Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[aeblank]

So, If I have 100' of 3/8" line rolled up on a reel with one end connected to my tank and the other connected to the impact wrench with standard small size fittings I will likely see a significant loss of pressure between the tank and wrench from loss along the way?

Loss of pressure..... During high flow, yes. During no/low flow, no. So it depends on the specific volume of the (in this case) impact as to if it matters. As mentioned, an impact isn't usually a huge air hog, like perhaps a die grinder.

Assuming you were talking to me.....

 

[SPYDERLK]

BTDT. I've had a free one in the garage at home and one in my study (for pc etc setup). At the ranch, one on the house and one in the barn. All are the yellow ones from a few years ago.Then last year I got a fifth free meter, my first red one, and left it at the tractor that has a battery maintainer on it.

Then I noticed these five meters all read differently! See my post #8244 above. So I got another red one. Now six different readings on the same battery! I went back and got a seventh free one. Different again!

So Saturday the three meters farthest from the average of this group got dropped off at Goodwill. (I stuck tags on each noting the variance. So nobody gets cheated).

The four meters I kept all show within 4/100 of a volt measuring the same '9 volt' battery, good enough.

Then Sunday I took the 25%-off coupon from the newspaper and bought the good meter, $18 after coupon.

Guess what. The 'pro' meter shows a few hundredths higher for '9 volts' than the highest in the group of four free meters I kept. A couple of tenths to a full a volt higher than the four free meters for 120 volts AC. So is the expensive one more accurate???? :confused2: It's manual says it should be 'calibrated annually by a professional service'. Ya sure. Is this like the 'some assembly required' on the power tools?

I'm undecided whether to return the new meter. I need the 20 amp range which isn't on any cheap meter. The continuity beeper is valuable and the big screen is nice. But it is awkwardly large, as big as an 8 inch long chunk of 2x4 and heavier. The temperature scale is Centigrade only while the equivalent China meters on Ebay have C/F. Not at all pocketable, so it isn't likely to be the first one to reach for.

The environment; T and H%, affect them. I hope you got all the meters together and gave them about a day to stabilize in the same environment before making comparison. The ones I dont store in the house are pretty flaky - esp in winter.

 

[SPYDERLK]

So, If I have 100' of 3/8" line rolled up on a reel with one end connected to my tank and the other connected to the impact wrench with standard small size fittings I will likely see a significant loss of pressure between the tank and wrench from loss along the way?

Yes. Couplers lose a lot and the valve in the coupler body tends to be the big part of the loss. Iv quoted a post I made in another thread where I tested various 1/4 coupler body flows through the small coupler plug you have pictured. ... Youve seen it but it may have value to others. :confused3:

Your losses during flow from the hose and couplings will add together. -- The couplers are very lossy considering the short distance through them. Hoses are much less loss per length -- BUT 100 feet of 3/8" on a hosereel swivel is too much if you need really good flow.​

Everything adds up. Bigger is better, except bigger is, well, BIG and sometimes in the way. High flow 1/4" couplers may get you to "good enuf" with your 3/8" hose. :confused3:

FWIW, The body of the linked post gives some data on testing of various 1/4" couplers.​

 

[California]

The environment; T and H%, affect [multimeters]. I hope you got all the meters together and gave them about a day to stabilize in the same environment before making comparison.
The ones I don't store in the house are pretty flaky - esp in winter.

That might explain my first observation that caused me to get additional meters. The 'new' (one year) red meter lived outdoors at an open-front tractor parking stall. I checked an unused tractor occasionally and was surprised to find its battery in the 12.20's, I think 12.27 volts. After putting a trickle charger on it I came back with two more meters and read a wide range, 12.6 down into 12.40's. So I got another free meter, then another. Out of these seven, I kept four similar ones: two yellow (old), and the two newest (red). The meter dedicated to monitoring that tractor and exposed to outdoor climate was the worst, it apparently drifted out of spec over a year. (I swapped around the meters internal batteries, this didn't change the readings).

Yes these in the comparison last week - the four freebies + the $18 'pro' multimeter, had been together for a day before comparing them. I like the big one. It's a test bench tool rather than a pocketable portable due to its size but I'm beginning to appreciate its additional features and legibility.

 

[California]

... An impact doesn't use a steady stream of air. A rush of air comes in, spins the motor, it then "hammers" the socket slowing the motor back down some. The air in the tank is really too far away to make an immediate impact on the impact wrench. So you are counting on the air stored up in the air line. The more that's there (a 1/2" hose has more volume than a 3/8" hose) the better.

This can be an argument to put a small 'pig' tank a few feet before the impact wrench, if installing larger plumbing is impractical.

 

[PhysAssist]

I just posted this in another thread but the best 12V test light I ever got came from Harbor Freight a few years ago.


View attachment 534216

Above is a generic picture but my HF one has one with a long cord and a long and sharp metal probe. Works great. I didn't find the one I have on-line just now but saw it in the store a while back.

Yah, mine was great too- until some numb nut [yours truly] left it under the hood and drive off with it, where its cord got caught in and decimated one of the [luckily] 2 cooling fans in front of my Honda Element's radiator.

Actually, it still works pretty well, you just have to watch which part of the cord you hold, because bare skin on bare copper apparently messes up the continuity of the tested circuit.

Eventually I'll either tape over the bare spots, or break down and buy a new one.

It only cost me about $40 for a new cooling fan assembly -cheap lesson to teach me to look 3 times to make sure all tools are out before shutting hood [again].

 

[DucO]

Didn't see a prior mention of the HF boat trailer. I bought one for my 14ft fishing boat. Bolt together unit. Have had it for maybe 15 years now. Put 1000 highway miles on it once to take the boat to a new home. Other than fixing the lights as needed, the trailer has been problem free. I'm impressed.

 

[crazyal]

This can be an argument to put a small 'pig' tank a few feet before the impact wrench, if installing larger plumbing is impractical.

I've had mechanics tell me one reason why they add a whip to an air impact is to get just a little extra air to break the bolt free. I've never tried it. I just use high flow quick connects from Milton and a 1/2" GoodYear air line I bought at HF years ago.

 

[bcp]

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Bruce

 

[dragoneggs]

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View attachment 536403

Bruce

Yeah, really you shouldn't walk into HF without one of these. Take a picture on you phone and show it to the cashier... over and over. If they can't scan it... sometimes doesn't work, they will type in the code number. Might only save you a few bucks but it will... over and over again.