The Harbor Freight smell...

[Sparkyjack]

Compared to Beijing Harbor Freight smells great!

Several years ago I spent 2 weeks in Beijing sometime after my return I had an olfactory flashback, I quickly remembered what/where the smell reminded me of and then went looking for the source.
The smell was coming from the run off of the dumpster that had just been washed out.

I've been to Harbour Frieght several times since Beijing and never have a flash back.

 

[Parrothead]

I know it's fun to bash Harbor Freight, but the USA Made hand truck I bought at Menards had the same rubber smell as HF, that's how I figured it out.

 

[soj]

I know it's fun to bash Harbor Freight, but the USA Made hand truck I bought at Menards had the same rubber smell as HF, that's how I figured it out.

Your hand truck was probably welded in USA, but look close at the tires, they either say "Made In China", or "Dim Young Sun" rubber company.

 

[Dan Jacobs]

It's the smell of Chinese sweat

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Anytime I want to go the HF and take my 6 year old with me he says "that store smells" I do agree it's a combination of the rubber and plastic fumes. Needless to say he does not want to go after that experience once was enough!

Thinking You have a very intelligent Youngster who knows how to voice his concerns,,,,.

 

[ryolse]

Here's a fun article from the Google machine:
http://dynamics.org/Altenberg/CURRENT_AFFAIRS/CHINA_PLASTIC/

 

[mrjaw14]

Harbor freight and goodwill stores. I like shopping at both, but darn if those aren't the most stinky two stores ever

 

[Scotsman1886]

I think it's what China smells like.

 

[gungatim]

I always assumed that is the smell of China lol.

it is...last time I was there, when I smell that, it actually reminded me of home!! too much shopping at HF...

 

[lightning02]

iv been to 2 or 3 HFs and never smelled anything weird. odd.

 

[dodge610]

I never smell anything when I go to HF either I am immune to it or my HF is very well ventilated.

 

[wcp0611]

I bought a few HF tires/wheels to go on an old Snapper I was redoing. I had them in the back of my truck until I needed them or in case I needed to return them. It started raining one night, and I went out and put the tires in the back seat of the truck out of the rain. Got that tire/chemical smell all in it now. Been going strong for a week now. Hopefully, it'll start to disappear soon.

 

[deerehunter/operator]

We had to stop and take the rubber pad that comes with the hf 44 tool box for the top out of my truck and throw it in the back because the smell was making us sick on the way home. I didn't want it to fly off so we stuck it in the cab. I didn't want to pass out so we stuck it back in the bed of the truck!

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

So, what can be done about products that have strong outgassing? It doesn't matter what the source is since any product with the rubber/vinyl compounds experience this. What can you do to help eliminate it?

 

[jd_1138]

oooohh that smell
can't you smell that smell?
ooohhh that smell,
the smell of Harbor Freight around you

Lynyrd Skynyrd 'That Smell' in A Minor

 

[Speedy!]

Recently picked up one of these and for the first month my garage had that "smell". It's definitely the rubber.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

So, what can be done about products that have strong outgassing? It doesn't matter what the source is since any product with the rubber/vinyl compounds experience this. What can you do to help eliminate it?

Thinking maybe drink allot of beer and fart allot... hopefully this will dilute the rubber smell. That rubber smell is the nature of the beast, so we are pretty much stuck with it..

 

[7th Kahuna]

There is a product clearance center near me that buys a ton of returns from Home Depot. They get a whole lot of hand trucks. Most are returned for no apparent reason other than the stink. (I suppose a given number are returned by customers who buy them just for a move, but I hope not too many.) About 30% are returned with popped tubes. The warehouse guys even complain about the smell. I always assumed it was cheap rubber, maybe with some sort of recycled content. I can't understand why retailers don't demand different material.

Along the same lines, at one point I got tired of never being able to find traffic cones at work so I bought a set myself (Home Depot). After a couple months in my garage, I moved them outdoors. A year or so later they were still so bad I hated transporting them in my SUV. Ended up donating them to a job site. Our regular supply never smelled like that but they came from a proper traffic control company.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Is the smell worth a cheaper initial cost?


Btw, ACE hardware has an aisle where they cut keys. I suspect the keys are Chinese steel since the scent immediately had me think of the nearby HF.

 

[DenisG]

If you can't abide HF smell, don't try durian:
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/03/19/durian-cake/

 

[winlinmac]

That's why you buy only during the Parking Lot sales. Takes the smell away, lol

 

[Old_Buick]

i honestly don't know how their employees work there. i hardly go there but when i do, as soon as you enter through the doors, that "smell" hits you like a sledge hammer.

 

[winlinmac]

I think our noses eventually adjust to the smell; for employees working there, the smell is on the back of their head.

 

[azsportpilot]

Harbor freight and goodwill stores. I like shopping at both, but darn if those aren't the most stinky two stores ever

I know, Goodwill smells like dirty socks.... yuck

give me the Harbor Freight rubber tire smell anytime

 

[azsportpilot]

Reminds me in concept, but not actual aroma, of the "Volkswagen smell." EVERY VW I've ever been in has it. It's rarely as strong now as it was with the VW's of the 80s and earlier, but it's there. Thing, Bug, Beetle, Bus, Kharman Ghia, Golf, Jetta, Rabbit, they ALL had it.

thats odd, my bug smelled like weed