Shopping at Harbor Freight

[eddie1278]

95% of my tool purchases are of higher or high quality USA made stuff but you gotta admit HF is good for certain things.

I'm going tomorrow to buy some stuff like wire brushes, wire wheel brushes and some socket rails. Stuff like this does not have to be high quality at all.

 

[signcrafter]

95% of my tool purchases are of higher or high quality USA made stuff but you gotta admit HF is good for certain things.

I'm going tomorrow to buy some stuff like wire brushes, wire wheel brushes and some socket rails. Stuff like this does not have to be high quality at all.

HF is alright for some stuff. But I would not buy wire wheels from them, they spin at way to many RPMs for me to buy cheap.

 

[eddie1278]

HF is alright for some stuff. But I would not buy wire wheels from them, they spin at way to many RPMs for me to buy cheap.

I'm not getting the ones for a bench grinder the little ones for a cordless drill just to clean some grime and surface rust off tools.

 

[toolstools]

I don't know your tool box arrangement or needs, but Id suggest the socket trays they have. $20~ I got some in their mail today from fry me for my dad, and I think I like them better then my kobalt trays. $50 vs $20 is a no brainer to me lol. Either purchase gets you sae and metric in all three drives. Wish I would have known about harbor freight at the time.. lol

 

[eddie1278]

I don't know your tool box arrangement or needs, but Id suggest the socket trays they have. $20~ I got some in their mail today from fry me for my dad, and I think I like them better then my kobalt trays. $50 vs $20 is a no brainer to me lol. Either purchase gets you sae and metric in all three drives. Wish I would have known about harbor freight at the time.. lol

I just looked on the HF website I will get those instead thanks

 

[toolstools]

Glad to help someone out

 

[signcrafter]

I just looked on the HF website I will get those instead thanks

They go on sale all the time and then you can use a 20% off coupon on top of that also which brings the 3 piece set(metric or standard) down to something like 5-6 bucks. I have about 4 sets of them for 6pt chrome, 12pt chrome, and impact and really like them.

 

[Nelkcots]

I bought a set for standard and a set of trays for metric. Really happy with them. All though they all won't fit in one drawer in my 26" box... So time to buy a HF 44"!

 

[toolstools]

Man do I want a 44" bad in the worse way..

 

[Nelkcots]

Man do I want a 44" bad in the worse way..

You and me both!!

 

[e30bradley]

I buy zip ties from HF.. not much else lol

 

[basspro]

They are cheap enough, try em out. If they ****, well then you know what not to buy. I bought some super cheap o 1/8" dia. diamond debur bits for my HF pencil grinder. Got em at a liquidation store for $4, they work very well, so I went back and bought another set. Sometimes one can be surprised.

 

[Super Sport]

I pick up things from them quite often, but like you a vast majority of my tools are USA and I do try to keep it that way.

However, in my opinion, cheap socket rails ****. They are an area I wanted to spend a little more.

 

[chipper]

I bought a set for standard and a set of trays for metric. Really happy with them. All though they all won't fit in one drawer in my 26" box... So time to buy a HF 44"!

They barely fit in the 44 if you use all six trays you have to use the full lenth deep drawer or the deep bottom drawer the 1/2 deep sockets are to tall for the shallow drawers

 

[toolstools]

My plans exactly if I had the 44" bottom, the top drawer would hold all my sockets. Probably all my extentions if not most, and same to my ratchets. Now if it had two full length drawers, one being a little more shallow, thatd be the cats meow. Wrench drawer.

 

[chipper]

My plans exactly if I had the 44" bottom, the top drawer would hold all my sockets. Probably all my extentions if not most, and same to my ratchets. Now if it had two full length drawers, one being a little more shallow, thatd be the cats meow. Wrench drawer.

I use the the full lenth for wrenches but i also have the top box and use the bottom drawer of that for sockets I've been thinking. about swapping some drawers out i think they are interchangeable just haven't tested it yet but i could sure use atleast one more deep drawer

 

[unslow1]

They go on sale all the time and then you can use a 20% off coupon on top of that also which brings the 3 piece set(metric or standard) down to something like 5-6 bucks. I have about 4 sets of them for 6pt chrome, 12pt chrome, and impact and really like them.

They are on sale for $7.99 right now. Then use a coupon.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=socket+tray

 

[gagreen]

I like the 99 cent socket rails from hf. I trim them and file the edges smooth to match the length I need that rail. Now when I'm grabbing tools for a job away from my box I can just grab the rails I need and stay organized in my to go box as well.

 

[Danglerb]

I spent 46 cents there Monday, used a 20% coupon on a 50 cent glass scraper (works great) and got another pair of free scissors.

Walking around the store waiting for the line to clear out and feeling stupid for buying one 50 cent item, a guy noticed my shirt pocket full of coupons (never know which free item they are out of, so I carry in an assortment). He asked me if I could spare a dolley coupon and I said sure and gave it to him. Saw him later in line with a basket full, 5 each size, so saved him a bundle. He said he works in a motorcycle shop, engines go on the small dolley's and frames on the big ones.

Place was a zoo, truck day.

 

[IanG]

Harbor Freight prices seem to have gone up quite a bit. There sales prices are now what their regular prices used to be. They still have their place for :

-one time use or rarely used tools/consumables
-Taiwan made hand tools
-Tool storage
-Tools that just arent readily available at Hardware stores/auto parts stores (for those without a tractor supply or Northern Tool in vicinity)


That being said, I havent bought anything in 2-3 years. The good value items I have already bought and they wont honor their warranty on tools that I have broke without a receipt (I used to not save my receipts b/c they never required it before).

 

[Davefr]

I'm going tomorrow to buy some stuff like wire brushes, wire wheel brushes and some socket rails. Stuff like this does not have to be high quality at all.

Don't buy their metal socket rails. They're **** and these things really DO need to be high quality. You'll find that the HF ones are so flimsy that the sockets will fall off.

When buying socket rails and clips go to SO. SO rails and clips are much better and they are cheap + free shipping.

 

[diggerrick]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=186095

 

[Revere Cycles]

I was at Harbor Freight for the first time in ages yesterday. I needed to repair a dented head tube on my vintage Marnati frame, so I bought the metric impact socket set and some extensions. I tapped various sizes through using a mallet until I had a perfectly straight head tube. Not the intended use, but it just so happened that the OD of the 21mm socket is the same as the ID of my head tube. Mission accomplished.

Personally, I prefer to stay away from HF, although I will go there every now and then for a consumable tool or product. I understand the appeal, but I don't consider their products to be a wise long-term investment. (the 44" box being the exception)

 

[Glacial_Speed]

I had a coupon for a free 25' tape measure (with 1 inch wide blade), and I have to say that it's OK....still works fine after 3 months.

 

[blackz26]

One of my favorite HF items is the extendable 1/2 ratchet. DIY it does me just fine. I mean its not my only rstchet in that drive by any means, but when needed (or wanted) it hasn't let me down. Also, I plan on buying the Hansen style trays from them for my 12 point sockets I'm starting to acquire. Kobalts looked nice, but as stated for $50 vs $20.. HF it is lol

 

[unslow1]

One of my favorite HF items is the extendable 1/2 ratchet. DIY it does me just fine. I mean its not my only rstchet in that drive by any means, but when needed (or wanted) it hasn't let me down. Also, I plan on buying the Hansen style trays from them for my 12 point sockets I'm starting to acquire. Kobalts looked nice, but as stated for $50 vs $20.. HF it is lol

They are on sale until the end of the month. $7.99 and you can use a 20% off coupon on top of that. I bought some today.

 

[blackz26]

Thanks for the info, but I won be towards that direction for a while. Bed to save some more cash for the other things I'll buy! Lol

 

[diggerrick]

I keep reading about people buying consumables from HF. I like HF a lot, but not everything is a better deal. Compare their welding wire to Lincoln wire from Lowe's:

http://www.harborfreight.com/0035-inch-er70s-6-carbon-steel-welding-wire-2-lb-roll-42917.html - $10.99

http://www.lowes.com/pd_351479-1703-ED030632_0__?productId=3676748&Ntt=welding+wire&Ns=p_product_price|0 - $7.11 at my local store.

Which would you buy?

I buy the Lincoln wire.

I just have a small 110V Lincoln Handy MIG.

 

[johnachak]

95% of my tool purchases are of higher or high quality USA made stuff but you gotta admit HF is good for certain things.

I'm going tomorrow to buy some stuff like wire brushes, wire wheel brushes and some socket rails. Stuff like this does not have to be high quality at all.

Be careful with their socket rails. I have a couple of old rails with handles (circa mid 1980's) that I have some deep sockets on that work well. I bought HF ones recently and the deep sockets just pull the thin clips off the rails and bend them if you try to carry the rail of sockets in your hand. Not great grammar, I know.

The short 1/4 and 3/8 sockets seem to stay on them well. I am commenting on the thin metal ones.