Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sixdogs]

This is their HVLP spray gun and does a great job and has good reviews.
For spraying farm stuff it ranks high in comparison to an older DeVilbiss I had and is all I need for around the farm jobs.

HVLP Spray Gun w/ Gravity Feed

I actually paid $40 for mine a couple years back but I think I'll get another for this $35 price and use a 20% coupon to knock it diown a little more. I also use their disposable paint cups so it makes cleanup real easy. Here's the paint cups...
5 Piece Air Spray Gun Disposable Paint Cups

[California]

Grease question:

What will quiet the gears in the $9.95 angle grinder? I can't stand the racket. I have this one mounted in their chop saw adapter, so it runs for a while when I use it.

I have an old tube of Skil worm drive grease. Before I open up the grinder - is there any modern lubricant that will quiet it better than this stuff?

I never thought about how crude this grinder sounds, until I just bought the blue paddle-switch grinder. The new one seems near silent by comparison.

[5030]

Probably as good as anything. I bleieve I'd take a minute and drill and tap the housing for a grease zerk to add additional grease as needed. heavier the grease, quieter the gearing........

[chopped]

Id use ear plugs..lol but your right its quite a racket..

I read this reciently there.
BUYERS IN CA PAY 9.50% SALES TAX
OH gosh is that true. thats the rate in Calif?seems awfully hight o me I couldnt imagine..I know I'd be doing alot of bartering there.lol

[deereman75]

Id use ear plugs..lol but your right its quite a racket..

I read this reciently there.
BUYERS IN CA PAY 9.50% SALES TAX
OH gosh is that true. thats the rate in Calif?seems awfully hight o me I couldnt imagine..I know I'd be doing alot of bartering there.lol

I wouldnt complain, we have 12% here in my part of canada.

[flyerdan]

Grease question:

What will quiet the gears in the $9.95 angle grinder? I can't stand the racket.
I have an old tube of Skil worm drive grease. Before I open up the grinder - is there any modern lubricant that will quiet it better than this stuff?

Every angle grinder will throw off what little grease is factory installed. I always put in a generous amount of moly grease (the kind that comes in a can at the parts store) and about a tablespoon of power punch. They might seep a bit around the lock button and mating surfaces, but they run a bit quieter and last a whole lot longer. Whenever we'd get a new grinder at work, they'd bring it to me for 'doctoring' before putting it into service.

[California]

I read this recently BUYERS IN CA PAY 9.50% SALES TAX. OH gosh is that true. thats the rate in Calif? Seems awfully high

9.50% looked high so I found the statewide table.
7.25% for local purchases made in Camarillo (HF's home) is typical for the rural counties.

• City rate county
• Calpine 7.250 % Sierra
• Calwa 7.975 % Fresno
• Camarillo 7.250 % Ventura
• Cambria 7.250 % San Luis Obispo
• Cambrian Park 8.250 % Santa Clara (San Francisco/Silicon Valley region)
• Cameron Park 7.250 % El Dorado

But it looks like HF charges the customer's local rate. (then forwards it to the customer's state tax collector as required by law - as if the sale had been made by HF's branch store there).

Will my [online] order be charged tax?
Sales tax is applied to orders in all states with a Harbor Freight Tools retail store. The following states will NOT be charged tax: AK, DE, HI, ME, MT, NH, OR, DC, SD and VT. Taxes are calculated based on the shipping address.

Taxation of Internet sales is a big issue here. If California could force out-of-state vendors (ie Amazon) to collect state tax on sales to Californians it would go a long way toward balancing the state budget. Of course California-based businesses are pressuring the legislature to get this enacted so their customers don't have an incentive to buy out of state.

[California]

Whenever we'd get a new grinder ... they'd bring it to me for 'doctoring' ....

I always put in a generous amount of moly grease (the kind that comes in a can at the parts store) and about a tablespoon of power punch. They ... run a bit quieter and last a whole lot longer.

Moly grease sounds like a good idea. Surely its better than what the factory used.

A while back the Chinese tractor owners were commenting on the mystery fluids used for factory fill, and everyone agreed it was important to drain that stuff immediately. This is probably a good idea for HF power tools too.

[CompactTractorFan]

I wouldnt complain, we have 12% here in my part of canada.

Id use ear plugs..lol but your right its quite a racket..

I read this reciently there.
BUYERS IN CA PAY 9.50% SALES TAX
OH gosh is that true. thats the rate in Calif?seems awfully hight o me I couldnt imagine..I know I'd be doing alot of bartering there.lol

Seems cheap out here with 6%...Go down to DE and it's 0% ...

[leeinMT]

I'm surprised at the good stuff they discontinue. One is the L shaped post level that went for around $4. I used mine all the time on both wood and metal posts, but two of the three little spirit levels lost their fluid over the winter. I had to replace them when I found the original levels gone from the stores.

Another is the 2 inch cast aluminum spring clamp. Really nice and well made - even Rockler doesn't carry one like this. I grabbed four at HF on rain check out of the last batch shipped.

Re sales tax. I was surprised that DE is 0%. It thought it was just us, OR, and NH. It isn't the money, it's the hassel.