Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sixdogs]

An item I forgot to mention is the HF automotive stethoscope

Mechanic's Stethoscope

Mine is a few years old and I bought it as a couple dollar special. It is used to locate or narrow down a problem such as a bad bearing.
It's not something used every day but I used mine yesterday to guarantee I had a fan belt issue rather than a bearing issue on my hot rod.
Just stick rubber ends in ears and touch the metal probe around anything suspected.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

An item I forgot to mention is the HF automotive stethoscope

Mechanic's Stethoscope

Mine is a few years old and I bought it as a couple dollar special. It is used to locate or narrow down a problem such as a bad bearing.
It's not something used every day but I used mine yesterday to guarantee I had a fan belt issue rather than a bearing issue on my hot rod.
Just stick rubber ends in ears and touch the metal probe around anything suspected.

I wonder if I could use that on my 4-wheeler while I'm driving it. There's some kind of squeak coming from the front drive train. It only happens over about 10 mph. Maybe that stethoscope and a roll of Duct Tape will help me narrow down the problem... 2" x 50 yards Cloth Back Silver Duct Tape

 

[sixdogs]

I wonder if I could use that on my 4-wheeler while I'm driving it. There's some kind of squeak coming from the front drive train. It only happens over about 10 mph. Maybe that stethoscope and a roll of Duct Tape will help me narrow down the problem... 2" x 50 yards Cloth Back Silver Duct Tape

Maybe, depending on the road noise.
I'll bet if you blocked the thing off the ground so the wheels could spin it would work. This thing actually works.

 

[deereman75]

I wonder if I could use that on my 4-wheeler while I'm driving it. There's some kind of squeak coming from the front drive train. It only happens over about 10 mph. Maybe that stethoscope and a roll of Duct Tape will help me narrow down the problem... 2" x 50 yards Cloth Back Silver Duct Tape

Just use some garden hose and duct tape, it will work just as well, and cost less.

 

[chopped]

Just use some garden hose and duct tape, it will work just as well, and cost less.

Yep thats what my doctor uses....:thumbsup::laughing:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Just use some garden hose and duct tape, it will work just as well, and cost less.

I guess I'll have to wait till fall. All of my garden hose is in use right now.

 

[deereman75]

I guess I'll have to wait till fall. All of my garden hose is in use right now.

You will have to cut it, so try to use a leaky hose if possible, so you dont ruin a good one. (or see if harbor freight has one cheep)

 

[crazyal]

Just use some garden hose and duct tape, it will work just as well, and cost less.

I'm not sure how much cheaper. It's only $4 for the HF one. :laughing:

 

[DwightD123]

I just bought the propane hose torch. It works well. I used it to kill weeds and could have just as easily used it to inflate a hot air ballon. It is high powered.

 

[sixdogs]

Just use some garden hose and duct tape, it will work just as well, and cost less.

Does this work as well as the (auto) stethoscope or are we yanking chains here?

 

[sixdogs]

I just bought the propane hose torch. It works well. I used it to kill weeds and could have just as easily used it to inflate a hot air ballon. It is high powered.

If this is the thing with the metal wand and rubber hose that you connect to a propane tank it is a good flame item. I use it to start brush piles but learned a new use last night.

We have Japanese Beetles occasionally and they can really be a problem. One tree is often hit bad enough I am thinking of ripping it out. Anyway, I had the "torch" in hand and the tree had a lot of beetles on it so I just waved the wand around the leaves and gave the bugs a serious blast of the flame. In the first half-second, I think I killed 500. It was like falling confetti. Not much tree damage.
Later than night, very few bugs. Maybe I hit onto a new use for an HF item?

 

[djw250]

Maybe I hit onto a new use for an HF item?

Yep, I use mine at the end of our tomato crop to eradicate the overabundance of stink bugs. Don't know how much good it does but those bugs and their eggs won't be eating any more tomatoes.

 

[JB4310]

An item I forgot to mention is the HF automotive stethoscope

Mechanic's Stethoscope

Mine is a few years old and I bought it as a couple dollar special. It is used to locate or narrow down a problem such as a bad bearing.
It's not something used every day but I used mine yesterday to guarantee I had a fan belt issue rather than a bearing issue on my hot rod.
Just stick rubber ends in ears and touch the metal probe around anything suspected.

I wonder if that would work for locating pipes under basement floors?

I have a regular doctors stethoscope but it has a short reach and I probably look funny on my knees listening to people's floors.

We run a snake or hose thru the pipe and try to locate it before we start chopping up the floor to find the problem.
For $4 I guess it's worth a shot.

JB.

 

[sixdogs]

I wonder if that would work for locating pipes under basement floors?

I have a regular doctors stethoscope but it has a short reach and I probably look funny on my knees listening to people's floors.

We run a snake or hose thru the pipe and try to locate it before we start chopping up the floor to find the problem.
For $4 I guess it's worth a shot.

JB.

All you do is touch the metal probe onto something and you can hear the vibrations from the contact with that metal tip. Works perfect on bearings since all vibration sounds get magnified so it ought to work on pipes.
Oh, retail is $4 but I paid $2 on sale. Remember the First Rule of Harbor Freight... "Thou shall never pay retail price.."

 

[seymojo536]

And the second rule of HF is: Don't buy anything that has "Property of Dargo" on it.

 

[crazyal]

All you do is touch the metal probe onto something and you can hear the vibrations from the contact with that metal tip. Works perfect on bearings since all vibration sounds get magnified so it ought to work on pipes.
Oh, retail is $4 but I paid $2 on sale. Remember the First Rule of Harbor Freight... "Thou shall never pay retail price.."

And the second rule is....... "Thou shall always photocopy the 20% off coupon.."

 

[Dargo]

And the second rule of HF is: Don't buy anything that has "Property of Dargo" on it.

LOL, mine don't say that on them. The engraving tool I bought from HF broke. They just say "Da" on them.

Hey, I like those blue plastic pry thingys my dad bought me from HF while I was putting my vinyl fence back together after it didn't pass the 100 mph wind test. Anyway, they work great for installing vinyl fence panels until the ambient temps get above about 95. Then the blue pry thingys just kind of flop around and don't have any pry left to them. No worries though. They're ready to go again the next morning. I think I'll get me another set!

 

[Dargo]

Oh yeah, the offer for the free (broken during first use) portable band saw is no longer good. Thursday was trash day and I finally pitched it. As you would guess, about 4 hours later I received a PM from one of our members asking about it. Sorry. Nobody wanted it for almost a year. He was a good sport about it. Now I'm just wondering if he has me under surveillance.

 

[sixdogs]

LOL, mine don't say that on them. The engraving tool I bought from HF broke. They just say "Da" on them.

.....

Dargo, what a great line.


Rule three should be " Thou shall only buy electrical items when the discount is huge and expectation of satisfaction not all that important".

 

[leeinMT]

I've had the HF stethoscope for several years and it works great. I was able to locate a bad bearing in the belt pulleys in my band saw. I also located where a hot water line under the house that was squeaking every time it expanded when hot.