Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[murphy1244]

Right!!! Buy the one from Sears!!!

Or the one from the driveline shop that flyerdan went to.

Saving money on the same product sucks. What kind of cheapskate does that?

The best drill press I bought was used from the 50's form Sears, Most if not all the cheaper stuff that BOTH stores sell is junk.

[Iplayfarmer]

The best drill press I bought was used from the 50's form Sears, Most if not all the cheaper stuff that BOTH stores sell is junk.

It seems that most of the stuff any stores sell is junk nowadays. They really knew how to make some good tools back in the day, didn't they?

[Brad_Blazer]

Ponder Rosa Assembly storefront at Sears Marketplace:
Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more
He gets a pretty good markup on this item:
Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more
I actually have one I got at Northern for $8. Its a pretty good tool.

[California]

Ponder Rosa Assembly storefront at Sears Marketplace .... He gets a pretty good markup on this item:
Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

Wow Ponder isn't bashful at all. He copied HF's entire description word for word. His price is $199.98 vs $9.99 for the SAME THING if you go to HF.

[deereman75]

That same guy has a hf bench top wood lathe for $1300!!!! You could get a new powermatic floor model for less!

[5030]

I bought one this past weekend, (live about 125 miles from the store), first 3/4 inch nut I tried to grind off, it started smoking, before I could get the switch turned off, it melted and couldn't turn it off. Later, when I plugged it in to see if it would still work, it started smoking, filled the pole barn with acrid smoke.

All motors when built, have built in smoke. It's just that the chi-com motors smoke earlier...

The only power tool I've had any luck with is a rotary impact drill I bought about 5 years ago to drill some 1" holes in concrete. ALL (emphisis on every one) the rest have died a rapid death in the first couple of hours of use.

Other tools seem to be OK, but I'm swearing off the electrical power tools after this one. I think that's about 5 or 6 times I've tried.

Try drilling a 1" hole in concrete with a star chisel and a 5 pound drilling hammer and you'll be back to being a power tool junkie.....

Home Depot has a Milwaukee 4 1/2 inch angle grinder for $59 that's guaranteed for 5 years. I've got to finish grinding those nuts, so I'm headed to HD today.

Rest assured the Milwaukee is in name only. It's chi-com too. Must be a Milwuakee, China....

Lowes has a Skil angle grinder for 29 bucks. I have one and it's oriental but the smoke hasn't come out....yet. Been 2 years.

[5030]

It seems that most of the stuff any stores sell is junk nowadays. They really knew how to make some good tools back in the day, didn't they?

Absolutely........

There are some excellent hand and power tools being made today but you won't find them at HF or Sears or any box store and they cost big money.

The exception is Craftsman mechaincs tools and the mechanics tools at Lowes. Lowes Kobalt tools are made by Williams, a very respected American hand tool maker (like Klien). Craftsman has actually improved over the years. They were excellent at one time, went downhill with chi-com crap but have improved in the past 10 years or so.

[5030]

All harbor frieght tools suck!!!!

Kioti's suck too. So what.......

[5030]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!

I guess I'm out the door to spend some money!

No, you are out the door to support the trade imbalance.

So do I candidly.....

[5030]

Update on my 12" disc sander I bought from HF earlier this week.

It rocks....

It has far more gonads that I have strength to slow it down (grinding 2" sqare heavy wall tubing), edge chanfering....

No smoke from the TEFC direct drive motor either. It don't even get warm. Its a true capacitor start, induction rum motor plenty of gonads....

if you get one, do yourself a favor though. Get some quality 3M 12" PSA discs. The supplied 12" PSA discs are okay but 3M is much better.

The machine is worth every bit of $126.00.