Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[daugen]

Harbor Freight Tools - 23400 Cactus Ave, Moreno Valley, Ca 92553, Us - company

Harbor Freight Tools's full import history & supplier list. Harbor Freight Tools's top company is Jiangsu Tongrun Equipment Technology with 1715 shipments. They primarily import from China with 1715 shipments

www.importyeti.com

interesting to see HF's largest supplier also supplies to Rural King and Tractor Supply and Costco

 

[3Ts]

Anyone here own one of these ?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

the reviews seem mostly pretty good
the video looks great

I wasn't aware HF had one of these until your post so I went out and got one. (I've been looking for a double cut saw for a looonnnngg time and HF's price was right enough to try it out.) I have used it exactly one (1) time to cut 1/4" steel. Here are my thoughts after the one use.

Pro:
-It's cleaner than a grinder
-There's no sparks and the "grit" is much larger than the dust from a cutoff wheel.
-It's easy to handle (see notes)
-It leaves a really nice and smooth cut on the steel

Con:
-Can't really see where you're cutting. There is a V groove at the leading edge, but that isn't where the saw actually cut. The blade is completely enclosed so you can't see the cutting edge so I wouldn't use it for precision cuts.
-The cut is much much wider than a 4-1/2" cutoff wheel produces. I should have measured it, but I didn't.
-It's heavy, about 2x the weight of a 4-1/2" grinder

Notes:
- Not sure of the speed, whether the double cut or a cutoff wheel is quicker. I've used a cutoff wheel for many years and feel comfortable with them and 1st time with the double cut saw was slower than I expected, but I think it will speed up after using it awhile.
- It feels different than any tool I have so I felt a little uncomfortable with it, but when I first turned on a router for wood working many years ago, I thought the same thing with that.

 

[California]

(I've been looking for a double cut saw for a looonnnngg time and HF's price was right enough to try it out.)

Con:
-Can't really see where you're cutting. There is a V groove at the leading edge, but that isn't where the saw actually cut. The blade is completely enclosed so you can't see the cutting edge so I wouldn't use it for precision cuts.

Make a sample cut partway into a block of wood, stop the saw, draw a pencil line down the edge of the 'shoe'. Lift off the saw, measure from your pencil line over to the edge of the cut, and to the far side of the cut. Now you can draw an offset line on the steel you want to cut. Just keep the edge of the saw following that offset line and the cut will be where you expect it.

Similar - you can clamp a straightedge to the workpiece right at the pencil line, and follow that.

 

[stuckmotor]

I must have been making spark testers from spark plugs for nearly forty years. Before that I tried to pull the pug and hold it against the engine without being shocked and watching for a spark as I pulled the starter rope. When I got old I had more trouble seeing the spark. Then I bought an inline checker from Harbor Freight. It makes a light that I CAN SEE. As a bonus, I don't have to clamp it to a ground on the block. Mine isn't new but to me, it looks like the one at the following link. In-Line Spark Checker

 

[Travelover]

Inexpensive item coupons

 

[Midniteoyl]

Link that works: Savings Coupons at Harbor Freight Tools

 

[stuckmotor]

Inexpensive item coupons

Thanks for this. I bought two of the movers dollys last week at regular price. We'll see how good the (refund if goes on sale within so many days) works.

 

[3Ts]

Make a sample cut partway into a block of wood, stop the saw, draw a pencil line down the edge of the 'shoe'. Lift off the saw, measure from your pencil line over to the edge of the cut, and to the far side of the cut. Now you can draw an offset line on the steel you want to cut. Just keep the edge of the saw following that offset line and the cut will be where you expect it.

Similar - you can clamp a straightedge to the workpiece right at the pencil line, and follow that.

I looked at using a straightedge to guide the saw just like i'd use for my regular circular saw when I cut wood. The double cut does not have a flat edge and the motor interferes with a saw guide. And yes, I know this statement is hard to believe so I'll try to get a picture later today.

 

[3Ts]

Here's a couple of pictures to help explain the issue with the guide. First the saw is upside down so you're looking at the base plate of the saw. The redline is a straight edge and is normally where the saw would rest against a guide.

In this second image, you're looking at the side of the saw from the motor side (direction of the arrow in the 1st picture). The straight line with the arrow pointing to it is the same edge as in the first picture. However, notice the oval. This is a mounting lug where the two halves are bolted together and is in the same plane as the sole of the saw. Using a guide will only work until it hits the lug. To use a guide you will need to attach something to the bottom of the saw, but the manual says max depth of cut is 3/8". I've not measured how far the blades reach beyond the base plate, but it's not a lot.

Could you use the other side of the base plate for a guide, maybe, but I'd much prefer the guide be longer and nearer the shaft of the saw. I still like the saw and plan on using it more.

 

[John_Mc]

Is anyone else having problems logging on to the Harbor Freight website this morning?

 

[IndyJay]

Is anyone else having problems logging on to the Harbor Freight website this morning?

Username or password invalid

 

[John_Mc]

Username or password invalid

That's not the problem. I mis-spoke. I'm not trying to "log in", I'm just trying to view the site. the address just won't load. My computer just sits there waiting, and eventually it times out.

I'm getting this whether I use my bookmarked link, or if I do a google search and click on one of the HF results.

I did finally get the home page to load, but it's taking forever. Other sites are loading normally.

 

[IndyJay]

That's not the problem. I mis-spoke. I'm not trying to "log in", I'm just trying to view the site. the address just won't load. My computer just sits there waiting, and eventually it times out.

I'm getting this whether I use my bookmarked link, or if I do a google search and click on one of the HF results.

When I first tried after your post it was slow to load, then I got logon error. Maybe they are having issues.

 

[caver]

I wonder if they didn't over-expand a few years ago. Even my small town got a Hazard Fraud several years ago. (less than 18K population). They seemed to have cut way back on the coupons. Their higher grade brands are close to a name brand power tool. The backlash from made in china products. I had not been in the local store for months and it was pretty well deserted. Just thinking out loud.

 

[stuckmotor]

When I tried to view the HF site just now, all I got was a white screen.

 

[bcp]

No problem for me right now. Seems normal. Search worked, too.

Bruce

 

[Root Cause]

They have improved their products and why would you sell them for 40% less when 15% still gets the sale?
I have had good and bad experiences with their stuff and still avoid some things but I do shop there.

Wood clamps and AA batteries work fine for a lot less money.
I recently bought a 4' power strip for $17. Can't find that anywhere else.

I wish we could buy American-made but when I found Chinese parts in my new '84 Ford Ranger, I gave up on that notion.

 

[California]

When I first tried after your post it was slow to load, then I got logon error. Maybe they are having issues.

Looks like it.

I just clicked the coupon for welders in this morning's email. Nothing, then

504 Gateway Time-out​

 

[IndyJay]

Looks like they are back online...

 

[Reddogs]

1. 10" carbide table say blades for $10, and they stay sharp as long as blades costing 3X as much.
2. Impact sockets I'v had a set for over 15 years and haven't broken any yet.
3. 4 1/2" grinding wheels. Last just as long as the $8 ones .

Just got some of the impact sockets, and it seems any of the basic tools with no electronics or power seem to work out fine..