Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Norm W]

Sulfur probably causes cancer in California, at least in their mice. It makes cutting steel much easier. Sulfur is added to some steel to make it "Free Machining"

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Interesting. I wonder why this plumber's thread cutting oil is labelled as a specialty product due to its high sulfur content.

Some things work best, and some things work well, and some things work... acceptably. If I were a machinist, doing a lot of work every day, I would probably want something in the "best" category, which is usually made specifically for a particular job.

But for a home mechanic... if I have some ATF around, I'll use it, and if not, I'll use motor oil or WD-40 or whatever oil is handy. I many be down in the "well" or even the "acceptably" category, but that's okay, I'm not making a living at this.

 

[California]

But for a home mechanic... if I have some ATF around, I'll use it, and if not, I'll use motor oil or WD-40 or whatever oil is handy. I many be down in the "well" or even the "acceptably" category, but that's okay, I'm not making a living at this.

Me too. You'll chuckle at this: the high sulfur pipe threading oil I'm describing came from ... the free , recycle, table at the county hazardous waste collection facility.

They put out for reuse anything brought in that is legal to sell. I drive right by there often and have picked up paint occasionally, preferably rustoleum primer or topcoat for my implements where a few specs in the paint won't hurt anything. Here's a project that was 100% Rustoleum where only the final coat was purchased.

HF tools: I use the $9 HF spray gun, and thought I might crud it up with particles. But HF's cone filters work great to purify out the crust fragments from the several half-used cans of red primer I got there. After that recycled paint was filtered and thinned it sprayed identical to newly purchased paint. Hmm I just remembered - I sprayed flat black Alkyd paint that Dad must have bought 20+ years ago, repainting my trailer, and that took a month to harden where it couldn't be scratched easily. Paint of unknown history isn't for critical applications.

Last visit's prizes in addition to the threading oil were: A half gallon of pressure washer soap, and close to two gallons (across several containers) of pure tiki-torch and kerosene heater fuel. This makes decent 'diesel' for my old tractor after adding 2-cycle oil - which come to think of it came from there as well. (I don't run more than 10% of this bogus fuel in a tankful however). Also a couple of half-quarts of chainsaw bar oil. I'm not poor but I'm 'frugal' where opportunities like these are found. That's partly how I was able to retire early and live comfortably.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Me too. You'll chuckle at this: the high sulfur pipe threading oil I'm describing came from ... the free , recycle, table at the county hazardous waste collection facility.

Ha! I love it!


My Kubota is currently running on #2 heating oil, picked up for free from a Craigslist deal. Guy was moving to electric heat and wanted to get rid of the oil tank, which was nearly full. Works for me! :thumbsup:

 

[California]

You did good!!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Soldier415]

Just ordered a 25 inch 1/2" drive breaker bar from HF

 

[sixdogs]

Just ordered a 25 inch 1/2" drive breaker bar from HF

That is a good purchase and I may have posted those comments earlier. I use mine almost exclusively where it gets abused. I stand on it, hit it with a big rubber hammer or do what it takes when I need to use it. So far, so good and in maybe 8 years it's only loosened up a little bit. The huge half inch ratchet is also good and while I haven't broken it, it keeps feeling like it wants to.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Heh. I managed to bend the handle on their 1" ratchet. A 5 foot cheater pipe and my 300+ pound son AND me leaning on it didn't budge the bung on my air compressor, but it did manage to bend the ratchet handle.

I gave up and solved my compressor problem a different way!

 

[Midniteoyl]

I gave up and solved my compressor problem a different way!

New. I always go with 'screw it! I'm getting a new one!'... Right?

 

[California]

A 5 foot cheater pipe and my 300+ pound son AND me leaning on it didn't budge the bung on my air compressor, but it did manage to bend the ratchet handle.

How in the world did you hold down the tank against that kind of torque? Long before that handle would bend, I'm picturing the tank flopping around like a dolphin that jumped into your boat.