Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[mwemaxxowner]

I would really like to have a drill press, but I don't think I would use it often enough to justify spending a great deal on one.

Any thoughts on one of the more cheaply priced drill presses from HFT?

 

[jjeff]

I would really like to have a drill press, but I don't think I would use it often enough to justify spending a great deal on one.

Any thoughts on one of the more cheaply priced drill presses from HFT?

Bought the cheap hf 5 speed bench top one over 10 yrs ago, it was a pile of garbage. I could stop the spinning chuck with my hand on highest torque, slowest speed. A 1/2" bit would stop the motor trying to drill in soft pine. I won't even get into accuracy and runout.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Those are not good qualities for a drill press.

 

[jjeff]

Those are not good qualities for a drill press.

Well you didn't have to worry wearing loose clothing around it.

 

[California]

Bought the cheap hf 5 speed bench top one over 10 yrs ago, it was a pile of garbage. I could stop the spinning chuck with my hand on highest torque, slowest speed. A 1/2" bit would stop the motor trying to drill in soft pine.

Similar results with the cheapest HF drill press from maybe a generation before yours. Near useless.

I've had good luck stepping up to Ryobi gear when HF's tool is useless. The most recent example was the cheap disc/belt combo sander. A couple of its adjustments didn't have enough range, to make the table slot parallel to the disc, for example. And too-wimpy power. Essentially a pretend copy of a real tool. The Ryobi is what that HF sander should have been.

As for impact wrenches, I like the first-generation Earthquake I just bought - on Closeout.

 

[sodamo]

I would really like to have a drill press, but I don't think I would use it often enough to justify spending a great deal on one.

Any thoughts on one of the more cheaply priced drill presses from HFT?

I got one of the table top ones about 20 years ago. Just needed it for 1 project, I was renovating kitchen and wanted to build cabinets with adjustable shelves with movable pegs. Don’t remember count, but hundreds of holes in MDF. Never a problem. Not long after I shipped it to my current location as I had started a building project. Drilled over 400 holes with forstner bit for railing stiles. Still didn’t kill it. Next project was some metal, extension for my boom pole. Sits on back of my bench, still available.
I think a lot could depend on use. I’m not much a metal worker so little experience there.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I've never done much metal work, but I have recently purchased the Titanium 125 welder and hope to start doing a little more. Small, simple stuff. My dad has a big miller MIG welder for any big stuff, and the years of experience to see that it's done right.

I've done some crude fabricating with a hack saw, angle grinder, cordless drill, and BFH. Now I find myself wanting a drill press to go with it, so I can still nice square holes.

 

[California]

I've never done much metal work, but I have recently purchased the Titanium 125 welder

Go back and buy the the 3 year exchange warranty!!! Half the posts I've seen about that welder said it failed after a while and they got a no-hassle exchange as soon as they walked in.

That said, I'm seriously considering getting one. (and the warranty!) The convenience of a 15 lb welder you can plug in anywhere would be a big improvement over the 240 volt mig I have that's a nuisance to roll out for a project. But I don't weld often enough to justify two wire welders and the big AC stick welder too.

But I'm tempted ...

 

[jjeff]

Go back and buy the the 3 year exchange warranty!!! Half the posts I've seen about that welder said it failed after a while and they got a no-hassle exchange as soon as they walked in.

That said, I'm seriously considering getting one. (and the warranty!) The convenience of a 15 lb welder you can plug in anywhere would be a big improvement over the 240 volt mig I have that's a nuisance to roll out for a project. But I don't weld often enough to justify two wire welders and the big AC stick welder too.

But I'm tempted ...

Quick question On the exchange warranty, do you need to keep the receipt or can they look up the serial number?

 

[Rock Crawler]

Quick question On the exchange warranty, do you need to keep the receipt or can they look up the serial number?

It's linked to your name, phone number and email. No invoice needed.