Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[1-3-2-4]

So I got a clamp meter (not from HF) to see how many amps this 10 gal 4HP peak motor pulls.

So I made a video

YouTube - Air compressor amp draw

seems to be inline with a 1HP motor?

 

[California]

That's one aspect of HF that is just plain bogus. The "1/3 hp" motor on the bench drill press is maybe 1/4 the size of an ordinary 1/3 hp electric motor.

Their 'peak hp' must include the inertia of the armature, measured during a sudden stall.

Or else they just make up those horsepower numbers out of thin air.

 

[budgie9]

The last time I was in Spokane 2009. I visited this famous store.
I bought three items in there, just to see what the goods were like.

My purchases were a wood working digital angle finder. That broke after the first use. The battery holder would not make good contact with the batteries.

A carpenters set square was out over the nine inches by 1/16, another piece of junk.

The last item a set of quick attach air connectors. There is not one in the pack of 3 that actually doesn't leak.

A store I will avoid in future I think.

 

[Travelover]

The last time I was in Spokane 2009. I visited this famous store.
I bought three items in there, just to see what the goods were like.

My purchases were a wood working digital angle finder. That broke after the first use. The battery holder would not make good contact with the batteries.

A carpenters set square was out over the nine inches by 1/16, another piece of junk.

The last item a set of quick attach air connectors. There is not one in the pack of 3 that actually doesn't leak.

A store I will avoid in future I think.

Some of their stuff sucks, some of it doesn't. The purpose of this thread is to help each other sort out one from the other.

 

[1-3-2-4]

That's one aspect of HF that is just plain bogus. The "1/3 hp" motor on the bench drill press is maybe 1/4 the size of an ordinary 1/3 hp electric motor.

Their 'peak hp' must include the inertia of the armature, measured during a sudden stall.

Or else they just make up those horsepower numbers out of thin air.

when turning on the motor draws like 20 something amps when the tank is empty running it's like 12.7 A I suspected it was not much anything over 1 HP.

 

[1-3-2-4]

Some of their stuff sucks, some of it doesn't. The purpose of this thread is to help each other sort out one from the other.

What tool somewhat sucks is the air impact wrench item 95310 after I brought it I started seeming how I made a bad pick. does not seem to put out 230ft lb I guess you learn the hard way sometimes.

 

[BigE_]

So I got a clamp meter (not from HF) to see how many amps this 10 gal 4HP peak motor pulls.
seems to be inline with a 1HP motor?

That pulls almost 15A just before the compressor shuts down. There's round 745W per HP. Just rough calculations you're looking at

120V * 15A * 0.8pf = 1440W
1440W = 1.93HP

So, I'd say you were looking at a 2HP motor there.
​

 

[BigE_]

My purchases were a wood working digital angle finder. That broke after the first use. The battery holder would not make good contact with the batteries.

Sounds pretty standard for their battery operated devices.

A carpenters set square was out over the nine inches by 1/16, another piece of junk.

Most carpenters squares you pick up nowadays are out of square. You can test them in the store with the overlapping line method, or just plan on using a center punch to true them up when you get home. Knowing how to true a square is very useful when you happen to drop your square off the end of the bench.

The last item a set of quick attach air connectors. There is not one in the pack of 3 that actually doesn't leak.

Did you use the Teflon tape with these? I've purchased several of these and never had them leak. Of course, the ones I purchased were always the male side. I buy the universal female side at Lowe's.

 

[1-3-2-4]

yeah mine leaked without the tape.. just to be sure I went to HD and brought 3 new fittings and used my tape but I left the quick connect from HF on the tool end but this time used the tape and it no longer leaks.

 

[The Haymaker]

I used the one they have thats three foot long worked well.However the handle was missing in the shipment (fell out the hole in the box.)(damage was noted by UPS driver also). Submitted a claim with UPS, got confirmation and waited
then keep checking until they said there was no claim .(about 5 months)Odd as I have the mail form them with the number.
I made my own handle and the unit works well.Id recommend this one also just be sure to open the box before the ups leaves.

The freight company I work for delivers a ton of Harbor Freight and other like sellers for one of our partner carriers. I'd be curious to see how many of these shipments are missing parts because VERY rarely do I dieliver something that I can actually call "clear". I'll never figure out why shippers can't catch on that when you put a heavy steel item in the cheapest form of cardboard available, it's NOT gonna make it.