Harbor Freight tools that DO suck

[crazyal]

So you are saying a Robust American Beauty is a better lathe than a $300 lathe from HF? Who would of thought it. All kidding aside the facts are that most people buy from HF when getting into a new hobby to see if they will even like it without investing a lot of money. Often you can't find anything used for close to the price of a HF tool. In the case of their wood lathes for $300 you can get a 12" swing lathe. The only other lathe you could find for that kind of money would be a mini lathe good for turning pen blanks. With the HF lathe you could make a few 8" bowls and see if you like it. Sure it's not going to please someone with experience. As a wood turner you know that if you are going to get into it you are going to drop $3k bare minimum, probably closer to $5k by the time you are set up if you include a chainsaw and bandsaw. Or you you can spend $300 at HF for a lathe and another $50 on a few tools and have a little fun. Sure you could give up because of the quality of the tools but chances are you'll realize the limitations pretty quickly and start to plan where you want to go next.

I'm not sure why some people turn their noses up and low end tools. I know we all would love to have the best tools but for a lot of people that's not going to happen. For others they just don't know any better or just don't want to invest a lot into a hobby. Then there's the group that just loves a deal no matter how the bad the quality might be. The thing is that you can get ok to good results with their tools. Sure you may have to tweak them to get decent results and there's a much higher chance of getting a dud but that's part of the price you pay for getting a low price.

 

[Diggin It]

I'm not sure why some people turn their noses up and low end tools. I know we all would love to have the best tools but for a lot of people that's not going to happen. For others they just don't know any better or just don't want to invest a lot into a hobby. Then there's the group that just loves a deal no matter how the bad the quality might be. The thing is that you can get ok to good results with their tools. Sure you may have to tweak them to get decent results and there's a much higher chance of getting a dud but that's part of the price you pay for getting a low price.

Then there are people like me who don't really depend on tools to make a living or do heavy work and who don't really take care of them. If I leave a $10 tool out in the rain and it gets ruined, I'm not out anywhere near what I would be if I left a $100 tool outside.

.

 

[Fuddy1952]

This is what's funny to me...
There are all these do-it-yourself TV shows I watch sometimes. "Today we're going to make a wood shop stool". Here's this woodshop somewhere...$100+K shop, then who knows, another $300-400k in tools, lathes, bandsaws, table saws, planers, jointers, etc.
It's a half hour show...so "while Bill is using this lathe I'm using the other one turning the seat". After commercial "now that we have parts made we'll move on to assembly". Camera pans around this spotlessly clean shop.
In the end after sanding, staining, finishing they made a really nice $50 stool in a $1/2+Mil shop!
Sort of like the car garage shows. "Now that Bob has the transmission installed we'll give it a road test".
Things like that don't work for me. If I made a stool you'd swear three orangutans made it!

 

[ArlyA]

When we go into the woods to clear a trail, we need tools that work well, are comfortable to use and don't break down. Same goes when I'm working in a metal, or wood shop. I will pay more for tools that we can get the job done with.....

 

[Travelover]

..........I'm not sure why some people turn their noses up and low end tools. .........

It's a matter of pride. Like the guy who owns a Honda generator is gonna tell everyone that, they too, need a Honda even if they only use it one day every five years. Or the guy with an F350 dually diesel who tells the guy who never tows and uses his pick up for a commuter, that he shoulda bought a diesel dually.

 

[California]

I'm not sure why some people turn their noses up and low end tools.

It's a matter of pride. Like the guy ... with an F350 dually diesel who tells the guy who never tows and uses his pick up for a commuter, that he should bought a diesel dually.

Amen bro.

I tend to start with HF if I need a new tool for a new project. Then if I find it's not sufficient, return it and replace it with something better quality. Last year's example was the $59 benchtop belt/disc sander, I took that back before ever using it and replaced it with a Ryobi that cost twice as much, because it was so poorly made that it couldn't be assembled properly. On the other hand the garden sprayer I bought there last week is as good quality as anything 2 - 3 times HF's price. 'Pride' isn't considered, it's whether the tool is functional.

This approach applied broadly has allowed us to live comfortably below our income for years and accumulate savings, pay cash when we need to replace a car, and retire early. The pride is for the outcome, not for shiny objects. What others think isn't much of a consideration.

 

[stuckmotor]

Then there are people like me who don't really depend on tools to make a living or do heavy work and who don't really take care of them. If I leave a $10 tool out in the rain and it gets ruined, I'm not out anywhere near what I would be if I left a $100 tool outside.
.

Well said, brother!

 

[dragoneggs]

Then there are people like me who don't really depend on tools to make a living or do heavy work and who don't really take care of them. If I leave a $10 tool out in the rain and it gets ruined, I'm not out anywhere near what I would be if I left a $100 tool outside.

And then there are people like me that while I don't generally make money with my tools, I do take very good care of them and expect them to last a long, long time and be there for me when I need them. So, I generally buy high quality unless it is maybe a one time use or may give it away to a family member of friend where the job was done.

And yeah I'm that Honda Gen guy. Have a couple friends that seem to be constantly bitching about their cheap gens and have even asked to borrow mine... uh... no! Don't know if it a maintenance thing... I know I don't maintain my gen as much as I should and never have had an issue in 15 years. Nice comfort when I'm gone on business and the wife can turn it on with a key in a power outage and switch the mechanical interlock on the service panel and throw back on the needed breakers.

 

[CADplans]

The HF quick hitch was fully capable of showing me that I have no use for such a contraption,,,

I am glad I only spent $70 to learn, rather than the $300 or $400 that JD charges for the I-Match hitch,, that would be equally useless.

I am enjoying the Pat's Hitch System,,

 

[California]

And yeah I'm that Honda Gen guy. ... Nice comfort when I'm gone on business and the wife can turn it on with a key in a power outage

Yeah for mission-critical applications do it right the first time.

Not much HF gear belongs in that category, HF stuff is better matched to someone who can put off a project for tomorrow if HF's random quality bites em.