Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[John_Mc]

I see now that on HF reviews, you cannot post anything negative, has to be positive or no post a review. Only negative spot is the star review, thats it. Not that I have issue because I don't, but it seems pretty one sided.

You can get a negative review in if you word it properly. For example saying "The welds are very poor quality" will often get your review refused because you are expressing an opinion. (The manufacturer can gripe and hold HF responsible for letting it stand by arguing that without verification that you re an expert on inspecting welds, that is a defamatory/libelous statement.) However, if you make a statement like "The weld broke the third time I used this." That's just a statement of fact. You are leaving it to the reader to decide what the quality of the weld is, rather than inserting your opinion.

I had a nice chat years ago with someone at Northern Tool trying to get to the bottom of why they kept refusing my review of a crappy Peavey they were selling. Once I changed the phrased to thing like "the weld broke" rather than "the welds stink", and the "the hook keeps slipping off the log" rather than "it has a poorly designed hook", they finally accepted the review.

 

[5030]

As a rule, I prefer not to review anything and I don't hold much candle in other's reviews either (especially on Amazon). On Amazon, I've found that the seller is doing rave reviews.

 

[5030]

I will say I did review the Central Machinery air mover I returned (first item I've ever taken back to HF actually) because it was obnoxiously loud and we use it inside. Sounded like a jet engine, moved plenty of air though.

Ran it all of a minute, carefully put it back in the original box with the instructions and returned it the store and bought the Bauer one which is quiet. No hassle returning it, alt they had to do was tape the lid and put it back on the shelf, not damaged or even scratched in any way.

as a rule, I have low expectations for HF tools so when they work as advertised, I'm always tickled.

Case in point, the Bauer 20 volt tools and the Icon 1/2" drive torque wrench. The Icon wrench is as good or better than my Snap-On clicker for 1/4th the cost. truly amazing deal.

 

[California]

As a rule, I prefer not to review anything and I don't hold much candle in other's reviews either (especially on Amazon). On Amazon, I've found that the seller is doing rave reviews.

For HF, Amazon, probably others, ignore the 5 star reviews and read the one-star ones. You may learn this is an item to avoid, or, especially HF, that the quality is random and some examples are junk.

I've had good luck buying Amazon's discounted 'repackaged' (likely customer returns) items that have turned out to be top quality. For the one exception in maybe 20 transactions, they refunded payment without asking for the dead $10 item back. That was probably the only instance where a product had been returned to them as defective, so they didn't want it back.

Both vendors accept returns without hassle.

 

[paulsharvey]

From what I've heard, you want to look at the curvy, so basically for a good item, you expect roughly 2x the 5 stars as 4; then 1/2 as many 3s as 4s, and 1/2 as many 2s as 3s, ect.

 

[dragoneggs]

Thanks, I get it from my maternal grandfather, he was a carpenter.
I like the challenge of cutting everything accurately so it all fits together snugly. I use Titebond for the glue up.
The dado I use is kept set at the right width permanently. I have another I use for other projects.

Me too... from my dad though and some education from a guy on Youtube 'Next Level Carpentry'. There are definitely some 'tricks' to getting consistent, square, repeated cuts that allows precision assembly.

 

[John_Mc]

I almost ordered a Harbor Freight 14 ft Reach Telescoping Ladder when I saw that "sale price" of $99.99, which is $60 off their regular price. Then I realized it's only a 10 foot ladder. Nothing like inventing a new way of describing a ladder to mislead a buyer. When I buy an 8 foot step ladder, it measures 8 feet high. Manufacturers don't label a 4 foot step ladder as being an 8 foot one just because it lets me reach 8 feet high.

I'd actually consider one if it were 14', since it would make a good middle ground between my 6 and 8 foot step ladders and my 24' extension ladder. 10 feet is just not enough difference from my 8 foot step ladder to make it useful.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I almost ordered a Harbor Freight 14 ft Reach Telescoping Ladder when I saw that "sale price" of $99.99, which is $60 off their regular price. Then I realized it's only a 10 foot ladder. Nothing like inventing a new way of describing a ladder to mislead a buyer. When I buy an 8 foot step ladder, it measures 8 feet high. Manufacturers don't label a 4 foot step ladder as being an 8 foot one just because it lets me reach 8 feet high.

I'd actually consider one if it were 14', since it would make a good middle ground between my 6 and 8 foot step ladders and my 24' extension ladder. 10 feet is just not enough difference from my 8 foot step ladder to make it useful.

I bought the 17' multi-ladder several years ago and it's come in handy way more often than I expected it would.

17 ft. Reach, Type IA, 300 lb. Multi-Task Ladder

Amazing deals on this 17Ft Type Ia Multi-Task Ladder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[brokeasajoke]

I will say I did review the Central Machinery air mover I returned (first item I've ever taken back to HF actually) because it was obnoxiously loud and we use it inside. Sounded like a jet engine, moved plenty of air though.

Ran it all of a minute, carefully put it back in the original box with the instructions and returned it the store and bought the Bauer one which is quiet. No hassle returning it, alt they had to do was tape the lid and put it back on the shelf, not damaged or even scratched in any way.

as a rule, I have low expectations for HF tools so when they work as advertised, I'm always tickled.

Case in point, the Bauer 20 volt tools and the Icon 1/2" drive torque wrench. The Icon wrench is as good or better than my Snap-On clicker for 1/4th the cost. truly amazing deal.

+1 on the Icon torque wrench. I got the one that goes up to 250lb just for wheel bearings.

 

[5030]

I took mine down to the shop I retired from. They have a torque master then check their wrenches with and it did better than the advertised 1% in right hand an 4% in left hand torque. It was dead nuts in right and 1% in left. The technicians were all amazed, of course they all have MAC or Snap on and looked at it and asked where I got it and what I paid for it. I think there will be some there soon. I see HF jacked the price up a bit but compared to MAC or Snap on it's still a fantastic bargain.

I'd like to see them come out with a 3/4" 500 found pound wrench, I'd buy one of those as well.

Interstingly, in a side by side comaprison the Icon and the MAC are identical except for the laser etched brand name.

Big issue with all the cheap wrenches (no matter what brand) is, none of them do left hand torque and like you, I need left hand to set prevailing torque on wet axles but in my case 250 foot pounds don't cover all my uses. For the heavy torque applications I'm still using my Snap On 3/4" drive dial wrench.

I sold both my 1/2" drive Snap On wrenches on Flea Bay and just one payed 2 times as much as the I con cost me. I don't much care what the brand is so long as it's accurate in left hand torque.