Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[KubotainNH]

For driving nails in tight spaces, I have found that the Harbor Freight Compact Palm Air Nailer is a great tool for the job and a good value for about $20. I recently did a review and demo video on it. It has come in handy in a lot of tight situations and I recently found out it's great for nailing wiring staples into studs.

I've contemplated getting one of those. Thanks for the video, it helps to see how it works. Looks more like a hammer chisel effect that a normal nailgun.

 

[KubotainNH]

You ought to think about rechargeable batteries and a good charger. I switched a few years back and I love it... a little investment at the start, but I always have batteries on hand and hardly ever buy them anymore..

If these are the heavy duty batteries that are often free they are not worth installing in anything in my opinion. They don't last 10 minutes in my hair trimmer before the speed drops. Any other battery lasts 10 times as long of not more. I've never tried the alkaline ones so no opinion on those.

 

[FredH]

Don't have the Harbor Freight compressor , Was thinking of getting one of those but instead got this one from Home Depot :



When I bought it a few years ago , it was less than $500 . Recently spent $139 and bought the pistol grip 1" air gun . Compressor handles the gun fine . Removed lug nuts on my semi and replaced the brakes on both drive axles .

Fred H.

 

[Grumpycat]

My favorite Harbor Freight tool sucks! Air-compressor powered brake bleeder: Brake Fluid Bleeder

 

[Gregster613]

FredH, Hi, I've got a Husky from Home depot also; not nearly as large as that nor two-stage either but 150 psi and does all I need it to do.

"EXCEPT" - it leaks like a sieve and I cannot get it to stop. I've tried replacing rubber washers, used Teflon tape, and nothing seems to work. Fix one area that leaks and another just pops right up and they are rarely easy to locate anyhow. It's extremely frustrating to me. I don't need it to hold air for days or weeks, but for the duration of a day would be nice.

I am seriously considering trying one of the HF McGraw compressors simply because mine won't hols air pressure very long. If I had 220 electricity in my garage I'd already have a two-stage; but I don't. So it's a single stage for me for now. Eventually I'm going to try the McGraw though. Can't handle a constantly running compressor to simply blow grass off my lawn mower or the radiator of the tractor.

I don't think I'd care to try another Husky due to this leakage though. YMMV. Greg

 

[hunt4570]

If these are the heavy duty batteries that are often free they are not worth installing in anything in my opinion. They don't last 10 minutes in my hair trimmer before the speed drops. Any other battery lasts 10 times as long of not more. I've never tried the alkaline ones so no opinion on those.

Yeah, sorry.. I was not talking about HF rechargeable batteries, never tried one of those. I use mostly Tennergy LSD rechargeables.

 

[Imold]

I picked up a good sized Craftsman Electric impact in the $5 bin at a local Sears store back in the early 1970's. Turned out the the strain relief, on the power cord had come loose and one wire pulled in two. It took about 10 minutes to fix and it still works great today. Retail on it was nearly $100 back then.

I've looked at that compressor and it is a 2 stage with good specifications. It's rated at 15.8 CFM @ 90 PSI, 16.4 CFM @ 40 PSI.

Less than a year ago it was $799 and would go on sale often for $749. At $899 it getting into Ingersoll-Rand price territory.

I used to sell Saylor-Beall compressors, that痴 what our store stocked and we were a authorized repair shop. That痴 what I would really like but to spendy for how much I would need it.


Jim.

 

[Imold]

I have had a 5hp 20 gal oil less craftsman compressor for last 15 years but it is not enough air to run air sanders or hammer and the 1/2 inch impact basically burps a few times and is out of air, I need the 60 gallon air tank and yes I have thought of buying one and switching everything over but I would like a 2 stage in my new shop and i will run power for it and a welder even though I cannot use a welder due to my pacemaker.


Jim.

 

[bigtiller]

FredH, Hi, I've got a Husky from Home depot also; not nearly as large as that nor two-stage either but 150 psi and does all I need it to do.

"EXCEPT" - it leaks like a sieve and I cannot get it to stop. I've tried replacing rubber washers, used Teflon tape, and nothing seems to work. Fix one area that leaks and another just pops right up and they are rarely easy to locate anyhow. It's extremely frustrating to me. I don't need it to hold air for days or weeks, but for the duration of a day would be nice.

I am seriously considering trying one of the HF McGraw compressors simply because mine won't hols air pressure very long. If I had 220 electricity in my garage I'd already have a two-stage; but I don't. So it's a single stage for me for now. Eventually I'm going to try the McGraw though. Can't handle a constantly running compressor to simply blow grass off my lawn mower or the radiator of the tractor.

I don't think I'd care to try another Husky due to this leakage though. YMMV. Greg

Try using a leaf blower. I used compressed air for years until I tried my leaf blower, it does a better job.

 

[California]

If these are the heavy duty batteries that are often free they are not worth installing in anything in my opinion. They don't last 10 minutes in my hair trimmer before the speed drops. Any other battery lasts 10 times as long of not more.

I got one batch of free batteries that was a joke, some wouldn't light a flashlight more than a minute or so. More recently I've been using the free AAA's in a cordless computer mouse. Those last 3 weeks. No complaints.

I've never found another application for the free batteries. They are too weak plus I don't trust them to not leak if they were left a long time in emergency storm lanterns etc.

 

[Threepoint]

I got one batch of free batteries that was a joke, some wouldn't light a flashlight more than a minute or so. More recently I've been using the free AAA's in a cordless computer mouse. Those last 3 weeks. No complaints.

I've never found another application for the free batteries. They are too weak plus I don't trust them to not leak if they were left a long time in emergency storm lanterns etc.

Hey, they work great in the free flashlights!! :laughing:

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Picked this up almost 2 years ago and it still works fine for what I use it for.
View attachment 619863

Would like to get this so I can go back to using my air tools, my small compressor does not cut it. Anyone have one like this from HF.
View attachment 619864



Jim.

I am a fan of a lot of HF stuff, but...

Unless they've upped their game, I've found the HF larger "shop" compressors to be anemic on their cfm ratings where it matters. Most air tools aren't run at 40 or 50 psi. They are run at 90-100 psi. That is where it takes real "grunt" to run a lot of cfm. The higher the pressure gets, the more difficult it is to make usable cfm. Of course this also depends on what tools you are trying to drive, and how many at once. Some tools are real air hogs, and take a bunch of cfm to run.

I don't look at what cfm the compressor will make at low air pressure (40-50 psi), I look at how much cfm the compressor will make at 90-100, and how much at "full" psi.

My Quincy makes 15.7 at 90 psi, and 15.2 at 175 psi. Now that is some cfm you can work with.

 

[Imold]

Most my air tools are Mac and Snap-on and a couple Blue Point then I have some Craftsman air tools that I kept at home being my Mac tool box was at the tractor trailer shop I used to work at before my health went south.


Now I have a question on a product HF sells that I have watched a lot of videos on and that is that little portable Backhoe they sell, it seems like a nice little unit for someone who does not need one attached to their tractor, reviews are mixed and the price really is not that bad but it seems limited in the left and right movement, reach and depth looks to be ok for what it does.

Anyone know of anyone who has one or has used one?


Jim.

 

[California]

Now I have a question on a product HF sells that I have watched a lot of videos on and that is that little portable Backhoe they sell, it seems like a nice little unit for someone who does not need one attached to their tractor, reviews are mixed and the price really is not that bad but it seems limited in the left and right movement, reach and depth looks to be ok for what it does. Anyone know of anyone who has one or has used one?

Here's a prior thread discussing just that question. See my posts in it where I reference a previous thread where I asked that, then went and bought a 3-point hoe instead. Now after a decade using the 3-point backhoe I think it was the right choice for my applications - mostly taking out stumps in my orchard for re-planting, and I've done a few ditches with it. Also used it to rip out blackberry jungle on steep slopes between the orchard terraces.

Moving a tractor-mounted hoe then setting up to work in various places around the property is a nuisance, seems to me moving that around would be 3x the nuisance. Especially backing into position on uneven ground. But owners like them.

You mentioned health. The HF backhoe would be easier to get on, compared to climbing up on a tractor-mounted hoe every time it is moved.

Some ROPS configurations make it impossible to safely add a backhoe, there is risk of a crushed spine if something breaks and you lurch upward. And 3-point hoes are known to break transmission housings - not all tractors are suitable.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/113502-harbor-freight-back-hoe-trencher.html

 

[stuckmotor]

Snip
My Quincy makes 15.7 at 90 psi, and 15.2 at 175 psi. Now that is some cfm you can work with.

Approximately how much did your Quincy cost?

 

[BukitCase]

Not slim, but my 5 HP Devair two-stage TAPV-5052 puts out 19 CFM @ 175 PSI, cost just over $1800 10 years ago; here's a write-up on it (not my shop)
Devair Compressor - The Garage Journal Board

Next door neighbor runs a custom car shop, his 5 horse Puma crapped out 3-4 years ago; he saw mine, read the brochure and had one there a couple days later.

Doubt I'll live long enough to need another one... Steve

 

[hunt4570]

I have had a 5hp 20 gal oil less craftsman compressor for last 15 years but it is not enough air to run air sanders or hammer and the 1/2 inch impact basically burps a few times and is out of air, I need the 60 gallon air tank and yes I have thought of buying one and switching everything over but I would like a 2 stage in my new shop and i will run power for it and a welder even though I cannot use a welder due to my pacemaker.


Jim.

I've a small Makita compressor for the little stuff, bought a gas powered "wheelbarrow styled" compressor used probably 20 years ago that's still going strong and it will run anything I have... and I can take it anywhere.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Approximately how much did your Quincy cost?

I believe we paid $1400 ($1399). My wife bought it for me as an early Christmas present and I think she ordered it through Lowe's website. I had been looking at them here locally, as Running's usually keeps them in stock.

 

[Diggin It]

The towable diggers are one of those tools that some people swear by and others swear at. They apparently do a decent job in softer soil, but suck at digging rocky ground. I've also read about stability problems and bits and pieces of them bending under load.

Key issues seems to be parts if needed and ability to return. Some have said HF CS gave them a hard time if they wanted to return it.

 

[MoArk Willy]

Now I have a question on a product HF sells that I have watched a lot of videos on and that is that little portable Backhoe they sell, it seems like a nice little unit for someone who does not need one attached to their tractor, reviews are mixed and the price really is not that bad but it seems limited in the left and right movement, reach and depth looks to be ok for what it does.
Jim.

I have looked at those as well but still not purchased one. Another one to consider is the Jansen. It's a few hundred more than the Harbor Freight model but it seems a bit more compact and perhaps better built.
What I have heard about the HF models is that they are slow because of an undersized pump and / or motor. To fix that it would most likely cost you more than the extra few hundred dollars to buy the Jansen.
I have also heard that the pivots in the HF model are not as strong and may wear prematurely. For what I need, I think the towable or a 3-point would take care of things.
I did talk to my Kubota dealer about the 3 point and he didn't think it would cause any damage or be an issue. In fact Kubota used to sell the 3 point as well.
My only concern about the towable is that unless you are on relatively level ground I do not see how you could dig straight down. With a 3 point or frame mounted unit you can use the stabilizers to keep the machine level.
The towable ones I have seen have just one position for the stabilizer legs.