Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Low Bucket]

I'll second that.. I used to buy tools from them but stopped, until I got this bender this week. Haven't used it yet, but there's nothing to really go wrong with one, and the quality looks very good. Big names are selling the same unit for $100 more.

That's nice and a great price! Compact Bender

When you get time to use it, I would be interested in seeing how well it works.

Paul

[California]

HF sells two basic types--one is laser aimed and the other has no laser.
Non-Contact Infrared Laser Thermometer ... Infrared Thermometer

HF also has a third, smaller one. Its called
Non-Contact Pocket Thermometer #93983 on the website so a search on 'infrared' misses it.
The blister-pack for mine has the title 'Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer'.

Its manual says: See Http://www.ZyTemp.com where it seems to be model TN105 Compact Infrared Thermometer. ZyTemp appears to be a quality manufacturer and offers an optional 'Certificate of Calibration - traceable to national lab standard' certifying 2% accuracy.

ZyTemp's page explains the field of view for this model is 1:1, ie it sees a circle with diameter equal to the distance from the object. Their home page shows a pistol grip model with laser that has 1:100 field of view, obviously better if you don't want to get up close.

1:1 field of view for $7.99 works fine for me.

[Jim Jimmers]

The 10' X 12' greenhouse from HF is a good value, considering the cost of polycarbonate glazing. It is a little drafty, but works well for what it is. I use it to get a jump on my growing season, and it makes the best fruit dehydrator you can imagine. Come July here in VA, it'll hit 140 F with 9% relative humidity inside. Works much better than my little electric dehydrator, with no running costs.

One word of wisdom: run some cable or straps inside the house, if you get any kind of wind where you live. Try to position it in a sheltered location, facing the doors away from prevailing winds.

[alchemy]

China factories had done a good job of "learning" from the companies that contract with them.

When i was in my teens and 20's I used to think that was just old buzzards gripin' about nothin. Now that Ive had a manufactuing business I know that is absolutely true. I had my biggest process stolen by a chinese company, a few smaller ones by japanese companies and several by a big american company. They peice together things you say while doing business with you. I think to asian companies there is no understanding of trade secrets etc. and if they learn something, so be it. The big american company was downright sneaky and deceptive.

[dfkrug]

What else do you use remote thermometors for? This is tempting.
HF sells two basic types--one is laser aimed and the other has no laser. I figure the laser one is better but the other one gets higher ratings for accuracy.

I bought their best one for $39 years ago and I wanted it primarily to
test for misfiring cylinders in engines. The laser allows you to point
it accurately at different parts of the exhaust manifold. I was going
to buy a Raytek for about $100 when the HF unit came out. Works
great.

I also used it to detect the leaky piston on a deere loader. I also
look for hot spots on my woodstove. Nice tool to have in the box.

[alchemy]

Can this be used to find hidden fires or hot spots in walls as a firefighting tool?

I think so. I forget what the upper range is but if you read a 400F spot on a wall there must be a problem there.

[Gale Hawkins]

When i was in my teens and 20's I used to think that was just old buzzards gripin' about nothin. Now that Ive had a manufactuing business I know that is absolutely true. I had my biggest process stolen by a chinese company, a few smaller ones by japanese companies and several by a big american company. They peice together things you say while doing business with you. I think to asian companies there is no understanding of trade secrets etc. and if they learn something, so be it. The big american company was downright sneaky and deceptive.

I was reading on the "knock off" subject and ran across a story from a German tool machine maker. He (at a trade event) found a 'knock out' of one of their machines that had been purchased by a China company.

The techs at the show got very excited to talk with the OEM of the machine. They were asking for pointers how to improve their 'knock off" and the German said they were very serious about making it better. They never once to understand the German firm was not as excited about their 'knock off' skills.

I hear MB stopped building cars in China because of the problem. Some vehicles/tractors are copied so well that the sheet metal parts will interchange quite well I understand.

[5030]

I have a new addition to tools that don't suck....

The HF 12" disc sander for 122 bucks plus tax. Powerful and quiet, it makes short work of samding and metal grinding jobs, I bought one for my shop. Has a built in dust port and cast table thats adjustable for angles. ENCO has the same one (China made) for twice the price. Way to go HF....

Very pleased.

Just don't buy the HF PSA discs. They aren't worth squat. Do yourself a favor at get some 3M PSA discs for it.

The store (in Toledo) still stinks like rubber inside.

[sixdogs]

I had to go to a local HF store today--to return the broken dogbone creeper that is a "worst buy"- and picked up one of the laser temp remote readers

Non-Contact Infrared Laser Thermometer

for $31 and change. It was on "sale" for $39 and I had a 20% off coupon so I got a free pair of scissors too. A few more and I can open a scissors outlet.

Anyway, this thing is the neatest tool I have used in a while. Granted, I have not had it very long but so far so good. I found an air leak at the door, checked the burners on the stove and that kind of thing. It's early, but this looks like a winner . Incidentally, I walked the store for 20 minutes and can't recall seeing one item not made in China.

[txdon]

That's nice and a great price! Compact Bender

When you get time to use it, I would be interested in seeing how well it works.

Paul

I have one. works great! if you go to rural living and to Keyhole garden and see the round piece of metal on the top of the hut, that is what I bent with it several days ago.