Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Baby Grand]

In person it looks like the blacksmith was a large burly guy with meaty hands that look like catcher's mits. Or maybe he was actually wearing catcher's mits. The quality of the workmanship conjures the image of a big guy wearing a soiled leather apron in a dimly lit wood shack with a coal fire and a tattered bellows. In the background are various handmade tools hanging on rusty pegs.

The alternate image is a young 20-something chinese entrepreneur wearing trendy clothing standing outside his newly (cheaply) built factory full of new (untrained) employees. He's talking to his friend about how he's going to make a fortune off of some sucker in Idaho who will buy the chain breaker because it's a few dollars cheaper than the the Taiwanese alternative.

It reminds me of a comment my dad made to me about a trailer I had bought that had a few questionable welds on it. He said, "That looks like it was welded with a shiny new welder."

I took a class in smithing and the instructor mentioned that the image of a ham-handed, loutish blacksmith (like Bluto in the Popeye cartoon) resulted from the birth of the auto industry. Ford was paying top dollar for skilled metal workers, as Model T production ramped up. Many of the smiths in New England left their businesses and "headed West". The people left behind to run the forges in the East were the "Strikers" - big guys who swung the hammers while the skilled smiths deftly manipulated the tools that were struck and did the actual forming. So the image of the smith changed from the admirable village smithy in Longfellow's poem to that of a violent, shady character with poor metal working skills.

 

[3v0]

Interesting bit of info BG.

I still have my anvil but not much else. I do not think the neighbors would appreciate the ringing in their ears.

 

[JBlk]

I don't believe that anybody who uses tools day in and day out would depend on harbor Freight Tools, but you only get what you pay for.Many of the tools you buy today in the farm stores are of no better quality.I have some things that I bought there that have lasted for years with severe service and others that hardly made it out the door.One thing you sure can't beat is the price of their UPS delivery to the door.You can generally read the testamonials that customers of the item you are instrested in and it will give you a good idea of how that item will perform.

 

[daugen]

JBlk, well said.

Still no report from Deep Wrench. I wonder if he's still in training.
Wondering if HF management has made this forum required reading for managers.
C'mon DW, get us those thirty off coupons...:thumbsup:

 

[CompactTractorFan]

JBlk, well said.

Still no report from Deep Wrench. I wonder if he's still in training.
Wondering if HF management has made this forum required reading for managers.
C'mon DW, get us those thirty off coupons...:thumbsup:

Still here. Work is going good. Had a guy storm out of the store yesterday because he could not use two 20% coupons in one trip. :confused2:

 

[crazyal]

Still here. Work is going good. Had a guy storm out of the store yesterday because he could not use two 20% coupons in one trip. :confused2:

I guess using one, walking out the door, coming back in and using the second was too hard?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Usually those ext. warr. have huge commissions. They're big money-makers for the seller. (maybe not so much for HF, though. )

Theyre money makers for the outside group that provides the insurance ... and Im sure something for the employee. They are a one time replacement w/i the extended "warranty" period. If your item craps out the 2nd time you use it, and its beyond the std 90day period you get the replacement, but not the rest of the extension. You have to buy a new extension. Leaves a sour taste thinking the item may have a prevalent weakness to storage after intitial stress.
larry

 

[Pixguy]

Question regarding the plastic laminator since i picked up a brand new one at a local thrift store. And for a couple dollars.
Can I just buy the 8' x 12" sleeves and cut them to the size I want or do I need to buy the various sizes such as 8 x 12 and 4 x 6, etc?

Late to the game with this answer, I got away for a few weeks and just catching up.

Yes, you can use the cut down pouches, no problem.
But don't do what an employee did to mine years ago, she put the pouch through without placing it in a the paper sleeve, ruining the machine.

 

[sixdogs]

Late to the game with this answer, I got away for a few weeks and just catching up.

Yes, you can use the cut down pouches, no problem.
But don't do what an employee did to mine years ago, she put the pouch through without placing it in a the paper sleeve, ruining the machine.

Thanks. I did use it yesterday for the first time and it did a remarkable job. I can seal notes for the barn or recepies for the wife and all is good. I highly recommend their heat sealer but be sure to let it warm up thoroughly. Once you have one you'll wonder how you got along without it.

 

[Pixguy]

Thanks. I did use it yesterday for the first time and it did a remarkable job. I can seal notes for the barn or recepies for the wife and all is good. I highly recommend their heat sealer but be sure to let it warm up thoroughly. Once you have one you'll wonder how you got along without it.

Exactly, your family members will find uses for it as well.
Like my dad, whos utility trailer gets used by all of us kids, he laminates the registration so if it gets wet in the tongue mounted tool box, it doesn't get ruined.

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