Harbor Freight - what sucks and what doesn't list

arceeguy

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Since we all like to tinker with mechanical things like our motorized bikes, and do it on a "low budget" - I thought it would be helpful to post which tools sold at HFT are good, and which ones are not.

I have found that most of the tools are OK if you are not a professional contractor/mechanic that depends on them every day - but there are some items that aren't worth the shipping from China. There's a reason why some have nicknamed them "horror freight". When I placed my first catalog order from them several years ago, they were "Harbor Freight Salvage". Where did the "salvage" go? I can risk $25 on a 4.5" grinder, but I wouldn't trust a HFT pacemaker!

Post your experiences both good and bad!

Also - let's not get into China bashing. It's all about getting cool tools cheap. For example, a HFT auto feed wire welder for 90 bucks can get a fellow MB enthusiast making custom frames where they wouldn't be able to afford the $500 Miller or Lincoln.


The Good-

Central Pneumatics 2HP pancake compressor. - I've had mine for several years now. It is oil lubricated with cast iron cylinder. Great for dusting things off with compressed air, and to run small air tools. I even run my IR 230C impact gun with it. (in short bursts, enough to knock off lug nuts with ease!) Can be had for $89 on sale.

4.5" Grinder - Had mine for about 5 years. It hasn't failed me yet! Gearbox is noisy, but my buddies Home Depot Ryobi is worse.

Bench Grinder w/flex shaft - I use this one a lot. I had to replace the brushes already! (it is about 3 years old)

3/8" butterfly impact wrench - Great for automotive work. Knocking off oil drain plugs, caliper bolts, etc. Small enough to fit in most spots, powerful enough to break small fasteners (less than 15mm bolt head) loose.

Electronic Fly Swatter - yep, this one is silly, but they had a pile of them on sale for $2.99. Kills flies and yellow jackets with a hearty "SNAP" and a bright blue spark.

Engine cleaning gun - add compressed air with some detergent mix and end up with a sparkling clean engine. (cars, lawn mowers, etc.) Works great on alloy rims blasting away brake dust with ease. I do have to crank up my 220V compressor to run it continuously, as the little HFT compressor cannot keep up.

6.5 HP Horizontal Shaft Engine - we beat the living carp out of these Honda GX clones and they keep coming back for more. Disable the governor, and keep it under 5000RPM! The ones I've purchased had the "Central Machinery" brand and were made by Lifan in China - a large motorcycle/scooter manufacturer. "Greyhound" is a new trade name for HFT. I have one of their new 2.5HP engines, but haven't powered anything with it yet. (it is going on a rack mount motorized bike project)

The Bad -

1/2" drive impact extension set - The metal is too soft and considerable energy is lost in the extension and not applied to the nut or bolt you are trying to hammer off. My Craftsman impact extensions are hard enough to transfer the power, yet not shatter like a standard extension would. The HFT set is the one I will loan out. :devil2: (Golden Rule #1 - Never loan out tools you actually want back!)

Anything cordless. (and less than say $35) The chargers are most likely overnight trickle chargers, the batteries self discharge in a week, the motors are not too powerful.

1/2" Drive Electric Impact Wrench - Rated at 240 lb/ft, I doubt it exceeds 120 lb/ft. Very disappointed. Another one to loan out. :)

1/2" Drive Impact Wrench - This one is kind of a toss up. For 20 bucks did I really expect it to deliver 250 lb/ft of torque? It doesn't, but I do use it quite a bit. I'll pull out the Ingersoll Rand impact if this one doesn't have the balls to do the job.
 
I belive that HF sells a geiger counter.

I just bought the air compressor last week, nice. Now I have to wait for various air tools to be on sale. Loooks like I get the air hose this week. I can't wait for the day that I have to take my new Instep Prowler up to HF.

I think the quality at HF is often better than that stuff at Walmart or the junk tools at Checker (O'Reilly, how the heck am I going used to calling it O'Reilly)

FYI if you get coupons from HF in email make sure you click on them, 'cause they usually have a second surprise coupon when you open the coupon link up.
 
actually a good deal and handy if you have smaller item you wish to photograph in isolation and optimum lighting.

these are popular with crafters of all kinds.

steve
 
Darn it. They didn't have either item in stock. I got a 14" dust pan and some socket adapters.
 
You're depressing me. I went there the other day and couldn't get what I wanted. Ended up getting something at WalMart. Today I went to Fry Electronics and couldn't get what I wanted there either,

Now I just spent 2 hours doing free tech support for my sister-in-law's stepfather. Cox McAfee SW "just say no".

I think I will go sit out in the garage and talk to my bikes.
 
Not bragging, but I have way more stuff from HF than any oine person has posted as having. Things from as little as $1.00 on up to power tools. I have a lot of their cheap pneumatic tools. Around here, we call it the disposable tool store. The only thing I recall breaking was a 3/8" torque wrench. And I don't think it really broke. I think the screws that hold the ratchet mechanism in place worked loose. I don't care for most of their battery powered tools. but one I love is their battery powered 3/8" drive impact wrench. I use it a lot for driving anchors in masonry, and for long wood screws in hard wood. And ocassionally you can get good deals on name brand stuff there. I recently bought a hitch mounted bike rack for $30.00. Same rack, made in China, with a different name on it sells for $110.00 at Walmart.
Not getting political here, but where can you buy American made products ? If we're going to be forced to by China made stuff, why go to a name brand department store and pay 3 or 4 times the price of Harbor Fright's ? I bet Walmart sells more China stuff than Harbor Freight !
 
Pork Chop

"Not getting political here, but where can you buy American made products ? If we're going to be forced to by China made stuff, why go to a name brand department store and pay 3 or 4 times the price of Harbor Fright's ? I bet Walmart sells more China stuff than Harbor Freight !"

That's my point Brother, I lost my job like many other American's to outsourcing. Big Brother says we're creating new ones. Sure they are, quoting George W. "the one's Americans don't want"... Now if I can make it at home, I will spend all day before I spend 99 cents at one of those stores. Certainly there are some things that are impratical to do so tho.
 
My brother and I went to Wal-Mart the other day since it's all there is in our area.
While we wandered around we checked where things were made. Seems China isn't the only place they source thier goods. Any where that labour is paid in pennies per hour is fair game.
The really bad part is that when you see a North American company name, the bet is it says on the box,in fine print "contents made in some where other than North America because we could".

Steve.
 
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