Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Denwa]

I picked up their video inspection camera on Friday. On sale for $109, down from $139 and then I had a 20% off coupon so I got it for $80ish with tax.
Works pretty well playing with it. I can't count the number of times I wished I had one of these in the past, next time I'll be set

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

Skyco,
Well Skyco tell us, you still happy with the unit now that you've owned thing for almost a year? I'm in the market for such a thing, and this is on of the type of things I'm skeptical about getting from HF.
TIA,
Dennis

 

[horsebroke]

I absolutely LOVE going to the HF store - I save up, 'cause it's a 65 mile EACH WAY trip. Most of the items I buy are typical "expendable" items - like glue, sandpaper, pop-rivets, etc.

The 9-element LED Flashlight is superb - I have quite a few of these in both the cars, in the camper, in the garage, and the barn, and the shop, etc....

Another thing I have purchased quite a few of are the 18" x 12" Mover's Dollies. They're on sale right now for $7.99 each. I'm trying to better organize my shop, so I'm putting wheels on many items. The wheels cost 5.99 and up - EACH - so by buying the Mover's dollies, I can get 4 of them for $8!! Last time I was there, I bought 4.

For everyone's info - most "men's" hobby/technical type magazines have HF coupons in them. I found one in my most recent copy of "Discover" magazine, as well as "Popular Science", "Popular Mechanics", "National Geographic", "Better Homes & Gardens - WOOD", and many others. They ALL have the 20% off coupon in them (in a full-page ad toward the back of the mag.)

 

[20 20]

i'm going to have to stand up for the earthquake impact guns, specifically the 1" one. we have it at work, and run it off an engine driven-tow behind 185 compressor through a 3/4" hose. the gun hits like theres no tomarrow. it changes semi truck truck tires, does heavy equipment undercarriage work, track bolts, etc. there is absolutely no 1/2" gun out there that is going to overpower it. (i have a 1/2" IR 2135timax gun, and cannot match the brute strength of the 1" gun--as it shouldnt be able to).

i'll also stick up for the 1" non-earthquake gun. i have one personally, that i use at home. i run it through a 3/4" hose. i cant complain about it at all. i have tey to find something it cant take apart.

Thanks for the post, I'm still shopping around. Money is an issue, I have the 1/2" earthquake and feel it is a very strong impact. I need a 1" for my dump truck so I have been looking at both 1" impacts at HF, the earthquake and the other one that has been on sale{170.00 I think}

 

[some zilch]

Thanks for the post, I'm still shopping around. Money is an issue, I have the 1/2" earthquake and feel it is a very strong impact. I need a 1" for my dump truck so I have been looking at both 1" impacts at HF, the earthquake and the other one that has been on sale{170.00 I think}

i will say that the earthquake seems to hit harder than than the non-earthquake one, but have never really compared them side by side. my non-earthquake 1" gun can easily take apart hydraulic hammers that mount on 30-50 ton excavators, and those bolts are on TIGHT. they should work fine for tire changes/suspension work on large trucks like yours

you need lots of air to make these guns work. b/c they are HF, they do need more air than an IR, b/c they are way less efficient. but less efficient does not mean they dont work...

i use hose like this for the big guns:

and couplers like this (they twist together, then you put to little cotter pins in so they cant come apart:

 

[20 20]

Thanks for the info.

 

[leeinMT]

I just discovered a HF item that truly does not suck. Literally. It's the siphon pump which is a black rubber squeeze bulb with three feet of clear tubing at each end. New out of the package, I attempted to transfer 4 gallons of water from an elevated stock tank to a bucket 4 feet below. Repeated squeezings would only bring the water up about 4 inches.
I took it apart and found that the valves are loose in their sealed plastic housings and don't seat very well. This one is going back to the store.

 

[patrick_g]

I have a kit of HF router bits which are carbide and work pretty much OK but lately broke two of them off using my router table. Switched to a different assortment from different importer (still cheap Chinese) and one of those broke. They are 1/4 inch straight bits.

I bought 3 Bosh bits at Lowes for just over $50 for the 3. I didn't pay that much for the assortment of about 40 bits. Straight 1/4 and two straight 1/2 one bearing on top the other on the bottom. We'll see how long they last and which is the $deal.

I do like the air/hydraulic pop rivet gun. Popping a few rivets manually is no big deal but a hundred or 200 or more is a different experience manually and the air powered tool sure is nice then.

Pat

 

[California]

truly does not suck. Literally. It's the siphon pump which is a black rubber squeeze bulb with three feet of clear tubing at each end.

That was my experience too. It worked poorly when new and worse after a couple more uses, months apart.

It will just barely get a downhill siphon started if you squeeze franticaly fast.

Poor valve-to-seat contact sounds about right. Hydraulic fluid seals enough to start the siphon, but for diesel not at all to just barely.

Has anyone tried the other type with larger hose and a copper(?) ball?

 

[BigE_]

I have a kit of HF router bits which are carbide and work pretty much OK but lately broke two of them off using my router table.

Router bits are one place where I don't go cheap. The ones are HF are just too cheap to bother with. Go with Jesada or Whiteside and you won't be disappointed. I did buy a 66 piece set from MLCS, and they are pretty decent, but still leave more fuzz than they should. The Jesada bits leave no fuzz behind.

 

[leeinMT]

The best router bits for the money I have found are from Rockler. They have had free shipping this past month which made even more sense. I have learned from credible sources that there are indeed different quality grades of carbide.