Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Wa11banger]

I would like to put my 2 cents in on some of HF's successes

12,000 lb badland winch stole it on sale for 289 with a coupon.. I have put this winch through **** and back and it just keeps on giving. Was in a rush against the clock and bad weather, had to put 4 50ft straps and almost a full spool out to retrieve my truck from a non muddy section of a hill. Thats near 300ft in burried mud and uphill! Weather was coming fast I ran it solid from start to finish paying no attention to duty cycle I just needed the truck out of there before it was washed the rest of the way down the hill. That was 2 years ago.. That winch was smoking hot when finished but still pulls as hard today and it did the first day I owned it. Cable life is good to when taken care of.. I have replaced the cable but the first cable's life was well respectable. $19 dollar wireless remote oh yah works like its supposed to and has great range.

20 ton press.. Was a little rickety when I brought it home but a few welds and it is an excellent buy

black 9mil nitrile gloves.. Get em on sale for 10 bucks excellent mess gloves.. So far no fluid has been able to disolve them and they dont tear quickly like the thin blue ones

As said many times, the 4.5" cut off wheels have been great life and quality for the price.

90 degree pneumatic angle grinder for $11 on sale. I should have killed this thing long ago but that little air motor just wont give up. I bought two when I bought it expecting the worst and it just keeps delivering. That spare is almost 3 years old new in the box, the one I am using I just add two drops of oil before every use and a drop here in there on extended use and it wont quit. treat them right and they can last a long time.

both small and large window auto darkening welding helmets.. only reason for two was I wanted the larger window.. The original small window is still going strong and I just keep replacing the protective front screen to ensure it stays that way

Torque wrenches.. excellent buy I can accept a pound or two one way or the other.. It's more important that multiple bolts are the same torque than precisely .000% of a gnats *** exact I can live with 4% deviation and so far so has everything else I have worked on. I did temporary duty in a calibrations lab in the Navy. You'd be surprised at how large the tolerance windows are.

Socket sets.. Not that they are any better or worse as I have broken very few but I have lost more than any person should be able to aquire.. I dont know where they go! They just arent there when I am done with the task. I do know they are tough enough to survive the lawn mower and I have found a stash a time or two under my large cabinets.. Who rolls them there? In any case, far worth the cheaper price at the rate I misplace them. Yah I know thats my fault shame on me but it is what it is and I am glad they sell them so cheap

Same for hammers.. I lend them out forget who has it and go get a new one.. A hammer is a hammer and the new solid steel framing hammer is an excellent choice.

Thats enough for now I will close with the fact that I do not make a living with any of these tools but I have used them proper and abused them plenty when needed and I still am on top of my return on investment in almost all cases.. It doesnt matter who makes it we can all find ways to break it..

 

[Wa11banger]

Oh one other post for good info.. I read several of you stating you keep forgetting your 20% or 25% off coupon when you go.. Take your smart phone with you, type in harborfreight 20% off coupon in google and chose the result that takes you to HF.. It will always take you to a page with the current coupon (yes even the 25% off one) and they will ring it right there from your phone.. Or at least my local store will.

 

[Gem99ultra]

It is soooo good to see one person that has gotten so many of those good HF tools. Getting that 1 in a million 'good ones' is simply uncanny. He should rush right down and buy a Lotto ticket!

Unfortunately, I've been in that other 999,999 group of HF buyers. On the other hand, I've had excellent service and durability from my Made in America tools, most of which have survived my heavy hands for over 40 years. Yeah - I quit buying Lotto tickets years ago.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Make that 2 people getting good tools.. you DO have to pick and choose though..

 

[Wa11banger]

Gem99ultra, its so nice for you to assume so much.
I have a ton of American made or these days mostly American made tools. Probably more than most, maybe even you, but who knows I wont make that big of an assumption. I was simply sticking to the intention behind the OP's reason for this thread. Sure I have fumbled a couple of times and gotten a few bad tools from HF, but I'm fairly intelligent and dont make that mistake often.
Gem just a little advice, at the top of each post is the title of the thread this one is titled "Harbor Freight tools that dont suck" NOT "poor gem99ultra cant seem to find a good deal there." As for the lottery I dont play either, I can tell the odds are against me. But with a little research and some good decision making skills I seem to beat those odds most times at HF. Have a great time

Sorry folks now that the troll has been fed an entertained we can return to our regular program schedule.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Strikes me funny how we should by 'American made' only, but expect other countries to also buy 'American'.. Like it not, its a whole world out there and some of them are now doing what we did in the 50's through 70's..

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Oh one other post for good info.. I read several of you stating you keep forgetting your 20% or 25% off coupon when you go.. Take your smart phone with you, type in harborfreight 20% off coupon in google and chose the result that takes you to HF.. It will always take you to a page with the current coupon (yes even the 25% off one) and they will ring it right there from your phone.. Or at least my local store will.

I did this with my Oct 20% across the board discount. Was not even planning on being in the town where HF has a store. I had not been in a long time so I bought stuff on sale that I wanted then got 20% off that total. Their new inverter generator was on sale for $500 so I would have got it for $400 but just had no real need for it and 70 pounds is a bit much for me to move.

 

[Oaktree]

I then saw them at HF and figured for less the 5bucks, I'd give them a shot. I now have a pair in my truck, on my tractor and in the garage, can't beat them.

I see you're in N.H. too. Where did you find a HF store? According to the "find a store" map on their website, other than 2 stores in Maine they have zero presence in New England. To be honest, before this thread I'd never heard of them.
I wonder why they're avoiding us.

 

[Pixguy]

I see you're in N.H. too. Where did you find a HF store? According to the "find a store" map on their website, other than 2 stores in Maine they have zero presence in New England. To be honest, before this thread I'd never heard of them.
I wonder why they're avoiding us.

Southern NH is where I have to go if I'm not in MA visiting kids. Sending PM.

 

[newbury]

I did this with my Oct 20% across the board discount. Was not even planning on being in the town where HF has a store. I had not been in a long time so I bought stuff on sale that I wanted then got 20% off that total. Their new inverter generator was on sale for $500 so I would have got it for $400 but just had no real need for it and 70 pounds is a bit much for me to move.

Usually their coupons, like 25% off here specifically EXCLUDE generators. So you have to wait until they go on sale.