Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[MoArk Willy]

I bought a Rolair.....very quiet. It is my shop compressor.
You can actually stand next to it and have a conversation.
Not cheap, but quiet was my major issue when I bought it.
I understand the Harbor Freight ones are just as quiet and a bit cheaper.
If mine takes a crap I will most likely go with the Fortress.
It needs to fit under the workbench.

 

[Threepoint]

A new invention for you.

View attachment 617786


Bruce

Ha! You're right! I haven't seen one of those used in years. In fact, I have one somewhere in one of my electrical miscellaneous drawers. Thanks for the reminder. Now I'll just need to haul out a ladder to get to the 10' ceiling lights next time. :laughing:

 

[tookielee]

Anyone here but the green mid level 110V MIG welder that is around $150 it $200?

I can't comment on the MIG, but I once (years ago) bought a small flux core wire feed from them.
Got it home, plugged it in, and started welding. At least, that's what I thought. The only thing it
would melt was the wire, absolutely no melting or penetration on the metal I was trying to join.
Boxed it up, took it back, stopped at Lowes and bought the smallest Lincoln wire feed, welds perfectly.

 

[California]

I can't comment on the MIG, but I once (years ago) bought a small flux core wire feed from them.
Got it home, plugged it in, and started welding. At least, that's what I thought. The only thing it
would melt was the wire, absolutely no melting or penetration on the metal I was trying to join.
Boxed it up, took it back

The blue 110V AC "Mig100" flux welder? I returned one that worked similar. I think a bad batch of flux core wire doomed an entire shipment of those. Ebay was flooded with them in 'as-new, open box' condition.

A year later after reading about the bad batch of wire, I bought the same model again and it worked ok. Not excellent, but worth the $72 it cost with a coupon. Nothing I've ever welded with it has broken. I eventually sold it and now have better welders.

Photo below: Here's an example with the HF 110v AC blue welder: A neighbor gave me an incomplete exercise machine, I built a lifter for my spike harrow from part of it. And photo of the harrow, lifted.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Yeah, wire makes a huge difference with those things. I've found it near impossible to get a reasonable weld with .030" wire with my 90A version but .035" wire works just fine... have tried several wires, size is more of an issue than brand but yes they did have a bad batch of wire... with those stupid things you set the heat for what you are doing (low for sheet metal, high for everything else and from there you set the wire speed for the amount of heat you want to put into things, low for thick and fast for thin, it'll kinda ruin you for other welders since that's not how you're supposed to do it

On the inverter welders, I have a MIG 170 and the Unlimited 200 from Titanium, both weld great, on 110V I welded off of 3 different generators with the spool of .030" wire that came with the welder using the settings on the side door and it worked dang good... 2 of the generators used were while camping in the desert repairing wheeling rigs, and structural repairs no less, held up well for the abuse the welds took. If the 125 is similar to the 170 but single voltage input I imagine it is a LONG way ahead of the old chicago electric transformer A/C versions (flux core isn't supposed to work on A/C, but somehow they do...)

 

[Soldier415]

Recently picked up two HF predator 3500 inverters. As A test I set one up to run our 14k BTU window AC unit. It ran two hours Monday, then it ran it a full 10 hours yesterday before finally running out of fuel.

12 hours at 35-40% load on 2.5 gallons of fuel and couldn't even hear it inside the house.

Going to take both and the 50 amp parallel kit out to the camper and see how they do with both AC units and both fridges on

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

 

[PJSprog]

That's a good review, Soldier415. Thanks.

 

[DMax82]

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

Thanks for taking the time to share this! Have been looking hard at these.

 

[KubotainNH]

I just received an e-mail that has the popup canopy for $40 and a 11'4"x15'6" heavy tarp for $13. Good savings on both that I already own. I could use a new canopy and always good to have another big tarp.

 

[hunt4570]

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

I bought one of their 8750 Predator generators (if I remember # right without going out to look) a couple years ago. I have it set up in one of my outbuildings in case of power outage (I live out in the country). Have it wired through the panel so it will run my house from there. I don't use it a lot, but here and there I do and it has always worked just as it should, will run what I need in the house as long as I pay attention.[[ and yes I have the main panel wired so I can turn it off so I don't electrocute the power guys!!]]

 

[plumberroy]

The 1 x 30 "zirc" sanding belts are great for taking wood of handles fast when you are rehafting axes

 

[Handloader109]

What are you using it for? General stuff, or nail guns/tools? stationary or mobile?

95% stationary. I might drag out to fill tire if totally flat, and to house to do some work, but it will live on shop. is a once every 2 to 3 week use for 4 to 6 hours straight. then just a tank of air every few days for small job. nailer is loud also, I've taken to wearing muffs anyway. 2000 to 3000 16g nails at waist level in a few hours will deaden you.

oh, and yep, tossed the roll of flux wire that came with my 90amp welder. good .035 Lincoln wire is way better, but it really is marginally decent welder

 

[hunt4570]

95% stationary. I might drag out to fill tire if totally flat, and to house to do some work, but it will live on shop. is a once every 2 to 3 week use for 4 to 6 hours straight. then just a tank of air every few days for small job. nailer is loud also, I've taken to wearing muffs anyway. 2000 to 3000 16g nails at waist level in a few hours will deaden you.

oh, and yep, tossed the roll of flux wire that came with my 90amp welder. good .035 Lincoln wire is way better, but it really is marginally decent welder

My guess is you will need a decent sized one if that's your uses..

I recently bought a Dewalt 20v cordless framing nailer after my porter cable pneumatic of 20 plus years finally gave up. What a nice tool it is, very quiet, does its job well and no hose to mess with.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Someone was asking about the HF 4' LED shop lights a few days ago. They're on sale, this weekend for $19.99 instead of regular $29.99.

4 Ft. LED Hanging Shop Light

 

[dragoneggs]

Someone was asking about the HF 4' LED shop lights a few days ago. They're on sale, this weekend for $19.99 instead of regular $29.99.

4 Ft. LED Hanging Shop Light

Hoping someone that has both the HF and Costco LED shop lights would chime in with a comparison.

 

[dragoneggs]

Second time using my 2T HF 'Cherry Picker'. First time was to lift the bed off my F150. Today I used it to lift the front of my Z turn to remove and sharpen the blades. My lift points were on the mower deck... probably not the best but it worked okay. I am really liking this thing but I think I will add an 8T air over hydraulic cylinder because I am lazy. A 30mm impact socket made quick work of blade removal once I realized they weren't reverse threads as I assumed. :confused2:



The fact that the legs quickly fold up and the boom can be retracted and folds down by completely compressing the piston makes it store with not too big of a footprint. :thumbsup:

 

[plumberroy]

I haven't read through all 1156 pages has anyone mentioned the jump boxes they sell? I pull mine out of the car tonight. New young man mowing at the church. Ran the tractor out of fuel. We are close to needing a new battery on the tractor. I hooked it up let it set a couple minutes and cranked the tractor right up. I have started everything here that has a battery with it at some point I have used it and a small inverter to power a pump to inflate air mattresses when camping

 

[hunt4570]

Hoping someone that has both the HF and Costco LED shop lights would chime in with a comparison.

I do not have any o the Costco lights, but I have some from amazon and lowes and 7 of these from HF, hands down the HF are better and way brighter!!

 

[4get gto]

I do not have any o the Costco lights, but I have some from amazon and lowes and 7 of these from HF, hands down the HF are better and way brighter!!

Interesting. The HF ones are single bulb.? Are the others single as well??

 

[dragoneggs]

Interesting. The HF ones are single bulb.? Are the others single as well??

Costco is double.