Harbor Freight Tools that DO SUCK II

[buck12]

Milwaukee stuff is insanely expensive and interestingly, made across the pond anyway.

At least some Milwaukee stuff is made in Mississippi. I have no ideas what they make but there is a large factory in the delta and a distribution center in the north Mississippi.

 

[the old grind]

My Milwaukee hammer drill is a red/rebadged Bosch.

My best 1/2" drill is another red favorite.

That said, I don't break even the most basic HFT stuff.

That said, nobody's cordless anything works for me. :stirthepot:

 

[Frankenkubota]

It's easy to love HFT and easy to hate China but it takes a patriot to do both well.

As for HFT tools that do suck, you get what you pay for.

That's funny!

 

[Frankenkubota]

Milwaukee stuff is insanely expensive and interestingly, made across the pond anyway.

I guess things change in 40 years? I worked at Milwaukee Electric Tool. Piece work, heat treating and deburring. It was just outside of Milwaukee.

Think of standing at a huge industrial buffing/sanding wheel, 8-10 hours a day, taking the burrs and aluminum casting leftovers from the nose cone of the Milwaukee saw zall. And you better not slow down! Now it's all plastic.

That's a nice way to make a living.

 

[Oaktree]

With the number of professional users who bash HF tools I imagine people like us make up the bulk of their business. The Pittsburgh line of wrenches has almost always been all my occasional use could justify.
.....
If JC Penny upscaled themselves out of business, that explains a great deal. I once mentioned to a clerk there that I was looking for something less expensive. She recommended KMart or Walmart. I hope she found a great job when the Penny store shut down.

I recall back in the 80s tool snobs looked down their noses at Craftsman tools, calling them "crapsman", now those old tools are looked at with great nostalgia.
I agree that it's mostly homeowners/casual users who shop at HF, for a long time their whole image was cheap tools, some of which were OK quality, others not so much. Nothing I'd go for if I needed them to make my living either. Time will tell if their "upscaling" will pay off.

My reference to JC Penney was less upscaling than it was to doing away with their long time policy of constant sales, coupons and markdowns. When they got away from that, sales tanked...customers didn't think they were getting a bargain anymore. Of course they weren't doing well even before they adopted that policy, HF seems to be doing well business-wise.

 

[5030]

Most of the later tools from Sears were crapsman made across the pond tools. I see the 'Craftsman' name is no synonymous with imported stuff at various box stores now that Sears and Grab buck is gone....

 

[5030]

That is gone. Now some 'Coolie' is making it for peanuts, literally.

I find the Milwaukee stuff to be way overpriced. Even more so than DeWalt (which is, in reality, Black and Decker).

 

[/pine]

This was posted last spring...not sure by whom...FWIW...
Power Tool Manufacturers and Who Really Owns Them | PTR

 

[stuckmotor]

I recall back in the 80s tool snobs looked down their noses at Craftsman tools, calling them "crapsman", now those old tools are looked at with great nostalgia.
I agree that it's mostly homeowners/casual users who shop at HF, for a long time their whole image was cheap tools, some of which were OK quality, others not so much. Nothing I'd go for if I needed them to make my living either. Time will tell if their "upscaling" will pay off.

My reference to JC Penney was less upscaling than it was to doing away with their long time policy of constant sales, coupons and markdowns. When they got away from that, sales tanked...customers didn't think they were getting a bargain anymore. Of course they weren't doing well even before they adopted that policy, HF seems to be doing well business-wise.

Thanks for explaining the JC Penney reference. I hadn't traded with them much since Wal-Mart came to town and hadn't noticed about the coupons, sales, and markdowns.
I often wonder why tool snobs even read a thread with Harbor Freight in the title.

 

[5030]

In reality, not much 'made in USA' today except babies and even those are delivered with offshore made surgical instruments... cannot win.

 

[Oaktree]

That said, nobody's cordless anything works for me. :stirthepot:

Cordless tools aren't what they were 20 years ago, they're pretty capable today...even the entry-level stuff. In my experience the biggest impediment to longevity is finding batteries for older tools once the originals won't take a charge anymore (and the fact that the older ones used NiCads). You might be able to find replacement batteries for name brand tools, but lotsa luck finding them for HF or other "no name" ones.

Even in the shop I'll reach for a cordless drill if all I need to do is drill a couple holes.

 

[5030]

Said before and will say again, I have had zero issues with Bauer cordless tools and I use the heck out of them As cheap as they are, finding the smoke isn't a big deal but I've yet to find it.

I have found the smoke in DeWalt and in Makita before. They both stink like rice paper insulation.

 

[aczlan]

My luck with the HF step drills has been much better. Usually they cut well for me. Once when drilling something the HF drill wouldn't cut, I tried an Irwin and it wouldn't cut it either and at a higher price.

I have been happy with their ones that chuck into a drill, snapped the stems off their 1/4" hex drive ones that I had a few years back, but they might do better in an impact vs a 1/2" Dewalt corded drill.

Aaron Z

 

[grsthegreat]

i use an impact driven step bit for up to 1" hole for my electrical. work great. i think there Milwaukee branded as i recall

 

[the old grind]

Trick with a step bit is to do the same as with others. Wobble it around a lot to drill faster and thereby extend the life of the tool.

btw, ask a plumber how much that helps when drilling a SS sink for an RO tap or soap dispenser.

 

[grsthegreat]

Trick with a step bit is to do the same as with others. Wobble it around a lot to drill faster and thereby extend the life of the tool.

btw, ask a plumber how much that helps when drilling a SS sink for an RO tap or soap dispenser.

they make special hole saws for SS sinks and cabinets. very expensive, but cut great.

 

[the old grind]

they make special hole saws for SS sinks and cabinets. very expensive, but cut great.

I wouldn't call that nice a cutter expensive. I looked 'em up, saw that $50 get ya 2 3/8" hole size, with smaller dias costing less.

For steel electrical boxes, panels, fixtures, f-glass, abs, etc I'd buy one of a size for two or more holes. (bet I could re-sharpen one a good 15-20 times)

Not that my opinion or experience is all that, but that's one to be recommended & I'm definitely bookmarking. Thanks!

btw, I joked above about wobbling step drills. That and not knowing to reduce RPM a bit as the hole gets larger is why they tend to be disposable. In a mill or DP they hold up quite well. Remember not to use lubricating oils when cutting metals. There's not so much friction & the cutting edge wants a bite. We want the cooling. Windex is way underrated for drilling. (no sarcasm) Watch your chip!

 

[5030]

I use Blu-Mol plug cutters myself. They handle everything. Not cheap either but you get what you pay for like anything else.

 

[5030]

Bought a HF air mover fan yesterday and returned it today for the Bauer model (which was less expensive actually). The round air mover sounds like a jet plane running, very annoying. The Bauer is pretty quiet and has 3 speeds as well. The Chicago one only has 2 speeds and both are obnoxiously loud.

Bauer has 3 speeds and cost less to boot. No issue with returning it as usual. I even put it back in the box and packing so they could put it back on the shelf. Only ran it for 30 seconds to realize it was super loud.

 

[5030]

Stay away from the HF LED shop lights (and the Menards as well). Both are the same offshore manufacturer and both have very limited working life and neither have replaceable tubes.

Had 4 expire in less than a year.