Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[John_Mc]

When did HF stop selling individual large sockets/wrenches? This morning I went to get a 34mm/1-5/16" socket or wrench for a pitman arm nut. They had the 'front axle socket kit' which had it included, but I didn't want to buy the whole kit for $69.99, when I only needed one socket. Down side, TSC, had it, but only in 3/4" drive, and 100% sold out of 1/2" to 3/4" adapter...

I've run into similar problems in the past. Ended up having to buy a 3/4" drive socket from one store, and finding a 1/2" to 3/4" adapter at another. (HF had neither of the items)

 

[sea2summit]

When did HF stop selling individual large sockets/wrenches? This morning I went to get a 34mm/1-5/16" socket or wrench for a pitman arm nut. They had the 'front axle socket kit' which had it included, but I didn't want to buy the whole kit for $69.99, when I only needed one socket. Down side, TSC, had it, but only in 3/4" drive, and 100% sold out of 1/2" to 3/4" adapter...

Hmmm, had a wall of individual sockets when I went last weekend. I’m sure because I searched it looking for the 1/2” impact U-Joint I wanted. Don’t remember seeing big ones though.

 

[5030]

Never looked myself, but I will next time I go. Just picked up the Bauer 20 volt (tool only) right angle drill and the Bauer 20 volt pole saw (on sale, 10 bucks off) with the ITC membership, I get my money's worth with the ITC membership, well worth the annual fee for us.

I will say I have a boatload of Bayer 20 volt tools and so far none have failed. I would not recommend them for professional shop use but for the ocassional user (like me) they are fine and the price is very hard to beat as well

 

[Deleted member 371759]

Never looked myself, but I will next time I go. Just picked up the Bauer 20 volt (tool only) right angle drill and the Bauer 20 volt pole saw (on sale, 10 bucks off) with the ITC membership, I get my money's worth with the ITC membership, well worth the annual fee for us.

I will say I have a boatload of Bayer 20 volt tools and so far none have failed. I would not recommend them for professional shop use but for the ocassional user (like me) they are fine and the price is very hard to beat as well

I have the Bauer heat gun and love that thing I also have the 6 inch Bauer bench grinder that I converted over to wire wheel and use the other side to grind nothing but tungsten, also works great. We also pay for the inside track thing. Like you said it pays for itself pretty quickly. My favorite tools from HF are my Icon ratcheting wrenches. I actually would not hesitate to own those in a professional setting. I have not tried their Icon ratchets only because I'm still using a USA made Craftsman mechanics set from the late 90's

 

[5030]

I Have the Icon 1/2" drive torque wrench and I also have a Snap-On 1/2" as well and if you put them side by side with the laser etched brand name down, there is NO difference except the price. The Snap-On tool truck price is just shy of 600 bucks. The Icon store price (no coupons) is 102 bucks. The Snap-On is for sale btw.

 

[jjeff]

15k posts probably mentioned but anyways the hf side tool chest boxes are extremely handy/ decent qaulity added much needed organization to a existing 46" chest. Especially if matching aesthetics isn't your thing. Quick hack I found for mounting is use flat bar to bolt into existing holes on primary chest using washers as spacers to hook the side boxes.

 

[5030]

Their tool chests are an excellent value compared to say Snap-On or MAC.

 

[Deleted member 371759]

Im looking to get the Harbor Freight refrigerated air dryer. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with it?

Compressed Air Dryer

Amazing deals on this Compressed Air Dryer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[5030]

Im looking to get the Harbor Freight refrigerated air dryer. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with it?

Compressed Air Dryer

Amazing deals on this Compressed Air Dryer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I have and while it's a lot less than say a comparable IR dryer, I've had issues with mine.

First off, the start capacitor took a dump so I had to replace that and it took a dump almost right away.

Then, the fittings on the water separator are very poorly threaded and I had to take it apart and rethread them because it leaked constantly and be apprised that it does not come with either a drain hose nor a line cord, you have to supply them yourself and install them.

If you want to fiddle with it, you can get it to work correctly, but out of the box it's really not workable plus, mine came with a dented cabinet. HF ships them to your home, they are not available in stores.

Finally, HF denied any warranty which I found to be less than upstanding on their part. In fact I left a bad review on their product website. You can read it in there if you want to, unless they have deleted it.

I would suggest you spring for the IR dryer. Costs more but the fiddle factor is nil.

 

[jjeff]

Their tool chests are an excellent value compared to say Snap-On or MAC.

And cost about as much as an old beater car. a buddy of mine bought a new snap on chest I asked him if they included all the tools and a shop to put it in lol.

 

[paulsharvey]

Anyone notice the Quinn non-deep well sockets are extremely shallow? Some places, you have a bit of bolt protrusion, but not enough space for a deep well, and the Quinn shallow is too shallow. Luckily had a misc odd ball Husky, non-deep well, that was in that just long enough, but not too long size.


Guess what I'm saying, they are as long as a normal Husky/Craftsman, but they don't have the hex or 12 point as deep into the socket, letting the bolt end bottom out before good socket-nut engagement.

Probably not an issue 90% of the time, but its dang annoying when that 10% of the time, you have to hunt for something else.

 

[5030]

Don't have them. The Blitzburg ones are just fine and what I use, just no impact or they will split.

 

[5030]

Well, yesterday I unboxed the Bauer 20 volt right angle drill and used it to drill some holes and drive some screws in the holes in a tight spot. I'm impressed with it actually. Has a nice metal hand tight chuck on it, 2 speeds and even an LED that illuminates when you squeeze the flat trigger. Not bad for 59 bucks.

Today I unboxed the Bauer pole saw, also nice. Assembly was easy, just put the chain on the bar and put the bar on the saw head. Both the supplied chain and the roller nose greaseable bar are Oregon and the pole sections (they telescope) appear to be made of either structural fiber or fiberglass and adjusting the chain tension is 100% conventional with the adjustment slotted screw on the left side of the bar. The big knob on the cover side just secures everything. Slapped on a fully charged Bauer 20 volt 5AH battery and was going to give it a test run but it started to rain, so maybe tomorrow, Was on sale with my ITC membership (which I use the heck out of, for me, well worth the 25 bucks a year...was 60 bucks, 10 bucks off. Got a pile of limbs I need to cut off.

 

[jjeff]

I really like right angle drills remember when I bought my first cheap corded one it was one of those tools I wondered how I did stuff with out it, for me anyway. I can say if I wasn't so invested in DeWalt cordless tools I'd probably give hf (Bauer) a try due to yours and a few others reviews on them.

 

[5030]

This^

Farmers have been killing themselves since the begining of time doing the best they can with what they got…until it doesn’t work.

But it don't hurt so bad if it's a relatively cheap tool.... I look at the Bauer stuff as throwaway not that I've had any failures because I have not. They aren't constant use shop tools but for the ocassional user (me) they work fine.

 

[Cycledude]

Sunday I was interested in buying a new bigger set of ratcheting combination wrenches, the first place I stopped was Harbor Frieght , luckily it was just a couple minutes before 6 pm and they close at 6 on Sunday and there were a couple employees coming out the door saying they close at 6 on Sunday so I went to Menards instead and they are open until 8pm.
Well turns out Menards sells a 20 piece set of metric and SAE Ratcheting combination wrenches for $90 with the same lifetime warranty, that’s less than half price of what Harbor Frieght wants so I bought it, I am very happy Harbor Frieght closed early that day, saved me a lot of money !

 

[5030]

I don't much care for Menards hand tools as a rule, or their toolboxes either. We shop an Menards quite often, but not for tools. At least they offer the 11 percent off on everything, that offsets the sales tax at least but my rub is, the 100% off vouchers are only good for Menards merchandise. Don't need any open end or box end wrenches anyway, have drawers full of Blue Point and SK's.

 

[jjeff]

Are the Menards brand ratcheting wrenches reversible with the flip of a toggle and slightly offset or you have to flip them over? Still remember when these ratcheting wrenches first came out or became more prevalent anyway. I really like and appreciate them, mitigating vulgar vocabulary out of my mouth for almost 20 yrs now lol.

 

[Cycledude]

I don't much care for Menards hand tools as a rule, or their toolboxes either. We shop an Menards quite often, but not for tools. At least they offer the 11 percent off on everything, that offsets the sales tax at least but my rub is, the 100% off vouchers are only good for Menards merchandise. Don't need any open end or box end wrenches anyway, have drawers full of Blue Point and SK's.

I’m glad you already own plenty of wrenches, I believe most of the wrenches sold at Menards are made by the same outfit that makes the Harbor Frieght tools.
The only real reason I posted about this particular kit was because $90 seems like an almost unbelievable price for the 20 piece kit.

 

[Cycledude]

Are the Menards brand ratcheting wrenches reversible with the flip of a toggle and slightly offset or you have to flip them over? Still remember when these ratcheting wrenches first came out or became more prevalent anyway. I really like and appreciate them, mitigating vulgar vocabulary out of my mouth for almost 20 yrs now lol.

They have a bunch of different styles, the 20 wrench kit I bought have to be flipped over to change direction but I think they also have some with the little flip lever.