Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[TMGT]

I have the cheaper hose reel for about 10 years and it still is working great. I don't expose it to the sun and try to keep it clear of chemicals. If it does get dragged through gunk, I wipe it off before retracting. Yeah I am a bit **** with my stuff including my HF tools, but I'm convinced that they last a lot longer with some regular TLC.

I was developing leaks in the hose end and kept having to cut it back. Eventually it developed leaks in a lot of places and I had to just get rid of it. Funny thing is, the Goodyear hoses are cheaper then the HF and made in USA.

 

[5030]

So, I take it the hose is replaceable? Think I'll buy a couple cheap Chicago ones.

 

[TMGT]

So, I take it the hose is replaceable? Think I'll buy a couple cheap Chicago ones.

Yup just uses a standard hose, in all fairness my hose lasted over 5years of pretty good use. HF use to sell the goodyear hoses also.

 

[5030]

I have the cheaper hose reel for about 10 years and it still is working great. I don't expose it to the sun and try to keep it clear of chemicals. If it does get dragged through gunk, I wipe it off before retracting. Yeah I am a bit **** with my stuff including my HF tools, but I'm convinced that they last a lot longer with some regular TLC.

I am too. Price don't matter, I like clean shiny tools.

 

[California]

Does anyone have any experience with the Harbor Freight needle scaler?

First time I used the larger one it paid for itself. It was the only thing that could clean our bad grout where roots were growing into the septic tank. Post where I described this. The regrouting was successful. Now 11 years later, there were still no roots in the tank when it was pumped recently.

However - I must not have put enough oil in the scaler before storing it. A year later I went to use it - and had to disassemble it completely to free it up.

If you need one, buy it.

 

[California]

I haven't had good luck with HF air hoses. 1) the bright color ones were too stiff and curly to use without fighting them every minute, then 2) I strung together several black hoses less than 5 years old for an extensive painting project outdoors and had to make continual repairs - only 90 psi line pressure, but several burst hoses near the couplers - throughout the project.

I finally bought the 10 ft Goodyear remnant and attached that permanently to the compressor (so one less coupler). They still sell something similar. Recommended. I also bought the red Goodyear working hose, its still in nice condition, but I don't think HF still sells those.

This combination of a short pigtail at the compressor then a hose that is removed and hung on the wall works well for me, it's less clutter than a long hose wrapped around the compressor.

And the cheap polyethylene curled hose in the air Starter Kit is lightweight, it's handy to use with a hand-carried air tank.

Their new brands? Maybe. Who has experience with those?

 

[Reb954]

Thanks guys for the input on the rod scraper. I have a milling machine I need to strip and repaint

 

[KubotainNH]

Thanks for the info on hoses. I guess I'll pass on HF for those. Something else to pass on is the pipe expander. Not only did one of the bars break but the threads on the nut are so weak they stripped out on the first try. It says thin walled pipe, I assumed 18 gauge was thin enough but maybe it would be ok on tin foil.

Medium Tail Pipe Expander

 

[hunt4570]

Thanks guys for the input on the rod scraper. I have a milling machine I need to strip and repaint

I’ve never used a needle scraper, is it better than abrasive blasting?

 

[Peter 315]

I致e never used a needle scraper, is it better than abrasive blasting?

It depends on what, We use them on truck frames inside the shop, frame ,rear ends , trans etc... Its easy for us then to haul them to the sand blaster guy, Ingersoll rand 185 compressor outside and 2 or 3 guns inside nice and warm