Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 52,238
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
Had to pick up some items for work. realize that in the construction industry, some tools are disposable by nature.. even tools that should be durable..
Today i went around and looked at sears, harbor freight and northern tools.
i priced a 5" full swivel ( s axis ) vise.
northern 129, sears 75, harbor freight 75, sale for 52 with coupon.
vise? SAME except for the aluminum tag. same paint... heck.. same part number for northern and harbor freight. different packaging for all 3 stores. funny enough.. sears and HF had a better box than northern.
instruction sheet for northern and HF was the same.. didn't list any brand names.. just a bunch of chinglish safety warnings... sears had it's own brand of paper work..
also loked at a ratcheting pipe threader. the northern tool and HF units are the same as well.. REALLY the same .. pipe thread tap and die sets same at northern and hf. northern at about 2x the price. hf boxes colored shiney cardboard. norhtern boxes, plain white taped shut with black part number and basic description.
how does northern stay in business selling the same tools as HF ??
ps.. I did a comparison on about 3 other tools that i could find exact equivalents of... in all cases.. most had smae part number and insturctions.. but HF cheaper....
just wonder / observation..
Today i went around and looked at sears, harbor freight and northern tools.
i priced a 5" full swivel ( s axis ) vise.
northern 129, sears 75, harbor freight 75, sale for 52 with coupon.
vise? SAME except for the aluminum tag. same paint... heck.. same part number for northern and harbor freight. different packaging for all 3 stores. funny enough.. sears and HF had a better box than northern.
instruction sheet for northern and HF was the same.. didn't list any brand names.. just a bunch of chinglish safety warnings... sears had it's own brand of paper work..
also loked at a ratcheting pipe threader. the northern tool and HF units are the same as well.. REALLY the same .. pipe thread tap and die sets same at northern and hf. northern at about 2x the price. hf boxes colored shiney cardboard. norhtern boxes, plain white taped shut with black part number and basic description.
how does northern stay in business selling the same tools as HF ??
ps.. I did a comparison on about 3 other tools that i could find exact equivalents of... in all cases.. most had smae part number and insturctions.. but HF cheaper....
just wonder / observation..