Harbor Freight tools that DO suck

[California]

Here's one that disappointed me:

13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver

I bought this set to drill for mounting windowshades in the house, and snapped the bit immediately. Over a couple of years I've snapped most of the small drills from the set. I recently bought a second set - and immediately snapped the first bit I used. These drill bits aren't a replacement for the bits you chuck in an electric drill, they're brittle.

 

[stuckmotor]

Oh great.

One thing we learned quickly with professional Skllsaws: never release the trigger while the motor is still under load. That welds the contacts together and the saw keeps running. I expect the same thing applies to any power tool from HF. Lift the saw or whatever out of the cut slightly before releasing the switch!

I didn't know that California. Thanks.

 

[stuckmotor]

This from the CPSC website: "The handgun safes can open without the use of a key or combination upon impact..."

Now, seriously, if someone were trying to break into one, who would think of hitting it with a hammer or banging it against something hard?

Some show I watched demonstrated a way to open those little portable safes about the size of a thick brief case. I think they're designed to keep important papers from burning, for a while, at least. The safe cracker just dropped it on the floor and it opened.

 

[4get gto]

Here's one that disappointed me:

13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver

I bought this set to drill for mounting windowshades in the house, and snapped the bit immediately. Over a couple of years I've snapped most of the small drills from the set. I recently bought a second set - and immediately snapped the first bit I used. These drill bits aren't a replacement for the bits you chuck in an electric drill, they're brittle.

I've had those too...not good . Mine wobbled so bad you couldn't get them started. Then broke. If you look at "their" reviews they get pretty good ratings. But all their reviews always shows 3 stars more.... Head scratcher for sure....

 

[Diggin It]

Guess I haven't tried those. I have two sets like that and they've worked well, but one is Ryobi and I think the other was Black & Decker, but I'm not sure.

 

[fried1765]

Kinda wondering if that 12T jack failure was a fluke. Maybe just a leaking seal on that unit. They seme to get good reviews, although I understand how you might not want to take a chance on another one if the nearest store is so far from you.

FWIW, my 20T HF bottle jack has worked very well. And five years ago, my 4T HF floor jack had no trouble liftjng each wheel (one at a time!) of a 15,000 lb motor home for brake service.

I am banking on your "fluke" theory.
Against my better judgement, I picked up a HF replacement today.
Haven't tried it yet.

Update: I went to HF on Friday, and swapped my brand new failed 12T hydraulic jack for another new one.
The good news: The replacement jack works.
The bad news: 60 miles round trip to HF (2 gal. of gas in the Corolla)

 

[Threepoint]

Here's one that disappointed me:

13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver

I bought this set to drill for mounting windowshades in the house, and snapped the bit immediately. Over a couple of years I've snapped most of the small drills from the set. I recently bought a second set - and immediately snapped the first bit I used. These drill bits aren't a replacement for the bits you chuck in an electric drill, they're brittle.

California, good to know. For some reason, the short form of your html link for this set rendered in the post as "13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver"! I'm assuming you aren't really using them in an impact driver. The HF webpage says they are for use in cordless electric screwdrivers.

I've never tried the bits (of any brand) that have a dedicated hex shank. Always seemed to me to be an expensive way to manufacture a disposable item, especially since it's so quick to just use a standard bit in a keyless chuck.

 

[4get gto]

California, good to know. For some reason, the short form of your html link for this set rendered in the post as "13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver"! I'm assuming you aren't really using them in an impact driver. The HF webpage says they are for use in cordless electric screwdrivers.

I've never tried the bits (of any brand) that have a dedicated hex shank. Always seemed to me to be an expensive way to manufacture a disposable item, especially since it's so quick to just use a standard bit in a keyless chuck.

Believe it or not the bits are advertised as such..



Not the clearest picture.

 

[California]

... the short form of your html link for this set rendered in the post as "13 piece small drill set to run in 1/4" hex impact driver"! I'm assuming you aren't really using them in an impact driver. The HF webpage says they are for use in cordless electric screwdrivers.

Well yes, this little Ryobi driver is the lightest, handiest tool I have to use on a ladder indoors for mounting small hardware - running first the drill then a screwdriver bit. Neither mode works it hard enough to make it start hammering, it just turns. The bits break if I ever wiggle the drill (driver) to hog out a slight taper in the hole or make a similar motion accidentally. The window trim I was drilling for the windowshade mounts is soft wood. I've never broken a real bit in years of prior projects.

Incidentally I've found Ryobi equipment to be preferable for cordless tools compared to HF's prior models. Hopefully HF's new lines with LiIon batteries are better than their older NiCad stuff where batteries weren't interchangeable across various tools.

Here's the biggest project I've used the Ryobi for, 11 inch bolts into pre-drilled holes for repairing the water tower foundation.

 

[crazyal]

One of the things that I've had good luck with is hydraulic tools from HF. They may leak and if you leave them raised the chrome shaft on the ram will most likely rust causing even more leaks but over all I have bought a 10 ton porta-power, several jacks (both bottle and floor jacks), an engine lift, and a couple other things. What bothers me now is that all the aluminum floor jacks are the "rapid" pump versions. Why would I need to raise a car in 3 pumps? The amount of force needed is much higher. I have a 2 post car lift so I don't use them very often anymore but I wouldn't mind an aluminum floor jack that I could easily lift and carry.