Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sixdogs]

Here's one to avoid. It's this work light @ $12.99

Fluorescent Work Light

The hanging hook is in the wrong place, the reflector in the back slips down and when you try to separate things to put the reflector back, it breaks. In addition, the light is not aimed correctly and the surface of the clear portion scratches easily and distorts the light. Since mine is (or was) a couple years old, some of these problems may have been fixed, but I'm guessing the 2 1/2 stars suggests otherwise. Avoid.

 

[frogpond]

A good one from HF: oil filter wrench with three arms that tightens when placed on the end of the filter.You turn it with a 3/8" drive socet wrench handle. Works great on the engine oil filter on my bx25d. There's no room to get a regular strap type wrench around it. Costs under ten dollars and saves a lot of cursing.

 

[Threepoint]

Here's one to avoid. It's this work light @ $12.99

Fluorescent Work Light

The hanging hook is in the wrong place, the reflector in the back slips down and when you try to separate things to put the reflector back, it breaks. In addition, the light is not aimed correctly and the surface of the clear portion scratches easily and distorts the light. Since mine is (or was) a couple years old, some of these problems may have been fixed, but I'm guessing the 2 1/2 stars suggests otherwise. Avoid.

Yikes, I've had this light for probably 5+ yrs and haven't had these problems. YMMV, I guess.

 

[PILOON]

Here's one to avoid. It's this work light @ $12.99

Fluorescent Work Light

The hanging hook is in the wrong place, the reflector in the back slips down and when you try to separate things to put the reflector back, it breaks. In addition, the light is not aimed correctly and the surface of the clear portion scratches easily and distorts the light. Since mine is (or was) a couple years old, some of these problems may have been fixed, but I'm guessing the 2 1/2 stars suggests otherwise. Avoid.

Agree the hook is not well placed but I changed that to suit my needs.
I also glued the reflector to suit my needs, other than that I like the size and format.

On the other hand today there are some real nice LED formats, best are those that have AA cells for power. My favorite has 24 LEDs and uses 3 AA's has a magnet as well as a hook.
Overall it is sized similar to a TV remote control.
LOL, my wife mistook it for a remote and cussed dead batteries when the channel would not change.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]

On the other hand today there are some real nice LED formats, best are those that have AA cells for power. My favorite has 24 LEDs and uses 3 AA's has a magnet as well as a hook.
Overall it is sized similar to a TV remote control.
LOL, my wife mistook it for a remote and cussed dead batteries when the channel would not change.

I have a few of these: 27 LED Portable Worklight/Flashlight HF has recently been giving these away as one of their free items with any purchase, sometimes with no purchase. Pretty bright, and the hook and magnetic back let's you position them around equipment.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have a few of these: 27 LED Portable Worklight/Flashlight HF has recently been giving these away as one of their free items with any purchase, sometimes with no purchase. Pretty bright, and the hook and magnetic back let's you position them around equipment.

I agree, these little things are actually more useful than traditional work lights often as they are small enough to get into tight spaces and not interfere with access to whatever is being worked on.

Another benefit is that they are too big to fall into the fuel tank. The other freebie LED lights from HF fit quite nicely into the fuel tank. Luckily, they can be fished out of the tank with a flexible claw pickup tool. TEKTON 7597 36-Inch Claw Pick-Up Tool - Hand Tool Sets - Amazon.com

By the way, the freebie LED lights still work after bathing in diesel fuel for a few hours.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]
Another benefit is that they are too big to fall into the fuel tank. The other freebie LED lights from HF fit quite nicely into the fuel tank. Luckily, they can be fished out of the tank with a flexible claw pickup tool. TEKTON 7597 36-Inch Claw Pick-Up Tool - Hand Tool Sets - Amazon.com

By the way, the freebie LED lights still work after bathing in diesel fuel for a few hours.

Oh man, I can just imagine how you felt when the flashlight disappeared down the fill spout! :laughing: A few years ago I had the plastic flex nozzle from a fuel can drop into the tank of my B2150 while refueling. By the time it settled to the bottom, it had floated to the most inaccessible corner. My claw pickup tool wouldn't grip it, and it took me a good hour to fish it out with a long piece of bent wire.

 

[newbury]

And to buy those tools that don't suck
a 25% off coupon for Mothers Day!

 

[newbury]

And to buy those tools that don't suck
a 25% off coupon for Mothers Day!

 

[JESSE1]

I won a Harbor Freight drill/driver as a door prize at a car show I was entered in back in March. I think they sell for about $20. I figured it would be junk but so far I've been very impressed with the power it puts out, considering how small the battery is. I'm used to Milwaukee tools but this seems to be a pretty good drill, don't know how long it would last if used daily.