HF tools that suck

[Skyco]

Thanks for the tip on Lowes...I had no idea they stocked flux core at such a good price- $39.97 locally, did have a note it was a locally lower price.

[johnnylight]

here's my first tool that suck:

Do not buy:

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


Cheap plastic bearing for wet wheel.
Unbalanced.
poorly design.

[EddieWalker]

I'm going to add wheel pullers to the list of tools that suck. I bought the three pack, and have throughn two of them away. They either strip out, or the metal snaps on them. I still have the smallest one, but that's because I don't have a use for it. The metal in them is just too soft and brittle!!!

Eddie

[patrick_g]

Thanks for the heads up on the grinder. I will be getting the sharpening tool from the makers of the Drill Doctor. I am convinced it is a good deal.

One of my worst HF buys was roller stands with collets to adjust the height of the round tube supporting the roller. They are a bitch to adjust and if you really hand tighten them the collets sometimes break.

A similar stand with square tubing and a bolt with a handle on it that tightens in from the side of the tube is a really nice and handy easily adjusted stand. I have several of these.

I will probably rework the ones I have with round tubes and collets so they are more useful.

Pat

[2manyrocks]

We did one of those week long community playground projects a couple of years ago. For some reason, the organizers bought a few of the HF drills and miter saws. Many of the volunteers brought in their own name brand power tools, and that's when you could really tell which tools were the real ones. The HF stuff was really weak by comparison, in my opinion. Make one cut with a chinese miter saw and make one cut with a dewalt and see the difference. Save your money to buy real power tools.

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by 2manyrocks

We did one of those week long community playground projects a couple of years ago. For some reason, the organizers bought a few of the HF drills and miter saws. Many of the volunteers brought in their own name brand power tools, and that's when you could really tell which tools were the real ones. The HF stuff was really weak by comparison, in my opinion. Make one cut with a chinese miter saw and make one cut with a dewalt and see the difference. Save your money to buy real power tools.

DeWalt vs Chinese... an interesting comparison.

Do you have a DeWalt chop saw? Pull the cover and read the molded into the plastic wording--> MADE IN CHINA

I have the EXPENSIVE DeWalt compound slide miter saw. Under the cover it says MADE IN CHINA.

What you are really saying whether you know it or not is that there are different levels of quality in Chinese tools, the typical level of HF and the slightly better some of the time DeWalt.

I just got my Chinese DeWalt (should that be De Wart?) chop saw back from the factory authorized repair station where the repair was nearly as much as a new saw. I have 2 so I can have one to use. I have 3 failed Ryobis, and 2 failed HF. In my spare time (yeah right) I will consolidate them to try to make a couple running saws.

The one HF lasted about 5 min. Luckily I had the DeWalt along too as I was up by Tulsa buying pipe which had to be cut to 25 ft lengths to go on my trailer.

A couple weeks ago I had 3 each 4 1/2 inch angle grinders, two DeWalts and I forget the other brand but the tool is ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL except sticker and color. The two labeled DeWalt died and the min charge for repair is the new price at a discount store so they are throw away Chinese junk now.

I heard that some Milwaukee tools are still made in the USA (just not Milwaukee) but some are made in China.

When you recommend buying American power tools what brand(s) if any can you count on being American?

I agree with quality tools being superior to cheapies but buying a familiar "American" name does not guarantee you are not getting cheap Chinese goods.

I have a Skill brand skill saw, a worm drive 6 1/2 inch with good bearings not bushings, a Milwaukee 3/8 corded drill (Magnum Holeshooter), and a Milwaukee 2 speed corded Sawzall. I traded a home built computer (pre IBM) for them in the mid 70's They are all still going strong. Only maint has been to change a twist lock cord on one and new brushes for another. These are American built good quality tools.

It is getting harder and harder to buy quality power tools. I'm at the point that I may just buy 2-3 HF angle grinders (at the price of a single DeWalt even with HF extended warranty) and let HF give me free replacements under warranty. I'd be $ ahead and not down waiting for repairs since I would have multiple spares.

My radial arm saw is a Craftsman (circa the late 50's) really heavy, lots of cast iron, and still running really well.

Pat

[Travelover]

Originally Posted by patrick_g

...................

I will probably rework the ones I have with round tubes and collets so they are more useful.

Pat

This is the fun part of owning HF stuff. I like to think of their stuff as prototypes, as opposed to a truly finished product. A few tweaks and a little work and you've got something that works.

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by Travelover

This is the fun part of owning HF stuff. I like to think of their stuff as prototypes, as opposed to a truly finished product. A few tweaks and a little work and you've got something that works.

Well, sometimes... Sometimes it is just not good stuff and no reasonable and cost effective approach is available to make it right.

I bought the larger of the two battery testers they sell. It is the 500 amp one. I thought it was DOA right out of the box (instructions were useless) but when I opened it up and figured out how it worked I knew how to use it and it is a darned good battery tester. With diesel trucks with a pair of 100 AH batts in parallel you need a really good HD load tester to get it right.

I will either drill the concentric tubes of the roller stands and use pins or split the enclosing tube and use a hose clamp to secure the moving tube. Either will work.

Pat

[SnowRidge]

Originally Posted by EddieWalker

I'm going to add wheel pullers to the list of tools that suck. I bought the three pack, and have throughn two of them away. They either strip out, or the metal snaps on them. I still have the smallest one, but that's because I don't have a use for it. The metal in them is just too soft and brittle!!!

Eddie

I returned the very same after one broke. They are junk, marked made in India, not made in China.

[SnowRidge]

Originally Posted by 2manyrocks

We did one of those week long community playground projects a couple of years ago. For some reason, the organizers bought a few of the HF drills and miter saws. Many of the volunteers brought in their own name brand power tools, and that's when you could really tell which tools were the real ones. The HF stuff was really weak by comparison, in my opinion. Make one cut with a chinese miter saw and make one cut with a dewalt and see the difference. Save your money to buy real power tools.

I bought an expensive DeWalt bench grinder. It turned out to be absolute garbage, made in China. I could have bought a HF unit for half the price, and it would have been better built.

I have not purchased a single DeWalt or B&D item since.