I'm Done With Harbor Freight

[Jagmandave]

My HF pole saw is about 30 years old now - like the other poster, the black ring that tightens the pole extension split, so for a while I put a hose clamp around it - which worked OK.

Finally it wouldn't hold, so I removed the saw from the pole and just use it like a mini-chainsaw . It still works beautifully, all I've had to do is sharpen the chain once or twice. It's my go-to chainsaw for anything less than 10" around...cuts like crazy!

My only complaint has more to do with the design of all pole saws - the chain is more or less inline with the pole, which makes it very awkward when cutting at full extension......I would like to see the chain be at 90* (or maybe 60*?) to the pole or something like that, then you could cut downward instead of across the branch.

My suggestion for a better saw is one of the name brands from one of the big box stores.....HD or Lowes.

 

[lardy1]

Back when I was a cub carpenter, this contractor was very influential on me. Both as a skilled carpenter and as a really good guy whose values and Ideas I admired. He told me that he throws out the highest bid and the lowest bid without much consideration on his contract proposals. He explained his reasoning to me and I found it to be sound reasoning.

Fifty years later I've discovered that I apply that same reasoning in a lot of areas of my life. I've been inside a Harbor Freight store four times that I can remember in my 66 years. I made one purchase in four trips. I'm happy with that one purchase. And although I don't shop there, I try not to badmouth them because I'm not usually familiar with their offerings. But what that old contractor taught me fifty years ago is the reason I don't shop Harbor Freight. That, and I live almost forty miles from the closest one.

 

[reader2580]

If you want a replacement pole saw, Stihl, Milwaukee, and Ryobi all manufacture pole saws.
The Ryobi seems to be somewhat close in price to the Harbor Freight one, but that’s probably just for the bare tool.

I have the Ryobi and it works pretty decent if you don't use the extension pole. The extension pole is poorly designed and built so the saw is wobbly as heck with the extension pole. You need to put a little pressure on the saw to make it work and the crappy extension makes that hard.

The Ryobi is only worth what it costs if you don't use the extension. The Makita battery pole saw is three to five times as expensive and probably not worth it for the average homeowner.

 

[4 FN 27]

Other than 2 Tool Boxes for the guys in the Shop to run into with the Forklift I never bought anything else from HF...

As someone mentioned...it is a deal with the devil.

I have boundaries...one of them is no HF Tools for me...for the money the boxes aren't bad...

Another is no Walmart for me...

 

[Lassen Forge]

You've stumbled into a temple of HF believers. Just like you don't go into a Catholic cathedral and complain about the hat the pope wears, don't come in here and bad mouth HF.\...

...\HF customers are gamblers: Gambling the savings against the chance that the tool will work. If the stakes are low (not much work needed, not critical) they come out ahead a good percent of the time. But for people that actually need to use the tool, extensively or in a critical situation, the odds aren't good.

Truer words have rarely been spoken. I used to be OK with chinesium, but have changed as I got older - now I expect tools not to waller out or strip bolts and nuts, bend into pretzels or break... and ever since Amazon bought out HF, they seem to have gotten worse.

Sure, some of the time you get lucky. Unfortunately, I would rather pay more and trust my luck at the craps table....

Now turn to page 139 in the Pittsburgh Hymnal, "I need more war-an-tee", to be sung by the Chicago Electric lite orchestra and choir.

 

[Jagmandave]

Amazon bought Harbor Freight? When did that happen?

 

[visionguru]

We only have that many store choices: Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, ACE hardware, and Harbor Freight for some random tools. It's always amusing to read something like "I'm done with ***". In a few years, you are gonna be done with everybody.

 

[2000-cvpi]

Truer words have rarely been spoken. I used to be OK with chinesium, but have changed as I got older - now I expect tools not to waller out or strip bolts and nuts, bend into pretzels or break... and ever since Amazon bought out HF, they seem to have gotten worse.

Sure, some of the time you get lucky. Unfortunately, I would rather pay more and trust my luck at the craps table....

Now turn to page 139 in the Pittsburgh Hymnal, "I need more war-an-tee", to be sung by the Chicago Electric lite orchestra and choir.

When did Amazon buy Harbor Freight?

 

[MrSurly]

As stated in my reply to this rant, *I* am not a HF defender, in fact, far from that.

I AM pretty quick to reject his BS post and his BS claims, regardless his target.

BS is BS, regardless the intended victim.

Baseless claims against a person or a business should be shut down unless supported by facts.

 

[visionguru]

Congrats, you win the "didn't pay any attention at all to the OP's post" award to start this ridiculous thread.

^^ Tool snobs are equally amusing.

 

[PugetDude]

So, has the OP purchased a new pole saw yet?

 

[zendriver]

Not too hard to imagine, that the OP story had been told to Stihl customer support, they They would not have been moved, as well.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[dogdog]

Easier just to blame HF. reasonable or not. Even the most ridiculous reason, you'll find some Idoit agreeing with you. Just because of the COO... look at Florida .....

This is true for the weirdest reason, I bought my VW new from the dealer, over the years, countless plastic pieces have failed, some are recalled, some are repaired.. but when you go to a forum, it's Always problem with China... lol, even though almost every part of that car is make in Mexico...


Weird right.

 

[sberry]

but have changed as I got older -

I have changed my mind too. I am a super fan of the economical as we can look back and realize a lot of the cheap stuff has wayyyyyy exceeded our expectations. Stuff we thought would have a short life has now been in ruff service 20+ years. Used wrenches and screwdrivers today much of the time, total disregard as to where they made. None stripped, none broke.
Cheap was cheap way back in the day, not so competitive and we bought brand starting out. Dont matter, we dont care anymore.

 

[MaximRecoil]

When did Amazon buy Harbor Freight?

On April 1, 2019:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=418337

It was exactly 3 years after Harbor Freight bought Snap-on:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324878

April 1st seems to be a popular day for companies to change hands. I'm not sure why.

 

[dogdog]

LOL I think that poster might be referring to that Amazon competing with HF on some of the products... there was an article few month back that the amazon have all the advantages with it's data minding, and knows all the back end manufactures HF does .... and they might be going in the game to compete for cheap tools market. hmmmm.... might be a rant from the Bear...


edit: yea it was the tool bear's rant... LOL

 

[tV8bird]

Some of you have been helpful. Thanks.

Any further replies exhaust me at this point. This turned into Reddit. Didn't really expect that, but I guess I should have.

 

[PugetDude]

Some of you have been helpful. Thanks.

Any further replies exhaust me at this point. This turned into Reddit. Didn't really expect that, but I guess I should have.

You're welcome, let us know what you buy.

 

[JRC3]

Any further replies exhaust me at this point. This turned into Reddit. Didn't really expect that, but I guess I should have.

I disagree, the thread turned out exactly as it started in the opening post. You know what they say about people who live in glass house?

 

[dogdog]

Some of you have been helpful. Thanks.

Any further replies exhaust me at this point. This turned into Reddit. Didn't really expect that, but I guess I should have.

LOL this is not an AA forum... would still want to see that response though.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I disagree, the thread turned out exactly as it started in the opening post. You know what they say about people who live in glass house?

 

[BrandoJames]

HF has always been hit & miss. I own their Daytona DJ3000 floor jack, US General tool cabinet, and several Doyle pliers. I recommend all of these items for DIY use.

With the exception of the Doyle pliers, I've stayed away from their hand tools. And now their jack stands have brought the company some unwanted notoriety. Like anything else, a bit of research before you buy will save you a lot of grief later on.

 

[zendriver]

Some of you have been helpful. Thanks.

Any further replies exhaust me at this point. This turned into Reddit. Didn't really expect that, but I guess I should have.

No offense.

If you been at Reddit, then you might know the drill.

You're interested in a pole saw under $100, but this is the title of your thread..

I'm Done With Harbor Freight!

The HF "90 day warranty - then nuts to you" is pretty well known, so you working it after 5 years, just seemed a bit controversial, not just to me.

Please don't go away (we love these threads), just remember that if you throw a tire on a trash fire, the smoke can attract a lot of attention, a lot of it unwanted.

 

[Aileron]

Other than the chain coming off a couple times, I bought there pole saw years ago and it's paid for itself. When i cut down my large Bradford pair, my brother in law brought over my father in laws Stihl chainsaw. I put down the polesaw and attempted to get the chainsaw started. Put down the non starting Stihl and finished it up with the pole saw.I actually went and picked up their electric chainsaw. never used it and was warrantied back under the recall.
After my father inlaw passed away, even though the kids inherited his chainsaws, it was me and my trusty HF pole saw that had to go cut the fallen limbs from his trees due to the storms at his old house that was for sale.

 

[Aileron]

I picked up two 44'' lower boxes( yes the drawers open all the way out) to use under a 8' bench. They work ok but i think the Chinese are putting the Covid in the rubber mats. I left them on the top off the boxes but had to pull them off and throw away. They stunk something fierce.

 

[danski0224]

For the things I do buy at HF, the quality is no less, and often better than what the big box retailers offer with their offshore sourced house branding and higher prices.

I don't go there too often, but I can't say that I've never gone there.

 

[jonesg]

I avoid stuff with moving parts from HF.

Some are stressing from this virus ****, take a breath, relax.

 

[driftpin]

I'm claiming the best HFT I bought-new, have used doing hard-work & which has paid for itself, is a SDS-Max rotary hammer drill/demo hammer. It cost me <$90 a few years-ago and I used it to demo two bathrooms in a total home-renovation project we did. The tool paid for itself, many-times over! The GC had budgeted $2K for the demo work, that's what we saved, that one job. The tool is still working fine, I don't use it a lot, but I did sink about 18 5/8" tamp-in pins for a premanufactured building footer plate when the sub-contractor's DeWalt tools couldn't do the job, I fired him. Perhaps I should say, "my trusty HFT SDS-Max impact drill allowed-me to fire him!"

I had gone to HD looking at the Bosch SDS+ hammer drill, it was almost twice the price, and frankly the size was small compared to the HFT SDS-Max. While I'm sure that the Bosch tool would-have done the job, it seemed to-me that the SDS-Max HFT tool was a better tool for the job I needed to do, immediately.

 

[23ford]

Have user hf pole saw several times no problems

 

[scooterbum46]

I avoid stuff with moving parts from HF.

I don't trust their electric tools after a couple of fails, but will take their air tools. I like their tool boxes and moving carts, but anything with inflatable tires I'll pass on. The air hose reels are pretty good but the hose will weather check in about four years (inside a garage!).

Back in the dark ages, there was a candy store across from the junior high I attended. A lot of the **** they sold wasn't good for us and we really knew it....... HF is a lot like that candy store.

 

[Al Borland]

Electric pole saw is great.
I don't even need to bend over to cut fallen limbs.
Think of the reach Leatherface would have had with a gas powered one.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I always set my expectations low on HF stuff. The last thing I bough was a Bauer heat gun . Only used it once and it did the job.

 

[WittHay]

So, I think the message is that we don't hold manufacturers accountable and we shouldn't expect quality or assistance.

Fine.

Any helpful suggestions on choosing a replacement tool?

Sometimes it helps to be from a place where Harbor Freight does not exist to understand Harbor Freight. Up here no one holds Dollarama/Dollartree accountable to anything. Buy at you own risk. Same as the tool vendors at the Sunday swap meet.

For a step up Rona and Canadian Tire sell Black+Decker , Yardworks along with numerous other brands with a two year warranty. Even with a warranty they all look like cheap Chinese plastic whatever. No point in talking about better brands like Stihl or Echo when HF is mentioned in a thread.

Now when you walk into a store with a 90 day warranty on most of items which are all house brands. What is that store closer in principle to: A dollar store or a regular store which carry's items that are sold in other countrys.

Not sure if a 90 day warranty is even legal in Canada

 

[M635_Guy]

So, I think the message is that we don't hold manufacturers accountable and we shouldn't expect quality or assistance.

Fine.

Any helpful suggestions on choosing a replacement tool?

The message is you're being silly and unreasonable. After 5 years, you can't realistically expect anything from them. Even if it had a year or two year warranty you're at least three years out of the warranty.

I mean seriously

 

[pelletman]

You title your thread " I'm Done With Harbor Freight" and then you claim it is really about recommendations for a new pole saw? Then you get all huffy when people call you out on it? SMH No wonder the rest of the country can't stand New Yorkers

 

[Ton ton]

On April 1, 2019:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=418337

It was exactly 3 years after Harbor Freight bought Snap-on:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324878

April 1st seems to be a popular day for companies to change hands. I'm not sure why.

I actually fell for that nonsense.

 

[dogdog]

You title your thread " I'm Done With Harbor Freight" and then you claim it is really about recommendations for a new pole saw? Then you get all huffy when people call you out on it? SMH No wonder the rest of the country can't stand New Yorkers

LOL.... your comment remind me of this commercial.... LMFAO...

 

[JP Chestnut]

I picked up two 44'' lower boxes( yes the drawers open all the way out) to use under a 8' bench. They work ok but i think the Chinese are putting the Covid in the rubber mats. I left them on the top off the boxes but had to pull them off and throw away. They stunk something fierce.

I bought a 26 and it was a total *******. To top it off, I think the rubber was probably toxic. I took it back and told the manager it was garbage. He offered to unbox another to see if it was any better. To my amazement, it was incredibly better AND the rubber didn't stink like a Chinese toxic waste dump.

It's hit or miss for sure. Also, the OP is both thin skinned and unreasonable. You couldn't pay me to use any kind of chainsaw that only cost $100. My safety is too important.

 

[dogdog]

I picked up two 44'' lower boxes( yes the drawers open all the way out) to use under a 8' bench. They work ok but i think the Chinese are putting the Covid in the rubber mats. I left them on the top off the boxes but had to pull them off and throw away. They stunk something fierce.

Dam you are good, you can smell Covid, CDC should have hire you to the the head honcho for the El-presidente or at least Florida or something.

 

[Theruse]

I have had good luck with HF's Portland pole saw. Used it a lot to trim thick shrubs (120') cut many limbs up to 4 inches. I just make sure I keep oil in the canister and adjust the chain. It's taken a lot of abuse but with good maintence, it is one of my go-to yard tools.