Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[4get gto]

After a year of denial and one of trepidation, I broke down and bought one of those HF riding mower jacks.I've read more reviews on them than there are apples on a tree. Oh man, used it four times so far. It isn't built like a Swiss watch. Of course it is made in China. I haven't abused it. It works. It is really a handy addition to my mostly old school USA stable of tools. What strikes me the most is a parking lot full of pickups blaring "extreme conservative" sentiments. Ya know. "Make America..........

Got one last summer. Works good. $79 I think I paid. Only problem I have with it is seems it's always in the way.

 

[zoedog2012]

Got one last summer. Works good. $79 I think I paid. Only problem I have with it is seems it's always in the way.

Bought one several days ago,wish I had bought it several years ago. Well built and easy to assemble.

 

[Travelover]

Bought one several days ago,wish I had bought it several years ago. Well built and easy to assemble.

I bought this hoist and mounted it overhead. Snatches my lawn tractor right up in the air to change the mower, etc. 88 lb. Electric Hoist with Remote Control

 

[newbury]

I have one and it works great. Had to buy a mat to put down underneath to reduce the friction of the fabric sliding on my LineX coating on the bed of my F150. You still need to clean out the dirt that ends up on the sides by the wheel wells.

I've carried a lot of stone and gravel and find it essential. Maybe 10 dually loads, up to 3,000 lbs but usually right around the 2,000 it's rated for.
I've "brackets" for my Reese 5th wheel/goose neck hitch so I lay in a few 2x4's then put down a sheet of plywood to "level" my bed, then a tarp (HF), then the mat, then the unloader, then have them drop a ton or so on top. The tarp is big enough to go up the sides and I can pull it over so stones and dust do not fly out. And if the "or so" becomes a lot I generally get my son to shovel some off the top first. I don't want to rip the unloader.
After the load is "cranked out" it's fairly simple to "disassemble" and pull the tarp and what is left out.

I've also used it when Lowes mis-priced some 12x12 concrete flagstones and I picked up two bed loads. I used it to crank the pallets they had pushed to the front of the bed back to the tailgate.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Any thought on the tap and die sets for occasional use mostly chasing threads?

Are the nitride coated sets worth the premium over the regular "hardened steel" versions?

Search results for: 'Tap and die'

A search of this thread mostly revealed that the case stinks.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Any thought on the tap and die sets for occasional use mostly chasing threads?

Are the nitride coated sets worth the premium over the regular "hardened steel" versions?

Search results for: 'Tap and die'

A search of this thread mostly revealed that the case stinks.

I have the 60pc $38 set and its mostly good. The case is kinda crappy (doesnt hold the taps well) but I haven't broke one yet and I use a drill to tap the threads.. Oil and go fairly slow is the key.

 

[MossRoad]

I have the 60pc $38 set and its mostly good. The case is kinda crappy (doesnt hold the taps well) but I haven't broke one yet and I use a drill to tap the threads.. Oil and go fairly slow is the key.

I'll agree 100% with the case being crappy. Good grief the pieces fall all over the place in there! :laughing:

But they do work for occasional use. Saves your bacon once in a while.

 

[California]

I have the (now $15?) cheap set, I don't think it was the cheapest. Sufficient for cleaning threads before reassembling something, that's about it. Nominal same size tap & die make a sloppy fit if you put them together.

Can someone link to the more competent set? I should have that one instead.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have the (now $15?) cheap set, I don't think it was the cheapest. Sufficient for cleaning threads before reassembling something, that's about it. Nominal same size tap & die make a sloppy fit if you put them together.

Can someone link to the more competent set? I should have that one instead.

Looks like they now have three levels of sets. I have this one: SAE / Metric Tap and Die Set - 6 Piece, Alloy Steel. Cost about $40. I've got both the SAE and Metric. No complaints but I don't use it heavily.

When looking for that version I noticed they now sell a titanium coated version too for about $85. Haven't tried it. 45 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated Alloy Steel SAE Tap & Die Set

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I have the (now $15?) cheap set, I don't think it was the cheapest. Sufficient for cleaning threads before reassembling something, that's about it. Nominal same size tap & die make a sloppy fit if you put them together.

Can someone link to the more competent set? I should have that one instead.

I have the same old small set but it is obviously limited on sizes/counts. The link I posted above has all their options.