Harbor Freight Tools Shopping Spree

[Bird]

Either of those compressors will be a lot better than no compressor, and either of them will be just enough to make you want a bigger one. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Actually, either one will do most of what you want to do. A half inch impact needs about 4 CFM; they can work on less, but not at full power. You might have to occasionally stop what you're doing and wait on the compressor to catch up when you're doing things like blowing dust or dirt out of something. You can forget about ever using a sandblaster; just not enough air. They'll handle small paint guns. And they'll be no good for pneumatic sanders and grinders, but will work your air ratchet OK.

 

[BarryinMN]

I wonder how many Harbor Freight tools the Owner of HF stocks in the garage of his new $46,000,000 Mansion in Beverly Hills /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I bought a HF $90 little portable compressor and it works filling tires, blowing dust, dirt etc. You might try going cheaper on the compressor until you get more tools and then get tired waiting for the compressor to catch up. The little one is also very quiet.

A compressor is one of those things that you will know when you need a larger one.

On the grinders get several and install different wheels/brushes on each so you just pick up the right tool for the task.

Something to add to your list is the metal benders. They will work nice along with that welder.

Take a look at garagejunkies they might have a thread on HF vs others: Homier, Northern etc.

 

[Dargo]

Well, I can say that HF has also never let me down as well. Call me a sucker, or what, but about once each year I go for one fo their ads and "load up".

If you don't count anything for my time and frustration in taking everything back, I likely break about even on the gas money spent making all the trturn trips taking the junk back. Since I do value my time at some figure northwards of zero, I'd say that I still am yet to find that single elusive bqrgqin there. It seems to be a a sort of game for the retired to actually find the one adtual bargain in the ad. it does not count when you have to spend $6 to get a .50 cent bargain regate. Those are the old "gotcha" bargains! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Personally, I've given up on the bargains at HF to the old guys with the tennis balls on the bottoms of their walkers that can still hit 60 mph in a dash to isle 6 when the pneumatic toiilet flushers are on sale for the first 5 in line for the unhuman price of $6.95.

Besides, I have a truce with HF; they quit sending me their lies for fliers and I quit following their "sales associates" recorcing them trying to politely explain that such item does not actually esistl. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Viva la HF! Who else makes Walmart look like they treat their customers like royalty! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Marlowe]

I bought a compressor from HF a while back and it's been fine for occasional use. I've got an industrial quality unit for the big jobs but I needed one that would run off a 115 volt, 15 amp circuit. It fits the bill.

I also bought one of their hammer drills. I should have just burned the money. I now have a Makita hammer drill.

I have a compound sliding miter saw from HF that's been fine. I suspect the chop saw will do quite nicely as well.

Bottom line, HF stuff is a gamble, but what do we expect for cheap? They should have helped me with that danged hammer drill though.

Tom

 

[rambler]

Compressor: I would either get a cheapie small one, or a better quality bigger one. The units you are looking at are kinda big to lug around as a tire filler; and are pretty light to work with much of any air tools. I think you are spending middle money, when what you will wish you had 5 years from now is a super cheapie & a really good one. Buying the average, in the middle type of unit and you won't be accomplishing either. I just bought a $50 1 gallon cheapie, & a $300 5+ cfm 30gal better name that came with 3 good air tools. That covers one's needs a lot better than a 3-4 cfm cheapie... I won't mind the cheapie wearing out or banging around the pickup & real easy to carry around & can run a nailer; and I expect the big unit to stick to a shed or 2, and provide service for a while.

The drill press looks like junk, I would look for a better name on sale, can get one like it for $70 with much better quality & a bigger openning for work if you watch sales.... The $70 better unit will work better, produce better jobs, & last much longer than the HF $40. This is an item you will use & keep for a long time. Like the compressor.....

The drill & the grinder are good deals. They are not as polished as better names, won't last as long, bearing will howl. But for the price, they will give you service, you will get your money out of them, and if you decide you want a much better quality unit, can still use these for banging-around-the-pickup work.

Give me a few days to try out the welding helmet.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I hope it was worth it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The cut-off saw is the tough one, I'm thinking through the same question. I'm kinda leaning towards the $99 industrial HF version, seems that has a better chance of surviving. Or, I'm leaning towards a better name. Don't think I'll go for the $50 unit, not sure I would get my money out of it.

JIMHO

I try to pick my tools for what I expect of them, & I have very good quality tools for things I want to use & last for 20 years; and I have very cheap low-quality tools for things I only use once in a long while, or want to take out to the field or otherwise abuse.

I have very few middle of the road tools...... They don't seem to last, & don't seem to get a real job done well. Just too 'average' - seems like wasted money.

--->Paul

 

[escavader]

The helmet is a good one.The 4.5 grinder is very powerful,and i have many hours of hard work on it.I only bought it to put a wire brush on it,but after finding out it was a stronger grinder than my MAKITA,it got the wheel and the MAKITA got the wire brush.The only thing thats bad its got a paddle switch without a safety and it will start up if you set it down wrong /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifI have the 9 inch hf and it is awsome,you cant slow it down.I have many hf tools they are worth the money,in most cases.Most tools are made overseas now any how.The grinder for example,you can buy 3 for the price of a MAKITA,and its just as good if not better in my opinion.
ALAN

 

[have_blue]

npaden,

I have 3 of the tools. The grinder is bulletproof. The 1/2" drill is jet-smooth and powerful. Try not to bog it, because it will burn the brushes, and it takes a bit of running to re-seat them. I have the exact same compressor only with the 8 gallon tank. It's a tremendous bargain, and runs just great. It fills my 8 gallon tank lickety split, so I think it's enough compressor for the 21 gallon tank. But I must say I have never found much of an advantage to a larger tank. You may think it will allow you to run bigger tools with a lower CFM compressor, but it really doesn't help much.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Give me a few days to try out the welding helmet.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I hope it was worth it.)</font>

We all have a different opinion of what "quality" is. However, I doubt that many of us are willing to set a $40 price tag on our eyesight. I tried one of the junk $49 AD hoods from HF and ended up spending several hundred dollars dealing with the welding flash I got from using it. Much more and you can go blind. Read the disclaimer on the hood, they basically state that they are not liable at all if you go blind from using their junk hood. You are taking the responsibility by using a cut rate product.

Apparently I have a different view on personal safety as well as quality than many people here. Some have mistakenly read that I am against anything made over seas. Read now; I am not in any union and never have been. I am free to make my own decisions and do not have a union telling me what I have to buy and threatening me if I buy a foreign made car. There are even some very high quality items that are produced in China. The difference is that HF makes their living by beating Walmart at their own game; buying the cheapest made product regardless of quality. They are very well aware that you will soon discover that you are only throwing good money after bad by making trip after trip to replace junk power tools that are basically not worth the cost of the gas it takes to go replace them.

I've worked very hard to make do with what I had. I've rigged up more things to do what they were never designed to do than I'd care to admit. From taking these things apart and fixing them, adapting them, and trying to make one work from 10 scrapped ones, I can tell you that some things are simply junk. Not to sound sarcastic, but spend your money on what you wish. However, don't try to convince me that obvious junk can be mistaken for quality. Also, if your only value your eyesight at $40, you'll get what what you are asking to get.

P.S. Rambler, this post was not aimed at you. You'd just mentioned the junk HD AD hood that nearly caused permanent eye damage. I place the value of my eyesight at a figure over $49.

 

[have_blue]

Dargo,

The only question here is, do you get your money's worth?

At HF, I pick and choose. Upon close examination, I find many tools I wouldn't buy, period. Out of approximately 150 HF tools I own, I only have a handful that didn't give me more than my money's worth. The good news is, it didn't cost but a few bucks for the lesson, and I won't get that tool again. A dozen or so of my HF tools have already given me 5x my money's worth. If I were still a pro mechanic, I would probably think a little differently.

My definition of quality is something that will do what it is intended to do, and will last for a reasonable amount of time. While I appreciate fine tools (and I have many!) I lean toward "utility", not "works of art". I like tools, but I LOVE what they can do for me. I am not a tool collector, and if one fails me, I pitch it into the trash like a dead rat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for the tip on the welding hood. I'll heed your warning.

 

[Bird]

I had Harbor Freight air ratchet, half inch impact, and 3/8" butterfly for many years. The impact wrench just didn't have enough power, but worked OK otherwise. The other two tools were used and worked fine for over 20 years, but I sold them in a garage sale when I moved back to town. Of course, I bought those tools via mail order from California. I had never seen or been in one of their stores until today. So I bought a cheap 3/8" air ratchet and an angle die grinder today, and it was an interesting store. We'll see how these tools do.