First Time To Harbor Freight.

[bigdee]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

I love HF,it is like a candy store with lots of junk at a great price (sales and coupons) It is not always first quality stuff but who cares when you can leave there with a whole bunch of toys for a little $$. Some of my favorite buys: 80 amp inverter welder (8lbs) is totally awesome. 4x8 trailer is a good buy. air compressors and air tools,nailers are good. most of the corded tools are OK. Multitool for $34 beats $400 for a fein and is just as functional. Electronic fly swatter for $3 is cheap fun zapping mosquitoes at night. I only buy what is on sale,after awhile that covers everything in the store. So if is not on sale just wait.

 

[bobkyle2]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

man... im ready to go... i think im going to go count my change

 

[ehenry]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

If the item you buy from Harbor Freight will allow you to purchase the extended warranty, I STRONGLY advise you purchase that warranty. I bought a shallow well pump from H/F 5 years ago. It shot craps in a year and a half. Fortunately I bought the extended warranty when I bought the pump. When I took the original pump back there were no questions asked. They got me a new off the shelf and I was on my way in less than 10 minutes. They also let me purchase another extended warranty on the new pump. Three pumps later I still have an extended warranty and a working pump!

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

I bought too much junk to list, but I have several free flashlights from coupons. Walk in, hand them the coupon, fill out a little marketing thing with fake information, and walk out. So far I have 4 of the 9 LED flashlights and they work great.

I bought the earthquake 3/8" air impact wrench from them on sale with a fat 20% off coupon. Wow, what a machine. My dad couldn't get off some lug nuts off of his backhoe. He asked if I'd give them a shot with my impact wrench, but "don't expect much, I was turning the tire trying to get those lugs off and they weren't budging." One quick squeeze of the trigger and I was asking him what he wanted me to do with the lugs. It didn't even strain. An amazing piece of equipment, for 50 bucks. I bought their impact sockets the day I got the impact wrench and they work fine. Sprayed a little WD 40 on them to make sure they don't rust and I saved them with the gun.

I also bought a grease gun there, ok a grease gun is a grease gun, don't pay more than 3 dollars for one. It works great.

Their 1/4" and 3/8" extendable ratchet works good to. I've put that thing through hell and it works fine.

Too much other stuff to list.

 

[stic88]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

the impact sockets are great and if you buy wrenches there, i have broken a few and i have gotten two free sets not just the broken wrench but the whole set. electric impact gun is pretty good and cant beat their price on led trailer lights. alot of mechanics at work, i work at a gold mine with huge equipment, have alot of hf tools.

 

[j_martin]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

Hmm, I've been eyeballing the 90AMP 120V one for use around the house. I need to tack on a couple trailer fenders and fix a piece that's knocked loose from my lawnmower deck.

It's less than $90 with the 20% off coupon.

I got mine and ran a couple of feet of flux core weld. I found it to be way too hot for thin metal. Mig (gas shield) on sheet metal is the way to go.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

I like HF for cheap, disposable, use once in a blue moon tools. I wouldn't buy a tool there I would depend on though. Some of their tools have really surprised me, but a lot of them have broken after some use...

I was there last weekend and they had a bunch of stuff on clearance:

- metal hole punch (old, old, old, pliar style) $.07
- hitch pin clip assortment $.50
- 10, 6 pc metal/rubber wire clips $.07 each

It looks like they are changing the packaging on some of their product, look for the yellow clearance tags...

 

[Stachi]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

HF is a great place.....years ago I was able to buy an air compressor, hose reel , and small hand truck to mount them to.for less than $150.00...what a convenient set up !fits nicely in my 13' box van .The $79.00 framing nailer (16 pny) I bought is close to ten years old now and still works like a champ, same for the 1/2" electric impact gun.
Usually I visit HF with a couple of buddies and the game is to see who can walk out of the place without buying a shopping cart load of toys !

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

also remember this ...

Harbor Freight sells tools and tool shaped objects, figuring out which is which is the hard part

My keyboard very nearly just got a mountain dew shower...I'll definitely have to remember that one!

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

For my construction company, I got to where i would only buy air stapeler, nails and such from them! worked almost as well as the $200 - 300 ones! and when my employees would drop em off 2 story roofs! ni biggie! LOL

 

[bigdee]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

At my age driving up to a HF store is better than sex!!

 

[scipper77]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

At my age driving up to a HF store is better than sex!!

I really hope this isn't offensive but when I read this it made me laugh. The last time I went to HF on my lunch hour I thought to my self "So this is how guys spend there days after retirement".

I appeared to me that two out of three people in the place were of retirement age.

The guy in front of me was buying a saws all (Chicago brand I think). It was hard for me to resist the urge to impulse buy one for myself. I don't need one but that's one of those tools that just feels good to have around.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

On the WeldingWeb site that I frequent, there is a very long thread titled "Harbor Freight Tools That Don't Suck" where people post about the tools that they LIKE from Harbor Freight. Its a very good thread.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

harbor freight jacks are actually VERY nice, far better than any craftsman jack. (which despite what the craftsman fans think, they are junk...)

quick example, exact same price...

HF low profile jack, starts under 3 inches, will lift over 20. Built like a tank, weights 74.7 pounds.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-low-profile-floor-service-jack-67022.html

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950165000P
3 1/3 starting lift, up to 13 inches. cheap construction, 31 pounds weight.

 

[hostage]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

Welcome to the big boy toy store. The items are hit and miss, though you can usually tell by picking up the item and looking at it. I got a lot of small stuff there for my emergency kit for my boat. Stuff I won't use much, but it is cheap enough that I keep on the boat.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

I just spent 2 hours there with my semi-retired dad last night. It was the first time I had been in the store so we kind of looked over everything. I'm pretty sure my dad has the base prices memorized in that store so he knows when he's getting the deal. He went there with a list so he knew exactly what he needed and was able to get out of there under $100.

I can see how some of there tools may be junk but I kept walking down the isles saying "man that would have been a nice tool to have in this or that situation." Curved open-end wrenches...who would've thunk?

I will be returning when I need that special tool that my dad doesn't have

Welders helmet, industrial punch and chisel set, 38pc impact socket set, led swivel head flashlight, cutting wheels, composite ratchet and tailpipe expander were on his list.

 

[Link]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

Harbor Freight is great for what it is, as long as you know that going in.

They have a great return policy on everything as well, so if it breaks bring it in and they give you a new one.

For anything major, that you want to last, I wouldnt trust them, but for gloves, sandpaper, just about any consumable used in a workshop they can not be beat.

They do have some gems mixed in too, like the 34706 model wood lathe, one of the DP are great as well, the dust collector is a great deal especially if you get a 20% off coupon or a coupon when they run it at 179.00, add a 1micron bag to it and you have a amazing DC at a 1/3 of the cost of a Jet or Grizzly.

Just do your research on the item and you will be fine.. also remember this ...

Harbor Freight sells tools and tool shaped objects, figuring out which is which is the hard part

I could not have said it better.
Good to hear about the lathe as I bought the 40" for a different purpose and was looking at it in the shop yesterday wondering if it could be used as a lathe.

My fishing partner bought that cheap looking brad nailer years ago and it works as well as my dewalt. Grrr

Once in a pinch we bought that cheap 19.99 hand grinder to put a tile blade on.
Scared the heck out of us when we first turned it on!
Thought it was going to explode! But it did the job and still does. But is only used as a back up now. Still scares me.

The one thing that you dont want to buy is the compound sliding miter saw.
I borrowed one to put fascia up.
When tilted it wont make the same cut twice in a row.

The other item is dont even try to use the metal saws-all blades on American steel.
But they do work good on wood.

Oh on the sand blasters. When putting the cabnet ones together seal all joints.
Otherwise the sand, glass or what ever you use will be on the shop floor.
And dont follow the manual for nozzel size.

HF is what it is. Cheap stuff so you pick and choose for your needs.

My 2 cents

Link

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

harbor freight jacks are actually VERY nice, far better than any craftsman jack. (which despite what the craftsman fans think, they are junk...)

quick example, exact same price...

HF low profile jack, starts under 3 inches, will lift over 20. Built like a tank, weights 74.7 pounds.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-low-profile-floor-service-jack-67022.html

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950165000P
3 1/3 starting lift, up to 13 inches. cheap construction, 31 pounds weight.

Look at the reviews on both of those, looks like you are dead right on with your review here on the site. Craftsman is junk, obviously.

One thing I wanted to point out, not sure if every HF does this, but mine does. If you print out the website page, say, for that jack showing 59.99 and bring a 20% off coupon, they will honor it. You can get their jack, which is way better obviously, for 47.99. How's that for a great deal?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

Look at the reviews on both of those, looks like you are dead right on with your review here on the site. Craftsman is junk, obviously.

One thing I wanted to point out, not sure if every HF does this, but mine does. If you print out the website page, say, for that jack showing 59.99 and bring a 20% off coupon, they will honor it. You can get their jack, which is way better obviously, for 47.99. How's that for a great deal?

I actually own both those jacks... I bought the harbor freight one two weeks ago to replace the craftsman one, 13 inches of lift wasn't nearly enough. (74.7 pounds was the shipping weight. I got free shipping on a heavy jack that I paid $60 for. Shipping had to have been close to that!)

 

[jeffnick]

Re: First Time To Harbor Freight.

I go often. One time there was a fellow complaining that a small air compressor quit several months out of original warranty. They asked if he had the extended warranty and he didn't so they told him he was out of luck. He got agitated and vocal...finally the manager suggested if he paid for the extended warranty now, he would exchange for a new one. The fellow did and left happy.