Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Threepoint]

Stopped by HF tonight with my busted socket in hand, the cashier saw it and told me to get the set it came from. When I brought it to him he ripped the one I needed out and sent me on my way.

Now we know where the missing one item sets come from.

Ha! Thanks for the update. Next time I'm at HF, I'll look at the clearance shelves with new curiosity.

 

[dragoneggs]

Stopped by HF tonight with my busted socket in hand, the cashier saw it and told me to get the set it came from. When I brought it to him he ripped the one I needed out and sent me on my way.

Now we know where the missing one item sets come from.

That makes sense... keep the customer happy and sell the open/missing kit at a discount probably close to cost but probably not at a loss.

 

[California]

I've done that, I bought a set of water pipe taps and dies that was missing one tap that I already had. The discount wasn't substantial, maybe another 10% below what a 20% coupon would have been. I bought it mostly to get the nice wooden box.

I sometimes look at the 'returns' table at the back of the store but don't recall I've ever bought anything else there. I learned they won't negotiate prices for things there, so few are worthwhile bargains.

 

[stuckmotor]

Ha! Thanks for the update. Next time I'm at HF, I'll look at the clearance shelves with new curiosity.

I've never noticed the clearance shelves with incomplete sets at any Harbor Freight. Are they labeled in a way to distinguish them from the clearance sales they seem to have continuously?

 

[Rock Crawler]

I've never noticed the clearance shelves with incomplete sets at any Harbor Freight. Are they labeled in a way to distinguish them from the clearance sales they seem to have continuously?

Typically in one of the back 2 corners. Prices are on purple stickers. Prices are typically bad, almost every one will be 20% off, exactly what you could walk over but the regular package for (with no missing pieces). I've asked the manager at our store about this pricing scheme, she says that many do not know about it use the coupons, so many will find this area and decide that missing a single piece at 20% off is a fair trade. She says that they never have trouble rotating items through this one set of shelves.

Not me, I'll go grab the full set and use the coupon.

 

[Alan W.]

My store has the missing piece items in the back right hand corner. Like ya say priced like new with coupon.

I dont know how many times Ive seen the cashier ask customers if they have any coupons and when they say no the cashier will scan a 20 percent coupon they have for them.

Sharing the hfqpdb.com site is something I do with fellow customers

 

[California]

I dont know how many times Ive seen the cashier ask customers if they have any coupons and when they say no the cashier will scan a 20 percent coupon they have for them. ... Sharing the hfqpdb.com site is something I do with fellow customers

Your store is friendlier than here (Northern California). They all have headsets to talk to one another and they are cautious what they say. The manager could hear a cashier offering a coupon, which is apparently strictly prohibited. I've never seen that.

I once witnessed a regional manager visiting and berating the local crew like celebrity chef Gorden Ramsay. His main point seemed to be 'Be Very Afraid'. The young woman who was apparently shift leader in the absence of the store manager was nearly in tears. It was uncomfortable to see. The two other stores I occasionally visit also seem to have a cautious 'strictly by the book' atmosphere.

You are fortunate to have such helpful cashiers.

 

[crazyal]

Sears use to do that with their Craftsman sockets if they didn't have the individual one in stock. They would keep the rest of them at the counter with the parts to repair the ratchets and would quickly check to see if they had one before giving you one that was packaged for individual sale. Of course they are dead.

 

[caver]

I finally had to unsubscribe from their email flyers. Every weekend is a sale and then they remind you Friday, then Saturday or Sunday.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Anyone have any experience using their belt /disc sander. I see it is on sale for $78. I dont know if that is a good deal or not or even how well they work. Some advice please.
EDIT: I just did some searching and found a video and saw how much trouble it is to adjust the belt sander position. Looked at Lowes and found a Ryobi 4x36 belt disc sander for $20 less ($59 and change). Since I got a Lowes gift card for Christmas, looks like HF is going to SOL on me purchasing a Chicago Electric model from them. Unless I see something with reviews that are really bad, I think the Ryobi will suit my occasional use fine.

 

[California]

Anyone have any experience using their belt /disc sander. I see it is on sale for $78. I dont know if that is a good deal or not or even how well they work. Some advice please.

This one? When it goes on sale its $59. Maybe a little more now.

I bought one, and returned it. I went and bought the similar Ryobi unit, because I had to get a project out timely. The Ryobi is much better quality.

After a couple hours assembly then tinkering I couldn't get the HF's disk to extend out beyond its shield no matter what I did, including dimpling the sheet metal where the guard bolts on. With the disc recessed like that it was impossible to slide work across the face of the disc.

I see others here are happy with theirs. Maybe I just got the random lemon.

 

[4get gto]

This one? When it goes on sale its $59. Maybe a little more now.

I bought one, and returned it. I went and bought the similar Ryobi unit, because I had to get a project out timely. The Ryobi is much better quality.

After a couple hours assembly then tinkering I couldn't get the HF's disk to extend out beyond its shield no matter what I did, including dimpling the sheet metal where the guard bolts on. With the disc recessed like that it was impossible to slide work across the face of the disc.

I see others here are happy with theirs. Maybe I just got the random lemon.

I have the HF one. Says it has a 3/4hp motor that looks the size of a sewing machine motor. Can't really say how much power it has because the drive slips has soon as you make it work. It's a little flat belt and not much you can do with it. The little I use its "ok" but if I were to it more I'd be disappointed..

 

[John_Mc]

I finally had to unsubscribe from their email flyers. Every weekend is a sale and then they remind you Friday, then Saturday or Sunday.

I have special "Junk Mail" email address which is what I give to any stores or web pages which insist on my email address. Only real people (and those who I've decided are worth hearing from) get my "real" email address. I do check the junk mail email from time-to-time, but not nearly as often as my real one.

 

[stuckmotor]

Typically in one of the back 2 corners. Prices are on purple stickers. Prices are typically bad, almost every one will be 20% off, exactly what you could walk over but the regular package for (with no missing pieces). I've asked the manager at our store about this pricing scheme, she says that many do not know about it use the coupons, so many will find this area and decide that missing a single piece at 20% off is a fair trade. She says that they never have trouble rotating items through this one set of shelves.

Not me, I'll go grab the full set and use the coupon.

Thanks to everyone who has answered about location of the incomplete sets. As long as the 20% coupons are plentiful, I think I'll go that route too.

 

[Handloader109]

I have a few comments to share, yes, I've not seen any cashier have over or scan coupons. in fact at my local one, you'd better tell them that you have a coupon, they don't ask...

my wife got me the battery chainsaw, lynx 40v model just before Christmas. I haven't had but one opportunity so far to test, but went out and cut 13 slices of walnut that was dry, downed 2 yrs ago. 8 to 9 inch diameter and only 25 percent power down (according to lights) pretty darn good. and so darn quiet....

I needed some of the metal ammo boxes, they had decent coupon and I was trying to beat its expiration back a couple of weeks before Christmas. store totally out, so I ordered on line. got 9 using coupon at same price as store and only $6.99 std shipping. Just got email that they shipped Friday. over 5 weeks.... and I just thought I needed them soon. beware of ordering on line. never again.

 

[lostcreekranch]

This one? When it goes on sale its $59. Maybe a little more now.

I bought one, and returned it. I went and bought the similar Ryobi unit, because I had to get a project out timely. The Ryobi is much better quality.

After a couple hours assembly then tinkering I couldn't get the HF's disk to extend out beyond its shield no matter what I did, including dimpling the sheet metal where the guard bolts on. With the disc recessed like that it was impossible to slide work across the face of the disc.

I see others here are happy with theirs. Maybe I just got the random lemon.

I bought the HF 12" disc sander many years ago ... I think it was about $99 then ... mine is black and dark green.

12" Benchtop Disc Sander

The adhesive, on the HF 12" sanding discs, are suspect in hot weather but ... it has lots of power ... 1.25 HP direct drive. It has almost no vibration as long as you mount the sanding discs correctly.

Dust collection works very well ... if you have a good dust collector or shop vac connected.

I've got a 30 year old Craftsman 4" belt sander that came with s stand you could mount the sander on.

All in all ... I never saw the need for the HF belt / disc sander.

 

[5030]

I bought the HF 12" disc sander many years ago ... I think it was about $99 then ... mine is black and dark green.

12" Benchtop Disc Sander

The adhesive, on the HF 12" sanding discs, are suspect in hot weather but ... it has lots of power ... 1.25 HP direct drive. It has almost no vibration as long as you mount the sanding discs correctly.

Dust collection works very well ... if you have a good dust collector or shop vac connected.

I've got a 30 year old Craftsman 4" belt sander that came with s stand you could mount the sander on.

All in all ... I never saw the need for the HF belt / disc sander.

I have the same one, black and green and it's a heavy powerful beast. (I mostly grind metal on it (not wood) and I use 3 M discs from MSC. Much better adhesive and about the same cost if you buy a full carton, which I do. Good machine, had it for years. Think I paid about 99 bucks as well. I remember taking it out to my car and putting it in, was very heavy.

 

[5030]

I finally had to unsubscribe from their email flyers. Every weekend is a sale and then they remind you Friday, then Saturday or Sunday.

One thing about HF and that is, they are having perpetual sales... Final markdown, liquidation sale, 3 days only, so on and so forth. Creative marketing.....

 

[5030]

Sears use to do that with their Craftsman sockets if they didn't have the individual one in stock. They would keep the rest of them at the counter with the parts to repair the ratchets and would quickly check to see if they had one before giving you one that was packaged for individual sale. Of course they are dead.

Not really, Lowes has Cracksman (Chinese) stuff. I'd take HF over that stuff.

 

[Travelover]

Not really, Lowes has Cracksman (Chinese) stuff. I'd take HF over that stuff.

Probably made by the same prisoners. :laughing: