Favorite Harbor Freight tool

[pauls_workshop]

More than 5 years ago, mine started smoking and died after nearly 5 minutes.

On the HF 4.5" grinders, I had one last me 20 years. Couple things I learned:

1. Make sure you have available to the grinder sufficient amperage to run and do the job, otherwise it will smoke and fail. I ran it on extension cord with other stuff on and finally killed it this way. I know this because I also similarly toasted an otherwise good heat gun and sander on the same cords before I figured out they didn't have enough amperage on that electrical circuit.

2. If they get hot and they will if you use them hard, do NOT turn them off. Take them off the project and keep them running for 1 minute or 2 minutes unloaded. They will cool down. Then you can turn them off.

Do these things and I don't know if it is possible to fail these grinders! - Paul

 

[57JoeFoMoPar]

My 44" US General toolbox.

Without a doubt the favorite tool is the HF Professional Multi-function oscillating tool. It comes with a nice case, a few attachments, and a long cord. I grabbed it for $35 because I needed to make a fine plunge cut on a laminate floor install. It worked so well, I always find myself reaching for it for some small, niche job that no other tool can do. I honestly don't know how I went so long without one. I figured when the HF tool dies I'd upgrade to a Bosch, but the HF tool shows no signs of slowing down. It's a tool with 1000+ uses, none of which you can think of at the time you buy it.

 

[Jere]

On the HF 4.5" grinders, I had one last me 20 years. Couple things I learned:

1. Make sure you have available to the grinder sufficient amperage to run and do the job, otherwise it will smoke and fail. I ran it on extension cord with other stuff on and finally killed it this way. I know this because I also similarly toasted an otherwise good heat gun and sander on the same cords before I figured out they didn't have enough amperage on that electrical circuit.

2. If they get hot and they will if you use them hard, do NOT turn them off. Take them off the project and keep them running for 1 minute or 2 minutes unloaded. They will cool down. Then you can turn them off.

Do these things and I don't know if it is possible to fail these grinders! - Paul

3. Don't put large wire cups on them they will smoke and die in a few minutes. Small cups are ok tho.

I killed a pair that way and the smoke smells awful

 

[Lhorn]

There Inspection camera I just got one a few days ago. And I an very Impressed with it got it out the door fr $81.78 never thought I would use it as much as I have. I got it to check a cylinder in 1 of my mopars that I am restoring I have found a hundred uses for it.

DIY colonoscopy?

 

[SignedUpJustToSeeThePics]

Their Adjustable wrench set
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-steel-adjustable-wrench-set-903.html

For $10 is pretty hard to beat; I needed the 12 inch wrench to change out the tie rods in my Explorer. 1st stop was Sears; they wanted $35 for one. 2nd stop was harbor freight, got 4 for $10 have gotten some sporadic use of of the biggest one, the rest got tossed in the explorer for emergency repairs.

 

[4x4_G30_Sportvan]

Teflon tape 10 pack

 

[theoldwizard1]

2 Piece 20° Offset & 45° Angle Long Reach Pliers

3 Piece Long Reach Hose Grip Pliers

 

[WWShop]

Sorry to revive an old thread but there were several mentions for the orange handle screwdrivers. Is that the 32 piece set with some precision screwdrivers that comes in a case?

 

[MrWrencher823]

definitely their impact sockets. Mine have gone through hell and keep on kicking.
I have never had one break or crack on me!

 

[Greg85mcss]

Sorry to revive an old thread but there were several mentions for the orange handle screwdrivers. Is that the 32 piece set with some precision screwdrivers that comes in a case?

Most are talking about the 8 piece pro set where the flat heads are orange & gray and the phillips blue & gray. Definitely don't get the clear orange ones with black rubber around them. The phillips strip very easy. Thanks for bringing it back. Good read.


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[jekquist]

Step bits are my favorite.

Then the orange chop saw.

The sandblast cabinet is decent to. Just caulk the seams and it's great.

 

[ilovevocs]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Greyhorse]

The 12" sliding compound miter saw is good, not a Bosch glide saw but also not $800either. Orange dead blows are good too.

 

[stihlntime]

2" hydrostar gas water transfer pump, have pumped thousands of gallons of water out of my spring pond flood irrigating. The 3/8" roto ratchet I bought to see if I liked a roto head ratchet before buying a SO.

 

[General Geoff]

3 ton floor jack. Have had it since ~2002 and still works perfectly.

 

[Stevenn1]

I am not a HF fan. But their roller tool cabinets seem OK and the Pitts Pro Dual Flex ratchet #96369 looks interesting.

On the ratchet. A guy stated he bought 3; left one alone, took 1 flex joint apart and added it to the other ratchet. Essentially you would end up with 3 different length ratchets with different number of joints. Makes it a very versatile 3pc set.

 

[Wes J]

Orange dead blows are good too.

Those orange dead blow hammers are awful. I bought a few to use in my machine shop knocking parts into vise and what not. They last maybe a month and the ends wear through to the steel liner.

I have some Stanley CompoCast hammers that are ancient (I believe they invented the "dead blow"). I'm sure they will be around long after I die.

 

[trever]

The drum lifter. It doesn't come up on their site now?

 

[02saleen143]

The steel creeper is awesome. Lot better than the plastic one

 

[arz71]

earthquake air tools

What about the TREMOR don't it come before the earthquake.... Nothing about that place interest me was just wonderin about that TREMOR hmmm...

 

[Tejaas]

I've only been to HF twice i think (?).

Picked up the 44" box a few years ago after reading all the reviews here at GJ.

Money well spent.




~Tejaas~

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Either my 3 ton floor jack or the 4 drawer tool cart I got for $99. The bigger tool cabinets are really nice too, eventually I'd like one to replace my low-grade Craftsman box.

 

[jaybirdicus45]

so far, my personal fav is their return policy

 

[jobo1004]

Their pneumatic brake bleeder is by far my favorite tool from there.
http://m.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

 

[bsosborne1]

My Orange grinder that I bought back in 2006. I bought it because I wanted to use it for one job of chasing out mortar joints on a block wall resto job. I didnt want to use my good makitas because of the heavy dusting....Figured the grinder would only last that job. Well Im still using it today. I have a double knot wire cup on it that is oversized and its still going. I purposely do the worst jobs with it to see if I can break it. The thing just wont die. Its noisy, the bearings are trashed and it vibrates bad enough to give you CTS, but it just keeps chugging.

1/2 Earthquake Impact

Balljoint press- This is another tool I've tried to destroy. It just wont break. I've used it to press out C-frame main bushings on Cat D3C dozers. I've used it to pre tension GM torsion bars, I've done nothing but misuse it. I rarely lubricate it. Still pressed out balljoint after balljoint.

 

[1950mercury]

Fuses,wire ties,electrical tape

 

[ca90ss]

Fuses,wire ties,electrical tape

I wouldn't use their fuses if they were free.

 

[mjoekingz28]

3/8" Allen/hex key

Its ends are chamfered.

 

[woody6904]

Sorry to revive an old thread but there were several mentions for the orange handle screwdrivers. Is that the 32 piece set with some precision screwdrivers that comes in a case?

http://m.harborfreight.com/8-piece-professional-screwdriver-set-94607.html

Used to be green and orange, couple years ago switched to blue and red. There is also some singles of this style in bins.

 

[BD1]

Red roller cabinet tool cart and the 44'' boxes and side cabinets. Bought mine around 8 years ago when cheap.
Got their 4'' x 6'' band saw too, that was $115.00 when I bought it and still cuts square.
Latest is the $30.00 buffer, used to polish silverware artwork.
I like the 16'' long pliers , use for blacksmith stuff, cheap tongs !

 

[JerryC]

extendable ratchets, mini hook and pick set and free multimeters are my top three.

 

[tonyciambrone]

Metric Long Reach Hex bit set- $14 and I have used them many many times. Excellent for motorcycles, great for automotive. Tolerances are not 100% perfect but they do the job.

Composite 3/8 ratchet- long, Sturdy, not too big, 72 teeth. Great for working around the battery, great for not scratching ****. like $18 maybe

 

[pilotman81]

Pneumatic scraper. Has save me countless hours of gasket scraping.

 

[CSRPenFab]

I love my 12" HF disk sander that I bought on sale for $100. It's powerful and runs very true. The hook up for dust collection works great. I use it with a custom milled jig to square my pen blanks prior to turning on the lathe.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-direct-drive-bench-top-disc-sander-43468.html

 

[Tatsuya]

Hook and pick set with orange handles - use them all the time

Pocket blowgun - super convenient to throw in the tool belt, use it often

LED flashlights (the blue ones) - I choose this for the free coupon every time (wouldn't pay $4 for one though)

those cheap black scissors - got one free when it was the only coupon I had, pleasantly surprised (wouldn't pay for them though)

 

[WWShop]

http://m.harborfreight.com/8-piece-professional-screwdriver-set-94607.html

Used to be green and orange, couple years ago switched to blue and red. There is also some singles of this style in bins.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm heading to HF tomorrow and pick them up to give them a try. These were the screwdrivers I thought everyone was talking about.

http://t.harborfreight.com/32-pc-screwdriver-set-61259.html

Does anyone own these in the link? Thoughts? I realize they are only $9, but I could put that money towards beer if they aren't any good.

 

[engineer2]

They used to sell a tool to compress the last rows boards as you were installing hardwood flooring. It would push against the wall and the board. Very handy. Haven't seen it for sale for a while.

 

[mfewtrail]

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm heading to HF tomorrow and pick them up to give them a try. These were the screwdrivers I thought everyone was talking about.

http://t.harborfreight.com/32-pc-screwdriver-set-61259.html

Does anyone own these in the link? Thoughts? I realize they are only $9, but I could put that money towards beer if they aren't any good.

I have had the set from that link since 2007ish and I have no complaints about the red handled drivers from the bottom case at all. The tips still look good on mine after a lot of use.

 

[upndown]

Either my 3 ton floor jack or the 4 drawer tool cart I got for $99. The bigger tool cabinets are really nice too, eventually I'd like one to replace my low-grade Craftsman box.

+1 $69 for jack..$99 for cart, Both still working great!

 

[ishiboo]

My favorites would be the composite ratchets, roller cabinets, and perhaps the rotary polisher as well. All have performed admirably.

They used to sell a tool to compress the last rows boards as you were installing hardwood flooring. It would push against the wall and the board. Very handy. Haven't seen it for sale for a while.

Damnit, that looks handy and I am just about to finish up my flooring project! Might grab that one from Amazon, it does have great reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007V4YZYA/?tag=atomicindus08-20