Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[iplumb]

Thanks!

 

[BigE_]

View attachment 365486
Batteries from top to bottom:
18650.
AA
AAA

The 18650 is 18mm in diameter by 65.0mm long.

 

[BigE_]

Great flashlight for $17 here:
UltraFire 1600 Lumen 5 Mode CREE XM L T6 LED Flashlight Battery Charger USA | eBay

I bought 1 and then 2 more. It comes with 2 x #18650 Lithium batts & charger.

Kind of getting off topic here with non Harbor Freight stuff, but I generally buy my flashlights from Deal Extreme now.
Here are the 18650 flashlights:
Buy 18650 Battery Cree LED Flashlight Torch with Cheap Price - DX

One thing about the 18650 Li-Ion batteries is that they are not all created equally, and the makers in China have no problem with lying about the capacity. If you want a larger capacity from them, they'll print any number you want on the battery. To the Chinese, it is English and therefore doesn't count as lying.

 

[crazyal]

good idea, i went and checked it out and now i know what to look out for. still for $150. even if i have to do some welding and bolt the jack plate and buy some real arbor plates it's not that bad of deal. unless i can find one on CL.

I was going to buy one but ended up with a more expensive 20 ton press. It has a real hydraulic ram, not a bottle jack, that can slide side to side. The arbor plates are heavy so once you set them up in a way that works it's extremely helpful to adjust the location of the ram vs move the part and plates. Also some parts aren't symmetrical and what you want to press can't be move under the ram. Torin makes a nice 20t unit.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I'm looking pretty hard at the Predator 7kw/8.75kw generator. I have an older 5kw Coleman from Sams but it barely starts the compressor I use in the field. They have a decent coupon for it right now.
http://view.harborfreightemail.com/...=email&utm_campaign=1114a&utm_source=1010&r=0

I bought Predator 8750/7000w generator item 69671 Friday, tried it out yesterday. Ran the little compressor off it to do some painting instead of using the shop compressor. It started on the first pull every time. When the compressor kicks on there is a very short grunt and then it runs like it isn't there. Runs smooth, much quieter than the old Coleman and never hunts. I don't have a hz meter but the no-load volts measured 121 and 243. My old generator tended to hunt for RPM until really warmed up. I remember calling Coleman right after I got it and their response was "that's normal." When I ran the same compressor off the old genny it would barely start the motor, labor loudly the whole cycle, and rev up noticeably when the compressor stopped.

One small defect: The spark plug holder is a long piece of hard phenolic type material with a finger grip on the top and a rubber cap/seal on the plug end. The plug end was cracked and fell apart when I removed the wire, exposing some of the metal plug clip. I'll probably call customer service to report the defect and see if they'll send a replacement wire but my easiest course of action will be to repair it with a little epoxy. Of course it runs fine in it's current condition.

Overall I'm very happy so far. I haven't tried out the electric start but I think I'll just try it out and not buy a battery yet unless I get in a situation where my wife will be starting it on her own. I don't have good luck with starter batteries in machines that don't run often.

 

[timster2]

Good source of free 18650 Li-Ion batteries is your old laptop. Battery packs are made up of several of them wired together.

 

[paulharvey]

I need to drain a fairly large in ground pool to abandon it and fill. I'm considering buying a HF pump vs renting on. Daily rental on a 3/4" 120v sump is $21/D and $66/W. HF has #69299 3/4" sump for $59.99. They also have #69747 1.5 hp gas 1" for $149.99. I'm not 100% sure I can do what I need in a single day, so I'm considering buying. Anyone have experience with either pump. I read reviews but they mostly involved using them as a constant water pump for water features or large aquariums, where I really probably need to pump 4-12 hours per day for at most 2 or 3 days. Any thoughts?

 

[jimmysisson]

I'd for sure calc the volume of the pool vs. the rated capacity of the pump. Sounds like you need a bigger capacity unit unless you'll run it a long time.
Jim

 

[Midniteoyl]

I need to drain a fairly large in ground pool to abandon it and fill. I'm considering buying a HF pump vs renting on. Daily rental on a 3/4" 120v sump is $21/D and $66/W. HF has #69299 3/4" sump for $59.99. They also have #69747 1.5 hp gas 1" for $149.99. I'm not 100% sure I can do what I need in a single day, so I'm considering buying. Anyone have experience with either pump. I read reviews but they mostly involved using them as a constant water pump for water features or large aquariums, where I really probably need to pump 4-12 hours per day for at most 2 or 3 days. Any thoughts?

I would rent a gas powered 2" or bigger pump.. I pumped out one in less than a day.

 

[aczlan]

Does the pool pump still work? If so, just shut off the skimmer (cap it?) and use the bottom drain, or use the vacuum hose as a inlet hose if you dont have a bottom drain.

Aaron Z