Tools & Fabrication - Anyone shop at harbor freight tools?

I stopped wasting money on expensive tools that break just as often as cheap tools. Some of it is the exact same stuff snap-on and matco stamp their name on and sell for 10x the price.

All the time!

once a month at least, unless they have a sidewalk sale. Plus they got some good online only deals too. So i guess that counts too.

I stopped wasting money on expensive tools that break just as often as cheap tools. Some of it is the exact same stuff snap-on and matco stamp their name on and sell for 10x the price.

Please tell me your joking. I used to thinkt he same way until i started working on my car at my GFs fathers shop with exlusively snap on tools. They cant even be compared, its like comparing a cadillac to a daewoo.

For simple stuff and tools for guys that do stuff occasionaly harbor freight is fine, but if you actually use the tools pay the money.

I got an 4 1/2" Angle Grinder for $9.99 its paid for itself many times in just 3 months. Used it to smooth brake calipers, cleaned up my bbq pit before painting, gonna use it tomorrow for something.

Hell yes! I just got a $20 sawzall that Ive put through the ringer and it hasnt missed a beat!

Certain parts, like say a gasket scraper or a set of picks are a no brainer at HF. I wouldn't buy impact sockets there as they feel too light and would probably not last long at all.

However, I have bought many things there like rubber mallets, jack stands, tool carts, pulley removers...

Depends on what you are buying

Please tell me your joking. I used to thinkt he same way until i started working on my car at my GFs fathers shop with exlusively snap on tools. They cant even be compared, its like comparing a cadillac to a daewoo.

For simple stuff and tools for guys that do stuff occasionaly harbor freight is fine, but if you actually use the tools pay the money.



I used to be a mechanic at a dealership, and i broke just as many snap-on wrenches and sockets as i did craftsman. And the snap-on cordless drill i bought was the biggest POS ive ever owned. But yea. Im a hobbyist now and not a mechanic. So i cant justify high dollar tools anymore.....except my snap-on impact.

I bought a ratchet for 18 bucks that feels tight and solid. I also got a set of impact torx bits to remove bell housings and seat belts. So far so good. And 3 bucks for a set of die grinder discs.

Yep. Fine quality communist tools. :jest: my saw I bought is still going along with my dremel and my countless free flashlights. Those little LED flashlights come in handy.

So i cant justify high dollar tools anymore.....except my snap-on impact.

The HF line of 'Earthquake' impacts are actually very good, check them out.

The HF line of 'Earthquake' impacts are actually very good, check them out.


Yes, these are very good for the price. My dad is a mechanic and when his Ingersoll 3/8 impact broke, I told him to get the Earthquake series from HF. It's been 8 months now and still works perfect.

That being said, THERE IS NO WAY HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS COMPARE TO SNAP ON.

Rumblebox, you must have been abusing your Snap On tools to break as many as your Harbor Freight or Craftsman. My dad has sockets and wrenches that are 20+ years old.

Yes, these are very good for the price. My dad is a mechanic and when his Ingersoll 3/8 impact broke, I told him to get the Earthquake series from HF. It's been 8 months now and still works perfect.

That being said, THERE IS NO WAY HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS COMPARE TO SNAP ON.

Rumblebox, you must have been abusing your Snap On tools to break as many as your Harbor Freight or Craftsman. My dad has sockets and wrenches that are 20+ years old.

I love the people that bash harbor freight tools, if you look into it most of their tools both hand and pneumatics carry the same warranty as snap on and the big boys, the only difference is you have to mail the shit back. I know a couple of guys that wrench for a living and most of their boxes both at work and home are loaded with harbor freight tools. all companies pop out weak castings here and there, its luck of the draw with that shit, I've broken just as many of the big money big name tools as i have the harbor freights, I'd rather not take out a mortgage for the same shit. the only thing i prefer snap on for is specialty tools, they have different wrenches specifically to help doing different jobs which do actually make the jobs sooo much nicer to do.

You can hardly compare. I have Matco sockets that were given to me by my father that were bought in the 90s that I use at least once a week and they haven't skipped a beat. On the other hand I have a 1/2 socket set that I bought at Harbor Freight to take to the junkyard and such and one of the socket snapped when we were trying to break some rear end bolts loose

I stopped wasting money on expensive tools that break just as often as cheap tools. Some of it is the exact same stuff snap-on and matco stamp their name on and sell for 10x the price.

Also on the other hand I do buy alot of random small stuff at harbor freight (sand paper, cutting discs, heatshrink and I have their lightweight aluminum jack which is wonderful)

bunch of snap on :swing: lol jk

Hell yes! I just got a $20 sawzall that Ive put through the ringer and it hasnt missed a beat!You are lucky!!! I got to my second piece of exhaust pipe & the internal gear stripped out.. Brand new & lasted about 2 minutes cutting through a thin 16 guage metal exhaust pipe.

I also bought their Pittsburg 1/2" torque wrech & it wouldn't click on anything over 70 ft lbs.. I have however, had good luck with their angle grinder & multi-function oscillating tool.

I broke fewer blue point rachet wrenches than i break gear wrenches, but not enough to jusify the price difference with the same warranty.

As far as cordless power tools are concerned, i still prefer bosch.

Harbor Freight has some great values. Anything expensive you are concerned about can be protected with an extended warranty.

LOL at comparing HF to the Big 3. Seriously...if you cannot tell the difference, you need to wrench more often. I'm not a Harbor Freight hater but I would never call it the same stuff with a different stamp. I will be buried with my Snap On KRL1022 and Matco 88 tooth ratchets. If you are comparing that blue point/silver eagle/black hawk crap to HF than I can see where you are coming from...but the USA tools are where it's at!:hail:

I had a heat gun from harbor freight catch fire within about a minute of use. I use some other stuff from harbor freight, but nothing with moving parts.

Bottom line is you pay for what you get!

I would never trust HF for something as sensitive as a torque wrench

You are lucky!!! I got to my second piece of exhaust pipe & the internal gear stripped out.. Brand new & lasted about 2 minutes cutting through a thin 16 guage metal exhaust pipe.

I also bought their Pittsburg 1/2" torque wrech & it wouldn't click on anything over 70 ft lbs.. I have however, had good luck with their angle grinder & multi-function oscillating tool.

I would never trust HF for something as sensitive as a torque wrench
80% of my tools are from hf now.
But my 1in tq wrench is a snap on and so is my angle gage.
I have a earthquake and rocks. Literally.
No probs with impact sockets, regular sockets, ratchets, even ratchet wrenches holding up.. Ive shortened,bent and re configured some and they hold up.
Never used a tq wrench or any real measuring tools.
All my calipers,mics,dials are high dollar professional machinist grade.

HF tools all the way but nothing can replace my snap-on ratchets, sockets and wrenches. anyone that says different doesnt use them everyday. other than those tho im a HF guy i bought their 1/2 cordless impact recently. truly goes hand and hand with snap on. i know cause i owned one.

This is hilarious. I buy from hf at least once a month and anything that doesn't break while taking it out of the package is a good buy...my parts washer worked for one minute. The most useful part of the smaller bearing splitter set is the case. Picks and die grinder wheels are ok, impact swivel hasn't broken yet. Hf IS useful.

I also have a rollaway full of craftsman, snapon, sk, matco, bluepoint, even bonnie and blackhawk some of which are 50++ years old...It's apples and dildos, no comparison can be made.

Right now I love shopping at harbor freight because I'm a broke college student but when I worked for a shop I used nothing but snap on and Mac. The quality has no comparison and the warrantys are just amazing.

The on thing that I did notice is true of the relabeled products is the welding mask you can get for about $40 at hf is also sold at sears just under a different brand for $70. I have the mask and it is the exact same thing they just changed one of the stickers on it

I'm not a mechanic but I do wrench on something at least 4-5 days a week and saying HF tools are as good as the U.S made ones is down right stupid. Sure their grinder and sanders are ok but the avg thing and have no issue with those. However I cant tell you all how many sockets, ratches, pullers and other hand tools I've broken from harbor freight the cheaper steel in hand tools really shows when you abuse them. OTOH I rarely break U.S made tools whether they're Matco, Snap-On, Craftsman etc.

I get some hf stuff , but not important power tools or ones needing the best accuracy. I get the drill masterstep bits, cheap sprayguns for spraying Minwax urethane, A few handtools for when I need extras, etc. Never looked at their sockets, rachets, etc. Saw approx 1/32 of slack in the bearings of an unused 1/2" woodworking router that needs to be accurate- no way. Most electric tools don,t have the needed power either for true professional use.
The store is most useful if you don't have anything, or work jobsites where theft or damage easily occurs, but should be selected carefully as to what you get.

HF is great for what it is, you dont go in there expecting super expensive high quality then you are fine, some of the items from there I have had and use for years no problems some last only 5 minutes and they break. Just seems to be luck of the draw on what you get and what type of item you are buying. I use their aluminum jacks for my professional shop and they are great, but you should expect to replace them every couple of years but heck no big deal. You get what you pay for but the bang for the buck at that place is great!

Ive never really had a problem with harbor freight tools as long as im not looking to buy something that im going to try and use every day...

Although, I have had items from them work flawlessly for years...

items like:
6 inch grinder
heat gun
purple hvlp gun
4 inch angle grinder
Brake caliper tools
Aluminum racing jack
Auto Darkening Welding mask
Air Grinders (they use alot of air, but work fine)
and probably others ive had for 3+ years

I've used our local HF plenty of times for all kinds of stuff. Most of the time I go there for hand tools or sockets if it's a size I happen to not have. But I've also had good luck so far with my electric 1/2" impact. I also usually find some random house or garage tools/gadgets while walking around (digital caliper, variety of LED lights, magnets, etc).

Mainly I use HF because they're cheap, and like 3 miles from the house. Never bought there looking for quality, but I haven't broken any of my tools from there yet either (not daily use). I appreciate all the Snap-On and Craftsman and US tools, but the price is just too high for some of us guys who don't use them real often.

I got an 4 1/2" Angle Grinder for $9.99 its paid for itself many times in just 3 months. Used it to smooth brake calipers, cleaned up my bbq pit before painting, gonna use it tomorrow for something.

Got to admit I was a skeptic about these. Used one at mt buddy's shop and liked it. I asked what brand it was and he said Harbor Freight. I about choked. For basically ten bucks it will get it done plus some. He also said the HF grinder has out lasted his 90.00 Matco for the 3rd time. He's done with the chasing the truck around to get it repaired. I am patriotic and believe in US made products and will buy them but, damn.

One other thing, the orbital wax/polisher for 20.00 bucks is the shiz-nit. I've run and beat that thing like I hated it and it still works like it just came out of the box. Could have got the life time warranty for another ten bucks but, didn't. I figured if I could get several jobs out of it for 20.00 bucks, can't hurt anything. It keeps going.

Got to admit I was a skeptic about these. Used one at mt buddy's shop and liked it. I asked what brand it was and he said Harbor Freight. I about choked. For basically ten bucks it will get it done plus some. He also said the HF grinder has out lasted his 90.00 Matco for the 3rd time. He's done with the chasing the truck around to get it repaired. I am patriotic and believe in US made products and will buy them but, damn.

One other thing, the orbital wax/polisher for 20.00 bucks is the shiz-nit. I've run and beat that thing like I hated it and it still works like it just came out of the box. Could have got the life time warranty for another ten bucks but, didn't. I figured if I could get several jobs out of it for 20.00 bucks, can't hurt anything. It keeps going.

the last part of that made me think.... doesn't everyone honestly beat the shit out of their harbor freight tools because theyre just that, harbor freight tools! and they still seem to take the abuse and come back for seconds.

ive broke more crapsman wrenches than harbor freight in the last 5 years and im probably twice as hard on the HF ones.... i have a bunch of old craftsman wrenches that i can literally stand on to break a nut, the new stuff not so much... doesnt matter, craftsman is made in china now anyway.
Im not a car mechanic so getting tools replaced by the snap-on guy is a hassle otherwise i probably would go that route but considering i can break 5 sets of HF wrenches for one snap-on im not unhappy.

HF Craftsman. Well if you are a professional mechanic and use tools every day for your living. Better get to know your SNAP ON DEALER and MAC or MATCO boys. Also quality tools are designed better. Example the cheap impact sockets are to thick to use in some places. Quality tools are much better. As i would break at least 3 ratchets a month that sears made buying a quality tool is also better on the fasteners. Also their is a safety factor with cheap tools. Example spring compressors come to mind immediately. Just me could be wrong again!!

HF Craftsman. Well if you are a professional mechanic and use tools every day for your living. Better get to know your SNAP ON DEALER and MAC or MATCO boys. Just me could be wrong again!!

I was a pro mechanic......all i got out of "knowing the snap-on and matco boys" was an extraordinary amount of debt and shit that still broke.

i work with Crap-on (snap-on) tools all day, everyday at work...im an F-15E strike eagle maintainer in the Air Force......i am here to tell you that snap on tools arent worth the money by a long shot....i have been using snap on for 17 years in the Air Force and their quality gets worse and worse.....

i buy alot of harbor freight tools. have never really had any problems with them....i have a mix of HF, kobalt and craftsman in my Box at home...the key is to use the tools properly (dont use screw drivers as pry bars etc)...

I bet if there was a Harbor Freight guy who drove a truck around replacing their broken tools, more pros would use them.

All tools break. If you are happy with using cheap tools great. But when you work on cars for a living going to sears once a week gets old real fast. Anyone can break a tool. I see people trying to break bolts with a 3/8 drive when all they had to do is use a 1/2 drive and the tool would not have broken. I have had all types of tools and have broke all types in my life but their is an old saying YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. So i wonder how an X Mechanic can judge tools in this modern era of special bolts and procedures. By the way their are several tools you cant but in HOME DEPOT AND HF for specialty Applications. Try and replace a PVC MODULE ON A BMW WITH A HF TORX SOCKETS. You will be mighty busy pulling the intake. No one can say SNAP ON IS A POOR QUALITY TOOL. If you dont want to pay for good tools then pick another trade. For the average beater any tool is ok but as a professional i need good tools Once again YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Just me could be wrong again!!!

i bet if there was a harbor freight guy who drove a truck around replacing their broken tools, more pros would use them.

well usa tool comes by the shop every friday and he sells me nothing!!!

Matco>snap-on

in terms of what?

price/quality/service?

All tools break. If you are happy with using cheap tools great. But when you work on cars for a living going to sears once a week gets old real fast. Anyone can break a tool. I see people trying to break bolts with a 3/8 drive when all they had to do is use a 1/2 drive and the tool would not have broken. I have had all types of tools and have broke all types in my life but their is an old saying YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. So i wonder how an X Mechanic can judge tools in this modern era of special bolts and procedures. By the way their are several tools you cant but in HOME DEPOT AND HF for specialty Applications. Try and replace a PVC MODULE ON A BMW WITH A HF TORX SOCKETS. You will be mighty busy pulling the intake. No one can say SNAP ON IS A POOR QUALITY TOOL. If you dont want to pay for good tools then pick another trade. For the average beater any tool is ok but as a professional i need good tools Once again YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Just me could be wrong again!!!

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/9/97509/1733676-u_mad_bro_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/u_mad_bro/105-1733676/)

in terms of what?

price/quality/service?



Bang/buck

was just wondering, their prices are certainly more reasonable on a lot of items. I've been pretty happy with our Matco guy, but don't have a Snap On guy to compare to

I have a lot of HF tools. Nothing has broke yet, knock on wood. The $9.99 4.5" angle grinder has been put through the ringer. Hasn't missed a beat at all and has been a savior during my turbo build. I have a cheaper HF impact and it works really well too.

All I know is that I would be lost without HF. Stuff is so cheap and you can easily build a nice tool collection from there.

I think you are fine using HF electric tools as long as they see limited use. That is the only thing of theirs I really have any experience with.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/9/97509/1733676-u_mad_bro_large.jpg (http://www.comicvine.com/u_mad_bro/105-1733676/)



nope not mad i have good tools!!!

i have a HF rotary polisher/sander that i have as a backup.....i have detailed over 100 cars with that rotary without a single issue..as a matter of fact, my Makita unit crapped out on me and the HF rotary kept on going...

I think you are fine using HF electric tools as long as they see limited use. That is the only thing of theirs I really have any experience with.

i am a mechanic, i work on vehicles everyday. Ive completely taken apart fbodys and completely put them back together.

It depends on what your doing, how often your doing it and if you understand its limits.

To me Harbor Freight Tools are good for the price. Ive had their jack stand for YEARS, never had an issue. Their ratchets on the other hand... junk. Ive had them break under normal use. I dropped one from maybe 3 ft and it broke. But for 1.99 im okay with that. Sockets... i know arent going to last under hard abuse.

I think Sears is a happy medium. Most of their stuff is decent, the price is pretty good if you catch a sale it can be really good. Their return policy is excellent. Ive yet to break a socket of theirs. When i do return a ratchet, i walk in grab a new one, show them both to the guy at the counter. He prints a ticket and im gone. I dont have to wait for my supposed to be once a week driver to show up.

We dont have a Mac guy. But our Snap-on guy is spotty. Hes supposed to be there every friday, havent seen him in 3 weeks... and a couple of the things ive looked at i researched online to see if it would suit my needs, its a MINIMUM $100 markup not including whatever discount he gets. My bitch with their tools is it shouldnt cost $200 for a set of 4 screwdrivers. I will use a HF screw driver set for $5. Their ratchets however are amazing... again, if my driver was actually showing up and the customer service was there it might make up for the prices.

i have a HF rotary polisher/sander that i have as a backup.....i have detailed over 100 cars with that rotary without a single issue..as a matter of fact, my Makita unit crapped out on me and the HF rotary kept on going...

Well I have their rotary too, the angel grinder is the one I use the most and watch my usage with. I use it for about 10-15 minutes then I'll take a break let the unit cool down. It's the motor I am worried about, polishing a car doesn't strain an electric motor like grinding does.

I have a full 546 pc craftsman set, and use them quite often, more then most, but not at the level of a full time mechanic. I will say that the ratchets that they normally sell, are junk, I have broken several of them, all sizes/styles. I have however, found that the premium series ratchets are nice, and are holding up VERY well. I bought a 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive, as a last attempt at craftsman ratchets, and I have been pleasantly surprised. 100%, metal construction, and they are rebuildable... fwiw.

I've bought some stuff from HF, and some of it isn't 1/2 bad. It's certainly not snapon, but it has seemed to hold up pretty well for the money. For someone that's going to wrench on their own stuff and nothing else I can't see it being a big problem, the stuff that I have bought so far from HF (swivels, extensions, couple ratchets, and some duplicate sockets for the trailer) have all held up without any issues.

If I had unlimited funds, I would buy cornwell tools and probably nothing else. That stuff is VERY nice, and VERY expensive. Every Cornwell I have ever touched made snapon, matco, mac, craftsman, kobalt, Hf stuff look like kids toys. Cornwell builds REAL tools, and they're all built here in the US.

I start having ratchet issues again after buying the premium craftsman set, I'm going cornwell for those next time, and I don't see myself looking back.


We used Cornwell air tools at the body shop I used to work at, your right the stuff on his truck is expensive but very high quality. The guy was cool too, he wouldn't wheel and deal on price much because he said he couldn't really but if you would buy alot of stuff he would throw in like a free set of extension or something like that.


On a side note (and I don't know how I forgot this) the HF dremel tool I bought took a dump literally the second I turned it on.

I have a nice Dremel but the HF model is a lot shorter and sometimes I wish my dremel wasn't so long so I bought this thinking I would give it a try. I went home , plugged it in and went to make a test cut on some spare ABS plastic I had laying around. Long story short, i turned it on and it started making this crazy squealing sound and the actual tool piece didn't spin anymore while the motor was going full blast like it had sheered off the teeth on the gear (i would assume, never had it open).

I stopped wasting money on expensive tools that break just as often as cheap tools. Some of it is the exact same stuff snap-on and matco stamp their name on and sell for 10x the price.

If you had such poor performance from your name brand tools, I would seriously stop blaming the tools.

---Time tested old sayings:

1. Its not the tool, its the person behind the tool.

2. You get what you paid for.

If you had such poor performance from your name brand tools, I would seriously stop blaming the tools.

---Time tested old sayings:

1. Its not the tool, its the person behind the tool.

2. You get what you paid for.

simply not true in my case

A few things, angle grinder breaker bar sander but dont use there jack stands they litterally shatter, i only use aluminum now

IMO if you are consistently breaking Snap on Tools you are using them incorrectly. I have a really good Snap On tool guy so that probably helps. I agree some of the stuff they sell is stupid high and for what reason I don't know.

I'm not a professional mechanic, but I'm 52 and have been working with tools since I was 7. I can tell you, my experience with HF has been mostly favorable and, dollar-for-dollar, has probably put it ahead of the other products I've had, only because I've gotten the jobs I've needed to done for a lot less. On the rare occasion that something had a defect, they were always good about replacing it and I use their coupons all of the time (saves mucho dinero!). And you've got to admit, it's like a candy store in there-- I can't leave without taking at least one thing with me.

So... my two cents.

Some people are beyond help!

To avoid confusions, I will just focus on hand tools! Unlike cheap alternatives, most brand name tool has adapted the flank drive principle in making their socket and wrench drives. They also properly deburred and polished to remove surface imperfections to avoid weakness on tool and damaging fastener contact surface.

This I will reveal, I machined a lot of fasteners out of cres, t6 and titanium alloys for my custom unique applications. Precise dimension machined and milled marks on my fasteners are part of the custom appeals. Cheap tools will leave very obvious footprints on the drive flats due to burrs and most are corner drive (rounding off corners). This pickyness, among others is what distinguish us being on separate levels of fineness.

This is not empty talks, compare and verify! You pay for what your getting. This will offend some - Breaking quality tools is 99% user error.

Around the house I use mostly Harbor Frieght and Craftsman. They work great and I rarely break any, prices on them are great. At work however I keep a set of craftsman wrenches on my truck for modifying, bending, slimming down for odd places. I cant believe anyone who says there isnt a difference in Snap-On to Harbor Frieght. I break the allan wrenches here and there(usually when used with a cheater pipe) and other stuff. I personally dont buy it because I like the name, im actually pretty disgusted with some of the support ive gotten from Snap-On. I buy them because I work in three states at different mine sites on all types of mining equipment and no matter where I go, there is always a Snap-On truck, sometimes Matco, Mac, or Cornwell but always Snap-On.

I turn wrenches for a living, My MAtco box is full of every tool manufacturers stuff you could think of.

I use my HF sockets and Ratchets every day. They are my go to set because I bought the color coded ones and know what i'm grabbing with a quick glance, as far as open end wrenches and stuff, I use snap on, my HF ones "give" to much and will go around a tight bolt, "on the open side anyways". My HF impacting air ratchet is a life saver, but both my cordless impacts are Snap On. The ONLY HF tool i have ever broke was a 1/2:3/8 adapter, and it may or may not have been on an impact.

It's on a tool by tool basis, and HF has very different quality tools, there Pittsburgh branded green package stuff are good tools, I use the poly ratchets cause there softer and don't transfer heat. Also don't have to worry about shorts from the power wires. And all of my impact sockets hare HF.

i only buy from HF now through their store. it allows me to hold the item and judge the quality. their orange goop hand cleaner is great, they sell goodyear air hoses (both made in usa) they sell a ton of crap too.

i have a basic tool kit form hf in my daily driver but i have few hand tools in my shop from them.

they have a great transmission jack and their 20ton shop press is a great tool too. all electrical/motor driven stuff is junk though.

I find the capitalists in the USA force you to use the chink stuff. Some suit has decided that it is better to have workers work for rice than to have benefits and pensions. Thus the decline of the USA. I do love how Chink tools seem to not respect my knucles.

I love HF tools. I too used to turn wrenches for a living and swore my Snap On and MAC but HF is mostly what I use now.

I would run into a burning building to save my 80 tooth snap on ratchets. I've had to get my 1/4 repaired once now and its doing the same thing again, but who isn't hard on their tools.

I've got the HF tool cart, both red ones actually and they are great. I have had the maroon pick set and the glue comes undone in the handle after a while. The metal bends as well, not as nice as my MACs. I have bought probably 3-4 sets of the HF trim tools now and will keep buying them when they break.

HF ??? Do they sell tools????

Is that what they CALL THEM???

victor1 post pics of your unique tools you made. I think that's awesome!

I work in a shop. Our tools take a beating from having to over tighten galled stainless steel bolts to break them off of a customers grille guard to hulk tightened bolts. Snap on is great but $$ so I buy craftsman cuz its a 3 minute drive from my house. We break snap on tool every now and then like a swivel one time and a couple of 19&3/4 impacts sockets but no big deal. Snap on guy replaced them.

When I do fiberglass projects I buy their boxes of chip brushes, box of latex gloves, I use C-clamps for certain things, I played around with their ratchet clamps and broke on in the store. Put that back and avoid them. I'll stick with my Irwin ones.

Power tools, I have their $15-$20 sawzall. Haven't put any heavy stress on it and it still run. One day I went to plug it in and it wouldn't work. So I put it up, tried again to use it the very next day and to my surprise it started working again.

Buy it when its on sale.
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-amp-reciprocating-saw-with-rotating-handle-65570.html

Got this drill as a gift (friend of family) :confused:
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-volt-cordless-38-drilldriver-with-keyless-chuck-68239.html

I use it for stuff like installing stereo head units. Things that don't need much trq to get done. I often charge up the battery and take it with me to junkyard with some speaker wire, hook it up to the drills battery then use the other ends of wire to test window motors etc.

I have this air angle grinder. for about $10 on sale, can't beat it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/air-angle-die-grinder-32046.html

Oil it up before and after every use and its still going strong. Next sale I will probably go back and buy couple extra just in case manufacturing company finds a way to go cheaper on a internal part making it another crap HF tool.

At $10 a pop not worth purchasing warranty IMO. If they break throw it away and get another. Try to take it back for an exchange anyway first before tossing it, you may or may not get them to replace it for FREE.


I plan on purchasing some hand screw driver sets. And some other common tools to put together an Junkyard tool bag. That way if I lose something at junkyard it wont really be missed and I can replace it without hurting my wallet.

I've had a 4.5" HF grinder that I put 7" discs on and I use the ____ out of it all the time . I obtained it used and although I did replace the sealed roller bearing once or twice I kept it together for 8 years . It finally broke to where I can't fix it without ordering a part from HF parts 1-800 # . There have been a few power tools that needed My magical fabrication touch so the tool would work correctly and last but that's what I live for . i would'nt buy Their $10 tap and die sets and expect them to tap anything but most things are decent . I've bought a tile and brick wet saw for $230 including the 10" blade and other than the blade had a wobble of maybe 1/16" that I straightened I would say saw is every bit as good as a Target and a little more powerful . I used to do ceramic tile for a living .

Yes I was a little shocked when I saw a pop mechanics magazine about 8 or 9 months ago and They were comparing cordless drills and low and behold it was a HF 1 that won ,,,,,,,,,,They were comparing higher end drills like lithium ion or nickel metal hydride but ya ,,,,,,,,,,

just bought this 301 Piece Professional Mechanic's Tool Set (http://www.harborfreight.com/professional-301-piece-mechanics-tool-kit-45951.html) for $149.99 during a members-only early parking lot sale. When the regular parking lot sale comes on (next week, I think), then everybody else should be able to get it. It's got almost everything I need, and probably a few things I don't.

about half the tools in my shop are HF, it is just too convenient for me having one 5 mins from the house. just take their tools with a grain of salt and understand that you are paying much less for a tool, so there can be only so much you can expect from it. the advantage is if you do break one, usually you can buy another to replace it and still come out money ahead of buying a name brand that may fail in the same way. I have several craftsman tools that have failed me lately. and my HF stuff is doing good. I have one of their 4-1/2" angle grinders, 3/8" air ratchet and a 1/2" impact. bought all 3 together on sale and used a coupon so I got them all together for like $30. after 2 years they all still work. only complaint is the impact isn't as strong as it should be, but for just shooting some lugs off quickly or something, it has served me well. unfortunately our tool market has all come down to choices between foreign outsourced junk. so why pay more for it?

I've had good luck with everything I've bought there so far. Hell, I got a free set of decent screwdrivers the other day just for buying something else.

My HF die grinder didn't miss a lick during my head porting/clean up. Also used the sanding rolls from there. I did break the shanks for those but that was my fault for trying to use too much pressure and rushing.

I bought a Craftsman torque wrench on sale though, didn't like the reviews on the HF stuff online.

:corn:

My father in law bought a angle grinder from HF a month ago. It lasted about a week. I went to sears to buy a couple bigger wrenches I needed and Craftsmans quality has went to shit.

I go with a mixed bag for my tools.

Snapon for ratchets when i can, craftsmen for sockets(no chasing down a truck when they break), gearwrench for wrenches, HF screwdriver sets(knowing full well that i'll abuse/break them) and harbor freight for cheap power tools/one time jobs. The set of dead blow hammers have payed for themselves already. Even if i destroyed one rebuilding my suspension(lightest one) and the next heaviest one is coming apart from my steering box replacement.(see: never use a 1lb hammer for a 4lb sledges job)

I find the capitalists in the USA force you to use the chink stuff. Some suit has decided that it is better to have workers work for rice than to have benefits and pensions. Thus the decline of the USA. I do love how Chink tools seem to not respect my knucles.

There are a lot of things wrong with your statement. Inaccurate, Ill informed and Ignorant would be three of them. Not trying to bash you but the racist shit aint cool.

Also the way the current legislature is set up is the reason for lack of USA manufacturing. Currently it is very expensive for a "small" business such as an independent American tool manufacture that has say 20-30 employees to operate. You have workers comp, health insurance, pension, frivolous lawsuits and that's just naming a few things, believe me there are a lot more. These thing make a GIGANTIC difference on a "small" business owners operating costs and therefore seriously effect his ability to compete, especially price wise. Its not the independent USA tool makers being "capitalistic" its our government not caring about you or I and setting up legislature for their own personal/private monitory gains.

I apologize for the off topic post just needed to clear up some ignorance

I find the capitalists in the USA force you to use the chink stuff. Some suit has decided that it is better to have workers work for rice than to have benefits and pensions. Thus the decline of the USA. I do love how Chink tools seem to not respect my knucles.

that's about the dumbest post I've read in a while :jest:

i keep some cheap harbor freight tools in my car just "in case" i used my vise grip and channel locks yesterday for the first time and immediately thought of this thread. they were the cheapest, crappiest tools but they got the job done. i may throw them in my scrap dumpster now that i think of it.

Just recently purchased their little shop/garage stool.

Seemed to work nicely until one of the threaded caps/nuts for the wheel casters popped off and almost had me landing on my ass with the possible chance of breaking some bones.

Needless to say, if you buy it be sure to upgrade any and all hardware. Upgrade the lil tiny casters as well.

Problem with HF tools, the supplied hardware is always crap.

Harbor Freight was some great stuff for cheap if you know what you're looking for. Most of the USA branded tools are now made in China anyway so buying American made products hold little weight today.

Some of HF tools are straight one time use and then they're done. Some tools are so cheap in price that if it breaks you still made out especially if you opt to get the extended warrranty.

There are some nice thing you can find from time to time. We picked up a pneumatic metal saw for $12 with coupon and some blades for $5. We were able to cut up the tunnel in the swap Miata with ease

Yes. $20 Sawzall saved me 2 hours one time...paid for itself in just one job between time and frustration.

Picked up a 23 piece screwdriver set for $9. How can you beat that?

I have a few times n broke tools before i finished job. U get what u pay for

I recently got the drillmaster Pilotless countersinks @ 3 for less than $10.00 verses$35- 50 plus for 1 of the big name brands, which i never tried. Used them at work production drilling 3/16 aluminum & they are pretty damn good at it. They work good enough that I might not try spending $38.00 for 1 festool bit for my stuff.
I,ve used their stepbits alot, not bad, but are a little to brittle if you snag one .

All the time. Very budget friendly, especially if you use coupons. Usually hot rod magazine, popular science and popular mechanics have a harbor freight ad with a 20% off coupon and a couple of others.



Power tools: I haven't had a bad experience but I recommend you tread lightly. :poke:

For most of my power tools I buy the more mainstream name brand stuff makita, dewalt, black and decker etc... Power tools are more problematic than hand tools so I would prefer to spend a little more money on something I think will last. Also, Lowes is 5 minutes down the street for me. Its where I usually get power tools and I usually get extended warranty plans. So if anything breaks I can get a replacement very quickly and easily and not be stuck with an unfinished or at best delayed project. My hot rod is also my daily driver so I absolutely cannot put up with major delays.

My grinder is a HB grinder, little 4.5 inch one, had it for about 2.5 years now, still going strong. My only complaint is that the grinding stone that came with it sucks, couldn't grind worth a damn. Swapped in a dewalt disk/stone and it works great. Also have the HB heat gun, had it for about 2.5 years, still going strong. I also have a HB autodarkening welding helmet. Had it for about 2 years now, works well, no problems noticed and at $30 vs $100 for a similar Miller or Lincoln model the price can't be beat.

I have to point out that many times the big name brand tools can be very unreliable too, strong name brands don't guarantee good performance or reliability. I've gone through 3 different dremel 4000 series rotary tools in the last 2 years. This is supposed to be their flagship model and the reliability is awful, it becomes very hot even after seconds of use, not what a $100 tool should be. The only reason I still have it is because dremel agreed to replace them with a new one each time it broke. In case you are wondering no this is not a cordless model, so I am not simply overusing them and eating up the batteries. Also, I'm a hobbyist, not a pro mechanic so my tools don't see enough use and wear to justify breaking like this.



Torque Wrenches: OK for suspension and other work, not OK for engine work. :poke:

I use HB click style torque wrenches for suspension and general work and a craftsman beam style torque wrench for engine work. The accuracy of the HB torque wrenches is not at the level of snap on, cornwell or matco but its very close and torque specs don't have to be perfect for suspension and general work; hell most people don't even use torque wrenches when doing suspension work, including the great Sam Strano. They just tighten bolts till they're happy or hit em with an impact. It should also be noted that most people don't properly maintain their torque wrenches in order to keep proper calibration, so even if they used torque wrenches the torque applied would still be off.

In order to properly maintain a click style torque wrench these steps must be followed:

1. Every time a click style torque wrench is dropped or struck it needs to be recalibrated.
2. If it has been stored for a while, put the scale in the middle of the range, then find a bolt tighter than that range-a rear axle nut, for example-and click the wrench four or five times to free it up. Then set the desired torque and begin your work.
3. Scale must be set to zero while not in use.

How many of you can honestly say that you follow all of these steps while using a click style torque wrench? .....(crickets can be heard)..... that's what I thought. I laugh at the idea that a person would spend a fortune on the top of the line snap on torque wrench in the name of accuracy and then neglect to keep it properly calibrated, the dude might as well shred his money and achieve the same end while saving himself the pleasure of having to chase down a truck :rotflmao:. You can have the most accurate torque wrench in the world but if it isn't properly calibrated its just an expensive and unsightly paperweight.

Engine work is a different matter so I use a craftsman beam style wrench, calibration isn't an issue with beam torque wrenches.

There was a long torque wrench thread in this section some time ago where one of our members who had access to torque wrench calibrating equipment decided to test a variety of click style torque wrenches (about a dozen or more if I remember correctly) and then he posted the results. One of the most accurate torque wrenches tested was the harbor freight click style wrench. If memory serves me right the next most accurate wrench was an older craftsman (from before craftsman went to shit) and a snap on.



Hand Tools: Good. No problems. No worthwhile advantages in the more expensive tools. :chug:

For simple hand tools, wrenches, pliers. scrapers, screwdrivers, clippers etc I get that at harbor freight. Most of my hand tools, including my breaker bars, sockets, ratcheting socket wrenches and ratcheting wrenches are from HB, no problems, had them for years. My HB 18 inch flex head ratcheting breaker bar is one of my favorite tools, cost me about $15. I spent a lot of my time this summer building my suspension. The only things left stock on the suspension are the springs on all 4 corners and the front lower and upper control arms. I used HB tools for everything and at one point even put down 120 ft/lbs with my HB torque wrench, sockets and 18 inch breaker bar. No problems. That said I think I put my tools through a quite a lot this summer and if there ever was a time when they were likely to break it was during that build. Most people will never do something as involved as a full suspension build anyway so for most HB is fine.

I think most of the sockets sold at HB come with a lifetime warranty, just hang on to your receipt and your tools paperwork or packaging and you should be able to get a replacement (though I've never had one of these tools break so I've never had to put this to the test). The only sockets I've ever had problems with were from a craftsman set I acquired a while back.

And now I'm going to get up on a soapbox and at least a few people aren't going to like what I have to say.

:soapbox:

I can understand if people are nervous about buying power tools or tools that need to operate with a certain level of precision but for simple hand tools that argument is just silly. I don't care what you all say, a wrench is a wrench. A screwdriver is a screwdriver. Some of you are so unreasonably scared of HB tools I almost get the impression that you actually believe their screwdrivers and wrenches won't fit your screws and nuts :lol: . For the overwhelming most part there is no advantage to buying hand tools from the higher end brands. Most hand tools today regardless of brand are not assembled by a skilled craftsman using expensive materials, they are made using cheap materials and assembled by children in Chinese or south Asian sweatshops; this is 2012, this shit shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. There's a reason half the items in your home say "Made In China" on the back. Also, don't lie and convince yourself that you will be saving someone's job by buying the more expensive products because they are supposedly made in America. Even for most of the stuff that is advertised as "Made in America," the majority of the assembly is done outside of the U.S. and only a few components are added while in the U.S. during the final assembly, this just so that someone can slap a sticker on the back that says, "Made in America." :bomb:

A lot of the supposedly higher end tools are just rebadged HB items anyway, sometimes even power tools. When I was shopping for an air compressor this summer I was comparing different brands, models and prices and found a compressor available at sears that was the exact same unit as a harbor freight model but was painted in craftsman colors, had the craftsman sticker on the side and cost twice as much.

For every horror story about Harbor Freight there seems to be one about a high end brand. That considered people can't argue against HB on the basis of reliability (or lack of reliability in this case) and the "you get what you pay for" argument does not have a leg to stand on.

IMO the only argument that can be made for buying higher end brands like snap on, as far as hand tools go, (this was brought up in previous threads and is bound to come up) is that some of the snap on and other high end ratchets have more teeth and usually have some kind of a rubber grip over the handle. Even so, the only people who could justify needing these are professional mechanics. 99% of people don't wrench enough to cause their hands to blister and justify the need for a padded rubber handle. Besides, gearheads are supposed to be tough, the occasional bloody knuckle comes with the territory, suck it up and quite whining. If you disagree with this I'd like to point out before you reply that doing so would require you to basically admit to everyone reading this thread that your a pussy, a grown ass man who can't handle a small cut or blister. Its your call.

99% of people don't wrench enough to even notice or benefit from the difference in the number of teeth between a snap on and HB ratchet and if they do find out there is a difference in the number of teeth its probably only because it was spoon-fed to them by a flashy label on the front of the box.

I don't see how these minor advantages (unnoticeable to most) justifies bending over and taking it when the time comes to pay the bill (Unless maybe you're into that, its your prerogative :rotflmao: ).

Just picked up a set of standard & metric allen wrenches for $10 bucks. Next replacing my pep boys jack with the race car jack.

HF opened a store about three miles from my house a few months ago and since then I don't think I've gone to Sears even one single time for any tool needs.

Not that I need to buy new tools every week, or even a month, since I have most what I need for the jobs I usually do. Probably 90% of the stuff is Craftsman, but the next time I need a tool, HF is definitely the first place I go to. I don't see that big of a difference in the quality to satisfy my needs to be able to finish the jobs that I do.

For somebody who needs tools for living, HF is probably not the right choice and their electrical stuff seem to have a bit shaky reputation, but other than that I think HF can fulfill the tool needs of most of us.

Nice post Redvert

used their 20% off coupon for a digital angel gauge ,for setting up the suspension.

All of there Pittsburgh brand hand tools are lifetime warranty.

I am a retired owner operator trucker and have used Harbor Freight products since 1991. I use to use Craftsman, my wife bought them for me, and on occasion I would eaither adjust my brakes or do other work on my truck or trailer and forget to pick up a wrench. Depending on what size the cost to replace was high. Then I ordered a set from HF. 19.99 5/16" to 1 1/4". Never broke one or had one "stretch" out of shape. I never put a cheater bar on them like I would craftsman but for the price of 1 craftsman wrench I got the whole set. I also bought my 3/8" ratchet binders and lever binders from them and only had 1 faid but that was do to my error. I love Harbor Freight

got the electronic fly swatter ,its fun to kill flys.

anybody have the 60 gallon compressor, us general, 2 stage? can you download a decibel app on your phone and tell me how loud the noise level is if you have the compressor in your garage.

my old craftsman compressor oil less is 84db, and im looking for a larger compressor thats softer in noise levels

thanks

you get wut you pay for wit some things and other things like bits and basic tools are so cheap that you really cant go wrong anyways

I just bought the US General 13 drawer roller tool box. And from the reviews I've seen online, people like it better than the craftsman box. I've seen very few complaints on the tool box for the average home owner. But the craftsman box has it's share. This is the one I bought.

http://www.harborfreight.com/roller-cabinet-44-13-drawer-gloss-red-industrial-uality-68784.html

It came with the drawer liners and labels for each drawer. I'm happy with it.

anybody have the 60 gallon compressor, us general, 2 stage? can you download a decibel app on your phone and tell me how loud the noise level is if you have the compressor in your garage.

my old craftsman compressor oil less is 84db, and im looking for a larger compressor thats softer in noise levels

thanks

I remember reading a thread a while back (in this same section I think) about air compressors where there was a member comparing his experience with his craftsman 60 gal to his HB 60 gal (which replaced the craftsman). Sorry I don't have a thread link. The tools and fab section is fairly small. I think if you looked around a bit and/or tried a search you could find it pretty quick.

Anybody by those garage racedeck locking floor tiles?

I have racedeck tiles....very pleased with them. I do use carpet anytime I use jackstands or a jack.

Certain parts, like say a gasket scraper or a set of picks are a no brainer at HF. I wouldn't buy impact sockets there as they feel too light and would probably not last long at all.

However, I have bought many things there like rubber mallets, jack stands, tool carts, pulley removers...

Depends on what you are buying

this. i have a ton of tools there that have never had a problem. but theres a few thatll break every time. i had a palm sanded that was like 11 bucks last for half a fender. but i had a drill that i got for 13 bucks and has sat in the snow and rain in the bed of my truck and will still get a self tapping screw through sheet metal. ive had ratchets break, big deal the whole set was 4$ just bought a slightly better $10 ratchet, and it was fine. 90% of my tools are HF. and ive pulley trannys and motors, and reinstalled them. i love harbor freight.

At HF's prices.. it shouldn't matter THAT much if a tool breaks. Pop out a $10 bill and replace it

Harbor freight socket rails(plastic ones) work good and are cheap;$3.99 for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 rails. Their 24" Breaker bar is also a good buy and great to have in the car to change a flat.

Harbor Freight has some good buys and of course some bad ones. With alot of tool companies having China produce their tools why not give Harbor Freight a shot? They have some really good prices and you can always use the 20% coupon.

Make sure you do your research on the Harbor Freight tools you are buying and dont forget to read the reviews!

I got the 2 ton low-rider rapid lift jack today and love it. I can finally jack up my low ass car without wanting to kill myself.

I just bought the same jack and its awesome! I have a HF just a couple of miles from my house. Who cares what the name is on the tool? A lifetime warrantee is a lifetime warrantee and like another guy said you can always buy an extended warrantee for the big stuff. Gotta love Harbor freight!

I am a forklift mechanic and the Pittsburg stuff isn't too bad. I have impact sockets i have been using for 6 years, never broke any yet.

At HF's prices.. it shouldn't matter THAT much if a tool breaks. Pop out a $10 bill and replace it

but if you get hurt when it breaks.........:cry:

As a maintenance man, I am required to furnish most of my tools. If I break any of them at work, the company will replace them (with name-brand stuff). It made perfect sense for me to by my "starter" tools at Harbor Freight.

As a professional mechanic there us no comparison to the capabilities of a quality American made tool. I have had other mechanics whith say a craftsman impact hammer away at a stuck nut then hand them a snapon impact that will take it off with the same gun. Or try to use a inferior line wrench. Nothing compares to snapon, nothing. But if you want a wrench over say a inch and a quarter. I would and have a set of tiawan wrenches. Perfect for cars and light trucks. And only like 20 bucks for set at the time. Just got to know the limits. And believe me if you do this every day you don't need the agrivation.