The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...

[tyndall]

I have this desiccant dryer and like it. It isn't the best quality but it's simple in design and keeps my air dry, and is a great price. And you can reuse the media by drying it in the oven or microwave.

I'll second that, it works great. I've done a lot of paint jobs with it. Its the only thing that can keep water out of my sandblaster too. I think is says somewhere in the instructions that you MUST use a filter after it.

 

[subarub4]

3/8th Earthquake Air ratchet: PASS!

Got this from the new years 25% off sale. This thing really is the copy of an Ingersoll Rand that another tech in the shop I'm at has. It is as loud as any air ratchet, and like the IR the exhaust can be rotated 360 degrees. I has enough torque to yank my hand when tightening down a bolt. I've kept it oild and so far it works great! PASS!

I got the 1/2" version of that and I love it! it's loud a heck!! outside I can hear my tool echo down the street a bit.

 

[King Bojack]

For some reason, design or poor manufacturing tolerances my HF 1/4 air ratchet is by far the loudest air tool in my shop. Other techs gimme **** for using the damn thing. Works well but needs ear plugs and the thing is so tiny too. Fits in the palm of your hand and then proceeds to blow your ears clean off your head.

So far I'll add that the basic 1/4" stubby air ratchet (non-Earthquake model) and the 3/8" impact (non-Earthquake model) and the bare bones air hammer work pretty well. No issues thus far after several uses.

 

[motoguy]

Good info to know. I need to find replacements for my air ratchets.

 

[bridroid]

I have bought a ton of stuff at Harbor Freight, but I'm most happy with the floor jacks. I've had really good luck with them. I've had the aluminum racing jack for over 5 years and it has always worked well. PASS

I just recently bought the low profile 3 ton jack because the little racing jack wouldn't go high enough to lift my truck. So far it has also worked really good. PASS

Thanks and I just wanted to say, what a great forum here! I'm really enjoying it so far.

Brian

 

[allinon72]

While on the subject of jacks...I have used the small 1.5 ton racing jack (the one that's always on sale for $60) about 20 times to lift both my Mustang and my Explorer and it hasn't puked fluid yet. I leave the valve open when not in use.

 

[jhelrey]

For some reason, design or poor manufacturing tolerances my HF 1/4 air ratchet is by far the loudest air tool in my shop. Other techs gimme **** for using the damn thing. Works well but needs ear plugs and the thing is so tiny too. Fits in the palm of your hand and then proceeds to blow your ears clean off your head.

So far I'll add that the basic 1/4" stubby air ratchet (non-Earthquake model) and the 3/8" impact (non-Earthquake model) and the bare bones air hammer work pretty well. No issues thus far after several uses.

Can you put foam or something in the exhaust to silence it? I know you can on an IR

 

[Aklass]

For some reason, design or poor manufacturing tolerances my HF 1/4 air ratchet is by far the loudest air tool in my shop. Other techs gimme **** for using the damn thing. Works well but needs ear plugs and the thing is so tiny too. Fits in the palm of your hand and then proceeds to blow your ears clean off your head.

So far I'll add that the basic 1/4" stubby air ratchet (non-Earthquake model) and the 3/8" impact (non-Earthquake model) and the bare bones air hammer work pretty well. No issues thus far after several uses.

Is that the Earthquake 1/4 model? or the normal one? I went with the earthquake because at the same cost of a craftsman it has to be just as good if not better

 

[anthony73]

Their throatless shear is a POS-fail . One 2 inch cut in some 18 gauge sheet metal and it was junk.

 

[motoguy]

PASS!

My wife & I use these all the time for a lot of different things - about the greatest bang for the buck tools we've ever bought. You can't beat 'em for $30. We also tried a Menard's "Tool Shop" brand that works ok, but it only has 2 pins locating the blade vs. 4 pins for the HF model.

I agree. These things kick ****! I've used mine for all sorts of stuff. Remodel work, cutting outlet holes, trimming around door ways, etc. I have an electrician friend who used a roto-zip to make all of his canlight and outlet / switch holes in drywall. After using my HF tool, he went out and bought two of them. He says they make switch / outlet holes in drywall a snap, with much less dust. Most importantly, he says he doesn't have to worry about the RotoZip "catching" and taking off down a wall somewhere.

Oh, also, he used the "scraper" bit and says it worked GREAT at cutting through the plaster in his older home. He says plaster is normally a cast-iron ***** to get through, without lots of damage to the tool / edges of the hole. I guess the "scraper" bit on the tool above went through the plaster like a hot knife through butter. He was very impressed. Be aware, though, the plaster tore all the teeth off the "toothed blades" near instantly.

I notice there are a lot of these "******** tools" on the market now. They kick ****. The HF one is probably heavier than most, and it's about as ergonomic as a brick, but for $25, it's hard to go wrong.

 

[motoguy]

I have one in my hand but have not had a chance to use it in anger yet. It seems to be very solid. The trigger seems to be a little short on play so I anticipate not being able to throttle the speed with a great deal of accuracy. I anticipate it will be all or nothing.

The grip seems to be adequate ... maybe a little short but certainly no where near a 'FAIL' situation.

The instructions do not mention anything about the oil fitting on the cutting head. That was something that I think will be a key to longevity. Ensure there is good oil in that end of the tool along with good tool oil in the air motor and I expect it will last a long time ... the same as most of my other HF air tools. Proper lubrication seems to be the key.

Arvid

I would be interested in a review after a few of these have been put to use. I'm keeping my eye on one of these as a possible purchase.

67996

 

[motoguy]

I got the 1/2" version of that and I love it! it's loud a heck!! outside I can hear my tool echo down the street a bit.

So, are we getting passing grades on all three of the air ratchets?

1/4":

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65159.html

3/8":

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65161.html

and 1/2":

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65160.html

???

I've got a couple of el-cheap Campbell Hausfeld air ratchets (1/4" and 3/8") that I'm looking to replace. Pretty sure they were purchased in an "air tool kit" from Wal Mart, about 10-15 years ago.

Are the HF Earthquake models good to go for daily professional use? If not, recommendations for "best bang for the buck" air ratchets?

 

[Tom2]

I agree. These things kick ****! I've used mine for all sorts of stuff. Remodel work, cutting outlet holes, trimming around door ways, etc. I have an electrician friend who used a roto-zip to make all of his canlight and outlet / switch holes in drywall. After using my HF tool, he went out and bought two of them. He says they make switch / outlet holes in drywall a snap, with much less dust. Most importantly, he says he doesn't have to worry about the RotoZip "catching" and taking off down a wall somewhere.

Oh, also, he used the "scraper" bit and says it worked GREAT at cutting through the plaster in his older home. He says plaster is normally a cast-iron ***** to get through, without lots of damage to the tool / edges of the hole. I guess the "scraper" bit on the tool above went through the plaster like a hot knife through butter. He was very impressed. Be aware, though, the plaster tore all the teeth off the "toothed blades" near instantly.

I notice there are a lot of these "******** tools" on the market now. They kick ****. The HF one is probably heavier than most, and it's about as ergonomic as a brick, but for $25, it's hard to go wrong.

Maybe I'll get one. I have a Rotozip and hate it.. It creates so much dust with drywall, you can't even imagine.. Went back to the key hole saw.

 

[Vern X-100]

PASS!!!

Finally, a rivet tool that works!

Central Pneumatic 93458
3/16" Air Hydraulic Riveter


http://www.harborfreight.com/3-16-inch-air-hydraulic-riveter-93458.html

 

[Aklass]

So, are we getting passing grades on all three of the air ratchets?

1/4":

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65159.html

3/8":

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65161.html

and 1/2":

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-professional-air-ratchet-wrench-65160.html

???

I've got a couple of el-cheap Campbell Hausfeld air ratchets (1/4" and 3/8") that I'm looking to replace. Pretty sure they were purchased in an "air tool kit" from Wal Mart, about 10-15 years ago.

Are the HF Earthquake models good to go for daily professional use? If not, recommendations for "best bang for the buck" air ratchets?

Keep them oiled, buy the warranty and you'll end up cheaper than buying from the big 3 and be able to replace it if it fails for no hassle

 

[subarub4]

I keep my oiled every time I use it.. I can only speak for the 1/2" ratchet but I have no problem at all and love it! I had to use it for taking off some bolts for the suspension.

 

[ajchien]

I'm a homeowner DIY car maintenance and wood hobby guy. Here my updated opinions:

FAIL ( so much that I returned the item )
Magnetizer - didn't do anything
Thumbwheel ratchets - so coarse, and the selectors locked up needing to fight with it
Snap ring pliers with interchangeable heads - kept falling apart on me, the spring lock wouldnt keep the heads on
Headlight lens restorer - total waste of time and money. Major fail.

FAIL (i wish i had returned them, but they were either free or past the 30 day return period)
Nail punches red/yellow/blue ones - business end mars up with one nail!
Picks - wimpy, heads bend and break too easily
Black free screwdrivers - phillips 1 tip just snapped while trying to take out a rusty screw. I thought my regular CMan screwdrivers wore out too quickly, these don't last 1/4 as long.
Snap ring pliers (non interchangeable head) - way too wimpy. bend too much
3Ton orange steel hydraulic jack - has started to leak after 6 months. Meh. Better than my duralast jack.
The cheap tap and die set, is pretty much just used to clean threads. I tried cutting external threads 5/16, and wound up chipping off the teeth of the die on the second rod.

Marginal pass (They work)
Pliers - blue handled - teeth mar up easily, seems like soft metal, not hardened. plastic handles crack/break apart too easily. The tongue in groove pliers are in the FAIL category- the metal bends when you squeeze the handles so much the pliers skip out of the setting to the largest position.
1/2 in torque wrench - 5-6 ft lbs off on calibration
Scissors (black multipurpose) - feels wimpy
Cross pein 3lb hammer - handle came loose after 5 months, got warrantied.
Rotary dremel tool (weak motor, but works)
12" plastic wood clamps - a little unstable and weak
Pry bars with hard black handles (they bend a bit)
Dash trim tools (blue) (they bend a bit too much)
Drill bits (titanium coated) (dull somewhat quickly)
Screwdriver bit sockets (phillips heads cam out a bit too easily)
Blue 1700psi pressure washer (weak power, barely passable to wash away algae from brick walls)
Reciprocating saw blades. Wear out quickly, But good for 2-3 projects.

PASS (I'd buy it again)
Offset box end wrenches
3/8 breaker bar
Metric impact sockets
Stubby claw hammer
Ball pein 1.5 lb hammer
Grinder cutting wheels/grinding wheels
Flap disks
Black drill
4.5in angle grinder, black
Rare earth magnets
Free flashlight
3/8-1/4 dual ratchet
Torx set with 1/4 bit adaptor
Knee carpet kicker
24" rip guide
Hex bit sockets, regular and ball end
Push pin pliers
1/2 metric deep well sockets
1/4 torque wrench
3/8 locking extensions
Drill point gauge
Black rubber wheel chocks
Drill bits HSS

NEED To Use more before deciding
Oil filter wrench
Wobble extensions
Dial indicator
Circle cutter

 

[myridge]

The flex head Stubby are fantastic for the money. I was going to buy the Craftsmen set but they were $79 on sale and I got both SAE and Metric for $60 at HF on sale.

I need to pick up some stubby wrenches. It's not often that I need them, but there are a few specific instances where they'd come in handy. The situations I have in mind will be using the open end (usually), if that impacts the suggestions.

It looks like these are the current offereings:

97383, 12 Piece Stubby Combination Wrench Set on sale for $12.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piece-stubby-combination-wrench-set-97383.html

93923, 7 Piece SAE Stubby Ratcheting Combo Wrench Set for $34.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-pro-gear-sae-stubby-combo-wrench-set-93923.html

and

98952, 5 Piece Stubby SAE Flex-Head Ratchet Wrench Set for $34.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-stubby-sae-flex-head-ratchet-wrench-set-98952.html

Any feedback for these sets? I saw some "pass" comments for sets about a year ago, but I'm not sure if that still applies to the current offerings.

Also, any input on these 3/8" and 1/2" impact wobble extensions? I'll be using them with an MG325, and MG725.

67065, 3 Piece 3/8" Drive Impact Wobble Socket Extension Set
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-3-8-eighth-inch-drive-impact-wobble-socket-extension-set-67065.html

67066, 3 Piece 1/2" Drive Impact Wobble Socket Extension Set
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-1-2-half-inch-drive-impact-wobble-socket-extension-set-67066.html

Or how about their impact products as a whole? I'd like to pick up some wobble joints, wobble sockets, etc as well.

 

[mtkst19]

I would be interested in a review after a few of these have been put to use. I'm keeping my eye on one of these as a possible purchase.

67996

im on a rain check waiting for a call to come get mine. i will end up abusing it when i lay into it.

 

[fireball 440]

FAIL. I used a HF compression tester to check the compression on my snowmobile, compression checked at 95/105. Checked with a snap on tester and it reads 115/130.

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

FAIL. I used a HF compression tester to check the compression on my snowmobile, compression checked at 95/105. Checked with a snap on tester and it reads 115/130.

Thanks! I was just about to get one of these but I will pass now and look for a quality used one

 

[rayzor32]

Maybe this is old news but have you guys been to harbor freight lately? They replaced everything with a "pittsburgh PRO" line and are selling SINGLE sockets now. The impact swivel sockets also got rid of that stupid band design and are all steel like snap ons. the new stuff looks really good.

 

[Tom2]

I haven't been in there since the change - but it sounds awesome. Hopefully the quality really is better on the sockets. At least to new Craftsman standards.

 

[rayzor32]

yeah the new sockets look better and the extensions look waaaaayyy better.

 

[5lima30]

H/F Oil filter pliers Pass, also works great for opening hard to open jars!

 

[mkirkpatrick]

The new product that I saw on the shelves looks like a lot better quality. I saw they have both 1/2 deep sockets in metric and sae

 

[fatboyf150]

65050 - 4" Crimped Wire Cup Brush - FAIL

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-crimped-wire-cup-brush-65050.html?___SID=U

I bought a 4" Crimped Wire Cup Brush (65050) from work the other day and had it come apart on me. I used it on a new 4.5" grinder that I bought the same day. When I turned on the grinder, it felt normal. I started using it on a cooker and within 10 seconds it was really out of balance. It came apart before I could stop it. The wire brush part hit me in the stomach and the chrome looking retaining ring went though the drivers door glass of one of my trucks. BE CAREFUL USING THIS WIRE BRUSH!!!
The first pic is what the tool is supposed to look like and the rest is the carnage.

 

[js73751]

What was the maximum recommended RPM on the brush vs. the grinder? I see the brush was rated for 8500 RPM. Which grinder did you use?

 

[fatboyf150]

What was the maximum recommended RPM on the brush vs. the grinder?

11,000 on the grinder and 12,500 on the brush.

 

[js73751]

From the Website:

Description of Harbor Freight 65050

This brush is perfect for surface preparation such as deburring, polishing, and removing scale, rust, corrosion, weld scale and splatter, and paint on large surface areas.

* 5/8"-11 arbor will fit 4" to 4-1/2" grinders
* Steel plate cup with zinc-plated arbor
* Internal holding plate ensures consistency and safety
* Carbon steel 0.008" thick wire

8500 RPM

 

[TireTracks]

Got beat too it.

 

[fatboyf150]

From the Website:

Description of Harbor Freight 65050

This brush is perfect for surface preparation such as deburring, polishing, and removing scale, rust, corrosion, weld scale and splatter, and paint on large surface areas.

* 5/8"-11 arbor will fit 4" to 4-1/2" grinders
* Steel plate cup with zinc-plated arbor
* Internal holding plate ensures consistency and safety
* Carbon steel 0.008" thick wire

8500 RPM

The package shows 12,500 max rpm. I'll get a pic of it tomorrow when I go in. Even corp said it shouldn't have came apart.

 

[js73751]

Could be mislabeled?

They show this one http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-crimped-wire-bevel-brush-96191.html
with a 12,500 RPM rating.

Glad you didn't get hurt!

 

[scott37300]

Glad you didn't get hurt!!

I learned a long time ago that harborfreight consumables aren't worth buying, there may be a few that work but most of them are garbage. I bought some buffing wheels for my bench grinder and they disinagrated within a minute, and where rated for higher RPMs than my bench grinder. Most of those cheap things like grinder discs and wheels aren't worth buying. I don't take chances with things that spin at high RPMs like that, my life is more important than saving a few bucks!

 

[rayzor32]

My harbor freight right angle die grinder died today, the gears got stripped I think, there was a lot of play in the shaft, I had been tightening down the nut and it was maxed out, I bought it in june so its still covered under warranty and I got a new one. I never greased the head though on it, its got a little needle grease fitting and so does my air ratchet and a few other things, I need to get one of those greasers.

 

[mtkst19]

i finally claimed my rain check on this today. hope to put it to use this week.

initial thoughts are not terrible for the money, but seems a bit cheap compared to tool truck brands. half *** description right now but im certain it will get put to the rigors this week.

i do have a price question. rain check was for 49.99. it was on sale--not a coupon sale. while was there, i bought a set of jack stands w/ coupon for 19.99. cheap enough to warrant another set around the garage.

i tried to use a 20% off coupon but they wouldn't let me. i was under the assumption that 20% coupons could be used on sale prices--but not in conjunction w/ items that needed coupons to be on sale.

 

[fatboyf150]

i finally claimed my rain check on this today. hope to put it to use this week.

initial thoughts are not terrible for the money, but seems a bit cheap compared to tool truck brands. half *** description right now but im certain it will get put to the rigors this week.

i do have a price question. rain check was for 49.99. it was on sale--not a coupon sale. while was there, i bought a set of jack stands w/ coupon for 19.99. cheap enough to warrant another set around the garage.

i tried to use a 20% off coupon but they wouldn't let me. i was under the assumption that 20% coupons could be used on sale prices--but not in conjunction w/ items that needed coupons to be on sale.

Did you buy it on the January blowout sale the other weekend? If so, the 20% is not allowed to be used on that type of special sale. If it's just the monthly sales ad, then yes, you can use a 20% off coupon. All normal exclusions apply.

 

[Joelfke]

http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-capacity-floor-blast-cabinet-93608.html

PASS! Works awesome. The only gripes i have are that its too short for me because im 6'5 and the air fitting is in the front (why?) so the air hose can get in the way...otherwise awesome and works great!

 

[TireTracks]

Are there Chisels any good, or are they as soft as cheese? I need a real set of chisles, I've got Cman pin punches, but not many normal punches or good chisles.

 

[pmohr]

Are there Chisels any good, or are they as soft as cheese? I need a real set of chisles, I've got Cman pin punches, but not many normal punches or good chisles.

I bought the 4885 set over a year ago, and they're all still good with constant use/abuse. Don't think I've had to take the grinder to a single one to sharpen them up yet.