Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[hunt4570]

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

Yes, HF is a single , The Lowes one is a double, the ones I got from amazon screw into a standard base light fixture.

https://www.amazon.com/Equivalent-5...qid=1566842012&s=gateway&sprefix=led+,aps,173

 

[Diggin It]

Again ... longevity. How will people feel about them in five years? Will the units have dimmed? Remember, when they fail, the entire unit will need to be replaced instead of a couple of tubes.

 

[hunt4570]

Again ... longevity. How will people feel about them in five years? Will the units have dimmed? Remember, when they fail, the entire unit will need to be replaced instead of a couple of tubes.

Why? Its a replaceable bulb set up.

And yes, time will tell...

 

[rangerfredbob]

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:

View attachment 618529

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:

I've used my 2 ton shop crane for dang near everything and it is extremely handy, pretty sure mine is 18 years old and still going strong. I agree about the folding nature, takes up almost no room. Back before I had other options it has been in the yard pulling fence posts and other things...

 

[Oaktree]

I've used my 2 ton shop crane for dang near everything and it is extremely handy, pretty sure mine is 18 years old and still going strong. I agree about the folding nature, takes up almost no room. Back before I had other options it has been in the yard pulling fence posts and other things...

How easy is it to move on something other than a concrete floor? Seems like it would be kind of heavy/awkward to move out in a field, etc. to pull posts.

 

[Sono]

Ive bought tools from HF over the years, mainly paint guns, hoses and couplers as they are pretty much disposable for the price. Lately I have bought more powered tools there on the cheap from $5-$10 or so ( 4' angle grinder for sharpening mower blades, Hammer drill to install anchors...ect.. ) I used to be a Craftsman guy as I still have my socket sets my parents bought me when I was 21 and got my first house after a rough divorce and having full custody of my daughter... but the cordless replacements were never as good as the original USA made before they went to China. The only luck Ive had with power tools are Rigid as they come with a lifetime replacement on tools and batteries as long as you own them, so they are my choice for cordless and corded tools now. But for all the tinkering and small projects HF is the best for cheap tools for that odd project, I wish they carried more stuff but you cant have your cake and eat it too right? lol Saving money is what its all about, ** just for the note, almost every tool is made in china now**

 

[rangerfredbob]

How easy is it to move on something other than a concrete floor? Seems like it would be kind of heavy/awkward to move out in a field, etc. to pull posts.

Oh, it works as good or worse than it sounds to roll it on dirt, but I've done it . To roll it on uneven surfaces a long pry bar or 2x4 or something as a lever under the frame to pry against the ground will push it along. My driveway is a slight slope and to move up hill I use a 6' pry bar (demolition bar? not sure, got it used for cheap, it's super useful) when it gets cranky. It didn't really phase it to move the 7.3L powerstroke I moved around a couple times...

 

[lostcreekranch]

Removing fence posts ...... the easy way.

 

[4get gto]

Removing fence posts ...... the easy way.

View attachment 618884

Boy HF's getting some cool stuff..! :laughing:

 

[lostcreekranch]

Boy HF's getting some cool stuff..! :laughing:

If only! My post / tree puller is a Blue Diamond.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I only pulled a couple T posts with the cherry picker, turns out a T post puller is WAY easier

 

[Wasmeneh]

I have a question a out the HF shop lights. Are you all saying that thw single light setup is brighter than the double lights like Costco at al?

 

[Threepoint]

Why? Its a replaceable bulb set up.

[snip]

Is this correct? HF's website says: "The long-lasting LEDs deliver 30,000 hours of light, meaning you never have to replace a bulb."

Knowing how HF doesn't seem to miss an opportunity to puff up its products, I'm pretty sure they'd say if you could. And for sure wouldn't point out that you couldn't if you wanted to. :laughing:

 

[hunt4570]

I have a question a out the HF shop lights. Are you all saying that thw single light setup is brighter than the double lights like Costco at al?

I do not have any of the Costco lights, but definitely brighter than the lowes 2 bulb fixture!

 

[hunt4570]

Is this correct? HF's website says: "The long-lasting LEDs deliver 30,000 hours of light, meaning you never have to replace a bulb."

Knowing how HF doesn't seem to miss an opportunity to puff up its products, I'm pretty sure they'd say if you could. And for sure wouldn't point out that you couldn't if you wanted to. :laughing:

Ok, I'll check tomorrow to be sure, but they looked like it.. I'll let you know. But at 30,000 hrs that's like 7 years.. not bad.

 

[dragoneggs]

I do not have any of the Costco lights, but definitely brighter than the lowes 2 bulb fixture!

Agreed. I have a bunch of Costco lights, definitely brighter than the Lowe's I returned. Will stick with them (Fein brand) unless someone can convince that HF single bulb throw more light for the same price ($19.99) when both on sale.

 

[tookielee]

How easy is it to move on something other than a concrete floor? Seems like it would be kind of heavy/awkward to move out in a field, etc. to pull posts.

If I had a need to use one of these to pull posts, or just move it a significant distance regularly,
it looks like it would be easy to weld some pins and a top hook on the rear of it,
then just move it with the tractor

 

[Threepoint]

Heads up: New-style safety feature in 5-gal fuel cans

A couple of weeks ago I picked up another 5-gal diesel can from HF. It is made by Midwest Can Company, in Franklin Park, IL. Home It is the only style 5-gal fuel container (diesel or gasoline) now being stocked in the local HFs, around here anyway.

Tractor Supply Company has also started stocking the same brand as well, although not exclusively.

When I tried to insert a nifty HF battery-operated fuel transfer pump Battery Operated Liquid Transfer Pump , the wand would only go about 7" into the can before hitting an obstruction. That's when I discovered the "Flame Safety Shield" system that Midwest Can is now shipping all its poly 5-gal cans with. Safer it may well be, but it is impossible to use a wand-style transfer pump with them.

The "Flame Safety Shield" is a molded, perforated plastic sleeve/tube that is inserted at the factory and locked into the can with non-releasable polymer tabs.

Puzzled about it, I called Midwest Can and learned that the change is an early response to federal consumer safety requirements for all consumer portable fuel containers that go into effect in 2020. I've done a little reading on this. While the new fuel container requirements are technically administered by the EPA, I think that this particular feature is a new flame-arresting device in response to changes in the federal Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act. The idea is to limit explosion risk due to sudden, uncontrolled "sloshing" of fuel, either accidentally by children, or even intentionally by a clueless adult, for example trying to enhance a burn pile that has an open flame. Yep, apparently there are adults as well as youngsters that do this. The new safety regulations do not apply to OSHA-approved metal safety containers.

In my case, no youngsters or clueless adults have access to my diesel and gas fuel cans, so after a bit of trial and error I've removed the plastic tube with pliers without damaging the can, after getting things started with a screwdriver. If you don't need to use a wand-style transfer pump, there's no need to do this, as the insert does not seem to impair the flow rate when poured normally using the equipped spout.

See pics.

 

[5030]

I went in with a pair of needle nose pliers and popped it out and landfilled it.

 

[California]

Now that I use the 'wand pump' I take along a couple of empty UTF 5 gallon buckets to fill, along with my plastic jugs. The wand fits in them fine.