Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Travelover]

"Some assembly required".

That is half the fun of HF tools, you get to play Junior Development Engineer and take it from a mass produced prototype to a working product. :laughing:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

That is half the fun of HF tools, you get to play Junior Development Engineer and take it from a mass produced prototype to a working product. :laughing:

"mass produced prototype"

That's an excellent description.

 

[sixdogs]

"mass produced prototype"

.

Should be the company motto.

I never buy anything from HF unless there is an "assembled" photo on the box. Forget the instructions; the words don't fit and the photos only reveal that you are missing some parts.

Rgarding HF rope. Some might be good but most I have had was junk and stretched or broke with even mild resistance. Never trust it.

 

[chopped]

Should be the company motto.

I never buy anything from HF unless there is an "assembled" photo on the box. Forget the instructions; the words don't fit and the photos only reveal that you are missing some parts.

Rgarding HF rope. Some might be good but most I have had was junk and stretched or broke with even mild resistance. Never trust it.

I agree a pic is worth a million words. But I also like that the instructions are aval online in PDF form. you can get a good sence of the item from that.So HF gets a star in that department

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Have assembly instructions improved at all over the years? It's been a while since I bought anything that needed to be assembled from HF. The last instructions I got seemed to have been written as a 4th grade English translation assignment somewhere in rural China. I'd have given the kid a C+ mostly for effort.

 

[California]

The last instructions I got seemed to have been written as a 4th grade English translation assignment

Accuracy of the manuals is as hit-and-miss as the hardware. I noted above that the single page 'manual' with the hand cranked barrel pump was near illegible and pretty worthless.

The manual for the new brown 90A flux wire welder clearly lists DCEN in the specifications chart but it isn't DC. No rectifiers in the parts list, diagram, or as observed by owners visually and using a voltmeter.

I just bought the inverter showing 400/800 watt on the box and on the website. Its manual says Startup Peak = 750 watts maximum. Its input is protected by 25A fuses. (25A x 12V = 300 watts). It will serve for me, my intended use is to power two 85 watt rechargers for cordless tools. I don't think I'll try to run power tools from it.

 

[leeinMT]

There is a new spin on HF instructions -- how-to videos on their website as part of the product description. I stumbled across it accidentally when I was researching their new hydraulic wire crimper.

Nice American guy speaking normal English demonstrates how to use it, even suggesting that you put it back in the case when you're done.

 

[etcallhome]

Brother in law bought there Central machinery 16 sp drill press .. Of course he wanted the lower price one and no the only one in stock was about 80.00 more.
So he buys it still in box ,box looked perfect,, came home about a 90 min drive unloads press and the plastic cover on front of press is broken in about 3 different places..
I asked him today if he contacted them about the cover he so no he glued it back together and if it doesn't hold .he would make something out of metal ..
Goes to show you can't always tell from the condition of the box ,but at $400. you would think they could makes thing to last at least during shipping..

 

[crazyal]

That's part of the fun with HF. How about this for a company motto: "If you like the Rubic's Cube then you'll love our products". Unlike the cube with HF sometimes you get the added thrill of trying to decide if it's an extra part or one not pictured well that'll require you to half disassemble it so you can install the bolt. Then of course you get the challenge of trying to choose, do I risk my life and use the twine they supplied with the engine lift that I could be laying under or do I replace it with real steel cable? I can say that I've bested all of the HF puzzles I've tired, have you?

 

[weldingisfun]

Does anyone have a 12 Ton A-Frame Industrial Heavy Duty Floor Shop Press and are they worth the money? I do have a 20% off coupon.
12 Ton A-Frame Floor Shop Press