Harbor Freight Gems list updated.

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • LarryG
    The Full Monte
    • May 2004
    • 6693
    • Off The Back
    • Powermatic PM2000, BT3100-1

    #31
    skamath: My experience with the sanding sponges is not entirely unlike yours. Sometimes the grit does come off easily. I use them mainly for shop projects and for knocking the feathers off edges and joinery that will be concealed in the finished work, not for finish sanding on highly visible surfaces. Even so, at about 1/10th the cost of the brand names, I still consider them a good value.

    Photojosh: Well stated, in both of your posts. With anything from an HF store, one must always keep in mind that "It is what it is" and that must take into account the price paid.

    Loring: I'm with you in that my list of HF gems would be a lot shorter than Dave's. For example, IMO the Pittsburgh F-body clamps are perfectly acceptable in lengths up to 18" provided (a) you don't mind the much-slower-to-operate ordinary machine-screw threads rather than ACME threads, and (b) you're willing to buy perhaps 15 clamps to net a dozen decent ones (and then return the three duds). But the bar size on these clamps is just too light for the sizes past 18", which IMO makes the 24" and 36" a poor investment even for the very few dollars they cost.
    Larry

    Comment

    • dbhost
      Slow and steady
      • Apr 2008
      • 9209
      • League City, Texas
      • Ryobi BT3100

      #32
      Okay guys, please do recall from my top post here. This list is a compiled list of other lists and posts where the responses were in the distinct majority positive on the product. I tried to make it very clear which products I own, and am happy with, and which ones I do not speak to / of personally due to inexpereince...

      Do I think that Harbor Freight offers the best products of their kind? Uh. NO... But some of their products do offer the hobbyist woodworker (or mechanic, or electronics hobbyist) some real bargains.

      I think to offhandedly dismiss Harbor Freight tools as useless, or simply junk is unfair.

      Yes they do sell some real junk. But to be blunt, and to take the 32208 band saw as an example, to compare it to the Delta that Lowes carries, or the Ridgid that Home Depot carries is fair. And to be blunt after seeing the reviews of all 3 the HF honestly seems like the best saw even without the lower price. The Delta and Ridgid both get LOTS of complaints about vibration. The HF does not. The most common complaints about the HF are common to the Delta and Ridgid as well. Lousy OEM belts, and lousy OEM blades. Riser blocks are available easily for the HF and the Delta, the Ridgid not so much. All 3 of them come with block guides instead of rollers, and no fences, they all have lousy dust collection ports and on and on....

      The 34706 Lathe (Jet JWL1236 clone) has TONS of other clones running around where only the paint color differs. And even then, sometimes not even that much, just some sticker changes. One change that the Grizzly version had was a 1HP motor instead of the 3/4 HP version the others had. The Grizzly version has a reputation for burning up those motors, the others don't....

      Yes, Harbor Freight stuff can be hit or miss quality, then again, so can Ridgid, Delta, Porter Cable, etc... Is the defect rate for Harbor Freight's house branded tools any higher than the other brands? Maybe. But it is pretty obvious pretty quick, not something that wears out in a year or two, but something that breaks within a couple of weeks... And the return policy at HF is certainly a LOT easier to deal with than the other guys!

      Now are there better options out there? Most likely. But are they within the reach of the average hobby woodworker? That has yet to be seen...

      I wasn't trying to start a Harbor Freight lovers versus haters flame war here. I was only trying to consolidate a list of items I have seen that people keep talking about positively from Harbor Freight. With their frequent sales, and 20% off coupons, their products can represent excellent value for the home workshop....
      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

      Comment

      • Charlie
        Banned
        • Jul 2009
        • 210

        #33
        Deleted by me.
        Last edited by Charlie; 10-24-2009, 09:30 AM.

        Comment

        • Photojosh
          Established Member
          • Aug 2009
          • 174
          • Washington (the state)

          #34
          Originally posted by Charlie
          db, I guess I don't know what the big hoopala is about HF. You sound like a salesman thats on commision.
          It's a topic that a lot of people are interested in. DB took the time to compile a useful list only to have it belittled by someone who doesn't like HF. I'd say he's got every right to want to defend his position.

          Comment

          • Charlie
            Banned
            • Jul 2009
            • 210

            #35
            Deleted by me.
            Last edited by Charlie; 10-24-2009, 09:28 AM.

            Comment

            • dbhost
              Slow and steady
              • Apr 2008
              • 9209
              • League City, Texas
              • Ryobi BT3100

              #36
              Originally posted by Charlie
              Ill finish by saying that I'd like to reword that statement to : With their frequent sales, and 20% off coupons, their products can lure in inexperienced woodworkers and DIYers that don't know any better. That includes me, many years ago. The end, I'm done.
              The hoopla is your statements came off as INSULTING to those of us that have to watch our budgets... And a good number of us here are budget conscious.

              HF sells a lot of stuff that is very trouble prone, but once in a while they offer up an item that has a good track record among fellow recreational woodworkers. Forwarding that information to my fellow budget conscious woodworkers is a BIG part of what the online communities are all about. Helping each other out.

              Or did I get that wrong somehow?
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

              • Charlie
                Banned
                • Jul 2009
                • 210

                #37
                Deleted by me.
                Last edited by Charlie; 10-24-2009, 09:28 AM.

                Comment

                • ragswl4
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jan 2007
                  • 1559
                  • Winchester, Ca
                  • C-Man 22114

                  #38
                  Originally posted by dbhost
                  The hoopla is your statements came off as INSULTING to those of us that have to watch our budgets... And a good number of us here are budget conscious.

                  HF sells a lot of stuff that is very trouble prone, but once in a while they offer up an item that has a good track record among fellow recreational woodworkers. Forwarding that information to my fellow budget conscious woodworkers is a BIG part of what the online communities are all about. Helping each other out.

                  Or did I get that wrong somehow?
                  No good deed goes unpunished. I personally want to thank you for putting that list together. I own quite a few of those items and I am not what one would call budget restricted but I do like to save a nickel now and then when I can. Many of the HF tools are useful as many of us have learned and many of us have avoided some of the lesser useful tools by reading posts on this site. It's what makes this the best woodworking forum that I have seen on the web. It never hurts to be helpul to your fellow woodworkers.

                  PS: Those sanding sponges are great for sanding drywall, a pack of 10 for what one 3M sanding sponge costs at the BORG.
                  RAGS
                  Raggy and Me in San Felipe
                  sigpic

                  Comment

                  • mschrank
                    Veteran Member
                    • Oct 2004
                    • 1130
                    • Hood River, OR, USA.
                    • BT3000

                    #39
                    Thanks for updating and compiling this list...very helpful!
                    Mike

                    Drywall screws are not wood screws

                    Comment

                    • BigguyZ
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jul 2006
                      • 1818
                      • Minneapolis, MN
                      • Craftsman, older type w/ cast iron top

                      #40
                      Is the quick-release WWing vise on their too? I looked, but couldn't find it. I bought one for $30 during one of the tent sales. Awesome deal. I've seen vises cost 3-5x as much, and be on par as far as quality goes...

                      Oh, yeah- never had a problem with the pipe clamps. One bent, but that's all. As far as I'm concerned, there's nicer stuff out there fore more $- but HF is about value, not being the best.

                      Comment

                      • dbhost
                        Slow and steady
                        • Apr 2008
                        • 9209
                        • League City, Texas
                        • Ryobi BT3100

                        #41
                        It is now. Thanks for the reminder!
                        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                        Comment

                        • drillman88
                          Senior Member
                          • Dec 2007
                          • 572
                          • Southeast
                          • Delta Platinum Edition Contractor Saw

                          #42
                          Thanks for taking time to put the list together, Dave.
                          I didn't see the 15 ga. finish nalier or the flooring stapler, both are excellent deals compared to the name brand equivalent. I have the nailer and have used the flooring stapler, so can verify that they do the task they are designed for quite handily.
                          I think therefore I .....awwww where is that remote.

                          Comment

                          • pbui3057
                            Established Member
                            • Jul 2008
                            • 114
                            • Mather, CA
                            • BT3000

                            #43
                            I love harbor freight. Why should I spend hundreds of dollars on a tool that I will use once when I can get a HF tool use it once and dispose of it if it dies. Cheaper than renting the tool usually. If it lasts longer than the one time, like almost all of my purchases from there, then I will use it until is dies and still be ahead.

                            You forgot the http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4095 recip saw on your list. I needed it to do some demo work and still use it now. Got it on sale with a 20% coupon. Can't go wrong!

                            Comment

                            • billwmeyer
                              Veteran Member
                              • Feb 2003
                              • 1858
                              • Weir, Ks, USA.
                              • BT3000

                              #44
                              dbhost,

                              I too appreciate the time and trouble you have put into this list. We all know there are some great products there and some bad ones. This list really beats my own trial and error method. I love quality tools. I admire them from too far a distance. To me a tool is something that gets the job done that I want it to do satisfactorily. I have no price point or paint color in that definition.

                              If it weren't for Harbor Freight, I would probably have room in my shop, because it would be so empty.

                              Bill
                              "I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in."-Kenny Rogers

                              Comment

                              • dbhost
                                Slow and steady
                                • Apr 2008
                                • 9209
                                • League City, Texas
                                • Ryobi BT3100

                                #45
                                Continued from first page...

                                Item #95288 300 Lb. Capacity Mobile Base. NOTE* The wood size required is 1.25", a non standard size in the U.S. Get your ripping practice on your table saw with this!

                                Item #96698 12" Sliding Compound Laser Guided Miter Saw.

                                Item #95272 Five Drawer Service Cart.

                                Item #92539 11 Gauge Coil Roofing Nailer Kit.

                                Item #95386 2 HP, 8 Gallon, 115 PSI Portable Air Compressor.

                                Item #90154 1195 Lb. Capacity 48" x 96" Heavy Duty Foldable Utility Trailer with 12" Wheels.

                                Item #97036 3-1/2" Nine LED Flashlights, 2 Pack.

                                Item #43060 Router Speed Control.

                                Item #90984 4 Piece 1" x 15 Ft. Ratcheting Tie Down Set.

                                Item #38185 48" Aluminum Bar Clamp.

                                Item #38184 36" Aluminum Bar Clamp.

                                Item #38183 24" Aluminum Bar Clamp.

                                Item #46075 Universal Tool Stand.

                                Item #66872 16 Gauge Air Finish Nailer.
                                Last edited by dbhost; 10-03-2009, 11:05 AM.
                                Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                                Comment

                                Working...