Harbor freight in trouble

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by Sayjac

As for HF topic generally, reading it's mostly same yada yada seen here for many years about their products and coo. That includes the same old hypocrisy from several that have purchased and posted products from HF then criticize others doing same. Typical do as I say not as I do behavior. But they can rationalize their HF purchase in their own mind. I could link a thread or two proving it, but no point.


Originally Posted by Sayjac
^^^^And thus my follow up comment after seeing extreme agreement notation with said post knowing that HF product purchase(s) had taken place. Point to note, those living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. However, not really surprised.

......You must have some vested interest, …..
Yep, I have vested interest calling it exactly as I see it. Don't like it, don't read it. Me thinks thou doth protest too much with the rest of the bloviation not worth quoting. Clearly you recognized yourself though with your unhinged reply.

And it should be noted that the follow up responses are to a couple members that replied with quotes directly to me.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by Sayjac
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by Sayjac

As for HF topic generally, reading it's mostly same yada yada seen here for many years about their products and coo. That includes the same old hypocrisy from several that have purchased and posted products from HF then criticize others doing same. Typical do as I say not as I do behavior. But they can rationalize their HF purchase in their own mind. I could link a thread or two proving it, but no point.


Originally Posted by Sayjac
^^^^And thus my follow up comment after seeing extreme agreement notation with said post knowing that HF product purchase(s) had taken place. Point to note, those living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. However, not really surprised.

......You must have some vested interest, or a real desire to be offended, to be going on like this...…...
Yep, I have vested interest calling it exactly as I see it. Don't like it, don't read it. Me thinks thou doth protest too much with the rest of the bloviation not worth quoting. Clearly you recognized yourself though with your unhinged reply.

And it should be noted that the follow up responses are to a couple members that replied directly to me.


What exactly youre "calling" is beyond me. More like wasting bandwidth. Recognized myself? You are the one that specifically said "extreme agreement notation".

Not entirely sure what you think youre even "calling", and who made you umpire anyway? What value are you adding with your chest thumping and threats to cite other posts and threads? And your "follow up" posts are doing the same "calling out" against mine. Its clear from the language you chose.

So Ill ask again, Mr. Umpire:

Are you arguing my (and bbhero, and Mr Nice's) endorsement to bring manufacturing back to the USA? Our willingness to spend more to do so?

Youre arguing the reality of the vast majority pursuing the cheapest "deal" out there at the cost of jobs and domestic manufacturing??!?

You have such a sense of superior morality and fairness that you intend to call me out as a hypocrite every chance you have for endorsing someone else's comment, because I dare to set foot into the store?

You have a vested interest in HF, a supplier, another Chinese business, that you take offense and see it as a threat for people to desire to bring manufacturing back to the USA and support USA businesses with their money?

So, what is it?

You started this escapade. Because a few of us dared to endorse US manufacturing.

Right now it looks more like youre an internet troll taking to attack someone for their position in this thread.

State YOUR vested interest. Nobody asked you for your opinion on my position. Yet multiple posts of YOURS in here are exactly that.

Had you not gone on and on multiple times (now trying to hide under the shroud of replying to others), I wouldnt even be responding.

 

[Sayjac]

Since it's "wasting bandwidth" anyway, pointless to carry on. My prior posts this thread are clear.

 

[Job]

I am happy with the $10 Husky ratchet sets I bought recently. The lure of a bargain is too great, and the ratchet itself is made in Taiwan and is probably the best overall ratchet I have ever had.
Against my budget I also bought a Wright 958 combo wrench set recently for over $200. Made in USA with USA steel. I am even more happy with that set because of where it was made.
The thing is, companies like Wright are making fairly small quantities and in time of war that's who we need to depend on. I don't bash GM either, we need them and Ford. It seems to come down to, for me, the big picture, rather than money. If HF disappears I have no problem with it at all. They won't they will make even more probably.
Back to sheltering in place.

 

[javacontour]

Even if the HF stores disappear, the offshore manufactured tools will not go away.

The stores and the product are two different business cases.

How many formerly made in US Craftsman tools are now made in China or other?

At least HF is "honest" and isn't trying to rest on the laurels of a name that may have meant something to our fathers or grandfathers, but is largely meaningless today.

TBH, the Husky 1/4" drive set I got from HD last week seems decent. My HF 3/8" Pittsburgh "Pro" flex head ratchet served me well changing the plugs on the 1999 Grand Marquis a couple of weekends ago. https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-professional-flex-head-ratchet-62321.html

Now if I turned wrenches everyday, not sure I'd go with this or not. But for my driveway, I'm not sure the use case is there for a 3/8" snap-on for 5-8x the price in my toolbox.

Now if the local Sears sold me a made in USA version of that for even 2x the price I just might buy. But the offering doesn't look like it's made in the US or it would be plastered all over the tool, the website and the packaging.

Seems like there isn't much in the made in the US space for the DIY person like there was a couple of generations ago. What I'm offered at Sears, Home Depot or Lowes isn't all that different from what is offered at HF.

Which tells me that maybe some of the HF stores close shop, but that market segment and COO will remain as there are plenty of retailers selling in that space.

 

[4WD]

Great to see HF is donating all N95 and other face masks along with nitrile gloves

 

[Job]

Originally Posted by javacontour
Even if the HF stores disappear, the offshore manufactured tools will not go away.

The stores and the product are two different business cases.

How many formerly made in US Craftsman tools are now made in China or other?

At least HF is "honest" and isn't trying to rest on the laurels of a name that may have meant something to our fathers or grandfathers, but is largely meaningless today.

TBH, the Husky 1/4" drive set I got from HD last week seems decent. My HF 3/8" Pittsburgh "Pro" flex head ratchet served me well changing the plugs on the 1999 Grand Marquis a couple of weekends ago. https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-professional-flex-head-ratchet-62321.html

Now if I turned wrenches everyday, not sure I'd go with this or not. But for my driveway, I'm not sure the use case is there for a 3/8" snap-on for 5-8x the price in my toolbox.

Now if the local Sears sold me a made in USA version of that for even 2x the price I just might buy. But the offering doesn't look like it's made in the US or it would be plastered all over the tool, the website and the packaging.

Seems like there isn't much in the made in the US space for the DIY person like there was a couple of generations ago. What I'm offered at Sears, Home Depot or Lowes isn't all that different from what is offered at HF.

Which tells me that maybe some of the HF stores close shop, but that market segment and COO will remain as there are plenty of retailers selling in that space.

The Husky set in 3/8 for $10 is also in my HD. Such a nice longer handle thin profile ratchet, not made in China either. HF coming on the scene is largely responsible for American competitors to suffer IMO. Sears sells a lot more than hand tools. New Craftsman have "cmmt " or something as the starting product number, not 9, made by Black and Decker, and they are opening a USA factory to at least assemble them in the USA. Those are factory jobs, not store jobs.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted by Farnsworth

Against my budget I also bought a Wright 958 combo wrench set recently for over $200. Made in USA with USA steel. I am even more happy with that set because of where it was made.


Glad you got a set. I have used mine a couple of times now. They are great. Feels good in the hand and hefty. I was happy to find a quality USA set, that was affordable.

 

[JHZR2]

Though the umpire may object or make more comments about my commentary; since I call them like I see them, I'll say that HF's move to donate PPE was a nice gesture.

Quote


Dear Harbor Freight Community,

As we've been following the news over the last few days, we've heard about the severe shortage of protective gear for hospitals, healthcare workers and first responders as the impact of COVID-19 is being felt across the country. America depends on these heroes every day and in the days ahead we will depend on them even more. At Harbor Freight, we want them to know that they can depend on us too.

So we've decided to donate our entire supply of the personal protective equipment items listed below to front line hospitals with 24 hour emergency rooms in the communities served by our stores.

• N95 Masks
• Face Shields
• 5 and 7 mil Nitrile Gloves
If you work at a hospital with a 24 hour emergency room in need of these items, please ask the office in charge of procurement at your hospital to click here so they can provide us with the information we'll need to determine if we can make a donation. If you're not with a hospital, but would like to give us the name of a hospital with a 24 hour emergency room in your community that might need our help, please email us at [email protected], identify the hospital's city and state in the subject line, and our team will follow-up.

PLEASE DO NOT MAKE REQUESTS AT YOUR LOCAL STORE OR OUR CALL CENTER AND PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT HOSPITALS—THEY'RE BUSY HELPING THEIR PATIENTS.

For hospitals we're able to help, we'll email them a voucher when the supplies are available for pick up at their local Harbor Freight Tools store.

Although we certainly won't have enough of these supplies to fill everyone's needs, we're going to donate everything we've got. We also recognize that there are so many other critically important people responding to this crisis and that there is need everywhere. We've chosen to focus our efforts on hospitals with a 24 hour emergency room with the hope that we can help as many people as possible right now.

Thank you and God Bless,

Eric Smidt
Owner and Founder
Harbor Freight Tools

 

[hatt]

I can't imagine they have too many N95s at this point. Those were slim at the end of January. I've heard they have a good supply of gloves at the stores though.

 

[Nyati]

Originally Posted by gathermewool
Originally Posted by Mr Nice
Bring manufacturing back to the USA.

Especially pharmaceuticals.

I don't mind spending more $$$ to have more Americans employed.


You say you don't mind spending $$$ for locally-manufactured gear, but would you really be willing to spend $$$$$$$$$$ for similar quality?




I would

 

[edyvw]

It is about profit.
I always tell this story.
In 2016 I bought two car seats for two cars.
First I went with Recaor. I bought only one as I read that it is big seat, so worried whether it would fit in Tiguan. It did, but barely, and getting kid in and out was real gymnastic. Made in USA, although it is German company. $269.
I order Graco Extend fit for Tiguan as I put Recaro in BMW X5. Smaller, $249. Made in China. Absolute POS. Kid never been able to sleep in it more than 45min. Flimsy, always some issue around tightening.
Recaro? Always super secured. I knew to make 950 miles a day with no iPad and similar stuff with my kid in it. Never complained.
$20 difference! Sometimes I would pay $200 more just for a kid to stop crying sometimes.
So there you go, $20 more for Made in USA, MUCH, MUCH better seat.
I think Graco could also make that seat in the US and sell it for $249, and still make money. But....

 

[demarpaint]

There are a lot more stores than HF that are currently in trouble. IMO HF is going to pull out of this just fine. Either way it isn't going to change my life one way or the other.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by Mr Nice
Bring manufacturing back to the USA.

Especially pharmaceuticals.

I don't mind spending more $$$ to have more Americans employed.


Exactly, Why complain about an early failure of a $20 tool when it could be a $40 tool !

Look people, with global supply chains, it is design and raw materials which are more important than whether the fingers assembling the tool are Asian or Caucasian. Cheap tools of questionable quality are sold in the US because there's a market for them. The consumer is in control.

 

[JeffKeryk]

In my experience, HF is in trouble.
I bought an Earthquake cordless 3/8" ratchet because of everyone posting about their Milwaukee Fuelers.
It crapped out on me on Monday as I was spinning in lugs on wifey's TSX.
Dang thing has very little time on it and zero hard work.

I can stop it by grabbing the spinning deep 19mm SO socket with my hand.
Milwaukee here I come. I hate cheap tools. Money down the drain. Sheesh.

 

[P10crew]

Jeff I thought we converted you from battery power to internal combustion?
You do know the Milwaukee's are made in ha choo China right?

 

[E365]

I just used my ($20?) Harbor Freight box-end Torx Wrench set.

The only American made equivalent I can find is SnapOn for $258 for a set. Honestly what's a consumer supposed to do? $52 for a simple, box-end wrench?!

https://shop.snapon.com/product/TOR...RX-Double-Box-Wrench-Set-(E5-E20)/ETX705

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by E365
I just used my ($20?) Harbor Freight box-end Torx Wrench set.

The only American made equivalent I can find is SnapOn for $258 for a set. Honestly what's a consumer supposed to do? $52 for a simple, box-end wrench?!

https://shop.snapon.com/product/TOR...RX-Double-Box-Wrench-Set-(E5-E20)/ETX705


Hazet makes a set: https://www.hazet.de/en/products/ha...-box-end-wrench-609-outside-torx-profile

But they aren't a whole heck of a lot cheaper than Snap-On, depending on the size. These range from $21-47.

 

[Malo83]

Our new HF store will be opening by the end of the month.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Originally Posted by P10crew
Jeff I thought we converted you from battery power to internal combustion?
You do know the Milwaukee's are made in ha choo China right?

Do you have a suggestion?