Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

txdon · Jul 25, 2017

Found one at tractor supply Caldwell Tx. One left $8.49.

California · Jul 25, 2017

txdon said:
View attachment 516512Found one at tractor supply Caldwell Tx. One left $8.49.

You did good! That may be the last one left in the wild anywhere.

I used mine this morning to clamp some plywood to the benchtop so I could cut an irregular shape in the part of the plywood out beyond the bench. The clamp made it much easier.

This is a very handy tool.

txdon · Jul 25, 2017

At Tractor Supply bins I also saw a vice grips with a break over bar attach. Has anyone used one of these.

Midniteoyl · Jul 25, 2017

California said:
You did good! That may be the last one left in the wild anywhere.

I used mine this morning to clamp some plywood to the benchtop so I could cut an irregular shape in the part of the plywood out beyond the bench. The clamp made it much easier.

This is a very hand tool.

Theres a few more left at my TSC.. $6.99 clearance price. At least there were yesterday..

California · Jul 25, 2017

txdon said:
At Tractor Supply bins I also saw a vice grips with a break over bar attach. Has anyone used one of these.

Vice grips with one side of the hand grip continuing out another 18(?) inches? Here's the TSC link.

Barn Star 19 in. High-Torque High-Leverage Locking Pliers - For Life Out Here

I saw those at TSC, couldn't imagine what I would use one for. Anybody know what those are used for?

Also I expect 18 inches of leverage on a cheap tool would only destroy it.

Midniteoyl · Jul 25, 2017

Dunno, but at least half the cost went into that hydro dip..

flyerdan · Jul 25, 2017

You could make one of those cheater bar vicegrips by welding some conduit on the adjusting screw. Be a good idea to stitch up the seam where it threads in as that will be the area that fails when you put a couple pounds of force on it. Won't look as flash as the whizz-bang graphics on the TS one though.

KubotainNH · Jul 25, 2017

Maybe I should just buy one from the website. With the link you can see who stocks them. I would have to drive a bit.

Barn Star 1 in. Wide Jaw Locking Plier - For Life Out Here

These are kind of interesting too.
Barn Star 9 in. Bent Nose Locking Pliers - For Life Out Here
Strong Hand Pipe Pliers - For Life Out Here

PhysAssist · Jul 26, 2017

California said:
Vice grips with one side of the hand grip continuing out another 18(?) inches?

I saw those at TSC, couldn't imagine what I would use one for. Anybody know what those are used for?

Also I expect 18 inches of leverage on a cheap tool would only destroy it.

Actually, I have 2 of those- a smaller pair in bare metal- which came with both the regular adjusting screw, and the one with the cheater bar on it, and the other is [against my better judgement] one of the XL-sized "camo" ones.

They were both on clearance at different times and also under $10 at most, which is kind of my threshold for their "cheap" tools.

But I have to say, they are actually pretty sturdy, and I use them for what everyone else on here would- turning shizzat that doesn't want to turn.

I also have a bunch of their other "irwin vise grips knock-offs"- the right-angled ones, some with a big old round set of jaws- but I'm waiting for those pipe clamps ones to get marked down- hopefully concurrent with a 10% of coupon.

California · Jul 26, 2017

PhysAssist said:
Actually, I have 2 of those- a smaller pair in bare metal- which came with both the regular adjusting screw, and the one with the cheater bar on it, and the other is [against my better judgement] one of the XL-sized "camo" ones

... I use them for what everyone else on here would- turning shizzat that doesn't want to turn.

Heck the year I paid for Inside Track, I bought two of HF's aluminum 24 inch pipe wrenches for that. Then a 36 inch. Its a monster. HF's ITC had them at reasonable prices. With cheater pipes on the handles of these tools they will either turn or destroy whatever is fighting back.

Actually I broke the last four inches off the handle of the first 24" aluminum pipe wrench that way. But with a big pipe extending it, that doesn't make any difference. HF's later revision of the 24 inch has a beefier handle and I haven't been able to hurt that one.

Hundred year old rusty plumbing here, 1.5" size, required these big pipe wrenches to get anything apart.