Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[dragoneggs]

Either of my large frame Kubota's can move one dressed out or devoid of stuff, no issue. My impetus for building it to be portable is placement during different seasons. Winter placement would differ from summer placement in my situation.

I'm with you on seasonal placement. :thumbsup:

 

[rangerfredbob]

I've had a few bigger than normal purchases lately, and some good stuff came out of it:

Bauer 20V bluetooth stereo, it's pretty nifty, once paired to your phone and in bluetooth mode it will automatically pair and play music without you getting into a music player again on the phone, and the 3AH battery lasts for a LONG time even with the volume maxxed out, so far I'm on 4+ hours and the battery still shows full charge and the volume is maxxed... it is a fair amount louder than the other bluetooth speakers I have and it has better features like the ability to run FM/AM radio and aux input as well as charge a phone while playing

Smith Jones 2hp motor, this was an ordeal since their old 2hp motors apparently were 3450rpm instead of 1800rpm and had a 1/2" shaft instead of 7/8" but I got it working... cost a $40 amazon pulley but I got it hooked up . I have several hours on it now and it is running the compressor I put it on pretty good, very quiet and smooth.

Banks 21 degree framing nailer works decent, I've put a few hundred nails through it and it doesn't always drive them in far enough, probably need to up the regulator pressure but the compressors pressure switch isn't set very high so it isn't consistent when it turns off at 110psi and turns back on at 80psi...

Central Pneumatic 100' orange air hose they're on sale now for $16 so I picked up another so I can maybe get another nail gun going this weekend... it's kinda prone to kinking and tangling but less so when aired up, I have the short version in my garage going to my retractable reel from the compressor and it's weathered pretty well (better than the black "premium" Diablo hose on the reel).

 

[Mendonsy]

Anyone have any experience with the HF 32860 spark plug cleaner?? It looks similar to others on the market but is about 15% less cost.

 

[Diggin It]

^^^ Wire brush and emery cloth.

 

[Mendonsy]

^^^ Wire brush and emery cloth.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing now. I was just wondering if the plug cleaner would be easier.

 

[crazyal]

I use a oil furnace ignition transformer. It's designed to light diesel fuel. I place the plug between the two terminals and then plug it in. You need to be cautious as it's high voltage but in moments the arc will burn off everything. Even fouled plugs don't stand a chance. The plugs will get very hot. I've never been keen on sandblasting a spark plug. Seams like you would remove any plating on the steel parts. You would also need to clean it very well to avoid getting grit in the engine. As for the HF style plug cleaner, they all look like they are made in the same factory. I suppose there could be different types of grit that could make a difference but otherwise they seam very basic.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I have one, it works fine, I just have it loose but might mount it in the shop once it's done...

as long as it's dry you shouldn't have much grit left on the plug, there's a lever to put just air across the plug to clean it off, another spray once out of the cleaner would get the rest of it...

Good for small engine plugs, but if you have anything else that is fouling plugs you should really get it fixed or replaced since that isn't a good sign!

 

[5030]

I use a oil furnace ignition transformer. It's designed to light diesel fuel. I place the plug between the two terminals and then plug it in. You need to be cautious as it's high voltage but in moments the arc will burn off everything. Even fouled plugs don't stand a chance. The plugs will get very hot. I've never been keen on sandblasting a spark plug. Seams like you would remove any plating on the steel parts. You would also need to clean it very well to avoid getting grit in the engine. As for the HF style plug cleaner, they all look like they are made in the same factory. I suppose there could be different types of grit that could make a difference but otherwise they seam very basic.

I'm cheap but not that cheap. New spatkplugs don't cost all that much in the first place.

 

[crazyal]

I'm cheap but not that cheap. New spatkplugs don't cost all that much in the first place.

No but when the local store that might have them is about an hour away and depending on what day or time may not even be open it's always nice to have an option. Also if you have a 2 stroke that has bad fuel or something in it and keeps fouling plugs it beats throwing out a new plug that got fouled immediately. It's also a great way to see if a plug is fouled. If the spark looks weak or isn't jumping from the tip of the center electrode you know you have a problem with the plug. An old Frenchman showed me the trick, actually he taught me several tricks.

 

[5030]

No but when the local store that might have them is about an hour away and depending on what day or time may not even be open it's always nice to have an option. Also if you have a 2 stroke that has bad fuel or something in it and keeps fouling plugs it beats throwing out a new plug that got fouled immediately. It's also a great way to see if a plug is fouled. If the spark looks weak or isn't jumping from the tip of the center electrode you know you have a problem with the plug. An old Frenchman showed me the trick, actually he taught me several tricks.

I have to tell you, when I get a fouled plug in a 2 stroke (rarely), I take it out and take my propane torch and heat it up and dry it out (electrode end) and put it back in. Always cures the issue for me.

 

[MossRoad]

 

[California]

Eh???

 

[Cougsfan]

Anyone have any experience with the HF 32860 spark plug cleaner?? It looks similar to others on the market but is about 15% less cost.

I had one at my old shop for years. Worked sort of OK but not great. The button fell off and got lost so it was hard on my finger to push. It would help to fluff the sand in the bag around before you started or it didn't work that well. It did clean spark plugs though. It is one of those things you need once a year or so for something like cleaning the spark plug on your lawn mower after your kid put 2 stroke gas in it

 

[newbury]

<snip> It is one of those things you need once a year or so for something like cleaning the spark plug on your lawn mower after your kid put 2 stroke gas in it

Or diesel.

 

[lostcreekranch]

HF has their "Swiss army knife" ladder for .. what I consider .. a pretty great price.



I have one at the ranch and we have a Little Giant at our home in Richmond so .. I can give a fair comparison. The HF ladder is a bit lighter but .. does everything the LG Ladder will do. Given the huge difference in price I lean strongly to the HF ladder.

 

[dragoneggs]

HF has their "Swiss army knife" ladder for .. what I consider .. a pretty great price.

View attachment 665781

I have one at the ranch and we have a Little Giant at our home in Richmond so .. I can give a fair comparison. The HF ladder is a bit lighter but .. does everything the LG Ladder will do. Given the huge difference in price I lean strongly to the HF ladder.

I have the 22ft 'little Giant' and it is a solid folding extension ladder. I do wish it was lighter. Sometimes I wish I bought the 17ft but it was an impulse buy at Costco. It is a great ladder though. Only 5% of the time is the extra stretch necessary around my house.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I have the 22ft 'little Giant' and it is a solid folding extension ladder. I do wish it was lighter. Sometimes I wish I bought the 17ft but it was an impulse buy at Costco. It is a great ladder though. Only 5% of the time is the extra stretch necessary around my house.

Yep. Our LG is the 22 ft. also .. and it came from Costco.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I bought that big yellow Daytona floor jack. It works so good I致e dropped the gas tank in my mini van 3 times yesterday with it. Couple hundred dollars?

I wish it could fix my fuel pump issues.

I bought a $5 cats claw for pulling nails once and it bent the first time I used it.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I bought that big yellow Daytona floor jack. It works so good I致e dropped the gas tank in my mini van 3 times yesterday with it. Couple hundred dollars?

I wish it could fix my fuel pump issues.

I bought a $5 cats claw for pulling nails once and it bent the first time I used it.

I got their 1.5 ton floor jack a few years ago. Works great and nice light weight. I already have a Craftsman HD 3 ton.

 

[crazyal]

I have the 22ft 'little Giant' and it is a solid folding extension ladder. I do wish it was lighter. Sometimes I wish I bought the 17ft but it was an impulse buy at Costco. It is a great ladder though. Only 5% of the time is the extra stretch necessary around my house.

I have the Werner 22 (which I think is 9' step ladder size). Other than it being heavy it works fine. It's a little bouncy when fully extended but I rarely use it as an extension ladder. I'm not sure if I would like one that was lighter weight. I did get some of the LG attachments, like the stand that hooks onto a step for things like a paint bucket. At the time the Werner was a good $100 cheaper than the Little Giant.