Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[sparc]

In another thread, there was a complaint about searching on Tractorbynet.

Here is a neat trick. Go to this Google site: Google Enterprise Search - relevant, easy search for intranets and websites

Underneath the word Demo, type in www. tractorbynet.com in the left box and what you want to search for in the right box. It does a site specific search. Works for any web site

I believe this is a search engine that is meant to be downloaded, installed, and run on the server hosting the particular web site.

The DEMO feature is only to show how it would operate once installed.

This would allow a web administrator to use a search engine other than the one supplied by the web design software. Microsoft used to furnish a search engine with the FrontPage application, as others do I'm sure.

So why would Google want to make inroads into this area? My guess is because the search stats are being fed back to thier servers where the data is indexed along with info on searches made from the Google search page we are so used to using on their website. All that information is used to build indexes to target ads to a particular group and more importantly as a way to sell their services to advertisers. Ever notice how if you did a Goolge search yesterday say that an ad related to that product or service will now appear in a banner ad when you visit some web site or even here on tractrobynet.com. That as is targeted toward you. When I visit that page I probably get a different ad that reflects my recent search subjects on Google or where ever else they are monitoring my activities such as following my phone around to see where I go. Leaving your GPS turned on in your phone lets them track what isles you walk down in a store and how long you stay there. /all that info has value and that is what Google markets and makes their stock worth over $700/share.

[daugen]

ok, on my second cup of coffee and maybe that will help in searching...

Here's one little tidbit I find helpful: Look on Northern Tools to see if they are selling the same product. Lot of overlap on lower priced products, but of course Northern Tools will charge
25-100% more for the same tool. But is it the same...these guys are so good at copying designs, I think all the less expensive stuff is just copying someone's good design from about ten or twenty years
ago. The state of the art in removing lug bolts hasn't changed all that much. But if Northern Tools seems to sell the same item, repainted, strikes me as a good omen, because they have their own testers and
seem to set a higher minimum "spec" than HF. Though Northern Tools has some junk too; my friend got sucked into "such a deal" pricing on an inexpensive log holder. What a cheesy piece of junk, and it seems that
NT is heavily discounting it now, down to the 20-30 dollar range.

I have always wondered if Torin, who sells to NT, and many others, has just repainted their stuff to blow it out on HF. Seems to be a lot of similarity on many tools.

[ETpilot]

ETPilot,
I do have a side question. without a torque wrench, how hard do you have to lean on the manual tool before one gets to 135 pounds? I know the length of the tool handle makes a huge difference, but
for the "average guy" who pulls almost as hard as he can, how many pounds does that equate to? I know, it's a big range, but now you've got me thinking whether I need to use a torque wrench on my
Land Pride's mower bolts. Those huge bolts (well over an inch) look like they could take a lot of overtightening without complaint. But doesn't overtightening reduce the life of the bolt?

glad you got a nice tool.

Daugen,

I cannot answer your question regarding manual torque. As you point out the length of the tool handle is a factor and you really do not have a measure of how much force you are putting on the tool. It could be a different force for each fastener. A torque wrench is the way to go for consistent torque value.. Working on aircraft I use a torque wrench often and that carries over to vehicles and equipment. I always look to see if a torque value is specified. If your Land Pride bolts secure your mower blades, I sure would want them at the proper torque. My mower has 3 blades and I would not want each of them at a different torque value. There is a lot of energy there should one let go.

Overtightening the bolt will over time tend to weaken it plus maybe deform the threads on the other half. When it lets go you know you have reached the overtightening limit. When I go to a tire shop I see the mechanics using the impact tool to install the wheels. When I get home I loosen the lug nuts and torque them to value.

[crazyal]

ok, on my second cup of coffee and maybe that will help in searching...

Here's one little tidbit I find helpful: Look on Northern Tools to see if they are selling the same product. Lot of overlap on lower priced products, but of course Northern Tools will charge
25-100% more for the same tool. But is it the same...these guys are so good at copying designs, I think all the less expensive stuff is just copying someone's good design from about ten or twenty years
ago. The state of the art in removing lug bolts hasn't changed all that much. But if Northern Tools seems to sell the same item, repainted, strikes me as a good omen, because they have their own testers and
seem to set a higher minimum "spec" than HF. Though Northern Tools has some junk too; my friend got sucked into "such a deal" pricing on an inexpensive log holder. What a cheesy piece of junk, and it seems that
NT is heavily discounting it now, down to the 20-30 dollar range.

I have always wondered if Torin, who sells to NT, and many others, has just repainted their stuff to blow it out on HF. Seems to be a lot of similarity on many tools.

I think Torin just buys their stuff from the same factory in China as HF and a lot of similar products selling for about the same price on eBay. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if there are multiple companies all using the exact same design with the exact same specs being built in the exact same way on an assembly line set up exactly the same as every other company. I could be wrong but I think there are factories in China that send out lists of what they build to any company that wants to sell them. Theses Chinese companies only want to deal in bulk. I'm also guessing that they will make changes to their designs if a customer is willing to pay for it and willing to buy a large enough lot but most don't make any changes (other than paint color) and decals.

[npalen]

1/4" - 3/4" High Speed Steel Step Drill
These step drills work good for drilling about any material that a normal twist drill would be used for. The big advantage is that the bit is only taking a small diameter step if drilling in material about 1/4" (6mm)or less in thickness. It's still advantageous to drill a small pilot hole first at about 1/16" to 1/8" (1.5-3.0 mm) diameter if using a hand drill. Each of the step drill lands acts as a pilot for the next larger step so drilling is smoother and more controlled. I've used them in material much thicker than 1/4" but do require more "push".

[Travelover]

1/4" - 3/4" High Speed Steel Step Drill
These step drills work good for drilling about any material that a normal twist drill would be used for............

They are especially nice for drilling sheet metal where a regular twist drill will catch and deform the metal.

[bcp]

Good for plastic without grabbing, too.

Bruce

[aczlan]

1/4" - 3/4" High Speed Steel Step Drill
These step drills work good for drilling about any material that a normal twist drill would be used for. The big advantage is that the bit is only taking a small diameter step if drilling in material about 1/4" (6mm)or less in thickness. It's still advantageous to drill a small pilot hole first at about 1/16" to 1/8" (1.5-3.0 mm) diameter if using a hand drill. Each of the step drill lands acts as a pilot for the next larger step so drilling is smoother and more controlled. I've used them in material much thicker than 1/4" but do require more "push".

Just dont let them "catch" when using in the drillpress. I did that and snapped the 1/4" stem off...

Aaron Z

[California]

Just dont let them "catch" when using in the drillpress. I did that and snapped the 1/4" stem off...

Aaron Z

HF drill press????????

[aczlan]

HF drill press????????

I dont know. Chinese knockoff for sure but I dont know where it was purchased, but it had enough torque to ship the stem off of the bit.

Aaron Z