daugen
Epic Contributor
the customer rating on those are amazing, 600 folks unanimously giving it two thumbs up.
looks like a good tool at a fair price.
Now if it's a great tool at a fair price, which this seems to be,
we seem to have a winner.
Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck
- Thread starter Travelover
- Start date
- Views: 4094269
looks like a good tool at a fair price.
Now if it's a great tool at a fair price, which this seems to be,
we seem to have a winner.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,986
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Far as I'm concerned today, the only junk HF stuff is the 'Warrior' line. The rest is pretty good. Even the Pittsburg stuff is acceptable but the Chief and Icon and the tool cabs are all excellent as are the Vulcan and Titanium welders and plasma cutters.
I have a Vulcan Pro-Tig 205 and it is much better and tons cheaper than my Lincoln Square Wave TIG which I've sold and I bought 2 Titanium plasma cutters a 65 amp for use on my CNC plasma table and a 45 amp for general hand use. and both were less than the Hyper-Therm I had that I sold as well. All the Vulcan and Titanium welder come with a one year guarantee which I extended to 3 years.
The Pro-Tig is especially user friendly with it's built in presets and full digital control. I did upgrade the standard TIG torch to a CK 250 amp water cooled unit and a water cooler however. The gas cooled torch isn't good for aluminum welding at maximum amperage. It's only a 150 amp torch.
When I purchased the Pro-Tig and the Vulcans I also purchased the Large Vulcan roll around welder cart. It's also a high quality piece. Ball bearing soft lock drawers, room for 2 full size bottles (I run 120's) on everything that requires gas shielding except my OA torches. They get a 180 OX bottle and a A sized acetylene bottle, or maybe it's not an A, it's a big one too... I keep my Hobart 210's separate carts.
I have a Vulcan Pro-Tig 205 and it is much better and tons cheaper than my Lincoln Square Wave TIG which I've sold and I bought 2 Titanium plasma cutters a 65 amp for use on my CNC plasma table and a 45 amp for general hand use. and both were less than the Hyper-Therm I had that I sold as well. All the Vulcan and Titanium welder come with a one year guarantee which I extended to 3 years.
The Pro-Tig is especially user friendly with it's built in presets and full digital control. I did upgrade the standard TIG torch to a CK 250 amp water cooled unit and a water cooler however. The gas cooled torch isn't good for aluminum welding at maximum amperage. It's only a 150 amp torch.
When I purchased the Pro-Tig and the Vulcans I also purchased the Large Vulcan roll around welder cart. It's also a high quality piece. Ball bearing soft lock drawers, room for 2 full size bottles (I run 120's) on everything that requires gas shielding except my OA torches. They get a 180 OX bottle and a A sized acetylene bottle, or maybe it's not an A, it's a big one too... I keep my Hobart 210's separate carts.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,986
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
Have one of those as well. Mine works fine but I do use air tool oil in it regularly. It's the HF cheapie.
As do I in everything pneumatic, if it was nicer I'd probably attempt to take it apart, might do it anyways just to take it apart lol.
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
If you look at the fine print on those 25% coupons over half the stuff in the store is exempt from that discount.
ArlyA
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2016
- Messages
- 12,073
- Tractor
- Outlander max 1000 6x6, Ego lawn mower
The sale is of course over now but i did get 25% off of one clamp.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,986
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
My air is very dry so no moisture gets in my tools except maybe a little in the air line and piping but all my piping is in black iron with a downward slope and I drain that off of every down leg anyway. I have a refrigerated dryer on the main feed from the main compressor and my secondary screw compressor has a built in air dryer. To be sure I get it all, I have a Tsunami auto drain on the main compressor that dumps and water in it every time it cycles. Water kills air tools.
That's a lot nicer set up than mine. This is the first pneumatic tool that's ever completely failed on me besides nail guns. But your probably correct water killed it, line out of compressor is finned going into tank, a ball valve in easy reach on bottom of tank to drain water occasionally, one pretty decent self draining filter before it enters my semi ridgid max air brand lines and another smaller regulator filter in my shop I use for occasionally painting. I do completely drain and shut air compressor down occasionally. It's only a 60 gallon single stage but has been pretty good and handy for my usage.
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John_Mc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2001
- Messages
- 4,561
- Location
- Monkton, Vermont
- Tractor
- NH TC33D Modified with belly pan, limb risers & FOPS. Honda Pioneer 520 & antique Coot UTV
The secret is to not shop there for a few months. HF will then email you a letter saying "we missed you" with a coupon for 25% off any one item in the store with no exceptions (other than gift certificates and club memberships).
When you buy your big ticket item, make sure to buy another doo-dad or two, and stop by a week or so later and grab something else. I'm told they track whether that special coupon gets you back and buying other things. If so, you are more likely to get another one in the future if you are absent for an extended period. If I don't need another tool, I'll just pick up some consumable, like zip ties or a pack of angle grinder cut-off wheels.