Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[buckeyefarmer]

I bought the NT MetalTech a few years ago on sale for $129 as I recall.

It’s very sturdy and stabile.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...struction > Scaffolding&utm_source=Google_PLA

I have the one from TSC. It holds me.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Yep, I got the same thing. At least there's a chance it may still come. I'd be more annoyed if I went to the store and they were out of them. At least this doesn't waste my time in traffic.

BTW, folks asked about the replaceable battery. Here's a pic of the one from the light and the one from my Guarddog flashlight, same size.

View attachment 631371

18650 3.7v is a common cell type used today in flashlights and other rechargable items. They are easily bought through Amazon, eBay and other retailers/shippers.

 

[hunt4570]

Yep, I got the same thing. At least there's a chance it may still come. I'd be more annoyed if I went to the store and they were out of them. At least this doesn't waste my time in traffic.

BTW, folks asked about the replaceable battery. Here's a pic of the one from the light and the one from my Guarddog flashlight, same size.

View attachment 631371

Yep, an 18650, pretty standard sized battery..

 

[AllByteNoBark]

On the 18650 batteries, the most reliable source I have found is:
1865 Sanyo NCR1865GA 35mAh High Discharge Flat Top

I use the ones at the link and they have been the best that I have ran across. They happen to be the flat top version. They also offer the button top and protected.

 

[John_Mc]

Never been that impressed with Northern. I remember back when all they sold was chainsaw and chainsaw related items. They offer some junk along with good items now. I get their catalog. Rarely buy anything.

I buy stuff from Northern Tool occasionally, especially if it's something of known good quality. You have to be careful with them, since (IMO) they often sell products that are cloned from durable, well-designed products, but cheapened to the point where they are junk. Their efforts sometimes give the original manufacturers of the good product a bad name, when people buy it thinking they have "the real thing", and it fails on them.

They fact that they do sell some very good stuff at good prices is what occasionally brings me back to them.

 

[5030]

I buy stuff from Northern Tool occasionally, especially if it's something of known good quality. You have to be careful with them, since (IMO) they often sell products that are cloned from durable, well-designed products, but cheapened to the point where they are junk. Their efforts sometimes give the original manufacturers of the good product a bad name, when people buy it thinking they have "the real thing", and it fails on them.

They fact that they do sell some very good stuff at good prices is what occasionally brings me back to them.

In my case they sell CAT replacement pump parts (and pumps) and I run CAT pumps on my industrial pressure washers so I buy them there. Beats the local distributor hands down. My wife bought something a while back and it was poorly made Chineseum junk. I think it went directly to the landfill. Cannot remember but she won't make that mistake again.

If I want to buy Chineseum, I prefer HF. At least there I can put my hands (and eyes) on it and determine the quality (or lack of) compared to the price. A page in a print catalog don't usually do it for me unless I'm purchasing a brand name item that I know is good to go.

Northern, Like HF, coins some whimsical trade names for their stuff.

 

[KubotainNH]

Yep, an 18650, pretty standard sized battery..

Yep, I take that as a plus.

On the 18650 batteries, the most reliable source I have found is:
1865 Sanyo NCR1865GA 35mAh High Discharge Flat Top

I use the ones at the link and they have been the best that I have ran across. They happen to be the flat top version. They also offer the button top and protected.

Ya know, this gave me the thought of just buying extra batteries. I can charge them in the charger that came with my Guarddog flashlight as that is separate and not USB. More mAh is useful. Hmm.....

 

[BukitCase]

"this gave me the thought of just buying extra batteries"

That's what I do; I have 4-5 different lights (including a nice bright 2-cell head light I use a LOT) that use the 18650's.

Also, I've seen a fair amount of complaints about the longevity of the plug-in connector on the HF/Braun folding light (I have 3), so I've always just swapped and charged externally.

I have one of the Nitecore "smart" chargers that do the 18650's (up to 4 at once), it also does the half-length 16340 cells (rechargeable replacement for one of the NON-rechargeables a smaller light I have)

Amazon - last time I tried to get 18650's from them I got the run-around; typed in the EXACT part #, kept getting page after page of everything BUT. Finally gave up and found 18650's here
Liion Wholesale Batteries | Li-ion battery/cell distributor
IIRC, that site explained that there had been cases of SOME 18650's causing fires - woulda been nice if Amazon had been upfront about it, instead of just trying the "hand is quicker than the eye" crap... Steve

 

[not2old]

A few years ago when I was looking for a new digital camera, I intentionally chose an older model that took AAs as opposed to one of the often pricey custom rechargeables. Maybe I'm just old school, but I'm not a big photo-taker and chances are when I do want to take one the battery will be dead or close to it. Hate to miss a shot because the camera is on the charger (no I don't have a cell phone).



I've always had Cannon cameras because I got good service from them, but switched to Nikon recently because it is able to use AA if the dedicated internal battery is dead.

 

[PILOON]

I bought those same lights several years ago. When I pulled them out of the box, I was dismayed to see the cheap wiring. The gauge was so small it seemed it would be trashed in a matter of months. I replaced the included wiring harness with a heavier gauge one I bought at the local hardware store. The lights worked fine - up until a month ago, when someone smashed into my trailer, destroying it and the lights.

I'm sure the stock wires were large enough to to handle the low current demand of LED lights. They just don't have any mechanical strength. Couple that with the poor insulation you noted, and the wire isn't going to last long.

I've noticed the small wire (actually correctly sized for many LED and solid state devices) but simply not rugged enough for the intended applications with trailer lighting being a prime example.
Back up camera kits is another example.