Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Can you adjust the Amico low enough to weld thin metal without burning through? If so how thin is the metal you've welded?

I didn't test that. I have a panel of scrap 1/8" steel I use for trying welder settings. The Amico turned down to about 20% made a thin, tall bead and wouldn't keep an arc below that setting.

I've read flux-core runs hotter than the .023 wire and gas that is is recommend for thin work.

I was mostly testing maximum output, because reviews for this and for Titanium both include a few 'died immediately' responses. And, I'm trying to decide if this could replace my Chicago Electric MIG-180 (Like the MIG-170 they still sell, but better). I have two other stick welders so I may slim down to this Amico plus using a stick welder for heavy work. The 18 lb portability of this Amico is a huge convenience improvement over rasseling the 65 lb MIG-180 and its longer (upgraded) leads out of secure storage, to start a project.

 

[stuckmotor]

I didn't test that. I have a panel of scrap 1/8" steel I use for trying welder settings. The Amico turned down to about 20% made a thin, tall bead and wouldn't keep an arc below that setting.

I've read flux-core runs hotter than the .023 wire and gas that is is recommend for thin work.

I was mostly testing maximum output, because reviews for this and for Titanium both include a few 'died immediately' responses. And, I'm trying to decide if this could replace my Chicago Electric MIG-180 (Like the MIG-170 they still sell, but better). I have two other stick welders so I may slim down to this Amico plus using a stick welder for heavy work. The 18 lb portability of this Amico is a huge convenience improvement over rasseling the 65 lb MIG-180 and its longer (upgraded) leads out of secure storage, to start a project.

Thanks Califofnia. I'll keep that one in mind for thin metal. I have a couple of stick welders but no mig.

 

[California]

Thanks Califofnia. I'll keep that one in mind for thin metal. I have a couple of stick welders but no mig.

I should clarify that while Amazon lists this Amico welder as 'mig/flux', it is flux wire only. Same as the Titanium 125. No gas capability.

 

[stuckmotor]

I should clarify that while Amazon lists this Amico welder as 'mig/flux', it is flux wire only. Same as the Titanium 125. No gas capability.

Thanks California. I think I'll wait until I get a proper shed and buy a gas mig setup.

 

[hornett22]

My Titanium 170 mig welder has been great. Use it often.

 

[hornett22]

Daytona floor jack as well. Money well spent. Even before they dropped the price.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've been using these cheap HF dollies for years:

https://go.harborfreight.com/coupons/2020/01/63098-76710290/

They're rated for 1000# and at $8 apiece, are a great value. I have around a dozen that I use under small implements like FEL buckets, counterweights, pallet forks, etc. I have yet to break one.

 

[jyoutz]

Where do "Warrior" power tools fit in the Harbor Freight Line up of quality levels?

In fact does anyone have a lineup showing the naming lineup of "good/better/best" (i.e. cheap disposable crap / OK / Good) for the various Harbor Freight lines - both in hand tools and power (electric or pneumatic) tools? I'm constantly forgetting what fits where in their lineup.

I can mange to remember that Icon is their premium line of hand tools, and Hercules tops their power tool line up. I can't remember the rest. Do the air compressors run Central Pneumatic / McGraw / Fortress? (and where does their one small Bauer compressor fit in?) For welders, does it run Chicago Electric / Titanium / Vulcan?

I was in the store recently and actually saw the products displayed with signs reading “good, better, best.”

 

[beowulf]

This may have been mentioned before on this thread - too many posts to check back for that. There are a number of HF items that I buy - some because I know I will only use them infrequently, or the price is such that I will get enough use out of them for the price.

But the one thing that pops into my mind as a really good purchase is one of their rechargeable spotlights. I have four of them (house, barn, garage, pickup) and they have proven to be really reliable.

I also had a number of name brand and expensive spotlights that were junk - stopped working and tossed in the trash after I got tired of trying to make them work.

I just hope the quality does not go down hill like some products do after they become popular.
The link: https://www.harborfreight.com/3-watt-led-rechargeable-cordless-spotlight-61960.html

 

[John_Mc]

Daytona floor jack as well. Money well spent. Even before they dropped the price.

Agreed. I have one of their 3 Ton Low Profile Super Duty jacks, and it's been working well. Low profile, yet still lifts to 23+" high. My only issue was that it shipped a little low on hydraulic fluid. I went into my local HF and mentioned the problem to the manager. He gave me a bottle of hydraulic jack fluid for free - even though I had bought it via mail order.

I've been using these cheap HF dollies for years:

https://go.harborfreight.com/coupons/2020/01/63098-76710290/

They're rated for 1000# and at $8 apiece, are a great value. I have around a dozen that I use under small implements like FEL buckets, counterweights, pallet forks, etc. I have yet to break one.

I have a few of those that I keep my 3 pt hitch snowblower on in the off season. It saves me from having to drive my tractor into the shop to pick it up when I have my studded chains on. I just roll the snow blower over to the garage door and hook it up.

I did have one of the carpeted cross boards crack on one of mine. At least on the one I had, those boards were cheap, lightweight. The carpeted boards seem significantly stronger.

My others have held up well. I do make a point to make sure the load is on the carpeted boards and distributed evenly. even then, I don't think I'd trust a single dolly to reliably hold 1000#