Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Threepoint]

Yes I file or belt sand the angle finer not a fan of grinder to work on a cutting tool. As far as how much to take off? That is kind of hard to tell you over the net. I am 57 , l was taught to sharpen very young by my Hillbilly dad and uncles. I free hand sharpen. And like knives there are a lot variables. I would say that if you bevel back 3/8th to a 1/2 on the harbor freight axes you would get a decent edge. On a double bit axe with good steel I may bevel the cheeks back close to an inch, double bits are felling axes pure and simple on a rough use hatchet of questionable steel I may only bevel back a 1/4 inch same with a tool for splitting.
This were the Harbor freight hatchets are great they are cheap enough to practice on . Look at the handles close before you buy it , go slow and cool the metal often .
I have reprofiled axes with a file before too. The U.S.A. made Vaughan hatchets are as good as they get , if you can reprofile and sharpen but come with virtually no edge they are 1085 high carbon steel.

Thanks, great info!

I have two felling axes and a hatchet handed down from a great-uncle's farm in NC. They are easily more than 100 ys/old. The handles have gotten so loose over the years, I have to soak the heads in a bucket of water before use. I have another hatchet and a half-axe that are 60 ys/old.

I've thought about rehandling the felling axes, but maybe that would just ruin the antiquity!

Guess I shouldn't keep using them to cut tree roots, either.

Next time I'm at HF, I'll pick up their fiberglass-handled (felling?) axe. :thumbsup:
3.5 lbs. Fiberglass Axe

 

[California]

Next time I'm at HF, I'll pick up their fiberglass-handled (felling?) axe. :thumbsup:
3.5 lbs. Fiberglass Axe

The negative reviews on that one aren't complimentary. Two pages of 'head fell off'.

 

[bcp]

The negative reviews on that one aren't complimentary. Two pages of 'head fell off'.

And I've been using one for 10+ years of root chopping with no problems.

Bruce

 

[California]

And I've been using one for 10+ years of root chopping with no problems.

Bruce

Sounds like that is one of the rare cases where the extended warranty would be worth it. Just in case it takes a couple of returns before finding a good one, worth keeping.

 

[Threepoint]

Sounds like that is one of the rare cases where the extended warranty would be worth it. Just in case it takes a couple of returns before finding a good one, worth keeping.

If we're talking about the same axe, the website says it has a Lifetime Warranty.
http://https://www.harborfreight.com/35-lbs-fiberglass-axe-61159.html?_br_psugg_q=axes+26+hatchets

Maybe they mean the lifetime of the axe.

 

[plumberroy]

First off even with name brand axes and hatchet I want to look at it before I buy it . I looked at a rack of Kobalt hatchets at Lowes once . 3 of the 4 the heads weren't straight with handle and the 4th the grain orientation of the handle was terrible . House handles is the only place I will buy axe handles on line . As someone who has made their living with tools I find at least half of bad reviews on tools are user error . There are reviews on the 3.5 axe calling it sharp :laughing:
here is a fun project with a harbor freight axe I looked at 4 axes on the rack and only one was acceptable . this is what I started with
2.25 lb fireman's hatchet

after sanding and reshaping the handle reprofiling the edge and cutting the spike off and smoothing it out

 

[Code54]

JB Weld it instead of Mig perhaps.

 

[California]

Bar magnet - HF's sometimes-free 'Magnetic Tool Holder' - cut down and mounted on the HF Qhitch. It's about 3/4 its original length and seems slightly less strong, but more than sufficient for holding clevises, pins, clips. Welding wasn't a problem. Those linked comments mentioned the arc being pulled aside by magnetism, but I didn't notice that.

Recommended!

 

[lostcreekranch]

Bar magnet - HF's sometimes-free 'Magnetic Tool Holder' - cut down and mounted on the HF Qhitch. It's about 3/4 its original length and seems slightly less strong, but more than sufficient for holding clevises, pins, clips. Welding wasn't a problem. Those linked comments mentioned the arc being pulled aside by magnetism, but I didn't notice that.

Recommended!

View attachment 613928

That's a good idea and opens up to lots of similar ideas. Thanks.

 

[PhysAssist]

Just do it! they aren't magic but they are worlds better than doing without.

True that- we bought ours in 2011, when they were on sale- with the coupon off too, and it continues to serve us without any issues or trouble, despite my beating the absolute H-E-double hockey sticks out of it.

 

[PhysAssist]

You can drive the roll pins out with a properly sized drift punch. I did this after buying a Speeco Cat 2 hitch for my New Holland then taking it back several years ago.

View attachment 613163

Or- we use these: https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-1020...gory+bushings&qid=1563771093&s=gateway&sr=8-8

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/6136HQ7UX5L._SL1000_.jpg

There are a lot of other busing choices available here:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=category+bushings&ref=nb_sb_noss_

 

[PhysAssist]

I recently needed an impact to get the caliper brackets off of my truck for a brake job. the HF impact wobbles in metric were a like a gift from god at that moment. would recommend!

The HF Hydraulic Gear puller similarly helped me get a frozen-on brake disk off of my F-I-L's Ford Focus [in pieces- but off nonetheless].

https://shop.harborfreight.com/medi...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_16382.jpg

12 Ton Hydraulic Gear Puller

 

[PhysAssist]

Amazon has quite a few led shop lights, many of them "linkable". Their way of saying they can plug into each other.
They have a 4-pack for about $80. I will most likely purchase those in the near future. I believe the lumen output is about 4800....not bad for just a few watts....42 per fixture compared to a T8 fixture which is closer to 100 watts.

I bought a 6-pack of them, they are very bright, easily linkable and they're currently selling for $119.99 for 6 with Prime shipping.

 

[PhysAssist]

I have an overhead LED light that I bought at Sam's club. I think it's a Honeywell and I've had no problems with it in the cold out in the shop in my barn at any time of year.

We have several kinds in our barn, and also have them in the pot lamps in our porch ceiling, and they were unaffected by winter temps going as low as the minus lower teens [-10-14F].

The LCD's in our Honda's are way less tolerant...

 

[lostcreekranch]

Or- we use these: https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-1020...gory+bushings&qid=1563771093&s=gateway&sr=8-8

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/6136HQ7UX5L._SL1000_.jpg

There are a lot of other busing choices available here:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=category+bushings&ref=nb_sb_noss_

If you look at my previous post, the bushing you noted are part of one solution. These bushings are significantly less expensive at Tractor Supply than what you linked to on Amazon.com.

David, if your implements have draw pins for lower lift arms ..... you can replace them with Cat 2 draw pins (1 1/8" dia.) with Cat 2 to Cat 3 bushings.

CountyLine Draw Pin, Cat 1 to 2, S724TSC at Tractor Supply Co.

CountyLine Category 3 to 2 Lift Arm Bushing at Tractor Supply Co.

Total cost for both sides ..... about $20

Or install Cat 1 QH Bushings;

https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-102074-Quick-Adapter-Bushing/dp/B0747GKLX8

If your implement draw pins are Cat 2 use these;

https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-102076-Adapter-Bushing-Quick/dp/B01N9F3BLD

For your upper link;

CountyLine Category 2 to 1 Top Link Bushing at Tractor Supply Co.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-category-3-to-2-top-link-bushing

View attachment 613769

Hope this helps.

 

[PhysAssist]

If you look at my previous post, the bushing you noted are part of one solution. These bushings are significantly less expensive at Tractor Supply than what you linked to on Amazon.com.

Re: "https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-102068-Lift-Reducer-Bushing/dp/B01MYXFV83/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=category+bushings&qid=1563771093&s=gateway&sr=8-8"
vs
"https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-category-2-to-1-top-link-bushing"

Well, Rick, you are as usual, completely correct, and I will plead laziness with my mea culpa, as I must also admit that in reading through the thread during my catch-up, I didn't open every single external link that had been posted.

I stand [sitting at home for a change]- corrected.

Thomas

PS: At 1/2 the price of the Amazon listing price I would, of course, agree to significantly less expensive, at the very least.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Re: "https://www.amazon.com/RanchEx-102068-Lift-Reducer-Bushing/dp/B01MYXFV83/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=category+bushings&qid=1563771093&s=gateway&sr=8-8"
vs
"https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-category-2-to-1-top-link-bushing"

Well, Rick, you are as usual, completely correct, and I will plead laziness with my mea culpa, as I must also admit that in reading through the thread during my catch-up, I didn't open every single external link that had been posted.

I stand [sitting at home for a change]- corrected.

Thomas

PS: At 1/2 the price of the Amazon listing price I would, of course, agree to significantly less expensive, at the very least.

We're all here to help ....... each other.

 

[Threepoint]

We're all here to help ....... each other.

Yep. :thumbsup:

Well, I do notice a troll or a shill on TBN from time to time. Not on this thread, though, as far as I can tell. :laughing:

 

[rangerfredbob]

And a new use for the Magnetic Tool Holder that is occasionally 'free with purchase'.

Someone posted about using a flat magnet on his HFQuickHitch to hold clips temporarily. (I use similar flat magnets on my fenders for the seat belt ends). After reading his magnet post, I stuck a Magnetic Tool Holder on my qhitch.

This still needs to be modified. It's too long to put on top so I stuck it to the front edge of the hitch, see the photo. But only the weak back side of the magnet is exposed. Next, I'll cut it down to the length I can install on top, with the magnetic material upward. Question - Is it possible to arc weld the magnet's metal U-shaped border without killing the magnetism?

View attachment 613893

The magnets are only held in the trough with magnetism I believe, and the black sticker across the front, so you could just remove the magnets then put them back in...

Good idea though, I'm thinking half of one attached to the back of the seat on my Tractor wouldn't be a bad idea...

 

[California]

The magnets are only held in the trough with magnetism I believe, and the black sticker across the front, so you could just remove the magnets then put them back in.

I went ahead with the project, see post 11328. I should have taken the magnets out. Or at least the one where I shortened the bar to fit. They are some weird material that dulled my hacksaw. Maybe Hematite fused in ceramic. Each magnet is a couple of inches long. Where I cut the channel to length, I chipped that magnet to size with a chisel and hammer. They are glued in with something like tar.