Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sixdogs]

Went to HF store this morning and noticed what seemed to be generally higher prices on many things. Maybe 8 to 10% on things that I could recall the price on. A lot of prices were not higher but that's what I noticed.


Bought one of the greatest deals at HF...this HVLP sprayer for $30 and used a 20% off coupon for a sweeter deal. This sprayer is better than most that cost way more and does an excellent job on farm equipment. I use the throw-away paint cups and cleanup is a breeze. This is a great sprayer, especially for the money..
HVLP Spray Gun w/ Gravity Feed

Here's the throw away paint cups.
5 Piece Air Spray Gun Disposable Paint Cups

 

[3v0]

The problem with some cheap laminators is that they do not get hot enough.

GBC is a good brand watch for them on sale at MyBinding.com - GBC and IBICO Binding and Laminating

 

[stuckmotor]

I got the same paint gun as sixdogs. Wish I'd seen the disposable paint cups.

 

[sixdogs]

I got the same paint gun as sixdogs. Wish I'd seen the disposable paint cups.

Wait until you try them---cuts cleanup time by 75%. By the way, don't use the plastic threaded adaptors that come with the cups unless you need them for some reason. They seem to be an odd thread and made for some other brand of paint gun. Just screw the cup onto the paint gun and all is good.

When I think of my old siphon feed paint gun and all the cleaning aggravation and now to get into this setup it makes painting fun again.

 

[PhysAssist]

I picked up the 12 volt air compressor 62984 today and for about $20, I'm impressed. It has an aluminum cylinder and comes in a nice little nylon bag. Three different tips are included to inflate balls and air mattresses in addition to tires. As an emergency backup it should be adequate and the reviews are actually better than for the more expensive 12 volt compressor that HF sells.

12 Volt, 100 PSI High Volume Air Compressor

We concur, my wife had to use ours for a slow leak, and both figured it out, and got the tire back up to spec with no issues. It's the kind of thing that you'd prefer never to need but are awful glad to have it when you do...

It even got our F-350's tires up to snuff, though that took most of my life....

 

[PhysAssist]

You don't have an override button? Mine does, press it and it skips the vacuum step.

Maybe because it's the Rival brand and not really a Foodsaver brand...

We will try the site and see if thebags there work with ours.

Thanks!
Thomas

 

[Tchara]

I bought the Black 10 drawer tool cabinet from HF about 6 months ago, and really like it. It's held up well. It was on sale for 179.00, and I had a coupon, so picked it up for 159.00. It's not a Snap On, but does the job for my needs. Just bought the 90 amp mig welder this weekend. It's my first welder and don't know anything about welding, but seems like a good welder for 79.00. As soon as I figure out how to weld, I'll let you know. Also have a HF angle grinder I've had about a year, and use it all the time, and have had no problems with it.

 

[BigE_]

I bought the Black 10 drawer tool cabinet from HF about 6 months ago, and really like it. It's held up well. It was on sale for 179.00, and I had a coupon, so picked it up for 159.00. It's not a Snap On, but does the job for my needs. Just bought the 90 amp mig welder this weekend. It's my first welder and don't know anything about welding, but seems like a good welder for 79.00. As soon as I figure out how to weld, I'll let you know. Also have a HF angle grinder I've had about a year, and use it all the time, and have had no problems with it.

The welder works, but just barely. If you can figure out how to weld with it, you'll be a good welder. It's hard to use and hard to learn how to weld with it. Also, I wouldn't use it for any critical welds. Keep it if you don't really need a welder but just want to have something to practice with. Take it back if you think you actually will want to use it.

 

[California]

The [HF 90A AC Flux]welder works, but just barely. If you can figure out how to weld with it, you'll be a good welder.

I'm getting some useful work out of mine. Its the 5 years ago blue model - I've read that the present black one is better.

Here's a post I put on Welding Web recently. This project was perfectly matched to the capability of the 90A flux welder.

----------------quote-------------

This weld was with a 94056 (Blue 90A AC flux welder, 5 years ago model). I looked to see what sort of FC wire gave me this low-splatter result and discovered I had put the original HF wire back in it - K-kng brand or something like that. Apparently low splatter is as much finding the right settings as it is the brand of wire. This is the lowest-splatter weld I've ever made with it.

Please excuse the amateurish welding technique - I weld infrequently and never practice before a project. In this case I welded 'ears' on a sleeve so I could pin the sleeve to the back of the tractor, to hold a pulley for lifting a spike harrow. Ugly I know, but my welds stay welded. I've never had one break. This is the sort of project I bought the 90A welder to do.
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[graydog111]

The welder works, but just barely. If you can figure out how to weld with it, you'll be a good welder. It's hard to use and hard to learn how to weld with it. Also, I wouldn't use it for any critical welds. Keep it if you don't really need a welder but just want to have something to practice with. Take it back if you think you actually will want to use it.

Ditto.........If you bought that 90 amp, Item #68887, that's a flux core, not a MIG. A MIG uses a shielding gas. Buy a name brand MIG like Miller or Hobart and a bottle of co2/argon. You'll thank BigE_ and me.