Harbor Freight

[gdod25]

Do all members of the forums have stock in Harbor Freight? The company is referenced time and time again in posts. Xi Jinping thanks you all.

[AirHeadsRus]

I don't think you can buy stock in Harbor freight or the parent company. I do thank them for selling low cost tools which I have a few and use every now and then.
You trolling?

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by gdod25

Do all members of the forums have stock in Harbor Freight? The company is referenced time and time again in posts. Xi Jinping thanks you all.

I don't think so. It's just a place to buy cheap junk tools for one time use.

Brian

[aquinob]

Some of the tools they have are good buys for somebody like me doing lots of metal work. As an example, I have their pneumatic riveter that I paid 40 something dollars for and have gotten lots of good use out of it. Not perfect by any means, but it doesnt cost several hundred either, so I'm willing to put up with some occasional jams for all the time and sore hands it saves me. I've also gotten their powered metal shear which while not as high rated (imho) as the riveter, is still handy enough to keep around. Their oscillating saw is a close copy of the Fein multimaster tool, but that saw goes for close to 200 (now about half what it was) and the various clones go for about 30. And the clones work pretty well considering.

And if you consider some of the alternatives, lots of what Sears, HD and Lowes sells is also from China, maybe a bit higher quality, but certainly more expensive. Unfortunately, many of the common hand and power tools are just not American made.

Most of my hand held power tools are all Bosch now, and if I can find some of the German or Swiss origin tools like the sanders and jigsaws, then that is my choice. I've got two Festool tools, a track saw and a sander and they are wonderful, but very pricey and I got them both used. So I have both high and low end stuff in my toolkit. To me, sometimes it's worth paying the price, sometimes not.

[gdod25]

No Joe not trolling. I have always paid for good tools and they pay off (except when I lend them they seem to have trouble finding their way home) plus I dont like supporting China. Guess I should study up on my Mandarin.

[garry]

The tool kit I carry on the road is expendable and most of the stuff is from Harbor Freight mainly for one time use.

My good tools stay home for everyday use.

Example I have a $100 Fluke meter at home and a $10 digital meter from HF in every vehicle including the RV and they ($10 meters) do a good enough job for emergency use.

[wahoonc]

Depends on the tool and what it is for. I learned a long time ago the value of having good tools. I also learned that they will walk off when you aren't looking. I buy the best tool for the job at hand. At home just about everything is top shelf. For tools I take to my jobsites or where the potential exists for someone to "adopt" them I will purchase less expensive tools. I have a couple of the air rivet guns and a couple of impact wrenches from HF and they to the job they were purchased for. I also have some old air impact wrenches that cost me over a week's pay back in the day. They are kept under lock and key, the $70 one from HF or Northern Tools does what it needs to do.

Very, very few tools are made in the US any more and many of them are of poor quality. FWIW I worked for B&D back in the 70's and 80's, the plant I worked at closed for good in 2000 with the jobs going to Mexico and China. I was gone from there by 1987, job had been outsourced. It has become a global market like it or not.

Aaron

[gmw photos]

Exactly as everyone is saying, the trick to buying stuff from HF is to realize/admit you're buying simply on the initial price. Don't expect great life out of most of it, but at the price, you can often consider it disposable.
I buy six packs of their work gloves so I have them around the barn and in the trucks. If I have one of the teenage boys around when I'm bucking hay, it's good to have some HF gloves for the kids to use, and I just let them keep them. I've found if I try to use them as daily use gloves, they are literally falling apart at the seams within the week. So for myself, I use kinco gloves, but they cost me over $20/pair.

I'd never leave any of my good tools unlocked at the barn......but yeah, the little HF tool box with some basics in it....it's in the feed room all the time for other folks to use.
Our parents said the same things about the Japanese products in the fifties. We survived that....we'll survive this too.

Ha ! .... I'd like to have stock in HF !!

[gdod25]

Take Snap On as an example, new for say $250, ebay used $40. A good alternative if you have time to wait for delivery.

[Airrogant]

Some people are simply more tolerant of risk than others. I don't buy anything from HF anymore. I've had several bad experiences and one close call because their poor-quality hand tools easily break.

I don't fault the Chinese for the quality of HF's products. I'm pretty sure that every country on the planet has a piece of it's crap in your local HF store.

[r carl]

Isn't that the place where you buy ST tires?

[blkmagikca]

Bought a 3KW generator from HF 3 years ago. The wiring was wrong - hot and neutral on the 30 amp output was crossed. I knew this was likely because I read the ratings beforehand, so I rewired it. For the $250 it cost me all in (purchase price, plus tax and an extended across the counter warranty), it works well, and starts on the first pull every time. True, it is noisy, so I don't wear my hearing aids and it doesn't bother me.

[mandolindave]

I bought a multi-tool from HF, for twenty something dollars, instead of a Feign multi-tool for $350. The thirty dollar tool has saved me time, and saved me from having to call in a pro. I have only needed it 5 times this year. I feel like it paid for itself by using it once. When it breaks, I'll buy a new one
SOMETIMES, a homeowner doesn't need the BEST tool, and sometimes can't afford the best tool. I'd rather give $20 to China, than $350 to Sweden, or pay an American $50 an hour.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by mandolindave

I bought a multi-tool from HF, for twenty something dollars, instead of a Feign multi-tool for $350. The thirty dollar tool has saved me time, and saved me from having to call in a pro. I have only needed it 5 times this year. I feel like it paid for itself by using it once. When it breaks, I'll buy a new one
SOMETIMES, a homeowner doesn't need the BEST tool, and sometimes can't afford the best tool. I'd rather give $20 to China, than $350 to Sweden, or pay an American $50 an hour.

Would you support the Walton family that makes millions an hour?

[xrvr]

Yes I would! Jim

[switz]

I acquired a Snap-On tool chest (Harley 100th Anniversary) and contents for the price of a car. None of the tools have ever given me any problems or broken. I have supplemented with a few HF tools specifically for the trailer as I read about the occasional vanishing tools or the need to share with a fellow traveler.

I also have a Craftsman tool chest at another location filled with their tools from when they were made in the USA. Now they have no warranty on their tools without a receipt. I bought these twenty years ago.... Gone are the days of walking in with a broken socket and they would immediately hand you a new one.

I needed a specific impact socket to install the ProPride (one part wanted 250 ft pounds of torque). The cost of the socket at Snap-On online was more than the entire set of the impact sockets at HF. After the initial installation, that socket may get used annually on the two nuts in question to check the torque. At my age, I might use it fifteen times. It is hard to justify the Snap-On price for this occasional use.

Due to the safety issues associated with the wheels and the tires, I do use a better quality torque wrench, extension and socket on the wheel lug nuts (125 ft pounds) as I check those often.

[Skater]

Originally Posted by gdod25

Take Snap On as an example, new for say $250, ebay used $40. A good alternative if you have time to wait for delivery.

Actually, that implies that Snap On tools are overpriced, since the resale value is so low.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by switz

I also have a Craftsman tool chest at another location filled with their tools from when they were made in the USA. Now they have no warranty on their tools without a receipt. I bought these twenty years ago.... Gone are the days of walking in with a broken socket and they would immediately hand you a new one.

Last week I took a 1/4" drive Craftsman rachet which was slipping to Sears in Missoula MT and they simply handed me another from their box of replacements. They then rebuild the old ones for the next customer. So, the replacement policy still is working at least at some stores. No receipt needed.

[Stefrobrts]

I've been looking at buying a turbine HVLP sprayer system at HF. It's about $100 on sale. Real HVLP turbines will set you back at least $300 for a used setup, and I only need to paint a few things. Reviews online lead me to believe it will work for what I want. Why pay more for the best tool if a 'good enough' tool will do the job? And both options are cheaper than paying someone who knows what they're doing

[r carl]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

I've been looking at buying a turbine HVLP sprayer system at HF. It's about $100 on sale. Real HVLP turbines will set you back at least $300 for a used setup, and I only need to paint a few things. Reviews online lead me to believe it will work for what I want. Why pay more for the best tool if a 'good enough' tool will do the job? And both options are cheaper than paying someone who knows what they're doing

If you know what your doing a cheap one wont suite you.