I have found that the plastic 12" ratcheting bar clamps that you can get for $1.99 each on sale are a great investment. When they break (and they WILL break), it will be at the pivot points on the squeezing handle. They are made of plastic and are part of the frame. But, if you drill out the bosses and insert a bolt and nut to fit through the handle, it will be better than new. I have about 2 dozen of these clamps and they have been serving me well for over three years so far. So even if most of HB's offerings are, 'entry level' quality, there are a number of gems to be had. The items in this video that you recommend are just a few of them. Well done!
I have a HF angle grinder with a 4 inch blade. I use it daily doing tile. This thing just keeps on working. I think it was around 15 dollars back when I bought it around 10 years ago. Proof that some of their tools are pretty respectable.
Another great tool from HF is a tool my wife bought for me--it's the DrillMaster Pocket Hole Jig kit. With the 20% coupon she only paid $51.99 for it. It's item number 96264 and unlike the Kreg jig, this thing is all metal and very solid. I've been using it since January building kitchen cabinets and these pocket holes are the way to go if you want to join wood. Highly recommended.
If you need an electric chainsaw sharpener Harbor Freight has them for ,I think 29.00 without a coupon. I've used the same one every winter for about 7 or 8 years now and have sharpened a lot of chains for everyone . Works great and still using the same wheel. All I've done was add some washers to the clamp to take up the slack. Great buy!
Refinished old wood molding {windows and baseboards} with Cheap/inexpensive Chicago hand belt sander. I also used that belt sander to level a really crappy wall texture job from the previous home owner. After leveling the texture the electric motor burnt out from the fine dust that was kicked out. I knew that was going to happen and didn't cry about it. I went back and bought another one. For DIY people on a budget, Harbor Fright will get you through.
I do a lot of decks and use a rotary laser to set my posts all at the same elevation for my carrying beams. One day my rotary laser took as crap on me and I used a line with a string level or if spans were closer a near straight 2x4 with a level. That was a pain. I went to harbor freight on a whim and found a 16" level/laser with a tripop. At $27 I thought I have nothing to lose so I bought it. Now this was a big deck around a pool so I already had about 12 posts set at elevation. I set up and leveled tripod and level and shot the remainder of the posts with the laser and it was a breeze. This thing was a life saver! And I've been using it for over a year now!
I know a guy who builds houses, he uses Harbor Freight adjustable framing nailers, the nail guns only last about a house and a half but what he saves buying nails on sale that the gun can fit more than pays for them.
To me, Harbor Freight Tools is like buying tools from the 99 Cents Only store. Cheap. But like you said, I'm not going to use these tools for everyday use. This morning, I stopped by and purchased this Drill Master 18Volt Cordless Drill & Flashlight Kit for $24.99. And with their coupon, I got it for only $19.99, not to mention the 2-year warranty that I also purchased with this product. Plus I bought a bag to go with it. So yeah thanks for the video!
I've only had to return one item in all of the years I've bought Harbor Freight stuff. Granted, I avoid the junk they have but I have used a slew of sockets and extensions working on industrial manufacturing equipment. I buy the impact versions. Never had one fail and they're all still in good shape but after years of use, the markings are fading a bit. I tried some of their Quinn brand "normal" sockets and have had no issues with those. Only issue ever was an 1/2" drive Metric Allen that was mismarked so I walked out with set having two 12 mm. Once discovered it was an easy, no question exchange. I wonder how many sets were sent out like that. I bought one of their conventional (Not HVLP) jamb sprayers and have had no issues with it.
I tend to buy quite a bit from Harbor Freight. I didn’t have a tablesaw, or the money for a nice one, so I got the cheap Harbor Freight one and, eehhh, I really dislike the fence on it, and it’s definitely a tool I plan on replacing when I can, however, it’s a tablesaw and it does what I need it to do. They’re clamps though, buy their clamps!!! They’re super cheap and they work great. I love buying clamps from Harbor Freight. I got their router table as well and it’s ok. As long as your doing something on a project specifically using a router with the table, no complaints, but, the router is permanently attached to the table, so that’s pretty limiting, so something else I’ll replace eventually. Overall, I’m a supporter of Harbor Freight
Im an electrician and I dont shop here often for tools. But...( always a but) they do sell a cheap red plastic 25' fish tape that works great in seal tight conduit esp with tight bends; and their glow sticks while not as high quality as klein etc. are worth it for 10 bucks; also their cable tie wraps are inexpensive and work fine. In general their drill bits are mediocre as are their unibit step bits. I bought tow of their torque wrenches and they work fine. Im not an auto mechanic so its not used that much. just an occasional electrical type situation. just my opinion of course.
Check out their Doyle line of pliers. Those things are SOLID and a fraction of the price of brands like Klein, Channel Lock and Knipex. For the average DIY’er, you can’t beat them.
I have a 3/8ths drive ratchet with an extendable handle from Harbor Freight. One day I was trying to crack a really tight bolt loose. Even with the handle extended it wouldn't do it, so I decided "Now is the time to put this tool to the test." I put a cheater on it. It did the job and I am still using it.On the other hand, I have a pile of broken Craftsman ratchets. And one broken Snap-on. I'm not going to bother to trade them in for new ones. I'll just break them, too. I've already replaced them with tools from Harbor Freight.
First: your choice of music is awesome, and you're voice is so professional that I felt like I was watching a show on the Auto channel! Thanks for doing this video, you touched on some tools I'm looking to get, and you presented some great information that is vital for me to know. Very enjoyable video!
The tool base Mr. Cute is referring to in my view is a royal pain. The brackets on the corners call for 1 1/4 Wood stock. The average 2X2 is actually 1 3/4 X 1 3/4. I have a feeling that since this is manufactured in China someone did a "translation" from metric to U.S. measurements, not taking into account the nominal size of the wood stock. Don't know about you but I do not have a power planer available. Hand planing 8 surfaces down is a major pain in the rear end. Mr. Cute also mentions a similar base from Rockler at $60.00, I found one from Bora Tool for I think $ 67.00. That one I think has a capacity of 600 lbs and is a dream to put together compared to the Harbor Freight model. Unlike the HF unit this thing has everything included to create an adjustable base and is well worth the extra money if you consider how much time it took me to assemble the HF unit. Bora has a bunch of other mobile bases, chop saw bases, clamps, etc. The chop saw base is on legs and can be knocked down or moved as needs. It also has an outfeed feature on both ends.
Cabinet maker/woodworker of 34 years here. I bought a 4-1/2hp 21gal air compressor at HF 20 years ago and its still working just fine. Too many brand snobs in this world thinking they know everything.
I have bought quite a bit of things from Harbor Freight and I have to say the quality has been pretty impressive , I have a 4&1/2" grinder , a scroll saw , an air compressor and other things that I owned for the past 4 years and they are going strong . I like the fact that most of the electric tools come with a brush kit if your brushes wear out but I always clean my tools after use and lube them if needed and I believe that is what makes them last longer and Harbor freight doesn't give a hard time when returning tools like sears is doing now .
I like the small angel grind we and impact sockets and most of the hand tools the pittsburg stuff is not bad I buy that stuff all the time went I run into some things I need for a job that pops up like. The other day I had a broken bolt and I needed some easeouts to get it they had a set of warrior for 10bucks with the bits and they did it .
Harbor Freight is a great place to find those tools you need, but don't use very often. One of the best tools I bought was their chain saw sharpener. About $25 with the coupon and it makes my chains razor sharp and a lot cheaper than having them sharpened. Do your homework, read the reviews before you decide.
We don't have harbour freight here in the UK, but I totally agree with the spray gun, I bought the cheapest one I could find from the cheapest brand here, with a view to it being disposable, ended up liking it and it's done me proud on numerous occasions!
I use Harbor Freight when I need something inexpensive. What I have noticed is their 20% and 25% discount coupons exclude the good tools like Bauer, floor jacks, saw mills and the new Hercules brands. I was paying 29 dollars a month for the imc club but no more. In the last 4 months they have advertised nothing that I could use that was discounted.
Just recently bought the mobile base and ripped down and cut to size the wood frame for my new router table... so happy with it so far. Table is more sturdy than it was without it. Great buy.
Harbor's version of a Fein Tool for $36 is a steal, it uses everyone's blades, you can hog with it as hard as a Fein (gets a little hot) but best of all when someone steals it on a jobsite, or one of your employees loses it, you just didn't lose your $259 Fein you save for the fine work.
I've run my own auto shop in near Denver for 17 years, doing everything. The best tool they carry is their retractable air hose reels. I have one that I bought over 10 years ago that I still use pretty regularly. The hose wore out about 8 years ago and I replaced it with another 25' one from them. My 80 gallon compressor maintains 175 lbs of air.
I’m a professional mechanic. I have tools from Harbor Freight that I use every day. The Earthquake Xtreme Torque 1/2” air impact. The Pittsburgh Pro 1/2” impact sockets. The Quinn 1/4” and 3/8” drive socket sets. End wrenches. The Doyle line of tools. Anything made by Icon. All the Merlin air tool and hose fittings. I put those Predator engines on everything, zero turns, tillers, riding mowers, etc. The Bremen clamps and pliers. I’m not a fanboy. Some of the stuff their isn’t so great. If it plugs into an outlet get the most expensive one they have. All the test equipment that has a gauge on it, the gauges are really poor quality, read a lot of reviews before you buy anything.
i had one of those grinders, it sharpened 2 of 3 lawnmower blades then caught fire. Have DeFault 9Amp for 15yrs now, threw brushes and power cord at it, still the champ. Spray gun works good as primer gun, just don't get delusional you're going to paint a silver car with it (fan is an abortion). Dial calipers work great for the price.
I have that angle grinder. Got it with a coupon for 14.99. I put a wood power carving blade on it ( cost more than the grinder) also from HF. I use it in jig to hollow spoons and such. It's been going well for 2 years now. The price was so good I got 2 so I'd have a back up. the back up is still in the box.
I've spent about $30-35,00 dollars at Harbour Freight since they opened. Some of their stuff was so-so at first, but they've gotten better and better. I do diesel work, and also general repair. Their bottle jacks are great, I use the 12 ton manual pump, and also the 12 ton air hydraulic as I have to lift lots of buses, it works great and saves a helluva lot of time. Only problem is the air hose will crack eventually, so I wrap them in black tape. Their 8" bench grinders are great, I've got at least ten years on mine. I have one of their 16 speed 1 hp drill presses with 5/8" chuck. It is a fine machine that has drilled thousands of holes, and slows down to 170 RPM, it's 25 years old and is as good as new. Their metal cutting chop saws are good, their heavier 1/2" drills are good, so are their 4", 7" and 9" angle grinders. Their impact sockets have never caused me problems during very hard work, and I also have one of their "Earthquake" air guns rated at 1,400 ft/lbs torque. With a good compressor it will spin off any bus lug nut I've came across. NOW, their generators fail Way Too Early, and I've never used their screwdrivers as Craftsman is a better set and only costs a bit more. Their regular 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" socket sets are as good as any and a great deal. Another thing that you must watch out for are their 2 and 3 lbs hammers. The head is held on mostly by glue, and they fail prematurely and will fly off and try to hurt you. But I'd say overall they are a great deal for the price........HOWEVER, when you buy huge amounts of tools like I do (I've set up about 8 metal/wood shops in poor countries, plus I buy LOTS Of tools for myself) it is a B**CH to find all the receipts. Harbour Freight used to guarantee stuff just like Craftsman, you bring a broken tool in and get a replacement immediately. Now the management has turned into Butt Heads, the company got successful so they started getting increasing petty and chicken ship. I would have to go to the manager and complain to get a new tool. I have hundreds of receipts with thousands of items, and really resent trying find an old receipt from 5 years ago as I tend to buy a half dozen of some tools when they go on sale. BUT once again when they were starting the business they valued me so much I got 10% off of any purchase. So to summarize, most of their tools are fine (OOPs, Avoid the truck bed mounted winches, or bench top sandblasters, they suck) and if you keep your receipts in order, they will honor their guarantee. Don't let folks shame you, 90% plus of the stuff they sell is just fine.
Their hand tools like ratchets, sockets and wrenches are quite decent. I put together a box of sets for carry in my car. I'm a retired mechanic and I have a box of tools that's not leaving my house.
A few others HF has that are a decent deal are their Breaker Bars, Impact SocketSets, Hydraulic Jacks , Dead Blow hammers and some of their safety gear like Face Shields Safety Glasses , Work Gloves , And their Dust Collector with some common upgrades that are easy to find online
One inch drive impact works OKAY except the trigger is in a horrible place. It's on the end so when you are trying to get it in place it will start going before I'm ready for it
Bought many tools from HF , love em , a 1/2 inch hammer drill for 20 bucks works like a charm , probably wouldn't last on a big job site 8 or 10 hours a day but it goes through concrete like butter , actually going tomorrow for a parking lot sale !
Lately to impact a bolt I have the cheap electric impact hf sells and it does ok I only had one but it had a problem with and I put my little torch to it and hit it with impact and it came off
the Pittsburg series of hand tools. can't beat them. 25 bucks for a set of extra long wrenches 350 for snap on and the harbor freight are longer (I got both) you break the Pittsburg life time Warranty just go back to the store. when my 9/16 snap on broke waited almost 4 weeks to get it back from dealer. hand tools you can't go wrong. especially for the money. stay away from the central pneumatic air tools. earthquake has seemed to hold up far as impacts. but my snap on air hammer and air ratchet greatly surpass any version at harbor freight
I love harbor freight for items like screw drivers, cotter pins and even wrenches and sockets (I like the color coding). But what I've found over the years is what Chris said is very true: For the occasional weekend user, most of their products are just fine. But, as far as any tool with a battery, "Foget about it"
The video is short, but it somehow still feels like it drags on. Usually videos like this are 30+ minutes, the only reason I clicked this is because it was short but as someone who has never watched your channel before, this felt like the longest 8 minutes of my life. I watch a lot of long winded droney people too.
Bought a pocket hole jig. With the 25% memorial day coupon, it came to 48 bucks... vs 99 bucks for a Kreg. Bought many other things there too. The only thing I brought back was a drill press where I couldn't adjust the speed belt because it was assembled in such a way that I couldn't move the motor back.
I had my HF hvlp gun for four years and did base and primer no problem . Key word keep it clean . Got almost all the air tools and had them for years . 🏁
I have seen boxes full of burnt up Chicago Electric grinders at a company I worked for. I would never buy one. But HFs new tool lines are impressive. I have a couple Bauer tools that are just as good as any other brand. And some of their top of the line Hercules tools are outstanding and are beating out Dewalt in reviews believe it or not. To start, I plan on getting the Hercules 7 amp grinder for 40 bucks.
I love the warranty on all of their hand tools. Never had any problems with them even questioning how I broke them even with obvious cheater bar marks on them.
Now go on eBay and try to purchase a used set of vintage Craftsman wood lathe chissels. They are us made and hold a edge .. I scored a set for around 50.00 us
I have several harbor freight tools i use regularly and havent failed me yet. The large belt sander, die grinder, angle grinder, hand wood planer, digital caliper, clamps all these tools are def worth buyung there. The name brand wont do any better or longer and yes i have both uses both. Not anymore.
I've had 2 digital calipers from HF- Both of then crapped out without even being used, just sitting in the case they came in. Replaced the battery in both and still a screen that has incomplete numbers. pieces of crap!!!!!. I f you gave me a free one I'd give it to Goodwill!!!!!
What are u talking about? HFT rocks. I have their dust collector,, paint sprayer, clamps, and a bunch of screws. You should avoid disc/belt sander combo, square, bandsaw and caliper. For the squares, calipers etc, I won’t buy it unless it is proudly made in US, Europe or Japan.
It's been my experience that Harbor Freight tools have been improving over time. My only real failure was with a battery charger, which failed after three uses. And disposables, those they carry are the deal of the century. WAY cheaper than anyplace else, and they're DISPOSABLE. If value is what floats your boat Harbor Freight is hard to beat. Their 18 and 20 volt lithium cordless tools are more than the homeowner will ever need, and a FRACTION the cost of a name brand. Might not work for 8 hour days five days a week, but for the DIYer, unbeatable.
i always figure HF stuff is junk although you do hit something good. the black sockets are tough but i thrown them away too. they are finally learning heat treatment. don't buy small tires and tubes they all eventually leak, bad rubber quality, they suck there is no repairing electrical equipment, only swap if they break down. can't get repair parts.
If you're looking for casters, check out the 4-pack of Kobalt 3" locking casters for $20. They're cheaper than the 3" HF locking casters (unless you use a 20% coupon 4 separate times) and are much more durable.
I've been impressed with the Bauer tools they sell. Much nicer than the Chicago/Central versions. They feel as solid as Makita or Dewalt, and particularly with coupons, much cheaper. That's a better alternative IMO for an angle grinder than the Porter Cable.
I bought a 10" sliding compound mitre saw from Harbor Freight just to get me through a weekend project once. I paid $90 bucks for the thing, and figured I'd save up some money and get a really nice DeWalt when it finally died. That was 18 years ago. I've used it to cut bricks, tile, 2x12s, metal... just put on the right kind of blade and it's good to go, every single time. I've tried, but I just can't kill that saw.
I’ve had the orange HF4.5” grinder for almost 20 years and worked the hell out of it building triathlon set up equipment in steel. Cut tube, grinding endless welds etc. they still to this day work fine. No brush changes either.
Agree with the caliper... I toasted the grinder... but I'm a metal worker, use grinders hard... blew big bucks on a Metabo... German made.... won't have to buy another... HF does have some good tools. I was a maintenance tech in a factory sized machine shop, had HF ratchets and combo wrench sets... never failed on me... stay away from their Allen wrenches though... again, buy good stuff, Bondhus... well worth the extra... Since I am a part time wood worker, their tools have so far been ok... I've used better, but again, value, bang for the buck...
Daytona floor jacks are a beast
Fun video, I'm a big Harbor Freight advocate. Thanks
THE ONES YOU BY AT HD
I have found that the plastic 12" ratcheting bar clamps that you can get for $1.99 each on sale are a great investment. When they break (and they WILL break), it will be at the pivot points on the squeezing handle. They are made of plastic and are part of the frame. But, if you drill out the bosses and insert a bolt and nut to fit through the handle, it will be better than new. I have about 2 dozen of these clamps and they have been serving me well for over three years so far. So even if most of HB's offerings are, 'entry level' quality, there are a number of gems to be had. The items in this video that you recommend are just a few of them. Well done!
I have a HF angle grinder with a 4 inch blade. I use it daily doing tile. This thing just keeps on working. I think it was around 15 dollars back when I bought it around 10 years ago. Proof that some of their tools are pretty respectable.
Another great tool from HF is a tool my wife bought for me--it's the DrillMaster Pocket Hole Jig kit. With the 20% coupon she only paid $51.99 for it. It's item number 96264 and unlike the Kreg jig, this thing is all metal and very solid. I've been using it since January building kitchen cabinets and these pocket holes are the way to go if you want to join wood. Highly recommended.
If you need an electric chainsaw sharpener Harbor Freight has them for ,I think 29.00 without a coupon. I've used the same one every winter for about 7 or 8 years now and have sharpened a lot of chains for everyone . Works great and still using the same wheel. All I've done was add some washers to the clamp to take up the slack. Great buy!
Refinished old wood molding {windows and baseboards} with Cheap/inexpensive Chicago hand belt sander. I also used that belt sander to level a really crappy wall texture job from the previous home owner. After leveling the texture the electric motor burnt out from the fine dust that was kicked out. I knew that was going to happen and didn't cry about it. I went back and bought another one. For DIY people on a budget, Harbor Fright will get you through.
I do a lot of decks and use a rotary laser to set my posts all at the same elevation for my carrying beams. One day my rotary laser took as crap on me and I used a line with a string level or if spans were closer a near straight 2x4 with a level. That was a pain. I went to harbor freight on a whim and found a 16" level/laser with a tripop. At $27 I thought I have nothing to lose so I bought it. Now this was a big deck around a pool so I already had about 12 posts set at elevation. I set up and leveled tripod and level and shot the remainder of the posts with the laser and it was a breeze. This thing was a life saver! And I've been using it for over a year now!
My angle grinder is so old it’s turned pink, and still works great
Uni bit/step bits are great value
I know a guy who builds houses, he uses Harbor Freight adjustable framing nailers, the nail guns only last about a house and a half but what he saves buying nails on sale that the gun can fit more than pays for them.
To me, Harbor Freight Tools is like buying tools from the 99 Cents Only store. Cheap. But like you said, I'm not going to use these tools for everyday use. This morning, I stopped by and purchased this Drill Master 18Volt Cordless Drill & Flashlight Kit for $24.99. And with their coupon, I got it for only $19.99, not to mention the 2-year warranty that I also purchased with this product. Plus I bought a bag to go with it. So yeah thanks for the video!
I've only had to return one item in all of the years I've bought Harbor Freight stuff. Granted, I avoid the junk they have but I have used a slew of sockets and extensions working on industrial manufacturing equipment. I buy the impact versions. Never had one fail and they're all still in good shape but after years of use, the markings are fading a bit. I tried some of their Quinn brand "normal" sockets and have had no issues with those. Only issue ever was an 1/2" drive Metric Allen that was mismarked so I walked out with set having two 12 mm. Once discovered it was an easy, no question exchange. I wonder how many sets were sent out like that. I bought one of their conventional (Not HVLP) jamb sprayers and have had no issues with it.
I tend to buy quite a bit from Harbor Freight. I didn’t have a tablesaw, or the money for a nice one, so I got the cheap Harbor Freight one and, eehhh, I really dislike the fence on it, and it’s definitely a tool I plan on replacing when I can, however, it’s a tablesaw and it does what I need it to do.
They’re clamps though, buy their clamps!!! They’re super cheap and they work great. I love buying clamps from Harbor Freight. I got their router table as well and it’s ok. As long as your doing something on a project specifically using a router with the table, no complaints, but, the router is permanently attached to the table, so that’s pretty limiting, so something else I’ll replace eventually. Overall, I’m a supporter of Harbor Freight
Im an electrician and I dont shop here often for tools. But...( always a but) they do sell a cheap red plastic 25' fish tape that works great in seal tight conduit esp with tight bends; and their glow sticks while not as high quality as klein etc. are worth it for 10 bucks; also their cable tie wraps are inexpensive and work fine. In general their drill bits are mediocre as are their unibit step bits. I bought tow of their torque wrenches and they work fine. Im not an auto mechanic so its not used that much. just an occasional electrical type situation.
just my opinion of course.
I love my HF tools.i got both lathes ,one i converted to DC
Did some great paint jobs with the cheap Hfpaint gun
Great Video
Check out their Doyle line of pliers. Those things are SOLID and a fraction of the price of brands like Klein, Channel Lock and Knipex. For the average DIY’er, you can’t beat them.
I have a 3/8ths drive ratchet with an extendable handle from Harbor Freight. One day I was trying to crack a really tight bolt loose. Even with the handle extended it wouldn't do it, so I decided "Now is the time to put this tool to the test." I put a cheater on it. It did the job and I am still using it.On the other hand, I have a pile of broken Craftsman ratchets. And one broken Snap-on. I'm not going to bother to trade them in for new ones. I'll just break them, too. I've already replaced them with tools from Harbor Freight.
First: your choice of music is awesome, and you're voice is so professional that I felt like I was watching a show on the Auto channel! Thanks for doing this video, you touched on some tools I'm looking to get, and you presented some great information that is vital for me to know. Very enjoyable video!
The tool base Mr. Cute is referring to in my view is a royal pain. The brackets on the corners call for 1 1/4 Wood stock. The average 2X2 is actually 1 3/4 X 1 3/4. I have a feeling that since this is manufactured in China someone did a "translation" from metric to U.S. measurements, not taking into account the nominal size of the wood stock. Don't know about you but I do not have a power planer available. Hand planing 8 surfaces down is a major pain in the rear end. Mr. Cute also mentions a similar base from Rockler at $60.00, I found one from Bora Tool for I think $ 67.00. That one I think has a capacity of 600 lbs and is a dream to put together compared to the Harbor Freight model. Unlike the HF unit this thing has everything included to create an adjustable base and is well worth the extra money if you consider how much time it took me to assemble the HF unit. Bora has a bunch of other mobile bases, chop saw bases, clamps, etc. The chop saw base is on legs and can be knocked down or moved as needs. It also has an outfeed feature on both ends.
Cabinet maker/woodworker of 34 years here. I bought a 4-1/2hp 21gal air compressor at HF 20 years ago and its still working just fine. Too many brand snobs in this world thinking they know everything.
Banks pin nailer is one of the best hands down. Next is makita. Senco dewalt
I've had my Porter Cable angle grinder 8 years ago, man what a great tool
I have bought quite a bit of things from Harbor Freight and I have to say the quality has been pretty impressive , I have a 4&1/2" grinder , a scroll saw , an air compressor and other things that I owned for the past 4 years and they are going strong . I like the fact that most of the electric tools come with a brush kit if your brushes wear out but I always clean my tools after use and lube them if needed and I believe that is what makes them last longer and Harbor freight doesn't give a hard time when returning tools like sears is doing now .
Ive got several tools from harbor freight and use them quite often and use them pretty hard, Ive not had any problems with mine,
I like the small angel grind we and impact sockets and most of the hand tools the pittsburg stuff is not bad I buy that stuff all the time went I run into some things I need for a job that pops up like. The other day I had a broken bolt and I needed some easeouts to get it they had a set of warrior for 10bucks with the bits and they did it .
Harbor Freight is a great place to find those tools you need, but don't use very often. One of the best tools I bought was their chain saw sharpener. About $25 with the coupon and it makes my chains razor sharp and a lot cheaper than having them sharpened. Do your homework, read the reviews before you decide.
In Ontario Canada its actually Princess Auto that is identical to Harbor Freight. Canadian Tire is more like a cheaper Home Depot
I use my grinder like that for mower blades cutting bolts any thing I ask it to do no problem
His shop is so massive this video is shot from the broom closet
We don't have harbour freight here in the UK, but I totally agree with the spray gun, I bought the cheapest one I could find from the cheapest brand here, with a view to it being disposable, ended up liking it and it's done me proud on numerous occasions!
I use Harbor Freight when I need something inexpensive. What I have noticed is their 20% and 25% discount coupons exclude the good tools like Bauer, floor jacks, saw mills and the new Hercules brands. I was paying 29 dollars a month for the imc club but no more. In the last 4 months they have advertised nothing that I could use that was discounted.
Just recently bought the mobile base and ripped down and cut to size the wood frame for my new router table... so happy with it so far. Table is more sturdy than it was without it. Great buy.
Harbor's version of a Fein Tool for $36 is a steal, it uses everyone's blades, you can hog with it as hard as a Fein (gets a little hot) but best of all when someone steals it on a jobsite, or one of your employees loses it, you just didn't lose your $259 Fein you save for the fine work.
Tool box carts are perfect at harbor freight
I've run my own auto shop in near Denver for 17 years, doing everything. The best tool they carry is their retractable air hose reels. I have one that I bought over 10 years ago that I still use pretty regularly. The hose wore out about 8 years ago and I replaced it with another 25' one from them. My 80 gallon compressor maintains 175 lbs of air.
Angle grinders can be found at tractor supply/ rural king for sometimes 10 bucks
Check out their air tool nailers. 👍
Planning on buying the lathe just to see if I want to get into turning....I'll buy my lathe tools elsewhere though lol.
I’m a professional mechanic. I have tools from Harbor Freight that I use every day. The Earthquake Xtreme Torque 1/2” air impact. The Pittsburgh Pro 1/2” impact sockets. The Quinn 1/4” and 3/8” drive socket sets. End wrenches. The Doyle line of tools. Anything made by Icon. All the Merlin air tool and hose fittings. I put those Predator engines on everything, zero turns, tillers, riding mowers, etc. The Bremen clamps and pliers. I’m not a fanboy. Some of the stuff their isn’t so great. If it plugs into an outlet get the most expensive one they have. All the test equipment that has a gauge on it, the gauges are really poor quality, read a lot of reviews before you buy anything.
For those of us who can't afford the workshop version of a Ferrari, Harbor Freight has tools in our price range.
Nice thing about HF tools when you take them on the jobsite, nobody steals them. If they do they are cheap to replace.
i had one of those grinders, it sharpened 2 of 3 lawnmower blades then caught fire. Have DeFault 9Amp for 15yrs now, threw brushes and power cord at it, still the champ. Spray gun works good as primer gun, just don't get delusional you're going to paint a silver car with it (fan is an abortion). Dial calipers work great for the price.
I have that angle grinder. Got it with a coupon for 14.99. I put a wood power carving blade on it ( cost more than the grinder) also from HF. I use it in jig to hollow spoons and such. It's been going well for 2 years now. The price was so good I got 2 so I'd have a back up. the back up is still in the box.
It is called Princess Auto, and I find it impossible to find anything that isn't a piece of horroble freight from the Hazzard Fraught
Canadian tire sells quality tools, you are thinking of Princess Auto
I've spent about $30-35,00 dollars at Harbour Freight since they opened. Some of their stuff was so-so at first, but they've gotten better and better. I do diesel work, and also general repair. Their bottle jacks are great, I use the 12 ton manual pump, and also the 12 ton air hydraulic as I have to lift lots of buses, it works great and saves a helluva lot of time. Only problem is the air hose will crack eventually, so I wrap them in black tape. Their 8" bench grinders are great, I've got at least ten years on mine. I have one of their 16 speed 1 hp drill presses with 5/8" chuck. It is a fine machine that has drilled thousands of holes, and slows down to 170 RPM, it's 25 years old and is as good as new. Their metal cutting chop saws are good, their heavier 1/2" drills are good, so are their 4", 7" and 9" angle grinders. Their impact sockets have never caused me problems during very hard work, and I also have one of their "Earthquake" air guns rated at 1,400 ft/lbs torque. With a good compressor it will spin off any bus lug nut I've came across. NOW, their generators fail Way Too Early, and I've never used their screwdrivers as Craftsman is a better set and only costs a bit more. Their regular 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" socket sets are as good as any and a great deal. Another thing that you must watch out for are their 2 and 3 lbs hammers. The head is held on mostly by glue, and they fail prematurely and will fly off and try to hurt you. But I'd say overall they are a great deal for the price........HOWEVER, when you buy huge amounts of tools like I do (I've set up about 8 metal/wood shops in poor countries, plus I buy LOTS Of tools for myself) it is a B**CH to find all the receipts. Harbour Freight used to guarantee stuff just like Craftsman, you bring a broken tool in and get a replacement immediately. Now the management has turned into Butt Heads, the company got successful so they started getting increasing petty and chicken ship. I would have to go to the manager and complain to get a new tool. I have hundreds of receipts with thousands of items, and really resent trying find an old receipt from 5 years ago as I tend to buy a half dozen of some tools when they go on sale. BUT once again when they were starting the business they valued me so much I got 10% off of any purchase. So to summarize, most of their tools are fine (OOPs, Avoid the truck bed mounted winches, or bench top sandblasters, they suck) and if you keep your receipts in order, they will honor their guarantee. Don't let folks shame you, 90% plus of the stuff they sell is just fine.
Their hand tools like ratchets, sockets and wrenches are quite decent. I put together a box of sets for carry in my car. I'm a retired mechanic and I have a box of tools that's not leaving my house.
A few others HF has that are a decent deal are their Breaker Bars, Impact SocketSets, Hydraulic Jacks , Dead Blow hammers and some of their safety gear like Face Shields Safety Glasses , Work Gloves , And their Dust Collector with some common upgrades that are easy to find online
This guy needs to get into talk radio.
The hat....GO SOX!
One inch drive impact works OKAY except the trigger is in a horrible place. It's on the end so when you are trying to get it in place it will start going before I'm ready for it
Bought many tools from HF , love em , a 1/2 inch hammer drill for 20 bucks works like a charm , probably wouldn't last on a big job site 8 or 10 hours a day but it goes through concrete like butter , actually going tomorrow for a parking lot sale !
Just purchased a chuck key angle adapter, it did a really good job, and it's adjustable.
Lately to impact a bolt I have the cheap electric impact hf sells and it does ok I only had one but it had a problem with and I put my little torch to it and hit it with impact and it came off
the Pittsburg series of hand tools. can't beat them. 25 bucks for a set of extra long wrenches 350 for snap on and the harbor freight are longer (I got both) you break the Pittsburg life time Warranty just go back to the store. when my 9/16 snap on broke waited almost 4 weeks to get it back from dealer. hand tools you can't go wrong. especially for the money. stay away from the central pneumatic air tools. earthquake has seemed to hold up far as impacts. but my snap on air hammer and air ratchet greatly surpass any version at harbor freight
I love harbor freight for items like screw drivers, cotter pins and even wrenches and sockets (I like the color coding). But what I've found over the years is what Chris said is very true: For the occasional weekend user, most of their products are just fine. But, as far as any tool with a battery, "Foget about it"
The video is short, but it somehow still feels like it drags on. Usually videos like this are 30+ minutes, the only reason I clicked this is because it was short but as someone who has never watched your channel before, this felt like the longest 8 minutes of my life. I watch a lot of long winded droney people too.
Bought a pocket hole jig. With the 25% memorial day coupon, it came to 48 bucks... vs 99 bucks for a Kreg. Bought many other things there too. The only thing I brought back was a drill press where I couldn't adjust the speed belt because it was assembled in such a way that I couldn't move the motor back.
Those grinders last forever if you regrease them with good grease
Problem with the angle grinder is plastic gears. I carve with chainsaw circular carver; It wont last a month.
I had my HF hvlp gun for four years and did base and primer no problem . Key word keep it clean . Got almost all the air tools and had them for years . 🏁
I have seen boxes full of burnt up Chicago Electric grinders at a company I worked for. I would never buy one. But HFs new tool lines are impressive. I have a couple Bauer tools that are just as good as any other brand. And some of their top of the line Hercules tools are outstanding and are beating out Dewalt in reviews believe it or not. To start, I plan on getting the Hercules 7 amp grinder for 40 bucks.
I love the warranty on all of their hand tools. Never had any problems with them even questioning how I broke them even with obvious cheater bar marks on them.
Now go on eBay and try to purchase a used set of vintage Craftsman wood lathe chissels. They are us made and hold a edge .. I scored a set for around 50.00 us
Hf is awesome
Its similar to Princess Auto in Canada, not Canadian Tire.
I have several harbor freight tools i use regularly and havent failed me yet. The large belt sander, die grinder, angle grinder, hand wood planer, digital caliper, clamps all these tools are def worth buyung there. The name brand wont do any better or longer and yes i have both uses both. Not anymore.
Looks like u got easy wood tools i worked for easy wood tool for a wile
I have had very bad luck with the angle grinder
Rock on!
Their $1000 General toolbox is well worth the money. I'm a retired Industrial maintenance tech from ExxonMobil.
I've had 2 digital calipers from HF- Both of then crapped out without even being used, just sitting in the case they came in. Replaced the battery in both and still a screen that has incomplete numbers. pieces of crap!!!!!. I f you gave me a free one I'd give it to Goodwill!!!!!
Something i would add is floor jacks.
And is a no for me the angle grinder,really all their electric tools,those I dont trust,bit thats just me
You can get a 20% off coupon anytime, just google harbor freight 20% and it pulls up one everytime!
Used market on wood lathes ... can be had that ar Delta / Rockwell ... is amazing. But that's a good lathe.
You meet princess auto up here
Canadian Tire is nothing like HF. Not even close...
Good vid. Go Sox
the blowers they sell don't suck. the rest does...
What are u talking about? HFT rocks. I have their dust collector,, paint sprayer, clamps, and a bunch of screws.
You should avoid disc/belt sander combo, square, bandsaw and caliper. For the squares, calipers etc, I won’t buy it unless it is proudly made in US, Europe or Japan.
H-F makes a shabby English wheel but they sell the rollers separately for 80 dollars and you can fabricate your own wheel.
Is that music near the first of the vid "F-Off" from 12oz. Mouse? Bitchin'!!
It's been my experience that Harbor Freight tools have been improving over time. My only real failure was with a battery charger, which failed after three uses. And disposables, those they carry are the deal of the century. WAY cheaper than anyplace else, and they're DISPOSABLE. If value is what floats your boat Harbor Freight is hard to beat. Their 18 and 20 volt lithium cordless tools are more than the homeowner will ever need, and a FRACTION the cost of a name brand. Might not work for 8 hour days five days a week, but for the DIYer, unbeatable.
I have some of there tool and have had no problems there 3/4 drive sockets and 1/2 inch impact sockets work great and have a great warrantee
i always figure HF stuff is junk although you do hit something good. the black sockets are tough but i thrown them away too. they are finally learning heat treatment. don't buy small tires and tubes they all eventually leak, bad rubber quality, they suck
there is no repairing electrical equipment, only swap if they break down. can't get repair parts.
If you're looking for casters, check out the 4-pack of Kobalt 3" locking casters for $20. They're cheaper than the 3" HF locking casters (unless you use a 20% coupon 4 separate times) and are much more durable.
we have a hazard fright beater grinder that has suffered extensive abuse and wont die
HF digital calipers suck, they aren't heat treated. You can hold it in 1 hand and bend it with your thumb.
I've been impressed with the Bauer tools they sell. Much nicer than the Chicago/Central versions. They feel as solid as Makita or Dewalt, and particularly with coupons, much cheaper. That's a better alternative IMO for an angle grinder than the Porter Cable.
I bought that angle grinder used it once and it burnt out that same day it sucks
Those wheels are called casters? I had no idea.
I bought a 10" sliding compound mitre saw from Harbor Freight just to get me through a weekend project once. I paid $90 bucks for the thing, and figured I'd save up some money and get a really nice DeWalt when it finally died. That was 18 years ago. I've used it to cut bricks, tile, 2x12s, metal... just put on the right kind of blade and it's good to go, every single time.
I've tried, but I just can't kill that saw.
I’ve had the orange HF4.5” grinder for almost 20 years and worked the hell out of it building triathlon set up equipment in steel. Cut tube, grinding endless welds etc. they still to this day work fine. No brush changes either.
that grinder will go on sale for 9.99 every now and then. but you can typically get it for 12-15.
dont think Canadian Tire is Harbor Freight equal.. Maybe Princess Auto would be more like it..
Agree with the caliper... I toasted the grinder... but I'm a metal worker, use grinders hard... blew big bucks on a Metabo... German made.... won't have to buy another...
HF does have some good tools. I was a maintenance tech in a factory sized machine shop, had HF ratchets and combo wrench sets... never failed on me... stay away from their Allen wrenches though... again, buy good stuff, Bondhus... well worth the extra...
Since I am a part time wood worker, their tools have so far been ok... I've used better, but again, value, bang for the buck...