Harbor Freight Tools that DO SUCK II

diesel85 · Oct 1, 2021

I've been a Craftsman hand tool and DeWalt guy all my life. Only because those tools were always readily available to me, and I've never had a DeWalt fail me.

A few years ago I was building a deck, and I got some free rough cut "large" 4x4's and I needed to make them about actual, and I used my DeWalt sidewinder (the one with the brake) for about 30 hours just shaving boards down. I kid you not, I filled my 48" bucket up with saw dust just with that part of the project.

After I got done with the whole deck project, I wanted to check the commutator and brushes, and everything looked perfect. I also got a spare brush set from eBay too for $5 to keep on hand.

I also keep all my electric tools inside in a climate controlled environment too. Includes my gas chainsaws and wackers, mowers, tractors, trucks, etc.

3Ts · Oct 1, 2021

I still have my slide rules although I've not used them for many years. A calculator is more convenient, smaller, and easier to carry. (and the calculators have bigger numbers that are easier to see)

I'm with diesel85 on tools, sears craftsman until their quality started down, then went to Ridgid had a problem with them, and then Dewalt and not had a problem with Dewalt. I also have several of the HF 4.5" grinders and have only toasted one of them in the last 10 years or so.

reb · Oct 1, 2021

Frankenkubota said:
...

Anybody out there can still read a slide rule etc?

Just out out my Post Versalog (slide rule) that I bought about 62 years ago, for the outrageous price of around $27. Still works great, but getting more than three digits of resolution is impossible. For that I go to my HP15C, which cost about $125 about 40 years ago.

California · Oct 1, 2021

Frankenkubota said:
i have been looking for a caliper with the old slide rule calibrations.

Like this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074HZ8S21

I bought one, and after a week of frustration, returned it. I thought I knew how to read a vernier because the land survey transits of 50 years ago had vernier, and were obvious how to use.

But this machinist's caliper has the graduations too close together and I was wrong about half the time interpreting the measurement compared to my digital caliper. I would read, and write down, what looked like the reading, Then go to the tic that matched the digital caliper's reading, and find an equally good match at that tic. Several thousandths larger. I don't need confusion like that.

I discovered the far more expensive versions have a vernier scale much longer. So when tics align, there isn't another tic that is an equally good match.

Just a few minutes ago I bought this, for a faucet stem repair I'm working on that I can't find parts for. This one is idiot-proof, and more portable than the digital caliper, I can carry it to the hardware store.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004T7UF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00

(Better photo)

the old grind · Oct 1, 2021

I have a Craftsman 40257 vernier, B&S and HFT with dials, and a few digitals. I use the HFT dials most often and rarely use mics.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=craftsman+no+40257

California · Oct 1, 2021

the old grind said:
I have a Craftsman 40257 vernier, B&S and HFT with dials, and a few digitals. I use the HFT dials most often and rarely use mics.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=craftsman+no+40257

Reading that second one

No. 40257 Craftsman 6" Caliper Vernier Inside Outside Made In Italy Stainless | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for No. 40257 Craftsman 6" Caliper Vernier Inside Outside Made In Italy Stainless at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

... makes my head spin. .2 + .025 + .005 = .230" ? Did I read that correctly?

At least this Craftsman caliper doesn't have the ambiguous markings like the one I returned, where there were often two different tics that might be 'correct'.

I've had for years a plastic General dial caliper but I rarely take it out, it could be damaged too easily just kicking around on the workbench. I had hoped to use the vernier caliper like yours for that, it seemed damage resistant, but I've decided the digital caliper plus the simple one I just bought, are sufficient. I have several cheap plastic calipers but none will hold a measurement, they're kinda useless.

the old grind · Oct 1, 2021

The cheap imported dial and digital calipers are reliably/repeatably accurate to a half thou depending on how well you use/hold them. Be aware that with such (<$30) digitals the on/off switch controls the display, but often the internals remain on/active. I don't store any of mine with a battery in them. If I do they're dead within 6 mos or so.

btw, along with one HFT dial in the machine shop, one in the garage, two on the reloading bench, and one in my traveling armorer's box I carry one in the golf cart. Cut bands from m'cycle tubes to keep them closed if the boxes get roughed around or dropped.

Oh, and my 40257 was near $30 back in the '80s when I bought it. With my name engraved on it I wouldn't ask that much, but I don't plan to part with it either. My rollaways are full of tools I don't use but like to have just in case.

IndyJay · Oct 1, 2021

I have a digital caliper similar to this one. Hard to mess that up...

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-01407A-Electronic-Digital-Stainless/dp/B000GSLKIW/ref=sr_1_3?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Digital+Calipers&qid=1633136083&s=industrial&sr=1-3&ts_id=2476630011

California · Oct 1, 2021

IndyJay said:
I have a digital caliper similar to this one. Hard to mess that up...

I expect many of us do. Mine's from HF. The precision seems good, it matched the vernier caliper described above (the one I returned) and is far more convenient to use.

But I don't get it out often because, as Old Grind noted, they eat batteries whether switched on or not. I don't leave a battery in it. I frequently found the battery dead before I figured out to remove it.

Might as well buy a card of batteries along with a digital caliper.

California · Oct 2, 2021

Here's another type of caliper that is tough enough to throw in a toolbox and forget about it. I carried one for years. It's graduated in 1/16", with a vernier to read down to 1/128".

And here's a style I found today when I was looking for a simple caliper. Usually brass. I think its marketed to crafters and may be common in the world of handmade jewelry. Perhaps its widely used in India? The scale doesn't start from zero, rather there's a hash mark about 1/8" away that is the zero. For occasional use I expect this would cause many errors.

bcp · Oct 2, 2021

When the calipers are closed, the "OUT" line lines up with the zero.

Cut and paste to show it:

Bruce

California · Oct 2, 2021

bcp said:
When the calipers are closed, the "OUT" line lines up with the zero.

Cut and paste to show it: ....

Yeah but:

Sooner or later that offset would lead to an error . This photo illustrates my point more clearly.

At a casual glance it seems the jaws are open about 0.9 mm.

Nope, 2.6. For a tool I pick up only occasionally, I don't need that sort of unnecessary ambiguity to make a project more complicated.

Frankenkubota · Oct 2, 2021

i got a free cheap tape measure at a trade show once, probably from a competitor.

it had the 8 inch mark twice. in other words, it went from 5 to 6 to 7 to 8....then 8 again.

took a while to figure that one out.

5030 · Oct 2, 2021

Frankenkubota said:
yup

i worked in T&D, fab, precision machining, foundry's, assembly houses, screw machines, N.C. etc etc etc

Brown and Sharpe was the standard.

i just bought a plastic caliper from hf for $3.00.

i have been looking for a caliper with the old slide rule calibrations. i found one at an auction but i'd have to sit around 6 hours to get to it.

Anybody out there can still read a slide rule etc?

I can and do and I have a couple pairs of Verner calipers in my toolbox and a nice Kueffel & Esser slide rule I got from my dad.

If you want a pair of Vernier inside-outside calipers, shoot me a pm and I suspect we can work something out. I have a couple pairs with either 30 or 60 division scales on them.

5030 · Oct 2, 2021

daugen said:
HF is definitely changing, in product quality I think for the better.

One thing I've found with HF and that is, you can buy their cheapo stuff (Pittsburg or Warrior or what ever and chances are it's a one use time toll that expires quickly or, you can buy the top of their line stuff (Icon or Cheif) and it's as good as or better than the current 'brand name' tools and it costs less anyway.

Case in point, I have an Icon 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench. it's as accurate in both left hand and right hand torque as my Snap on wrenches are and I had it tested on a torque master just to see. Cheap torque wrench's only indicate tightening torque (right hand), never left hand torque. The Icon indicates in both directions, something I require because I use left hand torque on heavy truck rear and front drive axles.

If I put the Icon next to the Snap-on the only difference is the laser etched name on the body. Same finish, same ratchet head, in fact, if it didn't have 'Icon' etched in the body, you cannot tell the difference other than price. The Snap-On wrench is 600 bucks. The Icon is 110 bucks.

With HF, it all depends on what you want to spend for tools. You buy the cheap stuff, you get the cheap stuff. You buy their top of the line tools, you get quality tools at better prices than the other brands.

I have to say as well that I have the 'Pittsburg' 1/2" drive impact sockets in SAE and Metric sizes (all of them actually) and I have yet to break one and I use them hard. I've split Snap-On, SK Wayne and Crapsman impact sockets, never split one of the HF Pittsburg sockets and I regularly use them to remove plow steels from snow plows which are most times extremely corroded (fasteners). Plow wear steels are held on with grade 8 Dome head plow bolts and even with repeated soaking with PBlaster and using heat, most times I twist off the nuts. My SOP is put the impact wrench on the nut and just keep pounding until something gives.

I usually use my IR Thundergun (750 pounds feet torque) but I have a new Astro Pneumatics Icon Thor wrench on order that makes a tad over 1000 pounds feet of loosening torque. I'll see if it can split one of the HF impact sockets, don't know at this point but I do know that they have a lifetime replacement guarantee so if I do split one, the replacement is just trip to HF down the road.

I also have a Chief 4.5" air angle grinder (101 bucks). it's identical to the IR 4.5 air angle grinder right down to the grease fittings on the body, is quiet as a mouse, has a paddle style throttle and structural fiber body, just like the IR. I bet both are made in the same factory only difference is the price. The IR on MSC's website is 269 bucks. the Chief is 101 bucks everyday.

5030 · Oct 2, 2021

Additionally, none of the HF impact wrenches (air, corded or cordless) make anywhere near the torque values listed on the box. You can actually see what they put out on the Torque Test You Tube channel, very informative and very unbiased too.

Why I bought an Astro Pneumatic Thor. Torque Test Channel rates them number one in power delivered and like IR, they are made in the USA. The Thor is priced right with the comparable IR wrenches too. I gave $180 bucks for the Thor which is within a few bucks of what my IR cost me. Don't have it yet, it's on backorder, coming this month hopefully. Summit Racing has the best price btw.

I use air impact wrenches extremely hard, always have.

the old grind · Oct 2, 2021

3/8" air hoses and common QAs with 3/16" restrictions in male fittings will hamper getting full torque from an impact gun. Doing brake and suspension work the HFT electric impact gets 'er done when the air-powered ones won't. (CP, HFT, Ingersol) A 12 Ga extension cord is easier to manipulate than even a 1/4" air hose & getting out the blue wrench isn't needed as often.

5030 · Oct 2, 2021

Air delivery has never been an issue with me. I run 1/2" hose and my CFM delivery is over 30 CFM. The Thor comes with high delivery fittings included.

Unlike most folks, I have my compressor (Sullaire screw) cut back to 135 psi versus the usual 175. It's CFM air delivery that determines how much an air motor in any air tool can deliver in power, not so much the static pressure. Having said that 175 psi will deliver a bit more power, but not all that much and the higher the pressure developed by any compressor, the shorter the life of that compressor and the more condensate produced as well. I run electromechanical timed condensate drains on all 3 of my compressors (2 are standby when I run my plasma table). Worst enemy of any compressor is standing water (condensate) in any receiver. Condensate rusts the receiver from the inside out.

Rule of thumb on most compressor failures isn't the compressor head but the receiver failing from lack of draining condensate regularly. Auto timed drains eliminate that.

5030 · Oct 2, 2021

Like I said previously, especially with HF air impacts and corded and cordless ones is, what it states on the box and what they actually produce is 2 distinctly different things. Kind of applies to all impacts, called creative advertising.

The Torque Test channel will show you that. I recommend them actually. Very unbiased tests and they test them all...

I own an IR 1" air impact extended anvil gun as well (2900 pounds feet of left hand loosening torque) but it's heavy and very cumbersome and it's certainly a 2 hander too. Better have a firm grip on the buddy handle, it's a wrist breaker.