Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

IslandTractor · Mar 4, 2016

Speaking of calipers, I find that at $2.99 each, this little thing 6" Utility Caliper is worth having in multiples around the house, car and shop. I have one at my desk for internet measurement emergencies and though I wouldn't rely on one to build a space shuttle, it is fine for general duty. Besides quickly checking dimensions of small objects, it functions as a pretty good tire tread gauge, measuring pipe OD and ID, steel gauge etc etc. Again, in case you missed it, they cost $2.99!!!

PILOON · Mar 4, 2016

IslandTractor said:
Speaking of calipers, I find that at $2.99 each, this little thing 6" Utility Caliper is worth having in multiples around the house, car and shop. I have one at my desk for internet measurement emergencies and though I wouldn't rely on one to build a space shuttle, it is fine for general duty. Besides quickly checking dimensions of small objects, it functions as a pretty good tire tread gauge, measuring pipe OD and ID, steel gauge etc etc. Again, in case you missed it, they cost $2.99!!!

YES--
Great little caliper, I also have them everywhere.
Not a new idea as mine are almost 20 years old, I also have quality steel one as well as a digital and frankly they all measure the same, mind you I have not tested in hot and cold temperature extremes.

crazyal · Mar 5, 2016

I bought a set of the 8" digital calipers from HF and they seam to work fine but they slide a lot rougher than my Mitutoyo calipers. It's like the feeling between a properly lubed bearing and one with no lubricant at all. But they work and are cheap. I would love to hear from anyone who bought the Mitutoyo selling on ebay from China for what seams like a cheap, but more than HF, price. I have a feeling that they are knock offs that someone just put the name on.

SPYDERLK · Mar 5, 2016

sixdogs said:
How come I'm on my original battery? Mine are 3 or 4 years old and not frequently used.

I think because the early ones really turned off - no sensor on line to turn on automatically or keep track of movements. ... If you move yours while off does it come up with a true reading or do you have to re zero it?

SPYDERLK · Mar 5, 2016

PILOON said:
YES--
Great little caliper, I also have them everywhere.
Not a new idea as mine are almost 20 years old, I also have quality steel one as well as a digital and frankly they all measure the same, mind you I have not tested in hot and cold temperature extremes.

Yes. Those are vernier calipers. Extremely accurate if your eyes are good. ... The HF verbal description is BS.

California · Mar 6, 2016

SPYDERLK said:
I think because the early ones really turned off - no sensor on line to turn on automatically

I've had mine ten years and recently replaced the battery a second time. Possibly the third time. I think it shuts off cold.

SPYDERLK said:
Yes. Those are vernier calipers. Extremely accurate if your eyes are good. ... The HF verbal description is BS.

It really is! "down to the last millimeter or 16ths". That ignores the vernier scales which are labelled 1/128" [about .010"] and .05mm.

I keep mine with my drills and use the inch vernier to know the size of a drill bit. Accuracy is quite sufficient for that.

I learned how to read verniers on an old-school surveyor's K&E transit 50 years ago. I thought anybody could intuitively understand this. Maybe the author of that HF description was like a young kid looking at a dial corded phone.

But looking at the Metric vernier (.05mm) in the HF description - that vernier scale is 3 times longer than the 1/128" scale. I can't see distinctions as fine as what that provides. If I could read it, that's graduations of about .002".

sixdogs · Mar 6, 2016

sixdogs said:
How come I'm on my original battery? Mine are 3 or 4 years old and not frequently used.

SPYDERLK said:
I think because the early ones really turned off - no sensor on line to turn on automatically or keep track of movements. ... If you move yours while off does it come up with a true reading or do you have to re zero it?

When mine is off and I move it, no reading shows and the display stays off. Do others work this way?

Ford850 · Mar 6, 2016

I picked up a couple of the 4 1/2" grinders with paddle switches yesterday. Thanks to those on here suggesting to add grease. The first one I opened had 2 of the 4 screws not even finger tight, but the gear box was packed full. The second one had tight screws but only had a pea sized glob of grease and not close to the dry gears. Now they are both packed with grease and snugged up.

sixdogs · Mar 6, 2016

Your above post about grease reminds me to mention that the caster wheels they sell usually need grease. On a recent purchase, none really had sufficient grease and only half had more than a thin wipe. Might have been a bad batch but it's worth a check before you install them.