Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[TheMan419]

I read somewhere that the esp for a car something like 80% goes to profit and overhead. Only 20% goes to paying for car repairs.

 

[sixdogs]

Are the "Bremen" clamps something new and better or just the old style cheesey ones?

Search results for: 'bremen'


In looking over some of their products in the barn recently, I noticed that quality continues to improve across a wide range of tools, especially impact wrenches and hand tools. Their paint guns are now found in high end paint shops for primer and in many farm shops for finish work.

 

[California]

I've been using this Cen-Tech multimeter [your URL is on closeout so I revised it to the identical replacement] for about 10-ish years. Had the previous version for another 10 years that worked just fine until I dropped it face-down on a concrete floor in my basement. I've had no trouble at all with the new one, but the continuity tone could definitely be louder ... and maybe a different frequency that doesn't blend so well with my tinnitus.

You nailed it. I just wasted way too much time trying to match that one's features, looking on Ebay for direct-from-China equivalents. I need the fourth input for 20 amp current measuring. One with comparable features starts near $10, or $7 without the temperature capability. But that seller doesn't have excellent feedback and says it could take until mid-February to arrive from Thailand.

China is harsh on exporters who cheat customers so there's a reasonable chance something you buy from China will actually arrive. Thailand? February? Who knows. I might as well buy a meter locally with return warranty and immediate pickup.

I'm going in tomorrow to buy the HF meter with the 25% coupon. $18 + tax.

Thank you PJSprog for your advice!

 

[TheMan419]

You nailed it. I just wasted way too much time trying to match that one's features, looking on Ebay for direct-from-China equivalents. I need the fourth input for 20 amp current measuring. One with comparable features starts near $10, or $7 without the temperature capability. But that seller doesn't have excellent feedback and says it could take until mid-February to arrive from Thailand.

China is harsh on exporters who cheat customers so there's a reasonable chance something you buy from China will actually arrive. Thailand? February? Who knows. I might as well buy a meter locally with return warranty and immediate pickup.

I'm going in tomorrow to buy the HF meter with the 25% coupon. $18 + tax.

Thank you PJSprog for your advice!

If you did not buy yet got to the harbor freight coupon data base as get a coupon for free w purchase. At the checkout counter they will have a crappy box opener knife for like 59 cents. Buy that. Use coupon get free tester.

 

[John_Mc]

If you did not buy yet got to the harbor freight coupon data base as get a coupon for free w purchase. At the checkout counter they will have a crappy box opener knife for like 59 cents. Buy that. Use coupon get free tester.

Lost the link to the HF coupon database. Thought I had bookmarked it. Does anyone have it handy?

 

[Midniteoyl]

Lost the link to the HF coupon database. Thought I had bookmarked it. Does anyone have it handy?

Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, 20 percent off coupons, No Purchase Required coupons, toolbox coupons

Just remember Harbor Freight Q Pon Data Base

But the 'free' meter is not the same one..

 

[Rock Crawler]

I just ran up and grabbed the coupon deal for 3/8"x14' 5400 lb chains x 2 for $19.95 each. That's a killer deal.

Then I grabbed up 6 heavy dirt tarps for under $10 each. Firewood covers!

 

[Sonny580]

I just bought an earthquake 1/2" drive x-torque (1190 pounds) air wrench and ball joint removal tools from HF, (have to wait for warmer weather to try them out! (-17* outside don't cut it!!)---Have bought several things from them.--Also 20 ton shop press. ( my 30 ton is somewhere else and I needed one here).--They are getting a lot better quality than back in the 80's.---For average use they work ok, (some guys destroy anvils with a q-tip) ---NOTHING would be safe around them. thanks; sonny

 

[California]

If you did not buy it yet [this Cen-Tech multimeter in my post] go to the harbor freight coupon data base as get a coupon for free w purchase... Use coupon get free tester.

BTDT. I've had a free one in the garage at home and one in my study (for pc etc setup). At the ranch, one on the house and one in the barn. All are the yellow ones from a few years ago.Then last year I got a fifth free meter, my first red one, and left it at the tractor that has a battery maintainer on it.

Then I noticed these five meters all read differently! See my post #8244 above. So I got another red one. Now six different readings on the same battery! I went back and got a seventh free one. Different again!

So Saturday the three meters farthest from the average of this group got dropped off at Goodwill. (I stuck tags on each noting the variance. So nobody gets cheated).

The four meters I kept all show within 4/100 of a volt measuring the same '9 volt' battery, good enough.

Then Sunday I took the 25%-off coupon from the newspaper and bought the good meter, $18 after coupon.

Guess what. The 'pro' meter shows a few hundredths higher for '9 volts' than the highest in the group of four free meters I kept. A couple of tenths to a full a volt higher than the four free meters for 120 volts AC. So is the expensive one more accurate???? :confused2: It's manual says it should be 'calibrated annually by a professional service'. Ya sure. Is this like the 'some assembly required' on the power tools?

I'm undecided whether to return the new meter. I need the 20 amp range which isn't on any cheap meter. The continuity beeper is valuable and the big screen is nice. But it is awkwardly large, as big as an 8 inch long chunk of 2x4 and heavier. The temperature scale is Centigrade only while the equivalent China meters on Ebay have C/F. Not at all pocketable, so it isn't likely to be the first one to reach for.

 

[sixdogs]

I just bought an earthquake 1/2" drive x-torque (1190 pounds) air wrench and ball joint removal tools from HF, (have to wait for warmer weather to try them out! (-17* outside don't cut it!!)---Have bought several things from them.--Also 20 ton shop press. ( my 30 ton is somewhere else and I needed one here).--They are getting a lot better quality than back in the 80's.---For average use they work ok, (some guys destroy anvils with a q-tip) ---NOTHING would be safe around them. thanks; sonny

I have a 3/8" line with the small air fittings so I run a higher PSI air pressure for mine and it works better. That tool, I think, would like a 1/2" hose and the industrial air fittings so higher PSI works for me. They are very powerful.

I've run 125 to 150 psi on Harbor Freight air tools for 25 years with no problems and get great results. The XT line is the best by far if you either have the air supply or pump it up a bit.