Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Diggin It]

I have no intention of moving it while loaded, only to position before and after use. Not sure what I'd do for wheels, but something other than the dinkies included.

 

[crazyal]

Back to regular programming. Yesterday, besides the AC test gauges, I bought the HF static tire balance stand and a couple packs of stick on wheel weights in various weights. Once you get it on a level spot on the floor, it works as advertised, the balance bubble in the center is very sensitive to any rim / tire imbalance and applying the stick on weights is easy as well. Just be sure the inside of the rim is clean and grease free before you stick them on.

Balanced the tires on my wife's buggy (I just changed them out) and took it for a 'shakedown' run at 70 per. No shake, smooth as glass.

Works as advertised but I marked the floor where I put it for later reference so I don't have to recalibrate the centering bubble again.

The balancer has a spring loaded center section that aligns the rim and tire to the balance bubble. I'll give it a 9 not 10, only because it's pretty hard to get the balance assembly situated atop the hardened pin that sticks up from the base. Once it's on there however, it works just fine.

I had a neighbor with one of them. He would put a little grease on the pivot ball. With the tire/ wheel on the balancer he would spin it. He would then put weights on the face of the wheel to get the bubble to level out. Once he got it where he was happy he would stop the wheel rotating and attach the weights to the wheel. Then he would test it once again. This was back in the days of mostly steel wheels and he would walk around the tire section of the dump pulling off weights. It worked well. He's long since passed but I can still remember him tapping the weights to move them a slight amount after setting them on the wheel to get it as exact as he could.

 

[Grumpycat]

I went in one of the HF stores yesterday and they had a butt load of empty hooks. They were out of both items I went in for. I guess the China link is slowing them down. I look forward to paying higher prices for American made products in the future. It will take a while for our country to gear up and start producing everything we outsourced so we will have a dry spell where we just have to do without. I hope it doesn't take us too long to catch back up and recover.

Me too. Wanted a small set of wood bits. Shelves were bare. But Lowes was well stocked and a premium Irwin brand was a budget busting $12.95 vs HF $9.95. I spent more driving 18 miles round trip for nothing than I could have saved.

 

[5030]

Interestingly, my wife swears by the HF solar LED lights, you know the yard crap. It's a woman's thing but I will say the HF solar LED's out last all the others by 2-1.

She has one on the back deck railing that is going on 4 years, winter and summer and keeps on ticking. 100% Chineseum.

 

[rbstern]

Needed to cut some 2" / 10ga square tube, so I bought the Chicago Electric 14" cutoff saw. Mounted a new Diablo 14" metal cutting wheel. Felt like lots of wobble in the blade; it seemed to cut straight enough, but it didn't feel right. Thoughts?

 

[3Ts]

Needed to cut some 2" / 10ga square tube, so I bought the Chicago Electric 14" cutoff saw. Mounted a new Diablo 14" metal cutting wheel. Felt like lots of wobble in the blade; it seemed to cut straight enough, but it didn't feel right. Thoughts?

I thought the same. However, it's cut lots of steel and I can't really say how accurate it is other than it's at least as good as I am in setting up the cuts, both angled and square. I've had it cut pretty thick stuff (3/8"x4"). It's held up well but finally bit the dust. I replaced it with a Hobart from TS. I can't tell the difference between the two. The one I'd really like is the cold cut saw at $400 or so.

 

[newbury]

Is there a good alternative to hfqpdb?
It seems many of the coupons being posted as current have expired.

 

[rbstern]

Is there a good alternative to hfqpdb?
It seems many of the coupons being posted as current have expired.

I couldn't understand why the site was giving me coupons that had expired on 4/30. On a whim, I tried one in the cart at the HF web site, and it was accepted. Tried it at the store last Friday evening, and it was accepted. My best guess: HF is honoring coupons that expired during the lockdown. I haven't found anything official to back that up, but it seems to be what's happening, in practice.

And, yes, hfqpdb sure needs a makeover.

 

[California]

HF email April 9 said all recent coupons are extended.

Extending Existing Coupons / No Price Increases
All Harbor Freight Product Coupons and 20% OFF Coupons that expire in April or May 2020 are now valid until June 30, 2020.

 

[patrick_g]

One caution, I understand that it can easily be damaged if it's moved without locking the mechanism. There's a little plastic sliding lever that locks and unlocks the pendulum. I make sure to lock it any time the level is not actually in use.

I have an older HF unit similar to the OP's unit and it works well enough. I also have an HF unit that is a small carpenters level wth regular bubbles B U T it has a laser built in too that you can turn on and off. It is the handiest of the lot. I also like using water hoses (regular garden hose) of any length as a level and can get things level over hundreds of feet away within 0.1 inches or less. Better than many of the less expensive laser levels that don't have really bright pinpoint beams out at a distance. All it costs is the hassle of dealing with however many garden hoses it takes to span the distance in question and a few inches of clear hose to go at each end of the hoses.