Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

[Bamaman1]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

If you ever have a good compressor and it breaks, it's a very frustrating time. There are just so many jobs they're used for around the house.

My Ingersoll Rand compressor broke where the hose screwed in, and parts were not available for a 20 year old compressor.

I started studying portable air compressors all over the internet, and they're just items that have a high frequency of problems. I would love to have a 60-80 gallon tank with a big 220 oil style compressor, but I'm a moving around kind'a guy.

I replaced my I/R with a remanufactured Dewalt stand up portable compressor. So far, it's been pretty great.

 

[matt167]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

DeWalt compressors are manufactured by Emglo/ Devilbiss IIRC. really Only 2 manufactures in portable compressors and they are Campbell Hausfeld and Devilbiss/emglo. Anything branded different is built by one or the other.. All Black and Decker brands ( Dewalt, Porter Cable ect.. ) are made by Devilbiss as well as Craftsmen and a couple other brands and at one time, a couple HF models. Campbell Hausfeld makes some HF compressors, and the TSC brand compressors... Any compressor with a reed valve will wear out and diminish performance over time... My HF compressor smelled HOT and kept tripping the internal breaker, and then I noticed the cap went into meltdown.. once I got the numbers off the old 1 it was cheap and easy to replace but that's the only issue I have had with it.

 

[mscher]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

I keep forgetting

The auto-darkening welding helmet rocks and this is one of my all-time favorite tools.

14 Gauge Swivel Head Shear

It will rip cut a 8' sheet metal roof panel, in about 90 seconds.

 

[matt167]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

I have the older orange version of that shear. Works great. I was doing all my sheetmetal fab with a 4" grinder and cutting wheels. Don't know how I got along without that thing for so long.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

Talking about air compressors: I have a buddy that's a mechanic for Ingersol Rand in Nashville. When everyone's at home with families over Christmas, he's working long hours in the auto factories like GM Spring Hill, Nissan Smyrna and Nissan Winchester (engines).

They will be out completely rebuilding compressors that are as large as a locomotive engine--and almost look like one. Compressors are somewhat mechanically similar to internal combustion engines--without the combustion. After 6 months of running 3 shifts 24 hours per day, heavy maintenance and rebuilding air compressors is necessary.

After all, if a compressor breaks down, a car factory or engine factory operating at 100% of capacity is SOL.

 

[matt167]

Re: Things I Won't Buy at Harbor Freight

Some compressors are car engines. I know the NY DOT has those specially redesigned Ford V8 compressors that run on 4 cylinders and compress on 4 cylinders.. Same type is common with construction companies also.