Harbor Freight still sells junk
- Thread starter Ipassgas
- Start date
mreisner
Well-known member
I have Jacks and jack stands that are asme certified. I've been very happy with the jacksI've gotten from there and also later versions of the jack stands
bwringer
Well-known member
Excellent point. Whatever the source, why is it SO DAMN HARD to find decent test leads? I'm not asking for much, but holy wow almost no one anywhere makes a decent hunka wire with clips on both ends.
I did find some almost accidentally fantastic test leads on Amazon a while back. Real copper wire, 16 gauge (so you can test something larger than a tail light bulb), and a wonderfully noodly silicon-ish covering. Nothing more annoying than wire with a janky stiff plastic coating that drags your stuff all over the place. (And of course they're some Chinese alphabet soup brand name that's long gone...)
Also, HF sells a really handy set of 30 foot test leads on a reel under the Maddox name. Alas, the wire is only 18AWG (but it's real copper), but so far mine have worked well; I just have to keep the loads light and temporary.
30 ft. Retractable Test Leads
Amazing deals on this 30Ft Retractable Test Leads at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
The Maddox Back Probe kit is great as well, and a bargain price for one of these kits. Wire material and gauge are unknown, but all you're doing with back probing is checking signals and voltages, so you don't need current capacity.
The Maddox brand is a good example of HF's increasing quality model; the Maddox tools and test equipment are quite nice at very reasonable prices, while the older Cen-Tech and Pittsburgh brand test equipment and special service tools are terrible.
Some of this stuff is such dangerous shite you really wonder how it's still on the shelf, or why HF tolerates so much ****. Almost all the Cen-Tech stuff should be avoided, for example.
For another example, I've lost count of the motorcycle engines unfairly condemned thanks to HF's crappy leaky "Pittsburgh" brand compression testers. But for only a few bucks more they sell a "Maddox" brand compression test kit that actually works well. So why do they even still sell the former?
The "Storehouse" brand is a very mixed bag; some of the stuff is perfectly fine, some of it is dangerous trash, like the fuse assortments and fastener assortments. It's on you to figure out the difference somehow.
Yup. The jacks and jack stands (even the cheaper ones) genuinely are excellent quality. The jack stand problems were a long time ago, and they learned their lessons. HF has a very robust quality control program in place.
You'll still find very sketchy jacks and stands at home centers and farm stores, but everything in HF is well-tested and well-controlled.
driftpin
Well-known member
The story of W Edwards Deming is a thoughtful one when after World War II American corporations rebuffed his attempts at Total Quality Control while Japan embraced them wholeheartedly and replaced their bombed out factories' equipment with the best machine tools they could find.
I am old enough to recall that pieces labeled 'made in Occupied Japan' were probably a warning that the quality was not going to be very good but within a generation 'made in Japan' was a product selling point worthy of mentioning to the prospective shopper.
Having bought tools at Harbor Freight I know that some things are better than others in terms of their expected usage and longevity. I have Power Tools, hand tools, jack stands, and other pieces that have served me well for the cost I paid.
One of my most cost-effective purchases was a 120 volt SDS Max hammer drill demolition tool which paid for itself in its first use and has gone on to provide me with years of occasional service with no issues to date. Even their inexpensive volt ohm meter tools that you used to be able to get for free with a purchase of other equipment or items has proven to be a durable and accurate enough tool for my use. I used one last night to troubleshoot a power cord on a Hewlett-Packard laptop.
With the demise of Sears Roebuck Harbor Freight Tools has moved into a local 'good enough' tool provider role for the average homeowner or small businessman.
My Vulcan Omni Pro 220 multi-process welder has proven to be a decent value. I am aware that if and when it craps out it probably will need replacement but for something that was not expensive it has proven to be a durable enough decent performer to help me with my chosen tasks.
I am old enough to recall that pieces labeled 'made in Occupied Japan' were probably a warning that the quality was not going to be very good but within a generation 'made in Japan' was a product selling point worthy of mentioning to the prospective shopper.
Having bought tools at Harbor Freight I know that some things are better than others in terms of their expected usage and longevity. I have Power Tools, hand tools, jack stands, and other pieces that have served me well for the cost I paid.
One of my most cost-effective purchases was a 120 volt SDS Max hammer drill demolition tool which paid for itself in its first use and has gone on to provide me with years of occasional service with no issues to date. Even their inexpensive volt ohm meter tools that you used to be able to get for free with a purchase of other equipment or items has proven to be a durable and accurate enough tool for my use. I used one last night to troubleshoot a power cord on a Hewlett-Packard laptop.
With the demise of Sears Roebuck Harbor Freight Tools has moved into a local 'good enough' tool provider role for the average homeowner or small businessman.
My Vulcan Omni Pro 220 multi-process welder has proven to be a decent value. I am aware that if and when it craps out it probably will need replacement but for something that was not expensive it has proven to be a durable enough decent performer to help me with my chosen tasks.
I gave up and just made my own in all sorts of lengths with either alligator clips or banana plugs. You can buy really nice 16 ga silicone jacket wire, gold plated banana plugs, quality alligator clips.... on Amazon and then solder your own. It takes a little time, but you'll end up with nice stuff and exactly what you want.
djjsr
Well-known member
Anything electrical from HF is suspect. Eventually the smoke will escape. How long it takes is a crapshoot. They do not sell replacement smoke. I asked.
Anything rubber from HF stinks. It may be intentional to deter people from eating them.
Anything welded from HF may become unwelded. It makes it much easier to put in the box for returning.
Anything rubber from HF stinks. It may be intentional to deter people from eating them.
Anything welded from HF may become unwelded. It makes it much easier to put in the box for returning.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
Instead of bitchin why not make your own test leads. Get some Muller alligator clips and covers from Newark or whomever and some silicon test lead wire from Amazon and use your soldering iron to make sure you've got great test leads. I've got about twenty pairs that I've made this way.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Excellent point. Whatever the source, why is it SO DAMN HARD to find decent test leads? I'm not asking for much, but holy wow almost no one anywhere makes a decent hunka wire with clips on both ends.
I did find some almost accidentally fantastic test leads on Amazon a while back. Real copper wire, 16 gauge (so you can test something larger than a tail light bulb), and a wonderfully noodly silicon-ish covering. Nothing more annoying than wire with a janky stiff plastic coating that drags your stuff all over the place. (And of course they're some Chinese alphabet soup brand name that's long gone...)
Also, HF sells a really handy set of 30 foot test leads on a reel under the Maddox name. Alas, the wire is only 18AWG (but it's real copper), but so far mine have worked well; I just have to keep the loads light and temporary.
30 ft. Retractable Test Leads
Amazing deals on this 30Ft Retractable Test Leads at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
The Maddox Back Probe kit is great as well, and a bargain price for one of these kits. Wire material and gauge are unknown, but all you're doing with back probing is checking signals and voltages, so you don't need current capacity.
The Maddox brand is a good example of HF's increasing quality model; the Maddox tools and test equipment are quite nice at very reasonable prices, while the older Cen-Tech and Pittsburgh brand test equipment and special service tools are terrible.
Some of this stuff is such dangerous shite you really wonder how it's still on the shelf, or why HF tolerates so much ****. Almost all the Cen-Tech stuff should be avoided, for example.
For another example, I've lost count of the motorcycle engines unfairly condemned thanks to HF's crappy leaky "Pittsburgh" brand compression testers. But for only a few bucks more they sell a "Maddox" brand compression test kit that actually works well. So why do they even still sell the former?
The "Storehouse" brand is a very mixed bag; some of the stuff is perfectly fine, some of it is dangerous trash, like the fuse assortments and fastener assortments. It's on you to figure out the difference somehow.
Yup. The jacks and jack stands (even the cheaper ones) genuinely are excellent quality. The jack stand problems were a long time ago, and they learned their lessons. HF has a very robust quality control program in place.
You'll still find very sketchy jacks and stands at home centers and farm stores, but everything in HF is well-tested and well-controlled.
Buy labscope leads from AESWAVE. They have stacking banana jacks for your probes, high quality and shielded wire, etc.
Much better than most retracting test leads. I do have a few sets of those, you can buy decent ones, Toolaid makes rebrands for the tool trucks.
Yea but has a pretty bad warranty tbh
It’s the only place I can listen to FM radio commercials other than my uncles 1985 Chevy van
Kscardsfan
Well-known member
Honestly, the cotter pin and PTO/linchpin kits are kind of handy since they are soft. You know it's gonna fail before the gearbox or driveline gets ruined. But I agree, pick and choose that Storehouse stuff carefully if it is mission critical.
jayemm
Well-known member
I'll second about the quality of some of the Storehouse stuff. Rather than purchase their unmarked, probably grade 2 or 3 hardware, I'd rather get a Dorman assortment from Autozone. I've mentioned here before about the socket head cap screws with metric heads and imperial threads. And can't forget the undersize roll pins that fall through the hole.
HF hardware in general - on the engine hoists, anything you have to assemble, is pretty universally unacceptable. I just replace it anymore. I think there are specific items, maybe the Daytona jack for example, where the hardware is a little better.
niget2002
Well-known member
I'm surprised so many of ya'll use test leads. I just lick my fingers and feel for a tingle.
woody 73
Well-known member
So, let me get this straight in my head...HF sells junk, ok yes some of it is ****, but do you mean to say other tool companies only sell top of line tools? Trust me they all have some **** in their tool line-ups, not just HF.
No tool company is perfect, I have been buying and using tools from just about every company and they all have their share of duds, enough said.
No tool company is perfect, I have been buying and using tools from just about every company and they all have their share of duds, enough said.
Long past warranty.
are you a amateur gynecologist or something
I think Craftsman hit that "****" during the Christmas season. . . great gifts for Dad.So, let me get this straight in my head...HF sells junk, ok yes some of it is ****, but do you mean to say other tool companies only sell top of line tools? Trust me they all have some **** in their tool line-ups, not just HF.
No tool company is perfect, I have been buying and using tools from just about every company and they all have their share of duds, enough said.
bcradio
Well-known member
yep, every auto shop around me has daytona jacks (HF brand)
scooby074
Well-known member
wolfinator
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2021
- Messages
- 86
I just want to get in on this thread on the ground floor (end of Page 2).
Schurkey
Well-known member
My approach to HF is to never set foot in their stores, and never buy from them.
I mail-ordered some stuff decades ago, was severely disappointed, and decided that they'd never screw me again. When you can pull the trigger on a 1/2" air ratchet, and hold the socket in your hand so that it doesn't spin...something is seriously wrong.
I absolutely hate,despise, loathe, condemn, and a whole thesaurus full of other words, test equipment of all kinds. Doesn’t matter who made it. Leads are too short, clips aren’t quite big enough, or too big, dials are too small or otherwise unreadable, digital displays are too dim, or too small, etc. etc. etc. Whole instrument fragile and physically unstable.
Hose connections don’t fit, are too tight, or too loose, require a wrench I have to look for, etc.
Instructions are vague, poorly translated,or missing completely.
And don’t forget what it gets hooked up to. Test points inaccessible, unlabeled, or nonexistent.
All this could be avoided if I could afford, either mentally or financially, top of the line certified equipment, or better yet, let someone else deal with it. Not happening on the farm, or at my age.
All this somewhat exaggerated, but I have certainly cursed a lot of this stuff over my lifetime.
Hose connections don’t fit, are too tight, or too loose, require a wrench I have to look for, etc.
Instructions are vague, poorly translated,or missing completely.
And don’t forget what it gets hooked up to. Test points inaccessible, unlabeled, or nonexistent.
All this could be avoided if I could afford, either mentally or financially, top of the line certified equipment, or better yet, let someone else deal with it. Not happening on the farm, or at my age.
All this somewhat exaggerated, but I have certainly cursed a lot of this stuff over my lifetime.
3baygarage
Well-known member
Test leads? I thought the HF sales flyer advertised them as ****** clamps.
When i started shopping there decades ago everything came in the same baby poop colored, weak, crumbly cardboard boxes.
Recently purchased the Bauer floor blower fan.
The carton that it came in, looked like it was computer designed for optimum assembly and support, , was covered in beautiful colors and graphics and probably had to be 3/8” thick. I felt a little guilty, struggling to break it down and put it in the recycling bin like I should’ve kept it to store something in maybe even the fan.
As far as the fan itself, it seems well built, powerful, and probably has one of the most heaviest electrical cords of 120v anything I’ve purchased anywhere
I’m really looking forward to being disappointed by it since that’s the in thing.
Recently purchased the Bauer floor blower fan.
The carton that it came in, looked like it was computer designed for optimum assembly and support, , was covered in beautiful colors and graphics and probably had to be 3/8” thick. I felt a little guilty, struggling to break it down and put it in the recycling bin like I should’ve kept it to store something in maybe even the fan.
As far as the fan itself, it seems well built, powerful, and probably has one of the most heaviest electrical cords of 120v anything I’ve purchased anywhere
I’m really looking forward to being disappointed by it since that’s the in thing.
Jim greengo
Well-known member
Picture of where wires connect to pressure switch?
Can't just check for continuity with a meter?
Can't just check for continuity with a meter?
wolfinator
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2021
- Messages
- 86
You must have bought the larger floor blower. I recently bought the "middle sized" Bauer floor blower and I don't remember the carton being that thick.When i started shopping there decades ago everything came in the same baby poop colored, weak, crumbly cardboard boxes.
Recently purchased the Bauer floor blower fan.
The carton that it came in, looked like it was computer designed for optimum assembly and support, , was covered in beautiful colors and graphics and probably had to be 3/8” thick. I felt a little guilty, struggling to break it down and put it in the recycling bin like I should’ve kept it to store something in maybe even the fan.
As far as the fan itself, it seems well built, powerful, and probably has one of the most heaviest electrical cords of 120v anything I’ve purchased anywhere
I’m really looking forward to being disappointed by it since that’s the in thing.
However, the blower was built as well as anything I've bought from a major brand, worked very well, and did have a thick, quality electrical cord. It was also very well priced with a coupon. I was very happy to be able to drive to an open HF on a Saturday afternoon in a pinch and pick a couple up for a semi emergency.
This is essentially true. You literally get what you pay for. There is absolutely high-quality manufacturing there. You have to to spec and pay for it.
Seriously. They make the freaking iPhone in China. Acting like China is incapable of manufacturing quality goods is just willful ignorance at this point.
I don't know that a phone is really a mark of quality. How long do most people keep a phone? A few years?
Mine, kyocera, is over 5 years old. I've found a few things that won't work with it and some people have told me it's ancient...
Kyocera does not make the iphone.
I have three iPhones in 18 years. Only one has failed to work perfect and that's because the replacement battery swelled (after 4 years)
Well no ****! It's almost like that's why I specified that mine is different!
I would say you are keeping yours much longer than average. I was told 5 years is old. Seems the technology or at least people's expectations change faster than most any phone wears out.
Last edited:
At one point, iPhones were manufactured for Apple by Foxconn in/ Shenzhen in factories dedicated to Apple. Apparently it has been moved to Zhengzhou, China but is still Foxconn-made. I'm not sure if that's still the single location though - rumors of Vietnam and others. I'd be a little surprised if there wasn't something in Brazil but haven't seen/heard anything about that.
Making batteries that experience nearly-daily charge cycling and fit in the volume of a mobile phone isn't really a quality thing (which I think is your point). Four years is actually pretty good in the relative sense. Battery-swelling isn't great though - Apple has had a lot of issues with that (relatively-speaking) in their phones and laptops.
IRQVET
Well-known member
Harbor Freight has its gems and its turds. I know the ICON stuff gets rave reviews, as does their jacks and jack stands. Honestly some of the oldest tools I have a cheap-o Chicago Electric angle grinder. Think I paid $9.99 like 15 years ago, and I’ve beat the piss out that thing. Still fires up everytime.
On the other end of the spectrum, every Bauer tool I have ever purchased burned up in a single day. This happen to me three times on three seperate tools, so as far as Bauer is concerned, I’ve written them off completely. Now all my electric stuff is purely Dewalt.
Honestly I don’t find myself going in HF anymore. When they went to the Goldilocks business model of Good-Better- Best (Pittsburg-Bauer-Hercules) and went to the Inside Track program, the thrill of the hunt was gone; and their prices are no longer competitive IMHO. Few dollars more and I can red or black & yellow stuff.
On the other end of the spectrum, every Bauer tool I have ever purchased burned up in a single day. This happen to me three times on three seperate tools, so as far as Bauer is concerned, I’ve written them off completely. Now all my electric stuff is purely Dewalt.
Honestly I don’t find myself going in HF anymore. When they went to the Goldilocks business model of Good-Better- Best (Pittsburg-Bauer-Hercules) and went to the Inside Track program, the thrill of the hunt was gone; and their prices are no longer competitive IMHO. Few dollars more and I can red or black & yellow stuff.
jayemm
Well-known member
Buy HF hardware at your own peril. LOL