Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[rangerfredbob]

The best deal I've gotten at a sidewalk sale was the small disc/belt sander for $25, was in the box new as could be and was only missing the adjustable guide for the shelf thingy... nothing is square so no biggie , I love that thing, complete game changer from being used to a gutless bench grinder, it's still gutless but has flat surfaces so is much nicer for some things.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

My wife is getting the Bauer 20 volt handheld vacuum for Christmas to replace her clapped out Bissel which is heading to the landfill. Have an extra charger and batteries. Bauer cordless tools rock.

I passed on the Lowes power tool set sale (just did not make it before they closed) but in part I am leaning towards HFT options. The wife has so many clapped out handheld vacs I should get her one so we can use the same battery/charger set up. I may pick up one Wed when I take her to the airport to fly to Germany where the daughter is studying this fall semester. They will be home in a couple weeks so it would make a nice Christmas gift so she can be more productive when cleaning.

 

[hunt4570]

Best deal I got at HF was a damaged carton at a sidewalk sale. Manager said it was 50% off the marked price off of $175 handwritten on the box. She said I could return it if I wasn't happy. It was surprisingly in perfect condition! Lowest sale price I ever seen I think is $179.

3 in. 5 Drawer Blue Mechanic'''s Cart

Nice cart, I got one of those a few years ago.

 

[5030]

I passed on the Lowes power tool set sale (just did not make it before they closed) but in part I am leaning towards HFT options. The wife has so many clapped out handheld vacs I should get her one so we can use the same battery/charger set up. I may pick up one Wed when I take her to the airport to fly to Germany where the daughter is studying this fall semester. They will be home in a couple weeks so it would make a nice Christmas gift so she can be more productive when cleaning.

Get the 3AH battery. 39 bucks. Good price considering the DeWalt packs are 99 bucks. I have yet to find the smoke in any of the Bauer 20 volt cordless tools I bought, 3/8" impact, 4.5 angle grinder and the 1/4" Hex driver. I'm sure I could if I tried hard (locked rotor) but why destroy a good tool for the sake of smelling roasted windings.

Watching You Tube destructo video's and seeing the poster destroy a tool with a locked rotor makes me think about how stupid that is. Any electric motor with a locked rotor will self destruct. They do need to rotate to cool themselves. Air flow is paramount, always been that way.

I much prefer finding the smoke in a cheap corded tool (like the 4.5" angle grinders I seem to destroy regularly), but then I use them hard. The cordless tools (Bauer), I use like a cordless should be used (within it's capabilities).

The Bissel my wife has is held together with packing tape. It works, sort of. Suck power is very limited. It's seen better days.

 

[5030]

Nice cart, I got one of those a few years ago.

Considering the Snap-On cart is 3 times the price, even the regular price is a bargain. My buddy has the Snap-On version and side by side, no difference except the logo on the front.

 

[5030]

In my opinion, the big downfall concerning HF tools is replacement parts. HF don't ever seem to have replacement parts for anything and things do break eventually. They need to get their ducks in a row concerning replacement parts in my view.

 

[Oaktree]

In my opinion, the big downfall concerning HF tools is replacement parts. HF don't ever seem to have replacement parts for anything and things do break eventually. They need to get their ducks in a row concerning replacement parts in my view.

I agree. That business model might have worked when all they sold were cheap, disposable tools at ridiculously low prices, but if they're serious about selling at least semi-durable consumer tools this needs to be addressed. Well, that and their non-existent quality control.

Here's an item I discovered over the weekend falls into the "kind of sucks" category, their LED trailer lights. I'd put some on a small utility trailer a year or so ago, used the trailer last week and no brake/turn signal lights. Some troubleshooting revealed wires broken in 4 places (and not necessarily where they get any stress/flex). The insulation on the wiring kit was hard, brittle and almost impossible to strip without breaking the tinsel conductor inside. I did manage to cob it together enough to be legal, but come spring all that wiring is gonna get replaced with real wire.

The lights themselves seem to be good, the Chineseium wire, not so much.

 

[Oaktree]

The USB recharge thing is great on anything.

I'd rather have something (especially a flashlight) with a standard, replaceable battery (even AA/AA) than one with some internal, proprietary non-replaceable one. Flashlight batteries ALWAYS go dead just before you really need it, and you may not have one of those USB power adapters handy. I know I never can find one when I need one.

 

[crazyal]

Anyone have the Bauer corded jigsaw? I had a DeWalt POS that will no longer hold blades. I rarely use a jigsaw but when one is needed not much else will do. For $50 there's several brands that make a 6 to 6.5 amp jigsaws (including Porter Cable for under $60). I haven't looked for a coupon yet but for only a $10 savings the Bauer is just a little tempting. The built in laser seams like a totally useless feature (an LED light would be useful).

 

[KubotainNH]

I'd rather have something (especially a flashlight) with a standard, replaceable battery (even AA/AA) than one with some internal, proprietary non-replaceable one. Flashlight batteries ALWAYS go dead just before you really need it, and you may not have one of those USB power adapters handy. I know I never can find one when I need one.

The folding light I mentioned that he was replying to has a replaceable battery. Looks like one I have in another flashlight that cost quite a bit more. 3 volt battery I think.