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Old 01-21-2019, 06:01 PM   #41
Local150
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
I look at them as disposable tools or need to use few times tools. My experience is some things are junk like electrical tape, electrical connectors, anything in the gardening dept, drill bits, saw blades. Only power tool from them is a 4" angle grinder. All my other power tools are DeWalt, Makita, etc. I have bought breaker bars, nail pullers, crow bar, hammers and a few sockets that are o.k. given the cost. Obviously I don't expect hf socket set to last 50 years like my snap on but for the price it's ok. Also have a 12 ton bottle jack and some air accessories (blow gun, air hose, fittings) that seem to be ok.
Definitely dont buy the drill bits
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Old 01-21-2019, 06:02 PM   #42
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Most of it is junk
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Old 01-21-2019, 11:36 PM   #43
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When we bought our TT, we got almost all of our tools from HF. One or two things were sourced from Home Depot or Lowes. The stuff we got from HF seems serviceable (so far), but my only complaint is how they lay out their stores. I seem to spend a lot of time trying to find stuff in their stores as the organization of their stock makes no sense to me at all.
As an example, I went looking for a cordless drill. They seemed to be scattered all over the store. Then I went looking for drill bits which turned out to be nowhere near the drills. And it wasn't just one store. While we were travelling, we went to at least 6-8 stores.
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Old 01-21-2019, 11:44 PM   #44
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Definitely dont buy the drill bits
Probably the lowest quality item they sell. I once picked up a set of 15 bits to drill out a 1/4 inch broken bolt. Ended up breaking all 15 bits, each time cussing a little louder. Caved and drove to Lowes to for one 1/4" Bosch bit. Did the job.
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Old 01-22-2019, 07:06 AM   #45
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Probably the lowest quality item they sell. I once picked up a set of 15 bits to drill out a 1/4 inch broken bolt. Ended up breaking all 15 bits, each time cussing a little louder. Caved and drove to Lowes to for one 1/4" Bosch bit. Did the job.

Got to disagree on the drill bits being the lowest quality item sold at HF. Have you ever purchased a tap & die set? I have very high quality metric (used in my business) and bought a set of SAE just to have them on hand for home use. The HF SAE stuff is almost totally useless as they won't cut any thread or even chase it well. Their wire brushes are absolute junk as well. The rotary tools you see in their sale fliers are horrible.
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Old 02-07-2019, 05:34 AM   #46
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I have a combo belt/disc bench sander that I bought in the 70's that still runs smooth. I rebuilt the rollers with ball bearings but other than that it's all original. Also have a floor model band saw from the 80's. As was stated often you need to shop carefully. It's all from China and cheap, but I find it a great source for tools you seldom use. I hate to pay premium for something that sits on a shelf.



Thanks to someone for the tip on clearance lights. I seem to have a lens fall off on every trip. I'll try HF's.
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Old 02-07-2019, 08:45 AM   #47
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I got a handful of tools from HF recently (10" table saw, 12" double beveled mitre saw, angle grinder, jigsaw, framing and trim nail guns, 8 gallon oil lubed air compressor, oscillating tool, circular saw). Used just about all of them so far. The oscillating tool and jig saw were a little rough and clearly not top grade, but they have gotten the job done acceptably well so far - so cheap that if I get 2-3 good uses out of them I don't care? Compressor has worked fine thus far with both nail guns and was adequate to inflate truck tires to 75 PSI no problem. The table saw seems a little rickety, whenever it dies, I will get a "real" one. The mitre saw did not come with the needed arbor bushing which was very frustrating - no one at home depot even knew what that part is......but the built in laser is a nice touch.

I stick to DeWalt 20v Max for all wireless power tools and already had a nice Husky socket set. I also have Klein for all my electrical work tools (bought from Home Depot).
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Old 02-07-2019, 04:23 PM   #48
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There is a new Harbor Freight that opened only 40 miles from us so it's new to me but they did have the right size side marker light for our trailer. The stock ones couldn't hold the lens on. The smallest bump and they would pop right off. The whole light assembly was only $5 and it takes a screw driver to pop the lens off.


Also picked up an 8 ton bottle jack and a pair of 3 to jack stands. They seem like quality and what don't we import from China these days? I figure I'll look at that generator too.


So I'd give them an up vote. Good staff too, not a bunch of whiners as some retail is these days.


West end of Richmond is the new location, Gaskin Road and Broad Street.
Speaking of bottle jacks, I have two that I bought there, a 4 ton and an 8 ton. (lots of other goodies over the years bought there, too)
I had them running all over the store a few weeks ago, looking for a bottle jack kit, you know the ones with a base plate for more stability and a slip over adapter to cradle the TT frame or leaf springs. No luck, but I suggested they come up with an inexpensive alternative to the high-priced kits available on-line elsewhere.
In the meantime, I think I'll have a buddy weld up the top on an old jack stand to a piece of pipe to slip on the cylinder top. The bottom plate has me designing things in my head and then breaking them in my head, then re-designing... Need to be able to bolt it onto the bottle jack base some how (but I don't want to drill into that base!). Or maybe come up with a way to clamp the jack to the plate? Sorry, I digress...
HFT's are like others have said, great for stuff you need a couple of times a year. I have stuff still new in boxes that I bought a few years ago just to have handy, "in case."
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Old 02-07-2019, 04:43 PM   #49
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As a retired master mechanic all of my daily use tools (ratchets, sockets and end wrenches etc.) were all top line and mostly Snap-On. All my wrenches and sockets over 1 1/4" were HF or ATD. I have a set of 3/4" impact sockets I bought back in the 80's that held up to some heavy usage.
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Old 02-07-2019, 05:16 PM   #50
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While you're pushing the shopping cart up and down the HF aisles and can't find anything to use that 20% off coupon, try a package of acid brushes. They are the "cat's meow" for a quick touch-up, to smear grease on most surfaces, to brush/clean hard to reach crevices and the best part, toss the brush after you use it. https://www.harborfreight.com/catalo...f&q=acid+brush
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Old 02-07-2019, 05:31 PM   #51
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Sadly, I grew up spoiled - and didn’t even know it. My dad is/ was? (retired now) a diesel mechanic with his own shop on our farm. He repaired tractors for 40some years. Most of his tools were Snap-on, and that’s what I grew up using/ playing with. It was a rude awakening when I grew up and went to buy some tools of my own. I couldn’t find any that worked as nice, but sure couldn’t afford Snap-on! Now, I own mostly DeWalt for power tools (oldest being 20 year old 18V drill and circular saw set still going strong) and Snap-on hand tools (as I can slowly afford a piece or 2 at a time). I had never heard of Harbor Freight until joining this forum. Kind of like Northern Tool, it is a fun store to wander every once in a while. But, I have to say my go-to for a torque wrench for in the camper is a Harbor Freight one. Seems to work great for that, and I don’t have to worry if it would grow legs and walk off!
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Old 02-09-2019, 08:30 PM   #52
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I used the 20% off yesterday. Large cable ties, nitrile gloves, battery powered pump rated for gasoline, and a seal and bearing install kit. I've got a little of their hand tools..impact sockets and a couple torque wrenches. Maybe a couple hammers. I prefer Craftsman sockets, 6 point preferably.
When I was pulling on wrenches for a living I preferred Williams or Proto. The Snap Ons were nice but the combo wrenches were like knives...edges would cut into my hands.
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Old 02-10-2019, 06:40 AM   #53
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Noticed lately that Craftsman tools are available at Lowes & Ace Hardware. Not many, if any, Sears store around anymore.
Although HF warranty is better than Craftsman, they replace hand tools no questions ask, Craftsman got to be if you bought the "professional" grade tools it was warrantied, but otherwise wasn't.
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Old 02-10-2019, 06:48 AM   #54
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Noticed lately that Craftsman tools are available at Lowes & Ace Hardware. Not many, if any, Sears store around anymore.
Although HF warranty is better than Craftsman, they replace hand tools no questions ask, Craftsman got to be if you bought the "professional" grade tools it was warrantied, but otherwise wasn't.
I think Sears sold the Craftsman name, or has made an agreement to sell them about anywhere. I have a individual owned Sears store within walking distance. The HF store I usually go to is 30 miles away. Apparently I'm a sucker for those sale papers and 20% off coupons.
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Old 02-10-2019, 11:03 AM   #55
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jimborokz for loose clearance light lenses just take the lens off use some clear silicone around the edge reinstall and they will stay on.

JimSchwenk for the jack base take your flatstock and jack to your buddy and have him weld some barstock to the flatstock in a square the jack base will fit into so the jack can't slip around. That way it comes apart easily without bolting it down
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Old 02-10-2019, 11:50 AM   #56
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I think Sears sold the Craftsman name, or has made an agreement to sell them about anywhere. I have a individual owned Sears store within walking distance. The HF store I usually go to is 30 miles away. Apparently I'm a sucker for those sale papers and 20% off coupons.

Stanley/Black&Decker bought the Craftsman name a year or so ago.
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