Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

I first heard of the Harbor Freight Salvage Co. back in the early 80's, my dad found them, probably in Boats & Harbors. Their mailers back then were about four 8.5x11 printed pages with descriptions and item numbers, sent to you in a business envelope.

Mimeographed, as I recall.

They've now advanced to where they're a credible alternative to some of the Craftsman tools.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

You would be singing a different tune if the wrench colors were Kubota Orange, IH Red, Ford Blue, Case Yellow and JD Green...:laughing::laughing:

I'm sure you meant to say "KIOTI" orange

 

[sixdogs]

I'm sure you meant to say "KIOTI" orange

You know, you're right. I must have bumped my head. :laughing::laughing:

 

[lostcreekranch]

I am looking for a replacement bench top drill press to replace the underpowered and undersized 8" 3 speed one I have now. It is a inexpensive Ohio Forgemodel I bought at Home Depot about 30 years ago.

This will be strictly for metal work only. I have a Ridgid 15" floor model that I use for woodworking but, don't want mixed use as metal cutting lube and woodworking don't do well together.

I am currently looking at the Harbor Freight 13" x 16 speed bench top model below;

Bench Drill Press - 16 Speed



Does anyone have experience with this model?

Reading the reviews, the models produced 3-4 years ago had issues but more recent review seem to indicate that quality is better?

I have an unused 25% off coupon that would reduce cost to about $195.

Thanks in advance for input.

 

[IslandTractor]

I am looking for a replacement bench top drill press to replace the underpowered and undersized 8" 3 speed one I have now. It is a inexpensive Ohio Forgemodel I bought at Home Depot about 30 years ago.

This will be strictly for metal work only. I have a Ridgid 15" floor model that I use for woodworking but, don't want mixed use as metal cutting lube and woodworking don't do well together.

I am currently looking at the Harbor Freight 13" x 16 speed bench top model below;

Bench Drill Press - 16 Speed

View attachment 416796

Does anyone have experience with this model?

Reading the reviews, the models produced 3-4 years ago had issues but more recent review seem to indicate that quality is better?

I have an unused 25% off coupon that would reduce cost to about $195.

Thanks in advance for input.

I own that model. Bottom line is that it is a great deal when using a coupon. I haven't had any trouble at all with mine. I don't use it for production but for typical homeowner use it is IMO better than most of the other benchtop drill presses out there. I don't doubt that spending six or eight times as much will get you more precision especially with the table movements etc which may be important for fine furniture building or machining but I find it perfectly acceptable for what I do. I combined it with 1) an independent stand made with 2x4s to raise it up to standing drill press height and 2) a cross slide vise from HF 6" Cross Slide Vise The combo work fine. Given that you can use a coupon for each of them the combined price is darn good.

 

[newbury]

Double post. I don't know if it's been mentioned, but price wise avoid ever buying Harbor Freight welding rods. Even with a 20 or 25% coupon, you get same price for Hobarts at TSC, or Lincolns at Lowes. <snip>

I agree with your summation that anything used professionally every day should be purchased somewhere other than HF. On the other hand, I recall last summer on a Friday evening just before closing, a welders truck pulled up outside the store and a guy ran in to buy an armful of welding rods. I asked him if they were any good and he replied that they were good enough, especially when the LWS was closed.

Or when the LWS, Lowes, HD, TSC, etc. doesn't have what you need. I had to have some 1/16 rod for a patch job, only HF had them that day (and for me a trip to town is 2 hours). The LWS guy was shocked he was out of them, but he was out of all 1/16th, all flavors. I kept blowing holes with my PA 300 with thicker rods. HF 1/16 saved the day.

 

[Threepoint]

Rick, I recently wanted a second drill press for a small metal-working production job for a local club so I wouldn't have to be switching out jigs and set-ups. Perfect excuse to buy a new tool. :thumbsup: I looked at the 13" bench model you have in mind, and the 13" floor model, but then saw a 17" 16-speed floor model standing next to it. Floor Drill Press - 16 Speed Floor Drill Press World of difference, in my opinion. Much beefier, 4" more swing, and a 1 hp motor. With the 25% coupon I had at the time, it was only $97 more than you'd pay for the 13" bench model. It also has a flexible task light and is already set up to handle lubricants with a square, T-slotted, self-draining table, a gravity-feed cutting oil reservoir and collection bottle. The 13" model has through-slots in a smaller table, so you'd have to figure out a way to capture the cutting lubricant.

The DP paid for itself the first time I used it. It doesn't come with a bulb for the task light, and HF for some reason doesn't sell them. I found a 7w bright-white LED bulb (40w incandescent equivalent) on e-Bay and the task light stays cool. As for the benchtop vs. floor model issue, I figured by the time I lost bench space for the benchtop DP, or built a dedicated stand to raise it to working height, I was losing just as much space anyway, so was better off going with the more capable 17" in a floor model.

 

[IslandTractor]

Rick, I recently wanted a second drill press for a small metal-working production job for a local club so I wouldn't have to be switching out jigs and set-ups. Perfect excuse to buy a new tool. :thumbsup: I looked at the 13" bench model you have in mind, and the 13" floor model, but then saw a 17" 16-speed floor model standing next to it. Floor Drill Press - 16 Speed Floor Drill Press World of difference, in my opinion. Much beefier, 4" more swing, and a 1 hp motor. With the 25% coupon I had at the time, it was only $97 more than you'd pay for the 13" bench model. It also has a flexible task light and is already set up to handle lubricants with a square, T-slotted, self-draining table, a gravity-feed cutting oil reservoir and collection bottle. The 13" model has through-slots in a smaller table, so you'd have to figure out a way to capture the cutting lubricant. The DP paid for itself the first time I used it. It doesn't come with a bulb for the task light, and HF for some reason doesn't sell them. I found a 7w bright-white LED bulb (40w incandescent equivalent) on e-Bay and the task light stays cool. As for the benchtop vs. floor model issue, I figured by the time I lost bench space for the benchtop DP, or built a dedicated stand to raise it to working height, I was losing just as much space anyway, so was better off going with the more capable 17" in a floor model.

He's looking at the 16" bench model, not the 13".

 

[Threepoint]

He's looking at the 16" bench model, not the 13".

Island, click his link in post 4424. That's why I'm thinking it's the 13" 16-speed he's been looking at.

 

[IslandTractor]

Island, click his link in post 4424. That's why I'm thinking it's the 13" 16-speed he's been looking at.

You are right but now I am confused about which one I have. I thought mine was a 16" bench top. Looks just like the one in the link but It isn't the little baby version that HF sells. I cannot check it as it is 70 miles away.