Tools and Machines Harbor frieght tools.. hit or miss, still worth it sometimes. - Page 2

CyFi · 03-27-2008, 09:45 PM

things to not buy:
breaker bar-Flexes way too damn much!
knife thing with camping supplies in handle
Yellow 60 dollar jack, i had to modify it to make it so the car doesnt slam down hella fast even when gentle with the release
Multimeter- basically doesnt do ****
Prybars- they f**kin bend before they pry anything

Stuff to buy:
Deadblow hammer, works good, hasnt broken
Electric impact-convinient
Heatshrink tubing- its like 3 bucks for as much stuff that would cost like 80 bucks from radioshack
Heatgun- works fine.

Big Thurs · 05-10-2008, 08:03 AM

Quote:

You wont find those warranties on craftsman products unless you pay for the warranty. It's very easy to just take the defective product back for a new one.

I just warranted a broken Craftsman wrench and adaptor, no questions asked. (even though the warrany does not cover commercial use) Then again, that warranty is only on hand tools.
I have seen many items on the Mac truck at harbor freight. Sometimes I buy things from harbor freight with the intention of modifying it. They have some really good, durable tools and some crap. Personally, I have been dissapointed with chicago electric tools. They work but many of them feel as if they are about to fall apart. Oh yeah, dont buy cheap hydraulic jacks period.

BTW, they will match catalog prices at the store.

MR-3sgte · 01-17-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomsMR2

anything from harbor freight that uses batteries, or god forbid uses rechargeable batteries, is junk. ive seen no exemption to this rule. their sockets tend to crack very quickly and easily. the 12 points are great for stripping bolts

their wrenches are also fairly poor fitting, and also tend to strip bolts. these are not the sockets you want for those tough rusty bolts.. all in all, id pass on their sockets, wrenches and screwdrivers.. even for home use its worth it to pay a little more for a better screwdriver.

WRONG i have a set of their 1/2 inch impact sockets best damn impact sockets u can buy for the price my coworker had the same set for 4 years not one broke my other mastermechanic had his for 7 never broke i wouldnt go upon buy anything else but if you want yourself a set of good 1/2 impact socket get the pittsburg ones from hf you cant go wrong

Kerry Phillips · 08-16-2009, 09:07 PM

I agree with just about 100%. HF heatgun is a quality product, their solder gun is a POS. The heatshrink tubing is a great value, as well as hammers. Some power cutting tools need to be upgraded with namebrand blades. Bout the impact sockets, forget price, their quality is very good!
The Red Craftsman compressors are also made in China, spend an extra $100 for the black proffesional series, they are far more durable and quieter.

jholder · 08-16-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerry Phillips

Some power cutting tools need to be upgraded with namebrand blades.

+2.4

Absolutely, I've said it before, my $14 HF angle grinder has been worth every penny and never let me down. That being said, their cutting blades/grinding wheels/sandpaper/etc are "teh suq".

I just picked a die grinder from HF, with nothing else, and stopped by lowe's on the way home for the abrasive pads. Used it a few times, nothing but happiness.

fvillota · 08-16-2009, 10:26 PM

lol thats the place i bought my a/c manifold gauges from.
cost me 50 bucks! lol and ive repaired about 200 + a/c problems with it.

its cheap but they arent that bad.

David · 08-16-2009, 10:31 PM

I like them. I got a set of pittsburg wrenches with a lifetime warrenty, and nothing's broke so far. I get most of my tools from there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by black94t

oh ya, I also bought their $7 float charger for batteries. I've had the MR2 in hibernation since first week of November. It's been sitting on a float charger since and it's been keeping its charge....

I got a float charger for $3

mr3 · 08-17-2009, 11:26 AM

Clutch bleeder for $20. Best thing I bought from them. I was banging my head against the steering wheel trying to get it to go with no luck then spent the $20 and got it bled in 2 minutes. I dont expect much from the tools, I only expect them to last for the job at hand and after that I dont plan on using them much afterwords.

RandomHero · 08-17-2009, 02:33 PM

im heading out there today and going to pick up the pneumatic sander they have that doubles as a high speed drill for $20

TomsMR2 · 08-17-2009, 06:01 PM

its an air hog.. just make sure you've got a good enough compressor to run it. air motors in general take a lot!

about the bleeders.. HF sells the high quality industry standard mityvacs. cant go wrong with a mityvac!

Quote:

WRONG i have a set of their 1/2 inch impact sockets best damn impact sockets u can buy for the price my

they're the best for the price because they're the ONLY ones for that price

they're on par with craftsman sockets and the same rules apply. the big 1/2 inch drive ones are like a quarter inch thick, they're tanks. the smaller ones are typical chinese crap, and they will break. cheap 3/8th drive tools coupled with todays super high powered air tools dont hold up, period.

conor · 08-22-2009, 03:12 AM

^^^ yeah, the 1/2" ones I have hold up well too.. but.. they're just 1/2" sockets. Hard to eff that one up!

3/8 wobblies, on the other hand... junk!

I own a HF tool cart as well.. gets used and abused every day at work. So far so good! For $130 on sale I couldn't be happier. Ball bearing drawer slides and everything!

JDMFTW · 09-02-2009, 09:51 PM

i have some testing equipment a swazall and some impact sockets love it all, definitely good if your in a pinch.

Medusa · 09-03-2009, 12:35 AM

This is all really good stuff to know, i'm a college student (automotive) so if I need a tool, I really can't afford to pay craftsman/kobalt/name brand prices for stuff that really doesn't have a reason to be that expensive.

With a few exceptions of course...I'd never trust an HF torque wrench to be accurate or anything.

mr3 · 09-03-2009, 12:54 PM

Forgot some other stuff.
Little blue welder. Costs like 1 or 200 dollars. Great for what it is. The little plastic nubs on the bottem came unscrewed from the inside and I dont feel like taking it appart to fix because the bottem is flat and it works good enough. It's not a high quality thing but it is there and it does it's job.
The welding mask that changes when you start, I forget what they are actually called. It's the stupid looking one with the blue flames on it, cost $40 or so on sale. Works perfect. My dad works at a steel plant and his leader bought one that cost $300 more and he said this $40 one was better.

08-16-2009, 09:07 PM	#24 (permalink)
Kerry Phillips Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chattanooga, TN area Posts: 299 Thanks: 0 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Hit Or miss I agree with just about 100%. HF heatgun is a quality product, their solder gun is a POS. The heatshrink tubing is a great value, as well as hammers. Some power cutting tools need to be upgraded with namebrand blades. Bout the impact sockets, forget price, their quality is very good! The Red Craftsman compressors are also made in China, spend an extra $100 for the black proffesional series, they are far more durable and quieter.

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03-27-2008, 09:45 PM	#21 (permalink)
CyFi Moved on Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,401 Thanks: 12 Thanked 38 Times in 35 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	things to not buy: breaker bar-Flexes way too damn much! knife thing with camping supplies in handle Yellow 60 dollar jack, i had to modify it to make it so the car doesnt slam down hella fast even when gentle with the release Multimeter- basically doesnt do ** Prybars- they fkin bend before they pry anything Stuff to buy: Deadblow hammer, works good, hasnt broken Electric impact-convinient Heatshrink tubing- its like 3 bucks for as much stuff that would cost like 80 bucks from radioshack Heatgun- works fine.

08-16-2009, 10:26 PM	#26 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,538 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	lol thats the place i bought my a/c manifold gauges from. cost me 50 bucks! lol and ive repaired about 200 + a/c problems with it. its cheap but they arent that bad.

08-17-2009, 11:26 AM	#28 (permalink)
mr3 unskilled Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Plymouth Mtg, Pa Posts: 2,406 Thanks: 24 Thanked 98 Times in 93 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Clutch bleeder for $20. Best thing I bought from them. I was banging my head against the steering wheel trying to get it to go with no luck then spent the $20 and got it bled in 2 minutes. I dont expect much from the tools, I only expect them to last for the job at hand and after that I dont plan on using them much afterwords.

08-17-2009, 02:33 PM	#29 (permalink)
RandomHero Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 106 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	im heading out there today and going to pick up the pneumatic sander they have that doubles as a high speed drill for $20

08-22-2009, 03:12 AM	#31 (permalink)
conor Lord Anti-Rice Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 987 Thanks: 22 Thanked 32 Times in 28 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	^^^ yeah, the 1/2" ones I have hold up well too.. but.. they're just 1/2" sockets. Hard to eff that one up! 3/8 wobblies, on the other hand... junk! I own a HF tool cart as well.. gets used and abused every day at work. So far so good! For $130 on sale I couldn't be happier. Ball bearing drawer slides and everything!

09-02-2009, 09:51 PM	#32 (permalink)
JDMFTW No Skills Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	i have some testing equipment a swazall and some impact sockets love it all, definitely good if your in a pinch.

09-03-2009, 12:35 AM	#33 (permalink)
Medusa HAY GUISE! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 752 Thanks: 9 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	This is all really good stuff to know, i'm a college student (automotive) so if I need a tool, I really can't afford to pay craftsman/kobalt/name brand prices for stuff that really doesn't have a reason to be that expensive. With a few exceptions of course...I'd never trust an HF torque wrench to be accurate or anything.

09-03-2009, 12:54 PM	#34 (permalink)
mr3 unskilled Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Plymouth Mtg, Pa Posts: 2,406 Thanks: 24 Thanked 98 Times in 93 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Forgot some other stuff. Little blue welder. Costs like 1 or 200 dollars. Great for what it is. The little plastic nubs on the bottem came unscrewed from the inside and I dont feel like taking it appart to fix because the bottem is flat and it works good enough. It's not a high quality thing but it is there and it does it's job. The welding mask that changes when you start, I forget what they are actually called. It's the stupid looking one with the blue flames on it, cost $40 or so on sale. Works perfect. My dad works at a steel plant and his leader bought one that cost $300 more and he said this $40 one was better.