Harbor Freight Tools

[Pop_Rivit]

I spent the day helping a friend remove the existing vinyl floor and 1/4 underlayment from his kitchen-he's planning to put down tile. I had offered to bring my toe kick saw (along with a few other tools) but he had just purchased a $70 toe kick saw from Harbor Freight and wanted to use it.

His brand new Harbor Freight toe kick saw lasted just over 3 feet. It kicked slightly, and the entire handle snapped off the base.

I made a trip home and grabbed my old Crain toe kick saw and returned to finish the job.

I'm absolutely amazed why anyone would do business with Harbor Freight. Just comparing what was left of his saw with mine, the difference was striking. A few of the other tools he had were from Harbor Freight, and the quality was just as pathetic.

 

[GregGA]

I don't know anything about tow kick saws.

However, Harbor Freight does have some good deals if you look.
Made in USA, nope. If you want this you can buy Snap on or Klein. I always try to buy USA if I can.

BUT, they have some great impact wrench sockets, and I use the 25" breaker bar quite a bit. Rubber gloves etc are great deals.

We are in a depression, shop wisely and spend your money the same.

 

[NHGUY]

Have had some good luck with some of the HF items I have bought,but a couple were real dogs.The handheld bandsaw is very poorly designed,and the air operated sabre saw couldnt cut anything but made plenty of noise.I have burnt up a few cheap angle grinders,but they were $12.00 so I never expected much...and I abused them pretty much.Good results with their bead roller and shrinker/stretcher combo.

 

[Chris142]

There air tools especially the earthquake line are fantastic. Impact sockets are very good too. Their more expensive air compressors are a rebranded USA company's that the name escapes me at the moment.

Some of their screwdrivers are great too. I prefer them over my Snap-On ones.

Stay away from the made in India stuff they sell.

 

[jcwit]

I was going to make a reply here but its only going to turn into a bash Harbor Freight thread.

 

[demarpaint]

Their 25" Breaker Bar is quite good for the money. They have some pretty good tools and some real garbage. Buying from their catalog is a shot in the dark IMO, you really have to see their tools before buying.

 

[Knox]

 

[tig1]

I have purchased a few things from them and they all seem to be fine.

 

[01rangerxl]

I like Harbor Freight for less expensive things I won't be upset about losing or breaking. It's good to stock up on things like tie downs, tarps, wire brushes, etc. when they have them on sale. Some of their deals are hard to beat, even if it's just for some cheap throw away stuff.

I have been really tempted to buy one of those "Chicago Electric" two stroke generators too, but haven't justified a need for one yet. I sometimes do work at houses that have no utilities hooked up and it would be nice to know I can bring portable electricity without having to run the truck if I need to.

I haven't bought any of their actual hand or power tools, but I'm sure for an occasional use cheap tool they are fine. Not everyone can justify spending money on a tool that will outlast them.

 

[jcwit]

Not everyone can justify spending money on a tool that will outlast them.

Very, very true! Especially when one is 68 yrs old.

 

[sciphi]

Like every place, some of the stuff is a good deal. Some of it is trash. Their basic tools are generally pretty good. Most of my impact sockets are HF, and they work just fine. Some of their electrical stuff is okay, too. I used a 4.5" angle grinder extensively a few years ago, and expected it to die quickly. It still hasn't yet. My HF low-profile (not aluminum racing) jack works quite well, and their 3-ton jackstands are a great value IMO. I've been generally satisfied with my HF stuff, enough so to keep going back there at least.

 

[earlyre]

so far i've only bought 3 things from HF, but so far, so good.
1)Manual Can Crusher $10
2)clicker type Torque wrench - my other didn't go high enough for my lug nuts(100 ft/lbs), really all i use it for. Maybe $45(over a yr ago)
3)#3 Pipe cutter - Improvised Oil Filter Cutter.(designed for pipe up to 3"), about $20.

 

[cutter]

Only bought one thing and it's been great. Got their 25" 1/2 drive breaker bar for 10$. Ive thrown out the 4 cross tire jack that came with my car, could never bust nuts loose with that thing and had been a potential roadside nightmare to me.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

I'm absolutely amazed why anyone would do business with Harbor Freight.


It's hard to imagine, but some people simply don't know any better.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
I like Harbor Freight for less expensive things I won't be upset about losing or breaking. It's good to stock up on things like tie downs, tarps, wire brushes, etc. when they have them on sale. Some of their deals are hard to beat, even if it's just for some cheap throw away stuff.



I agree, and when I have an employee forget a screwdriver on a job, or a hammer I don't go nuts. We use their screwdrivers to remove switch plates, and for light duty household work. I don't need a $35 hammer to reset popped nails in sheet-rock either, so their less expensive tools do a fine job for the work I use them for, and if they get lost or broken I'm not out a lot of money.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

I'm absolutely amazed why anyone would do business with Harbor Freight.


It's hard to imagine, but some people simply don't know any better.


And then wonder why there are ever fewer jobs in many segments in the USA.

But its all good so long as uncle Sam gives enough of a handout to get to the race trac station down the interstate to buy cigs. Don't judge else you be ignant.

 

[JHZR2]

My favorite is when I went to hf and found a tool broken in the box...

Glad I didnt put this thing on a ball joint.

I bought an OTC tool instead...

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

I'm absolutely amazed why anyone would do business with Harbor Freight.


It's hard to imagine, but some people simply don't know any better.


And then wonder why there are ever fewer jobs in many segments in the USA.

But its all good so long as uncle Sam gives enough of a handout to get to the race trac station down the interstate to buy cigs. Don't judge else you be ignant.


It's true that it is a shame we are losing so many jobs, but you are over simplyfing this. Often we have little or no choice but to buy foreign made products. Wheather it's made in China or Germany or elsewhere. I see no differance at all, foreign is foreign. Now some foreign products are better qualiy than others, but doesn't help our job losses.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I have had good results from the HF hand tools I have bought. I especially like their fully polished wrench sets, and I got a set of their stubby metric and SAE wrenches that have really come in handy and saved me some busted knuckles on a few occasions. I have a HF floor jack that is 4 years old and still works great, I also have a HF 1/2" electric impact wrench and it works well too. The hand tools are usually OK to very good quality, it's the cheapie electric stuff they sell that you have to watch out for. HF has great deals on rubber gloves, shop rags, zip ties, plastic sheeting, probably hundreds of other items that cost a lot more at other stores, and for the most part the stuff is OK. Their HFT brand of duct tape and electrical tape is very good quality, especially the duct tape. It is actually stickier and tears easier than the duct tape I have bought at Home Depot.

 

[Michael_P]

Many of their tools are the same thing you get at the auto parts stores and hardware stores but for way less. I've done three large roofs with their coil nailer. It's the same thing as my Bostich, just a different color. That ball joint separator you show there JHZR2 as you know was probably returned merchandise. If you went to the store in Brick, I have seen some obvious returned merchandise there in the shelves. That break could have been the result of operator error. With pitman arm and tie rod pullers, many folks torque down hard on the tool and then it snaps when all they had to do is apply moderate tension and hit the tool head or part with a hammer. I buy HF specialty tools, especially suspension tools and have yet to break one. You have to finesse them to make them work and last but not a hard task at all.