Masterforce line. Since reading this, I have not been able to go in a store and confirm in person though.

Could be regional though. Their site still has some in stock and a quick Google reveals a GJ thread asking about this last September. I bought a socket set that December for Christmas. It looked picked over, but twas the season too. Lots of people were looking at the tools while I was in there.

 

[rjvjeepster]

The Masterforce stuff was the same as USA Craftsman, so it's no longer being made. As they sell out of it, Gearwrench is taking over.

 

[volaredon]

we now have an HFT in my area... I used to (very) occasionally stop and look when I'd pass one while driving elsewhere before we got a store.. but I rarely buy much of anything there at all, since much of their inventory is "imported" junk...
one welcome change would be a whole lot more US made product than they currently have.... THAT would get me in the doors more often.... and maybe I'll actually spend more there.

 

[TURNA]

we now have an HFT in my area?... I used to (very) occasionally stop and look when I'd pass one while driving elsewhere before we got a store.. but I rarely buy much of anything there at all, since much of their inventory is "imported" junk...
one welcome change would be a whole lot more US made product than they currently have.... THAT would get me in the doors more often.... and maybe I'll actually spend more there.

It would be nice if they carried more USA item but unfortunately most of the USA companies sold out.

What USA tools would you like them to carry??? Truck brands?

 

[M_George]

It would be nice if they carried more USA item but unfortunately most of the USA companies sold out.

What USA tools would you like them to carry??? Truck brands?

How about SK. Nobody sells SK in this area, can only get them on line. Might be a good fit for their professional line.

 

[TorKe]

How about SK. Nobody sells SK in this area, can only get them on line. Might be a good fit for their professional line.

Grainger sells SK

 

[dnschmidt]

A lot of posters here fail to realize a reality: HF doesn't give a damn if you shop in their stores or not. I've never been in the HF store at 32nd Street and Bell Road here in Phoenix where there HASN'T been a line at the check outs. They need your business as much as I need cancer. They own the low end and now their going uptown. ***** all you want in 5 years it's going to be HF, Lowes or the HD and that's it for tools locally. If you have a virtual monopoly people are going to come to you. As the Borg once stated: "You will be assimilated"

 

[M_George]

Grainger sells SK

I've always looked at Granger as a commercial supplier. And a bit expensive.
I don't know if they even have a store you can walk into.

 

[nbpt100]

Notice this does not effect mechanic tools very much just mostly construction tools.
It seems to me they are smartly trying to ride the wave of coming infrastructure spending.
it may take a few years for congress to get off their $%^@#$ and act but it is coming.

 

[M_George]

A lot of posters here fail to realize a reality: HF doesn't give a damn if you shop in their stores or not. I've never been in the HF store at 32nd Street and Bell Road here in Phoenix where there HASN'T been a line at the check outs. They need your business as much as I need cancer. They own the low end and now their going uptown. ***** all you want in 5 years it's going to be HF, Lowes or the HD and that's it for tools locally. If you have a virtual monopoly people are going to come to you. As the Borg once stated: "You will be assimilated"

Just the opposite here in Pa. They always seem to be busy, and go out of their way to help their customers. We have all the box stores as well.

 

[Gmonkee]

The various borgs have been eating up the rool makers as they went up for sale.
Snapper, Stanley, Bain capitol etc..... all either augmenting capacity or eating the competition up as they can and it has been going on a long time.

Some US brands may represent a hertitage of dozens of old dead brands but you will never see the products of old coming back. They stopped making them long ago for many reasons.

What you are seeing is new models in more than one brand all from the same borg and sometimes outsourced to other borgs. Its good business sense to reduce costs ands automate production, profits feed growth.

Harbor F doesn't have to really change a lot of product to do what this thread is about. They just have to present what they have been selling for decades under new light.
You want the thrill of the premium product over Chinese junk? Choose the top line.
You want to fill the trunk of the Topaz with a almost complete shop kit for thirty bucks? Aim low, chances are they will actually be solid enough tools for the skill level.

HF doesn't need to carry US made tools to survive. If the stores carried them they would be called ''low prices" but actually serve to sell more import because to the 95% of thier clients saving that ten bucks is more important.

Unless quality and appearances of US made can be made to price points that actually compete at prices of imports without any QC or materials sacrifice at all.

In the land of the $15 the hour unskilled laborer with a bennie package that isn't currently probable.

 

[TURNA]

Everyone is selling the Chinese Taiwan stuff even Snap on

At least Harbor Freight sells it at a reasonable price.

I don't understand the hate for Harbor Freight.

I am more pissed at Snap On and just about every other USA company that sold out!


I would LOVE the company's to come back to the USA.

I LOVE seeing Made in USA on my tools.

But from day one HF sold overseas items.

They didn't sell out.

 

[TorKe]

But my American companies!!! My jobs! They took my jobs!!! They took my low priced USA made tools!!!


Yeah okay.

 

[toddoky]

But my American companies!!! My jobs! They took my jobs!!! They took my low priced USA made tools!!!


Yeah okay.

How old are you, about 14?

 

[TorKe]

How old are you, about 14?

That's irrelevant. What are you going to say next? That the manufacturing jobs are coming back to the US? I got a song for you

Aerosmith - Dream On

 

[toddoky]

No actually, I was going to say your post was immature sounding.

 

[TorKe]

No actually, I was going to say your post was immature sounding.

It's supposed to be sarcastic

1. Tools
2. Cheap
3. USA made


Have to Choose two. People can't wrap their head around this concept.

 

[48548]

I will take 1 and 3. That sounds like proto, snapon, SK, Wright......

 

[TorKe]

I will take 1 and 3. That sounds like proto, snapon, SK, Wright......

Yup. Oh well, gotta bump that credit score up somehow.

 

[TURNA]

Yea the USA made 3/8 Snap On ratchet with Taiwan internals for 200 buxx sounds like a bargain!!!

 

[Farmall450]

Did the every sell made in the USA air hose?
They sold Goodyear branded air hoses, but I need to point out that the Goodyear name on hoses is a licensing deal, not something actually made by Goodyear.
I have Goodyear garden hoses, and they're made in China.

They were US Goodyear.

 

[TorKe]

Yea the USA made 3/8 Snap On ratchet with Taiwan internals for 200 buxx sounds like a bargain!!!

"But my snap on! They're the best brand ever! And made in the USA!!! Do you care about America? If you dont, yer a terrorist!!"

- every snap on **** rider ever

I don't care who makes my tools as long as they work.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Yea the USA made 3/8 Snap On ratchet with Taiwan internals for 200 buxx sounds like a bargain!!!

Here are the internals for 3/8" Snap On ratchets:
https://store.snapon.com/Dual-80-174-Technology-chrome-3-8--Kit-Ratchet-Service-P667134.aspx
COO: USA

https://store.snapon.com/Round-Head-chrome-3-8--3-8-Drive-Ratchet-Repair-Kit-P671626.aspx
COO: USA

Do you know something they don't?

 

[-Brent-]

I don't care who makes my tools as long as they work.

Then why the troll posts?

With your recent posts, I wonder why are you're even on the Garage Journal?

 

[toddoky]

"But my snap on! They're the best brand ever! And made in the USA!!! Do you care about America? If you dont, yer a terrorist!!"

- every snap on **** rider ever

I don't care who makes my tools as long as they work.

Yeah, definitely immature and if you're a HF employee/representative, I'd say unprofessional as well.

 

[TorKe]

Yeah, definitely immature and if you're a HF employee/representative, I'd say unprofessional as well.

I'm not an HF employee. Dunno how you'd gather that.

 

[TorKe]

Then why the troll posts?

With your recent posts, I wonder why are you're even on the Garage Journal?

Troll posts? Link?

 

[toddoky]

My bad, I guess you're just an immature fanboy.