Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[stuckmotor]

I just got that email this morning, but I got tons of buckets around here!

What can you say about a bucket? Well, the people who reviewed it found something to say. I read a couple and couldn't tell whether they were serious or tongue-in-check.

 

[PILOON]

Something I found oddly interesting the other day... Was at a buddy's place and he was using his 3/8" drive electric impact and handed it to me to tighten up a bolt he couldn't reach. I thought it was a Bauer 3/8" drive 20 volt impact but it wasn't. Was a Milwaukee. The Milwaukee is a look alike twin to the Bauer, same color, same pattern overmoulded grip, even the same 3 LED lights on the nose... Someone is copying someone else.... Bet they are made in the same factory and I bet the Milwaukee is at least 3 times the price of the Bauer. Wonder if the batteries interchange?

Probably offshore made by a Stanley/Dewalt subsidy.
In today's real world there is in reality no real competition anymore.

Well, Makita is still independent (I think)

 

[John_Mc]

Something I found oddly interesting the other day... Was at a buddy's place and he was using his 3/8" drive electric impact and handed it to me to tighten up a bolt he couldn't reach. I thought it was a Bauer 3/8" drive 20 volt impact but it wasn't. Was a Milwaukee. The Milwaukee is a look alike twin to the Bauer, same color, same pattern overmoulded grip, even the same 3 LED lights on the nose... Someone is copying someone else.... Bet they are made in the same factory and I bet the Milwaukee is at least 3 times the price of the Bauer. Wonder if the batteries interchange?

The fact that they look the same is no indication that they are made in the same factory. There are a number of Chinese factories that specialize in cloning the work of others. They copy a successful tool as exactly as they can (saves on doing actual R&D). They often count on the resemblance to make people assume its the same thing. Sometimes they even design logos that look similar to the original. The clones are seldom of the same quality as the original: cheaper bearings, cheaper alloys of steel, and lack of quality control in the manufacturing process are all ways of keeping the cost down. When they get sued, that factory drops the product or disappears, and another crops up in its place. There are often multiple factories making cheap clones of the same product at any one time.

Even if they were "made in the same factory" (which in most cases I doubt, given the proliferation of these clone factories), that does not mean they are of the same quality. I worked in manufacturing in a steel-related industry for most of my life. We made our products to customer specification. Those who demanded high quality and tight tolerance and were willing to pay the price got it. They often specified special alloys of steel and higher quality levels of those alloys which were more expensive to start with, and required special processing. Those who were interested in the bare minimum price and didn't require special alloys, tighter tolerances or special manufacturing processes got what they ordered at a significantly lower price. The products were made in the same factory, and often on the same production equipment.

 

[Jim Nelson]

Probably offshore made by a Stanley/Dewalt subsidy.
In today's real world there is in reality no real competition anymore.

Well, Makita is still independent (I think)

Couple of years ago my H.F. 4 1/2" angle grinder finally gave up the ghost so I took out 2 others that I had picked up as spares when they were on sale and they let the smoke out in just minutes. I was near the end of a project that I really wanted to finish so I went down to the local hardware store and bought a Makita because I thought they were the best. When I got it home and took it out of the box there was a slip of paper that said Made In China. I almost took it back but was running out of time so went ahead and used it. It finished the job and I didn't use it again for a week or 2 and sure as heck it spit a segment out of the armature.

I took it back and exchanged it for a Bosche,which I hated because it was awkward and just didn't fit me. I finally bought a DeWalt and it has been good so far.I think they are all Chinesium unless you go to the more expensive Fein or something like that.

 

[Threepoint]

Something I found oddly interesting the other day... Was at a buddy's place and he was using his 3/8" drive electric impact and handed it to me to tighten up a bolt he couldn't reach. I thought it was a Bauer 3/8" drive 20 volt impact but it wasn't. Was a Milwaukee. The Milwaukee is a look alike twin to the Bauer, same color, same pattern overmoulded grip, even the same 3 LED lights on the nose... Someone is copying someone else.... Bet they are made in the same factory and I bet the Milwaukee is at least 3 times the price of the Bauer. Wonder if the batteries interchange?

5030, didn't you say awhile back that you have some of the Bauer 20v tools and like them? Maybe you and your buddy could check on the battery issue for us. :thumbsup: Would be interesting indeed if they interchange, but I'm betting there's just enough difference to not.

 

[California]

For someone who plans to modify a HF 90A or 125A AC Flux welder to DC, here's a bridge rectifier on Amazon that looks suitable:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DBPC8PM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_ovx0DbG4S6W81

 

[dragoneggs]

Picked up my first ICON tool today, a 1/4in drive Flex handle ratchet. Some magnets, used my 20% off coupon and got a free bucket. ICON hand tools look and feel impressive.

1/4 in. Drive Professional Flex Head Ratchet with Comfort Grip

 

[5030]

5030, didn't you say awhile back that you have some of the Bauer 20v tools and like them? Maybe you and your buddy could check on the battery issue for us. :thumbsup: Would be interesting indeed if they interchange, but I'm betting there's just enough difference to not.

Yes I did. have the 3/8" impact, the 4.5" angle grinder and the hex drive impact driver and the vacuum now. Have not found the smoke in any of them. When I return from my hunting trip, I'll take a Bauer battery pver my buddy's place and compare the Milwaukee battery to the Bauer battery.

Far as Mikita goes, they have a factory in Japan and in China. Makita owns Tanaka btw. All that stuff is basically like mouthwash anyway. same guts, different bottle (packaging).

 

[5030]

Picked up my first ICON tool today, a 1/4in drive Flex handle ratchet. Some magnets, used my 20% off coupon and got a free bucket. ICON hand tools look and feel impressive.

1/4 in. Drive Professional Flex Head Ratchet with Comfort Grip

Go check out the Icon torque wrenches. They are ****.

Not much into overmoulded grips. They tend to look old when they get dirty.

 

[5030]

Couple of years ago my H.F. 4 1/2" angle grinder finally gave up the ghost so I took out 2 others that I had picked up as spares when they were on sale and they let the smoke out in just minutes. I was near the end of a project that I really wanted to finish so I went down to the local hardware store and bought a Makita because I thought they were the best. When I got it home and took it out of the box there was a slip of paper that said Made In China. I almost took it back but was running out of time so went ahead and used it. It finished the job and I didn't use it again for a week or 2 and sure as heck it spit a segment out of the armature.

I took it back and exchanged it for a Bosche,which I hated because it was awkward and just didn't fit me. I finally bought a DeWalt and it has been good so far.I think they are all Chinesium unless you go to the more expensive Fein or something like that.

O buy the cheapest corded stuff I can and when I find the smoke, I don't feel too had. Bought a Porter Cable 4.5 angle grinder at Lowes on sale, 32 bucks. Still running. Been trying to find the smoke for a while now. I'm sure I will at some point.