Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,171  
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,173  
I saw the notation on the HF chain that it is yellow to meet CA DOT reqs, and was going to ask what that was all about, until I looked at the TSC link, where it explained that CA DOT inspectors can identify a chain's load rating by its color.

Now can anyone tell what difference is between logging chain and binder chain, or just plain old chain?

We have a couple of 8' 3/8" chains with grab hooks on one end and a ? 12" "J"-hook on the other, from Northern Tool and they get the most use, but all our other chains were inherited or bought at barn sales and are mixed lengths of 5/16" and 3/8" with a devil's assortment of end hardware ranging from standard slip or grab hooks to a forged ring.
New chains have the grade stamped in the links about every 2-3 feet. If you have no marking according to the DOT regs, you have to assume it is the lowest grade of chain for strength assumptions when tying down a load using it.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,174  
And we want super low prices, so that is how HF specs out the tools. :laughing:

It is not necessarily a bad business strategy and works for the consumer too. If I were a pro I would steer clear of HF and invest in quality reliable tools. But as a rank amateur who can either fork out $250 to have a plumber come over for twenty minutes or buy a crappy version of a special tool for less than $20 and do the job myself, HF is perfect. If I find I use a tool frequently and the HF tool breaks, I do a quick calculation in my head about whether to just keep replacing the HF version or to go invest serious bucks in a Makita etc.

I bought one of the Fein orbital tools about ten years ago. Paid big bucks. Don't use it much but I do use it enough to "need" that tool. A few years ago their patent expired and the floodgates opened on knockoffs. The HF knockoff is just fine for anything I need so I would have saved quite a bit of dough had that been available when I needed it. On the other hand, after buying several iterations of knock off battery powered drills from Costco and Sears etc, I finally got fed up and just plunked down the big bucks for a full set of Makita 18V lithium tools. There are some things you don't want to get at HF.

I would never spend multiple thousands on metal working tools like benders, presses, brakes, etc etc. But if HF makes a so so version that I can buy on sale for cheap money then I am glad to do it and have the opportunity to do little projects I could never do without such tools. I never knew I needed a one inch sanding belt machine...HF put one on sale for about $30 so I came up with an excuse to buy it. Works like a charm. Paid for itself the first weekend making some custom dowels that would have cost me hundreds to get done by a woodworking shop. Score.

HF sells lots of crap tools. I love it. Long live crap tools.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,177  
It is not necessarily a bad business strategy and works for the consumer too. If I were a pro I would steer clear of HF and invest in quality reliable tools. But as a rank amateur who can either fork out $250 to have a plumber come over for twenty minutes or buy a crappy version of a special tool for less than $20 and do the job myself, HF is perfect. If I find I use a tool frequently and the HF tool breaks, I do a quick calculation in my head about whether to just keep replacing the HF version or to go invest serious bucks in a Makita etc.

I bought one of the Fein orbital tools about ten years ago. Paid big bucks. Don't use it much but I do use it enough to "need" that tool. A few years ago their patent expired and the floodgates opened on knockoffs. The HF knockoff is just fine for anything I need so I would have saved quite a bit of dough had that been available when I needed it. On the other hand, after buying several iterations of knock off battery powered drills from Costco and Sears etc, I finally got fed up and just plunked down the big bucks for a full set of Makita 18V lithium tools. There are some things you don't want to get at HF.

I would never spend multiple thousands on metal working tools like benders, presses, brakes, etc etc. But if HF makes a so so version that I can buy on sale for cheap money then I am glad to do it and have the opportunity to do little projects I could never do without such tools. I never knew I needed a one inch sanding belt machine...HF put one on sale for about $30 so I came up with an excuse to buy it. Works like a charm. Paid for itself the first weekend making some custom dowels that would have cost me hundreds to get done by a woodworking shop. Score.

HF sells lots of crap tools. I love it. Long live crap tools.
I dont see it on there, but I bought a knockoff Fein spiral saw a few years back for $20 .. Ferm brand I think.. Came with variable speed, all the attachments and a nice bag.. Works great and still going.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,178  
It is not necessarily a bad business strategy and works for the consumer too. If I were a pro I would steer clear of HF and invest in quality reliable tools. But as a rank amateur who can either fork out $250 to have a plumber come over for twenty minutes or buy a crappy version of a special tool for less than $20 and do the job myself, HF is perfect. If I find I use a tool frequently and the HF tool breaks, I do a quick calculation in my head about whether to just keep replacing the HF version or to go invest serious bucks in a Makita etc.

I bought one of the Fein orbital tools about ten years ago. Paid big bucks. Don't use it much but I do use it enough to "need" that tool. A few years ago their patent expired and the floodgates opened on knockoffs. The HF knockoff is just fine for anything I need so I would have saved quite a bit of dough had that been available when I needed it. On the other hand, after buying several iterations of knock off battery powered drills from Costco and Sears etc, I finally got fed up and just plunked down the big bucks for a full set of Makita 18V lithium tools. There are some things you don't want to get at HF.

I would never spend multiple thousands on metal working tools like benders, presses, brakes, etc etc. But if HF makes a so so version that I can buy on sale for cheap money then I am glad to do it and have the opportunity to do little projects I could never do without such tools. I never knew I needed a one inch sanding belt machine...HF put one on sale for about $30 so I came up with an excuse to buy it. Works like a charm. Paid for itself the first weekend making some custom dowels that would have cost me hundreds to get done by a woodworking shop. Score.

HF sells lots of crap tools. I love it. Long live crap tools.

I work with a lot of pipe crews; water, sewer, storm; and they go through a quit a few laborers/helpers/hill men. Every time they get a new guy he manages to loose a about half of the small hand tools (hammers, wrenches, wire cutters, shovels, sockets, ect) on the truck before he learns to keep things picked up before the sand "eats them". Many of the foremen just buy the cheap replacements from HF because the tools don't wear out or break; they get buried, lost, or stolen. A $5 HF hammer works fine for beating a gasket in, not that a framer would be caught dead with one
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,179  
I have to give a thumbs up on the HF 2500 lb. wireless winch #61840. I purchased 2 with coupons. Paid $44.99 for one and $49.99 for the other. I use one with my lowboy trailer. I made a hitch mount for the winch and welded a receiver to the trailer. I used it to winch a 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee onto the trailer. It worked very well. The wireless control makes working the Jeep an easy process. I used one line winching the first time as I had a very low incline. The second time it was from street level so I used a double line pull. The winch just did its work. It did not give any indication of overloading, did not overheat, it was just an easy winching process. I will use one with the trailer for vehicles and firewood log hauling. The second one I will use to raise my walls on my shed building project. After, I will use it with a log splitter I plan to build. A good inexpensive winch.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #4,180  
Their propane torches for $20 worked way better than the $55 one I bought a HD. Took the one back to HD and bought another with the igniter for $30 and it was just as good as the cheaper one. The igniter on the $30 one might where out eventually but I've used it probably 25 times with no issues.
 
 
Top