Harbor Freight..the good, the bad and the ugly

[RICH MUISE]

First off, let me start by saying I'm a die hard buy-American-when-you-can, and having been a protoype machinist for 20 years, I understand the importance of quality tools reflecting a person's quality and skill levels. If I were running a shop, Harbor Freight would not be my equiptment source.That being said, Harbor Freight has been a god send to me. At times I wonder if I could even be doing this 57 project if I had to buy the equiptment and tools I've needed elsewhere. How can you beat a $100. cherry picker, or a $10. cut off tool, or a $15. 4" disc grinder? I'm 63 years old, I don't worry about tools lasting a lifetime, only through the project I'm working on.
Things I've been real happy with: air cut off tools and die grinders. I bought 2 cut off tools 3 years ago when they were on sale for $8, figuring I'd have a back-up when the first one went...The second one is still in the unopened box! The 4" disc grinder will go thru motor brushes before the grinder gives out. My 60 gallon compressor hasn't missed a lick in 4 years except for the key stock coming out of the flywheel shaft sounding like it was going to explode. Did it twice before I lock-tite'd it in. my 220 mig welder needed some tweeking in the line feed system to get it working right, but after that It's been great (got my eye on a new Miller unit).Too many good tools to list, so...
The bad stuff: sheet sandpaper, air body saw(bought and returned 3 of them),air body file,air sheet metal shears(eccentric head that makes the blades opened and close wore the crown off the drive head after not too much usage. Almost all clamps are bad except mini vise grips have been really useful I have a dozen or so of them.Cold chisels are bad...they'll take the shape of whatever it is your pounding on.Their wood chisels are good though. I use a wood chisel to break spot welds loose using a spot weld drill bit.

[glen b henderson]

I have to agree Rich, you just have to be willing to accept what you pay for. I have the air cut off tools that have worked fine for me and an elec sheet metal shear that I have been very pleased with and the Pittsburg brand impact sockets have held up well. I also have a 36" metal break that I am happy with. On the other hand, I sold my big trailer with the winch on it and bought a 18 ft car hauler. I bought a 9000 lb winch from HF and it is a total piece of crap. I am going to Tractor Supply and get a 9000 lb Champion (like I had on the old trailer) for just a little more than I paid for this piece of junk from HF. Their cut off disk are also junk, one Dewalt disk will out last a whole pack of HF disk. The little bench top HF drill press hit the scrap pile in less than two months along with the 12" elec cutoff saw. In my opinion if it is elec and has brushes, leave it on the shelf or shell out for the extended warranty and be prepared to make a trip to get it replaced every month or two.

[JPotter57]

Agreed on the electrical stuff. I made one cut with a reciprocating saw (sawzall) and the plastic drive gear inside took a dump.  I trashed it and went out and bought a Milwaukee...wouldnt take anything for  that baby.  I bought one of the $100 cherry pickers, and it has held up well.  I dont waste money on the grinder disks, and their sandpaper isnt that good either.  I like the dial indicator and magnetic base I bought last year.  I also regularly use the 3 engine stands I bought from there also, as well as the 3.5 ton floor jack.  I also use the heck out of my d.a. orbital sander.  That stuff is pretty good, but avoid electrical stuff at all costs.

[Zapato]

I wouldn't buy any Harbor Freight tool to make a living with, that been said there are a lot of items that are ok if one thinks of them as a one or two job tool and can't justify buying the real thing. if you're going to use it a bit more than that buy the extended warranty and plan on visiting HF regularly. I've been doing some honey dews around the house and bought some cheap sawhorses to paint house doors. Can't beat them for $9.99. Most of their metal cutting tools from drills ,chisels, hole saws etc will do nothing but disappoint anyone attempting to use them. And as retired machinist I'd advise everyone to search craigslist or other sites for old "USA MADE" lathes, mills or drill presses. You can often find used cheaper than that new junk offered. I'd rather use a sloppy South Bend or Logan lathe than a new one from HF.

I tend to lose tape measures or pass them on to my nephews so I buy them at the Dollar Tree. Keep one of them in my truck all the time as I often stop and take a quick measure for a project or when garage saleing and want to be sure a piece of material is going to work out.

My 2 cents

[wolfpupsdad]

 well i have to agree with alot that has been said here on this subject. but then i have alot of there hand tools (sockets and wrenches) in my tool box.
i used to be a die hard craftman man til sears screwed me on a refrigerator i bought . you can buy low end and high end from harbor frieght. i buy high end for a few bucks more. and in all the years i've only broke 2 wrenches ( hitting em on the end with a hammer) poor mans impact. they replaced them no problem, and 1 12 point socket on a impact wrench, not the hot tip. they relace it also no questions asked.
i have a wire feed welder of theirs, open it up and gee what do we have hear? it's a holbart.
they got some really good stuff at a great price and some real junk that should be free.
guess thats where the ole saying comes from , " buyer be ware".

[Frankenstein57]

I buy some stuff there that I like to have in the shop, for when and if you need it. But if you need to use it every week, best get the good stuff. Mark

[Lou]

Of all my tools 90% are American made, most were bought used at tag sales or at automotive flea markets. The only thing I've bought from Harbor Freight was a 3/4 drive socket set because I only need to use it about once a year. In most cases you can buy quality use American power and hand tools at a fraction of the price of offshore new tools.

[RICH MUISE]

That 3/4 socket set comes in real handy for using the sockets with threaded rod to press bushings in and out of the control arms, and the bench top drill press like Glen thru out,which I argee is almost useless because of such a short stroke, comes in real handy for polishing small parts with a 1/4 shafted buffing wheel.

[shopratwoody]

I have the bead blaster, seems to be good enough. Done a lot
of small parts for the car. Just be sure you have enough compresssor.

[Ford Blue blood]

I have their powder coating gun and power supply.  Turns out it is exactly like the one Eastwood was selling at that time for better then twice the money.  I buy my powder from Columbia Coatings at half the price of Eastwood as well.

[Zapato]

Their paints guns are actually pretty good, believe they've copied Binks. Was told once by a friend that parts interchanged between the 2.

[JPotter57]

thats true Zapato...you can put a Binks kit in them, work well.  I use one for my primer gun, and another for painting my interior parts.

[Zapato]

good to know,thanks

[RICH MUISE]

One really good thing I forgot, and I don't know if they still carry them. I picked up a 7 or 8 piece set of 'Soft Sanders", a foam set of different shaped 5" sanding blocks (American made). They fit 90% of the concave curves and radii on the 57's, and those of you who have blocked out a rear quarter panel know how many different sizes of those there are on a '57. Also their flexible sanding sponges seem to last forever. Pkg. of 24 for under $5., they are really great for cleaning out or scuffing primer in driprails, trunk rain gutter, ect.