northern tool = harbor freight

[Soundguy]

I was looking for some drill bits to sacrifice to the broken bolts and studs on my latest project tractor, and hit both a harbor freight and a northern tool.

except for a FEW brand name items int he northern store.. most of it was the usual chinese fair you find at harbor freight.. perhaps the 'select' items maybee.. not some of the real low end junk.. only difference was the premium you pay if you get it at northern tool.

I looked at 2 identical drill bit sets ( big 115 and 145pc sets ).. same at each store.. same bits.. same metal box.. near 2x the price at northern....

soundguy

 

[JL Sargent]

"Now you know the rest of the story" Paul Harvey.

 

[FarmGeek]

I remember when they were Northern Hydraulics. Great prices and abundant quality. I ordered boxes of stuff from them. Then they tried Northern Handyman as a handle and added a lot of off-shore items. Still pretty good prices and fair bargains. Now I don't even go into the store and one is only two miles from me.

Shame. I miss Northern Hydraulics.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I was looking for some drill bits to sacrifice to the broken bolts and studs on my latest project tractor, and hit both a harbor freight and a northern tool.

except for a FEW brand name items int he northern store.. most of it was the usual chinese fair you find at harbor freight.. perhaps the 'select' items maybee.. not some of the real low end junk.. only difference was the premium you pay if you get it at northern tool.

I looked at 2 identical drill bit sets ( big 115 and 145pc sets ).. same at each store.. same bits.. same metal box.. near 2x the price at northern....

soundguy

I had to laugh about this because my grandfather says the exact same thing. (he swears by Harbor Freight) :laughing: I've only ordered two things form Northern Tool (electric submersible pump, 1000 Watt generator) and I had to throw both away.

 

[CurlyDave]

Northern Tool is about the only reasonably-priced source for a lever dolly.

Other than that specific tool, I will take my chances with HF.

 

[Skyco]

I agree...I use to love NT, when I had nothing else locally, but once HF came to town I browse NT a lot but don't buy much.
Case in point- last week I bought one of the metal cutting circular saws...NT was $119 for their burgandy colored version of the exact same orange colored saw at HF for $89. Plus I had a 20% off coupon at HF dropping it even more.
Quite frankly I'm wondering if NT will even survive if they don't get realistic on their pricing...the two stores in my town are a couple of miles apart...the HF usually has twice or maybe thrice as many customers in it.
Another thing..NT has a regional warehouse near Charlotte NC, 75 miles away, but if I order something it takes them longer to ship to store than I can get it online, for less, from halfway across the country delivered to my house....ship to store hasn't been a good experience, have done it a few times, twice the store didn't let me know in a timely manner my item was in...another time when I went to pick it up I had to wait awhile as they couldn't find it!

 

[/pine]

I have never seen any "brand name" items in HF where NT does have lots of brand names...junk is junk and you almost always get what you pay for...

also one thing that irks me about HF is when they send out advertising flyers they never seem to have items I am interested in stocked they always give me the song and dance about ordering online...

NT does offer free shipping on lots of items where HF never does that I have seen...

 

[CompactTractorFan]

also one thing that irks me about HF is when they send out advertising flyers they never seem to have items I am interested in stocked they always give me the song and dance about ordering online...

At my store they go to the "back" and never come out again...(once when I was looking for a set of drill bits, I had three guys go in to the back and never come out again)

 

[Iplayfarmer]

last week I bought one of the metal cutting circular saws...NT was $119 for their burgandy colored version of the exact same orange colored saw at HF for $89. Plus I had a 20% off coupon at HF dropping it even more.

Warning: Soapbox...

This is even more proof that you don't get what you pay for. That is the dumbest, most outdated, misleading saying. It sounds like some kind of brainwashing advertising slogan meant to compell gullible suburban drones into paying too much for the same junk so they can keep up with the Joneses.

The only thing you get when you pay more is screwed. You can pay a lot of money for a name brand that's made in the same factory with the same parts and the same warranty.

Good quality costs more, but you don't get better quality by throwing more money at the same junk. You get quality by recognizing it and holding the supplier to the standard you expect.

We all kid Dargo a lot for his opinion of Harbor Freight tools, but he's done the rest of us a huge favor. By his returning the stuff that doesn't meet his quality expectations, he's holding the supplier and as a result the manufacturer accountable to us the customers to deliver what they promise. In the end this will likely cause the products to be a little more expensive, but a lot better quality.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox now.

 

[Soundguy]

I have never seen any "brand name" items in HF where NT does have lots of brand names...junk is junk and you almost always get what you pay for...

also one thing that irks me about HF is when they send out advertising flyers they never seem to have items I am interested in stocked they always give me the song and dance about ordering online...

NT does offer free shipping on lots of items where HF never does that I have seen...

you must not look very hard.

I see makita, milwalkie and other brand names there. I'm sure it is specific close out pieces.. or overstocks... but some brand name stuff makes it there. even if it is the lower end brand names like CH.

paying more for the same item in a differnt color at NT that you can get at hf for less.. or MUCH less if you have one of the 20% coupons they practically give you every month.. is just stupid... lets face it.. when the COO says china on both items and the look the same and operate the same.. why apy more so you can say you bought it at NT??

soundguy

 

[KubotainNH]

We do not have either store in my area but I do like NT's catalog better Good to leave in the bathroom.

 

[Soundguy]

bout' the only difference in a NT catalog to a HF sales flier is that the prices are about 30%+ higher and the paper is glossy, and there is no 20% off coupon in a northern catalog

soundguy

 

[Slippy]

Cheap is cheap. I have a few HF air tools and they have held up ok. Drill bits are throw aways. If I need something that is inherently dangerous, I don't buy from these guys, although NT does have some name brand stuff. I have bought a few HF chains and they have held up fine.

 

[/pine]

...you must not look very hard....

Like I said...I have never seen a name brand tool in the local HF store that I have been in...

...Also I just spent about 10 minutes looking at their web site and I could not find any of the name brands you cited...Not saying some stores don't have them but again I have yet to see the first one...

...why apy more so you can say you bought it at NT??...

I don't know why anyone would do this...when I shop I go for the best price for comparable items and that includes shipping costs...I rarely buy junk tools regardless so most of the times I have purchased anything from NT it is name brand items with free shipping...again junk is junk regardless of where you buy it...

I will say...one of the best things I have ever bought at HF is the electronic fly swatter...another item that has been worth the trip (to HF) is folding (plastic) saw horses...the clamps etc. I have bought there are the typical junk..

I have never been in a NT brick & mortar outlet and have only been in one HF store...

 

[reelbig]

I saw a saying on this site one time
cheap no good
good no cheap:laughing:

 

[jinman]

If you remove everything from a Harbor Freight store that is made in China, all you have left is the echo.:laughing: If you do the same with Northern Tool, you have a few items left that are assembled in the U.S. from parts made in China. I will say that NT has much nicer stores in our area. There's more room in the aisles and they carry more large stuff in stock than most HFs. I've never seen an HF with trailers and go-carts, but most NTs have both. I really like shopping in both stores.

 

[Transit]

A few years back, I brought a16 inch metal cutoff saw and a 240 in-lb electric impact wrench [Chicago brand], $50 & $35 at HF.
NT and Sears were 2 to 3 times as much for the same tools with different paint, same rpm, amps, Hp. Now if NT and Sears were offering something of better quality, even the big box stores are no better. So I go with the best price for the junk.

 

[fish6942]

The last time I was in the NT store, they had a stack of ammo boxes for sale (hinged top with a handle). The sign identified them as a "Man's Purse" :laughing::thumbsup:

 

[tungularafishcamp]

When Northern Hydr. became Northern Tool they stopped shipping via the post office and we have no ups or fedex so hopefully HF will keep using the us mail as well as surplus center, don't know what I would do without them!

 

[Soundguy]

our local hf has mnini bikes.. no gokarts.. and 2 sizes of trailer.. a 4x8 and a 4x4 or similar. no real big trailers. there are small paddle boats too.

might be a regional thing..

soundguy