Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Dargo (and everybody) -

Here's the box in the Thanksgiving ad. ITC price $150. [Added: That's everybody's Thanksgiving price. ITC only gave early admission to the sale.]
Rolling Tool Cabinet - 11 Drawer

Warning! This is NOT a quality box. The 2 boxes I saw right inside the door were NOT display units, but RETURNS SINCE THANKSGIVING. You can buy one of those for $99. One was missing a drawer handle and the drawer was bent out. Apparently someone bought it, loaded their tools in it and didn't pull up on the drawer as they pulled out. Before you say it, the runners were covered in grease. The elcheapo sliding drawers require[\b] you to pull up on a drawer if you have much weight in it. Needless to say, I passed on that box.

Sorry, I pitched the ad. It was the one listed in their 3 day Thanksgiving sale if anyone still has that ad. ... if you don't mind the paper thin gage steel and "glide" drawers, the "glide" drawers will wear out in short order. Part of the reason they wouldn't "glide" out even after someone greased them was because the plastic they are made of is way too soft. I could easily sink my thumbnail into that wear part of the "glide" drawer. I expect most all handles to be pulled off those drawers in short order. I should have taken a picture of the broken boxes on 'clearance' right inside the door that didn't make it the weekend.

Clearly, HF has done a switch-a-roo on those boxes. As I said in the first post, I recall seeing one brand of box that was a decent box. The one in the ad is NOT that box as I thought it would be. Positively NO ball bearings anywhere in the build of this box unless there are some in the castor wheels. Definitely none in the drawers.

 

[skspurling]

I compared them all recently and agree the General toolbox is excellent quality. Forget all the others at HF.
One negative that I read earlier in this thread was that somone said the General box was "tippy" because the wheelbase was too short or something. I did not find this when I looked at them but it's worth noting.
FYI.

The welder cart is pretty good too. The wheels are a bit cheap, but the cart its self is sturdy. I also like the little trim router. That thing is cheap and handy! The base adjuster is cheap, but you can line that up by hand and crank down on the bolt. It's not dewalt or bosh, but it also doesn't cost over $100.

 

[skspurling]

Dargo (and everybody) -

Here's the box in the Thanksgiving ad. ITC price $150.
Rolling Tool Cabinet - 11 Drawer

The red one is the good one, IMHO. That gray one is cheap. It's okay, but cheap. I saw it and wanted to buy one last year. Just took one look at it, and knew I didn't want that one. And don't say it's just Harbor Freight either. I've seen that same box under a different name at Menards. Similar price and every thing.

 

[Dargo]

Clearly, HF has done a switch-a-roo on those boxes. As I said in the first post, I recall seeing one brand of box that was a decent box. The one in the ad is NOT that box as I thought it would be. Positively NO ball bearings anywhere in the build of this box unless there are some in the castor wheels. Definitely none in the drawers.

Even worse, I put two different sets of batteries in my 'camera on a flexible stick' and it won't come on. It looks like it's a bad one. I suppose I'll try one more and see if it works. I it doesn't, I'll have to call yesterday's run a complete waste of time. Hopefully the replacement will work. Still it's aggravating to have to take new stuff back because it's defective. It doesn't give you a good feeling, if you know what I mean.

Hey, the replacement works just great. I'm not sure why, but the image, very clear BTW, comes in upside down on the display. There is only one way to attach the extension on the pistol grip controller, so I don't know what's up with the upside down image. I suppose I can live with that defect. I don't want to make another trip back and I'm half afraid I'll get another that doesn't work again. If you can put up with the image being upside down, I think you have a winner. :thumbsup:

 

[Dargo]

The red one is the good one, IMHO. That gray one is cheap. It's okay, but cheap. I saw it and wanted to buy one last year. Just took one look at it, and knew I didn't want that one. And don't say it's just Harbor Freight either. I've seen that same box under a different name at Menards. Similar price and every thing.

The red ones were considerably more $$. Still, if they are a good box, they're probably a good deal. I just wasn't going to spend that much money on another box right now. I need to sort through my tools and separate which ones need to be pitched and which ones need a place in a toolbox. If I still need more room, I'll definitely check out their red boxes. Sorry, but I have to give that $150 mat black one two thumbs down; even for $150. Honestly, it would be a reasonable deal at $60 or $70. Even then, I have no need for those type of boxes.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Here is the box I got and I just got this via email again. Sorry about the size, but I just copied and pasted from the email. Anyone want me to forward the email, just PM me.

 

[Skyco]

Hey, the replacement works just great. I'm not sure why, but the image, very clear BTW, comes in upside down on the display. There is only one way to attach the extension on the pistol grip controller, so I don't know what's up with the upside down image. I suppose I can live with that defect. I don't want to make another trip back and I'm half afraid I'll get another that doesn't work again. If you can put up with the image being upside down, I think you have a winner. :thumbsup:

You're joking right?
The bottom button when pressed repeatedly switches the image to different orientations. RTFM:laughing:

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/67000-67999/67979.pdf

I have a rf linked backup camera/monitor I use for hooking up trailers....talk about confusing, the image gets reversed sometimes, try backing up to a trailer with the image backwards!

 

[Dargo]

You're joking right?
The bottom button when pressed repeatedly switches the image to different orientations. RTFM:laughing:

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/67000-67999/67979.pdf

I have a rf linked backup camera/monitor I use for hooking up trailers....talk about confusing, the image gets reversed sometimes, try backing up to a trailer with the image backwards!

Those rats! I hope you're right. I have the manual here in the house with me but not the tool. It's not in my manual if it does that. If that works, I thank you kindly and feel free to have laugh at my expense. Why would I say that? I liked it well enough to keep it thinking it would only display upside down. Right side up, I give it the "Dargo Best Buy" rating!

Uh, oh. The link you gave matches my tool and I poked that button several times and it never did anything. Maybe I just didn't press hard enough? Still hopeful that works tomorrow.

 

[Johnbro]

Here is the box I got and I just got this via email again. Sorry about the size, but I just copied and pasted from the email. Anyone want me to forward the email, just PM me.

That red 5-drawer service cart is a great bargain--gets much better reviews than the cheaper, black (or is it gray) 5 drawer cart. It IS a bugger to assemble, though--probably took me an hour including some backtracking when I figured out the sequence of how stuff went together. But I can recommend it without reservation.

 

[JD 4520]

Is anyone familiar with this item from Harbor Freight:

Bunker Hill 36 LED Solar Security Light, model #98085

I bought two and wonder if they are reliable or have any issues.