Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[rangerfredbob]

Had to do some looking for this post, been a while!

I haven't been shopping much lately, not enough spare funds...

I picked up one of their 10 piece 10mm socket sets, a decent set for cheap since I used a I think 20% coupon on it? haven't used them but their sockets aren't bad...

I've had one of their knock off Dremel's for a while since I grabbed one when they were $20, used it for the first time the other night, I think California mentioned they are torquier than a Dremel and that statement isn't wrong, and I like having a speed wheel and a power switch, that's one of the annoying things on the Dremel brand is rotating that knob all the time...

I also picked up one of their surface conditioning tools, seems pretty nice, haven't used it yet but will when I get my 3pt disc into the shop to fabricate some brackets and get it working this winter...

 

[MoArk Willy]

Everyone knows what Harbor Freight is all about.
Inexpensive import tools for the home owner / handyman who doesn't need a $200 drill to put holes in his drywall to hang a shelf.
As far as Harbor Freight goes, they have a better reputation than the "professionals" who buy the cheapest tool they can find, beat the hell out of it then blame Harbor Freight.
If they aren't smart enough to buy the tool they need for the job they are doing, that's on them.
I've bought Harbor Freight tools for decades. I have a drill press I bought in the 80's that has never failed me.
I have a couple of 4 1/2" grinders that I use and again, never had an issue.
Many hand tools, tool bags and a few dozen pairs of gloves.
And one of the b

 

[sd455dan]

Picked up a used HF Central Machinery lathe. Apparently back in the 1990's HF imported Taiwan metal lathes similar to some Enco models This one has the induction hardened ways and is pretty short with only about 24 inches between centers but has a Good spindle through hole at 1 9/16".

Pretty happy with it and and it came with a 3 hp treadmill motor and I am in the process of converting it to variable speed.

Has a gap bed so it can turn a 17 inch piece as long as it isn't to long. Otherwise a 12 inch part. With the stands about 1100 lbs

Already used it with the other motor it came with a 5-6hp compressor motor which runs twice as fast as it should @ 3450. but with the gear head can slow the spindle to about 120 RPM.

 

[5030]

Chinese motors ain't much no matter what they come on. That rice paper insulation stinks when it gets hot and they tend to emit a lot of stinky smoke when expiring. I've 'smoked' a few in my day....

 

[5030]

I will say, I'm a Bauer 20 volt cordless fanatic. I have their 4.5 brushless angle grinder, their 3/8" impact wrench, their 1/2" variable speed drill motor, their hex drive driver a couple chargers and a slew of 5 amp hour batteries but the one Bauer cordless tool I like the most is their 20 volt handheld shop blower.

I carry it on the farm tractors and when I'm out in a field chopping or bailing and the radiators get loaded with chaff and they start getting hot, I shut them down, open the hood and blow the rads out with it. It comes with a long tapered removable concentrator snout that directs the quite substantial air flow and cleans the rads right out, right now. My buddy with a square bailer has one and uses it to keep his knotters chaff free.

Fits right behind the seat out of the way and a 5AH battery will run it for hours, I recommend it highly. It's a 'tool only' deal and I believe it's under 50 bucks not on sale.

Haven't 'found the smoke in any of them yet and I use the 20 volt brushless angle grinder pretty hard but they are in reality, occasional use tools and not beat on HD stuff like Milwaukee but then they cost less than 1/4 as much as Milwaukee.

Very satisfied with all of them Real impressed with the Icon 1/2" drive Torque wrench, very accurate and torques in both directions and is about 1/5th the cost of the comparable Snap-On wrench (which I also have). If you lay them side by side, it's hard to tell the difference other than the name etched in the barrel.

 

[Cycledude]

Bought the Harbor Freight 20 volt cordless blower-vac with the 5 AH battery it easily handles any job I have, the reviews have lots of complaints about the hard to access-operate on-off switch while operating, the switch itself works nice but it’s difficult to operate while carrying the vacuum. Would be nice if it came with a couple more attachments but I happen to have another vacuum with the same size hose so already have all the attachments I should ever need. So far I have been very well satisfied with the purchase.

 

[5030]

Bought the Harbor Freight 20 volt cordless blower-vac with the 5 AH battery it easily handles any job I have, the reviews have lots of complaints about the hard to access-operate on-off switch while operating, the switch itself works nice but it’s difficult to operate while carrying the vacuum. Would be nice if it came with a couple more attachments but I happen to have another vacuum with the same size hose so already have all the attachments I should ever need. So far I have been very well satisfied with the purchase.

The one I'm referring to is a blower only, no vacuum. Very compact and easy to manage even with the larger 5AH battery attached.

 

[5030]

It appears that HF is upgrading all the Bauer 20 volt line to brushless motors. The 4.5 angle grinder I have is brushless and I see the Bauer 20 volt drill is now also brushless.

 

[jjeff]

Recently bought the cheaper Pittsburgh hf brake bleeder/ vacuum pump . comes with adapters, hoses, easier to use then trying to find a helper when bleeding brakes, and it works pretty good .

 

[billntdc]

I my self use Mac snap-on maco yes you pay for the name I have a 12 pc wretches I bought when I was 16 I'm now 57. 41 years later the been threw hexx and back. They are like brand new HF if your not going to be full time working on things lol