Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Code54]

Back on topic.....
Anyone have the "Threaded Insert Riveter Kit 45 Pc" - Looks like it would be fine for my limited use but thought it maybe worth asking before buying one. THANKS

 

[lostcreekranch]

Back on topic.....
Anyone have the "Threaded Insert Riveter Kit 45 Pc" - Looks like it would be fine for my limited use but thought it maybe worth asking before buying one. THANKS

I’m in the market for a threaded insert tool as well. I looked at the Harbor Freight tool several weeks ago.

45 Piece Threaded Insert Riveter Kit

IMHO this would be pretty light duty. The HF description talks about working in aluminum and, as I recall, the included inserts were aluminum. Would it work with steel inserts?

I’m thinking I want something a bit heavier, with longer handles, to work in sheet metal as well.

If HF will let you use a 20% coupon, might be a good deal at $16.

 

[Garandman]

I did the same, bought mine on coupon for $10 and took it home, tested against a $280 Craftsman Pro 1/2" one that I get calibrated/verified at work. It was horrible. I returned it and got a second one, tested it and it's about dead nuts on par with my Beta Labs calibrated one. I use this one for wheels only and use my subjectively better one for engines and things that I consider more sensitive/important.

It appears based on my limited sampling of 2 units that the consistency is the typical crap-shoot that one expects from HF. But if you verify it and have a good one, it seems to stay calibrated good enough. Always back off your torque wrench as soon as the job is completed, do not store it with sitting pressure dialed into it.

Have an old BMW Motorcycle and one of the guys on FB broke two engine case bolts with a new HF torque wrench. Luckily he was able to get them out.

I have a MATCO 1/2” less than Snap On but a great tool. Just ordered a like-new but used Marco 3/8 for $105 on eBay. They are clos3 to $300 new.

 

[TheMan419]

Thank you for your generous offer!

We resolved the issue Friday by looking at one of the components of the multi-file attachment we received, which was a tiny jpg image of the document. (I assume used for an icon representing the file). Then we re-typed what we saw and saved it as RTF. Printed that, then asked the sender to come over and sign it. Project completed! Life goes on. I can get back to harvesting apples and playing with the tractor. Again, thanks!

It was a heck of a lot easier than that.....

3 Easy Steps: How to Open .Pages Files on a Windows PC: If you don't own a Mac! - YouTube

So even if they sent you the wrong file type or they were not computer savvy you could have easily extracted it as a PDF. I assume you can view and print PDF's? You can even copy and paste the info from the PDF into word if you needed to edit the document.

 

[California]

It was a heck of a lot easier than that. 3 Easy Steps: How to Open .Pages Files on a Windows PC: If you don't own a Mac! - YouTube

So even if they sent you the wrong file type or they were not computer savvy you could have easily extracted it as a PDF.

Not helpful. Same problem as in the comments to that video, there is no pdf in the .pages archive.

- 'Preview' is a .jpg picture of the first page. Preview.pdf that she described in that video doesn't exist.

- Folder 'Index' has Document.iwa. A hex viewer shows the text we needed was in it - but overwhelmed with formatting command garbage.

Instead of learning the intricacies of the Apple world under short deadline pressure it was simpler to re-type what we saw in the .jpg, verify with the author that it was what she intended to declare - and get on with the project. Mostly I was astonished that the 'mac guru' who had used them for years in a junior high school setting had no idea she could export in RTF or anything universal, and was resistant to my suggestion to do so.

 

[Diggin It]

Back on topic.....
Anyone have the "Threaded Insert Riveter Kit 45 Pc" - Looks like it would be fine for my limited use but thought it maybe worth asking before buying one. THANKS

Back on topic..... again.


I haven't used it, but is there enough clearance to operate the handles in close areas? I can see where it would come in handy, but not if you don't have room to squeeze if your hand in inside a box or panel.

 

[sixdogs]

Files. Here are two winners in my book.

The first is a needle file set. There are two or more suppliers of this but both seem to get good ratings. You won't use these every day but for the couple times a year that you need them they are worth the price of admission. They--or at least mine --are excellent quality and for $2.99 before a 20% coupon, what more do you want?

Needle File Set - 12 Piece

There you go.


.

The second file I like is not this one but it's a good example. It's actually a box of maybe 8 or 10 of these files--without the handles. Take the handle away and that's what one of the pack looks like. If need be I can take a picture of mine. It's a great file and I have deburred and rounded a whole bunch of stuff with the current one and it's still in great shape.

8" Flat File

This one file is $3.49 before the coupon and I think I paid $8 or $10, before coupon, for my multi pack of plain fies with no handles. You don't see them all the time but if you do, buy them. Two thumbs up.

 

[dragoneggs]

Telescoping flag pole. Just bought one today %57.99 minus a 20% coupon. Got it flying... and thinking I need to add a Seahawk flag just below!

 

[stuckmotor]

I like the spring loaded center punches. Both the steel and brass handled ones work well enough for starting most of the drill bits that I use and for starting pilot bits for the larger holes. The brass punch is easier to see in my toolbox.

 

[crazyal]

I have a different Chinese brand Rivnut tool. It works just fine. The nuts that came with it are aluminum so they aren't the strongest things in the world. I do have some steel rivnuts but haven't tried them yet.

I didn't bother with the app. I just use my laptop to search and when I find a coupon I like I copy the image location and insert it into my gmail account. You have two options, to upload from your computer or from a web address. I do the latter and just send the email to myself. The last thing I need is another app on my phone.

 

[Diggin It]

Anybody noticing general price increases? I don't mean on new items that have replaced older ones, but things they've carried all along. A couple of months ago, the Hot Dog and Pancake compressors went from $49 to $54 for example (off coupon). I noticed a few others in the latest flyer too.

 

[Travelover]

Anybody noticing general price increases? I don't mean on new items that have replaced older ones, but things they've carried all along. A couple of months ago, the Hot Dog and Pancake compressors went from $49 to $54 for example (off coupon). I noticed a few others in the latest flyer too.

I've noticed a general drift upward. I don't know if tariffs have kicked in yet.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I put the poly service cart together this morning. Unlike some other HF "some assembly needed" items, everything fit perfectly. And the hardware was not loose or in a bag, it was in this compartmented plastic box.

 

[Diggin It]

Cool. 'Free parts storage box included'.

 

[Inspector507]

And the hardware was not loose or in a bag, it was in this compartmented plastic box.

That's great. Never seen that before from HF.

 

[Oldpath05]

That's a good one.

There should be a 1 page instruction manual with it, mine did. It called for 20 feet. I bought a 1/2" x 25' long rubber air hose, connected one end to the tank, coiled about 20 feet into a 15" coil on the floor and connected the other end to the regulator. That 20' foot coil on the cool concrete floor is enough to let the air cool and condense into large enough droplets that the 5 micron filter can separate.

Will there was a little change of plans, my younger son went to HF yesterday and pick up this air filter>> 3/8 In. Air Filter with Regulator and he also said 20' from compressor, got it hooked up this afternoon, now I wait for the PVC glue to dry, 2 hrs-ish. But now I'm having second thought as usual, I'm wondering if he should of bought a 1/2" filter instead of the 3/8".............If this filter blows apart I'll got to Northerntool and get a 1/2", it's called a do over.................

 

[California]

Will there was a little change of plans, my younger son went to HF yesterday and pick up this air filter>> 3/8 In.

HF claims 80 CFM @ 100 psi capacity. You should be fine.

I think the more air hose (or plumbing) there is before any water trap, to cool and condense the air, the better.

 

[bigtiller]

Will there was a little change of plans, my younger son went to HF yesterday and pick up this air filter>> 3/8 In. Air Filter with Regulator and he also said 20' from compressor, got it hooked up this afternoon, now I wait for the PVC glue to dry, 2 hrs-ish. But now I'm having second thought as usual, I'm wondering if he should of bought a 1/2" filter instead of the 3/8".............If this filter blows apart I'll got to Northerntool and get a 1/2", it's called a do over.................

You should be fine. I bought a 3/4" one but I like to overbuild things. My compressor builds only 15.4 cfm @ 90 psi.

 

[John_Mc]

I've noticed a general drift upward. I don't know if tariffs have kicked in yet.

Last I checked, the tariffs were on steel and aluminum, not finished products, so they should not directly effect the Chinese-made products HF is bringing into the country (However, it could have an indirect affect: domestic steel prices have skyrocketed, which means domestic users of steel are paying higher prices, regardless of whether the steel comes from inside our outside of the US. As a result, places like HF can afford to raise their prices and still look very good in comparison to US made goods.)

I work in the steel industry (a manufacturing company that buys steel rod and makes & heat treats steel wire). So I follow the steel tariff developments. I'll admit I have not been closely following the latest tariffs or threats of tariffs in other industries.

 

[PhysAssist]

Cool. 'Free parts storage box included'.

Now you know why the prices went up...