Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[/pine]

No wonder this thread is so long. It's hard to figure out all the players

Actually my first thought when I read the title of the OP was..."trick question"...!

 

[California]

Actually my first thought when I read the title of the OP was..."trick question"...!

It's still a trick question. Some of their stuff works fine, some is a joke, you have to take an item home to discover whether you got tricked.

This thread is invaluable for learning from the experiences of others.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Couplers too.

I got the air I needed for the Earthquake (original) impact wrench when I upgraded to HF's Automotive series couplers.

I posted the following comment and photo here a year ago: I measured 7.5mm ID for the Automotive Series air coupler, vs 5mm for HF's common brass coupler. That's 2.25 x the cross section area.

Yes. Couplers lose a lot and the valve in the coupler body tends to be the big part of the loss. Iv quoted a post I made in another thread where I tested various 1/4 coupler body flows through the small coupler plug you have pictured. ... Youve seen it but it may have value to others. :confused3:

... Yeah couplers are a real issue. Large ones flow well, but often enough will inhibit freedom of access if the large coupling is at the tool. ... A hose whip is one solution. Another is finding the highest performance small couplers. ... The Milton is a good coupler but Ive switched to others over time and finally came to a point that I wanted to test them all against one another.

- - At the time I was using a coupler from Lowes that was a bit difficult to disconnect. ... Its a Brass 1/4" "Universal" coupler that will accept Industry std shape or ARO shape plugs. I bought 5 from Lowes. It turns out that it is quite high flow for the Industry Standard shape.

I dug out a test jig I made years ago and used it to flow qualify all the 1/4" coupler socket types I have. Here are the results:

,,,All tests were done thru a 50 foot 3/8" air hose fed straight from a 60G tank at 150psi -- NO regulator or coupler at the tank. - The output of the hose was the 1/4" coupler socket mating with a 1/4" industry standard shape plug on the test jig. The jig was contrived so that there was no flow across the pressure gauge port.

The Lowes [brass] universal presented 92psi to the 0.215 open exhaust orifice of the jig. This means flow is somewhat above 60 CFM

,,,The Oetiker coupler [insert and swivel] provides a straight thru flow. Test jig flow pressure was 90psi.

The Prevost composite push button release coupler gave 88psi.

,,,The classic Milton [brass] coupler gave 78 psi.

The Milton composite push button safety release coupler gave 77 psi.

,,,Three other Mfg unidentified copy/ clones of the Milton brass coupler gave pressures clustered tightly around 78.

As you can see, the best of these flow quite well in comparison to the legacy couplers.

I am going to settle on the Prevost coupler for everyday use at the tool. - The Oetiker is slightly better flow but its swivel engagement and tool retention has given me trouble in the past. It is great for the wife though because couple/decouple do not require much strength.
,,, I will use my Lowes universal coupler sockets at wall and tank plug ins and for extensions where repetitive change is rare.
The Miltons et al will wait for requirements where only modest flow will ever be needed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,I do have a 3/8" Milton I havnt tested. If youre interested I could adapt it and make a comparative test.

 

[SpringHollow]

I must be thinking about the test setup wrong. I would have thought the higher the pressure, the lower the flow.

Ken

 

[SPYDERLK]

There used to be TWO qualities of impact sockets. One was great and the other maybe no so great. I have the better sets and have used them on the Earthquake impact gun at full blast and often at 150 PSI (sorry) and no problems. I have hammered on them as well and used on some of the worst conditions possible and zero problems.

Anyone know if the sockets of today are different?

Who knows. :confused3:

The set I got ~20yrs ago is good against the most powerful air impacts on the market. IR/AirCat run as high as 170psi supply and on short hose.​

 

[SPYDERLK]

I must be thinking about the test setup wrong. I would have thought the higher the pressure, the lower the flow.

Ken

The jig just presents a BIG leak through the 0.215 orifice. I supply air to the jig via hose and coupler. The pressure gauge in the jig shows how much pressure can be maintained against the leak by the amount of supplied air. The more air supplied the higher the pressure reading in the jig -- because it takes more pressure to force more air thru the orifice.

Pls ask a clarifying question if needed. :thumbsup:​

 

[SpringHollow]

I thought the couplers were at the end of the line. But I see you said they were but then it went into the test jig.

 

[California]

Air supply hose > coupler to be tested > gauge > escape orifice.

Higher gauge reading shows more air delivered against the restricting exit orifice.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I thought the couplers were at the end of the line. But I see you said they were but then it went into the test jig.

Air supply hose > coupler to be tested > gauge > escape orifice.

Higher gauge reading shows more air delivered against the restricting exit orifice.

Yes. The escape orifice simulates a big tool. The gauge shows the pressure that can be maintained against the high flow needed by the tool. Some couplers can deliver more air, therefore the tool will run under higher pressure during use.

 

[PJSprog]

This thread is invaluable for learning from the experiences of others.

Yes, it really is.