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RichZ · 01-21-2008, 04:29 PM

I have quite a few HF tools. My favorite is my T-post puller. For $19.95, I got probably the most backsaving hand tool I have. I also have an assortment of HF hand tools. They're not the best, but they're functional, and very cheap. I'm a farmer, and I use my tools often and hard. I also use them in odd places in all sorts of weather, so I often lose them. So I don't mind so much losing a HF plier, if I only spent a few bucks for it, and I usually have duplicates of the more common ones. I have a few sets of HF screwdrivers. How good does a screwdriver have to be???

For power tools, HF can be OK for homeowner use. I got one of their 18 volt cordless drills for my wife, so she wouldn't keep taking my Hitachi cordless from my shop. For the small things she uses it for, it's fine. I had a HF reciprocating saw (their "heavy duty" one), and it was fine for small stuff, but when I used it to cut metal roofing for a barn project, I used it all day, and towards the end of the day, the head fell apart. If I had just kept it to occasional use it would have been fine, but I really pushed it with that one.

Our farm is a goat dairy, and I have a HF wheeled stool in my milkhouse. I'm on my second one, the first lasted 2 years, which isn't bad with goats jumping on it and it getting wet twice a day when I have to clean out the milk house after each milking. It sure saves my back to roll around sitting on this stool as I hook up dozens of goats twice a day to the milking take offs. And since you can pick them up for $14 on sale, I don't mind if this one lasts only 2 years, as well.

All in all, I really like HF, you just have to know when their stuff is good enough or you really need a more professional grade tool.

01-21-2008, 04:29 PM	#20 (permalink)
RichZ Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cambridge New York (north of Albany, next to Vermont) Posts: 1,476	Re: Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck I have quite a few HF tools. My favorite is my T-post puller. For $19.95, I got probably the most backsaving hand tool I have. I also have an assortment of HF hand tools. They're not the best, but they're functional, and very cheap. I'm a farmer, and I use my tools often and hard. I also use them in odd places in all sorts of weather, so I often lose them. So I don't mind so much losing a HF plier, if I only spent a few bucks for it, and I usually have duplicates of the more common ones. I have a few sets of HF screwdrivers. How good does a screwdriver have to be??? For power tools, HF can be OK for homeowner use. I got one of their 18 volt cordless drills for my wife, so she wouldn't keep taking my Hitachi cordless from my shop. For the small things she uses it for, it's fine. I had a HF reciprocating saw (their "heavy duty" one), and it was fine for small stuff, but when I used it to cut metal roofing for a barn project, I used it all day, and towards the end of the day, the head fell apart. If I had just kept it to occasional use it would have been fine, but I really pushed it with that one. Our farm is a goat dairy, and I have a HF wheeled stool in my milkhouse. I'm on my second one, the first lasted 2 years, which isn't bad with goats jumping on it and it getting wet twice a day when I have to clean out the milk house after each milking. It sure saves my back to roll around sitting on this stool as I hook up dozens of goats twice a day to the milking take offs. And since you can pick them up for $14 on sale, I don't mind if this one lasts only 2 years, as well. All in all, I really like HF, you just have to know when their stuff is good enough or you really need a more professional grade tool. __________________ Rich "What a long strange trip it's been."