hamburglar
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2008
- Messages
- 523
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Last edited:
I too, just got back from HF.
- Thread starter hamburglar
- Start date
There are some HF we do buy. But it has surprised me what some things do cost. Needed a steering wheel and lock plate pullers a while back and was in one with some list items to get. Ended up at Sears for a cheaper one that looked a little better. Amazingly made in the USA also.
As for the nose hair trimmers, there is now the whatever Cummins tool sales are now. Another place to sell really sell those. Those were always sad to go to, people paying too much for junk. It was cheap, but grinders that you could stop with your hand? Safe but not exactly useful for the money. When you are broke and junk that breaks at any cost gets too expensive. Maybe it started HF's replica tool line.
One of the ways of picking out the better stuff at HF is that it is priced very similar to what I have been able to find elsewhere. As for the rest think like the Japanese and many Asian cultures, can quality really be made at that cost. It helps sorting out what to buy and where.
As for the nose hair trimmers, there is now the whatever Cummins tool sales are now. Another place to sell really sell those. Those were always sad to go to, people paying too much for junk. It was cheap, but grinders that you could stop with your hand? Safe but not exactly useful for the money. When you are broke and junk that breaks at any cost gets too expensive. Maybe it started HF's replica tool line.
One of the ways of picking out the better stuff at HF is that it is priced very similar to what I have been able to find elsewhere. As for the rest think like the Japanese and many Asian cultures, can quality really be made at that cost. It helps sorting out what to buy and where.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
I have this floor jack from HF... use it all the time and it is basically the same as any other China jack with any other name on it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94629
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94629
T56 Impala
Well-known member
Did you see the composite ratchet they had? I wonder if its any good?
gotmud13613
Well-known member
I got the 1/4" version back in November, I have been using it everday, until I got my long handle snap-on 1/4"
It's still a good little ratchet for the money, IMO
russlaferrera
Well-known member
Buy Name Brand Equipment. My new 10 ton, Blackhawk Automotive Porto Power made in China. My Milwaukee 4.5 hand grinder, made in Mexico, or my Delta drill press, made in Taiwan.
So my point is...quality does exist in foreign countries, but you have to pay for it. Many items at HF are great. You have to know what you are buying and don't expect a $10 tool to be as good as a $100 tool. Why spend $20 for a Snap-On test light? HF $2!
So my point is...quality does exist in foreign countries, but you have to pay for it. Many items at HF are great. You have to know what you are buying and don't expect a $10 tool to be as good as a $100 tool. Why spend $20 for a Snap-On test light? HF $2!
T56 Impala
Well-known member
FWIW, Costco has Snap On lights for sale in the Automotive section.
Not much I buy at HF without a coupon or onsale. Their special order catalog has all sorts of shop gear too, tire balancers etc.
I bought a sack full of stuff the other day, $14 for a set of 5 ball peen hammers, $3 for a magnetic level, $3 for a 225 pc o ring set, $2 for 36 shop brushes, $2 for set of picks (copies of the snapon double end picks), $1 for a 4in1 battery brush.
I bought a sack full of stuff the other day, $14 for a set of 5 ball peen hammers, $3 for a magnetic level, $3 for a 225 pc o ring set, $2 for 36 shop brushes, $2 for set of picks (copies of the snapon double end picks), $1 for a 4in1 battery brush.
How are the hammers? I browsed HF online for quite a while and never understood why everyone dogged their tools. Then I went in the store and saw the tools in person. As cheap as they are I still felt they were overpriced. I was impressed by some of the Pittsburgh hand tools though. The only thing that surprised me IIRC.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
is the cummins store still open in wood river? last time i was there they had some name brand stuff pretty cheap. i'll be in town for a funeral tues/wed and i'd like to check it out.
Should be. They have cut the store in half recently, with Goodwill renting the other half. I browse through every few months but I didn't find much last time I was their. There were two Williams 3/8" sets in red metal cases but they were marked too high for me. I thought about haggling with them but just wasn't in the mood. Check for them if you're there though. If you're in town, go down the street to Waltco. My favorite tool store. Some cheap and some high end.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
Uncle Buck
Banned
Well, I live in Alton Illinois, but Wood River is nearby.What the heck town are you boys talking about?
Krusty, you never know what Waltco will get in. I picked up a full set of Facom body hammers their but they also sell GRIP. Crazy. Out of curiosity, how did you know I lived near Wood River? What tipped you off?
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
you posted that you lived there a few weeks ago......the thread where davestlouis was pawn shopping in alton. i grew up in wood river and still have many friends there. mainly those crazy bikers on broadway.....the ones next to watson's wheels of madness
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
I haven't done anything with the ballpeen hammers, but they seem similar to the 3 lb sledge I picked up a few months ago with a fiberglass yellow handle, and its worked out fine. They will get careful inspection pre and post use to make sure the head is on solid for the first few times.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Be careful with this thought. Upon closer examination, the HF tools may have a lot more in common with the "name-brand" tools than you think. Just pay attention to what you are buying.
jacks
I've used both the racing and regular ( heavier duty ) floor jacks form HF. The racing ones are less stout than the regular ones. So unless you ned the really low hgiht. save money and get the better jack.
Grant
I've used both the racing and regular ( heavier duty ) floor jacks form HF. The racing ones are less stout than the regular ones. So unless you ned the really low hgiht. save money and get the better jack.
Grant
Uncle Buck
Banned
I think the floor jack they call their three and one half ton has the larger lift saddle and looks the best to me.
T56 Impala
Well-known member
I have the BP hammers. I used the largest to hammer in some landscape spikes the other day. Put 12 inch spikes through and into 6x6 pressure treated lumber no problems. I did end up buying a proper sledge in the end though. My arms just couldn't take any more!! The hammer held up well though.
Bill Shenefelt
Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2008
- Messages
- 6
black hawk porto power
I'm looking for a porto power type unit. No truck work, just some general use and minor automotive stuff. (Floor jacks just don't hack it unless vertical!)Any suggestion as to the 4 vs the 10 ton unit or if I should some other manufacturer rather than blackhawk? I usually like to get "Good stuff" rather than worry about price but price is usually, but not always a true indicator of quality.
Bill Shenefelt [email protected]
I'm looking for a porto power type unit. No truck work, just some general use and minor automotive stuff. (Floor jacks just don't hack it unless vertical!)Any suggestion as to the 4 vs the 10 ton unit or if I should some other manufacturer rather than blackhawk? I usually like to get "Good stuff" rather than worry about price but price is usually, but not always a true indicator of quality.
Bill Shenefelt [email protected]
I don't have a store nearby, so I check the internet now and then. I have only bought stuff on sale, if the price seems high on something wait. They are good for your non-pro set at sale prices, I do alot of "road wrenching" now and then, they are good for that, don't want to lose a Snap-on tool etc...
that's what I look like if I drop lose a pro tool, this is what I look like if a HF tool gets sacrificed
that's what I look like if I drop lose a pro tool, this is what I look like if a HF tool gets sacrificedcaper
Well-known member
Autoace,with all the ranting you do about non usa made tools i didn't figure you would walk through the doors at HF.
So there is no confusion, I do not endorse or suport the cheaper imported tools on the pro tool trucks. They don't belong there, I also prefer to buy USA stuff and tools exclusively. I have occasionally bought some "novelty" extra large tools that were imported, not for much use, and some junk yard crawl tool sets(when I say junk yard crawl,enough to strip an entire car) because I don't want to use my good USA and German high end tools there where they can be lost or stolen. Sometimes unfortunately I don't have a choice(Ingersol Rand for instance)it keeps getting tougher. If I was a wealthy man I wouldn't have even the slightest snivel of any Asian import period,unless I wanted an asian woman,but anything else,NO
The import fare, has nothing to do with the people of that country. USA companies go over there to avoid USA environmental regulations and to exploit cheap labor AT THE RISK OF THEIR HEALTH,then they sell this stuff to us for a larger profit. Ultimately the stuff from China will be great, because we are building their economy, not ours(at expense to their ecosystem,which is ultimately worldwide)and screwing ours aand economy. I have become more strict about this in much recent times, so these days, it's only an import, if I have to have it this second for a job or I have no choice.
speed bump
Well-known member
The import fare, has nothing to do with the people of that country. USA companies go over there to avoid USA environmental regulations and to exploit cheap labor AT THE RISK OF THEIR HEALTH,then they sell this stuff to us for a larger profit. Ultimately the stuff from China will be great, because we are building their economy, not ours(at expense to their ecosystem,which is ultimately worldwide)and screwing ours aand economy. I have become more strict about this in much recent times, so these days, it's only an import, if I have to have it this second for a job or I have no choice.
Welcome to capitalism. Corporations exist to make money and nothing else. Corporations stocks make up your retirement plan so you are contributing by demanding that your 401k has certain returns and that you can buy stuff at certain prices.