Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[crazyal]

Well I'm in the market for a 4x24 belt sander to do my pool deck.
I had a Craftsman 4x? which I did 3 floors (~400 sq ft total) back about 1986 and a ton of odd jobs since.
Someone let the smoke out
So I was looking at reviews and it seems Makita 9403 is what I need. But the Bauer might be a runner up at <1/2 the price.
I liked the Craftsman, I taped about 6 lbs of diving belt weights on the top then could just let it run out along the floor and drag it back. That was when I was more limber.
So @erikjohn67 (or anyone else that has one) do you think this will last well?

There's no HF close to me so I haven't gotten a replacement yet. I did pick up a Bauer jigsaw and it's worked just fine (except that the LED laser guide light is always on when plugged in) the few times I have used it so I'll probably pick up the 4x24 Bauer sander too. I did find a local hardware store that sells 4x24 belts in most grits I would use for a reasonable price too.

I'll have to do something sooner than later as my old Craftsman must have known that it's time is getting close. Now the tracking isn't working so the edge of the belt is rubbing hard against the side of the sander. I guess it's better than the belt just going the other way and falling off. But it robbing lots of power so it's time has come.

If you do buy one post what you think about it. If the nearest HF wasn't an hour and a half away and gas being so high I might have made the trip before now. Sooner or later I'll pass one. If HF had a coupon it probably would be enough to tempt me.

Has anyone else noticed the number of people selling HF tools on ebay for a lot more than they cost in the store? For example the 4x24 sander costs $109 while it can be had on ebay for $179 for the same Bauer sander.

 

[5030]

If you do the ITC thing like we do, we still get all the coupons but online. Take a picture of the coupon on my phone and show the cashier and all is good,

 

[5030]

PBlaster is on sale, 4 bucks for the big can with the straw and valve. Grabbed 5 the other day, I use that stuff like water.

 

[California]

Never visited 'Welding Web' but I'll have to have a look see sometime.

I suggest start at clicking 'New Posts' to see what people are talking about currently.

It can be a bit of a maze, otherwise.

 

[newbury]

<nip>

Has anyone else noticed the number of people selling HF tools on ebay for a lot more than they cost in the store? For example the 4x24 sander costs $109 while it can be had on ebay for $179 for the same Bauer sander.

That's been going on as long as I've been viewing CL and ebay.

 

[IrishLoader]

I though I had weaned myself off of Harbor Freight but now a new store is coming in and only 6mi from my house!

Same here after moving to the boondocks. "Town" depending on what you are looking for is about equidistant in both directions, give or take about 22 miles. I find myself headed to the one that just opened one of those "Crack Palaces" a few months ago more often than not.

 

[IndyJay]

Same here after moving to the boondocks. "Town" depending on what you are looking for is about equidistant in both directions, give or take about 22 miles. I find myself headed to the one that just opened one of those "Crack Palaces" a few months ago more often than not.

So then you have probably made the fine distinction by now between "going to town" vs "going to the city". It took us a few months to understand the difference when our new neighbors would mention one or the other some 38 years ago. In your case being, equidistant to two towns, there may be even finer distinctions like up, down or over.

 

[5030]

For everyone's information, Torque Test Channel (YT) rated the 89 buck Bauer cordless, battery powered SDS drill tops over everyone else including DeWalt, Ryobi, Milwaukee and others. Don't want one, I prefer corded SDS. But in a pinch I would imagine it would work but again, with the 5AH pack.

 

[flyerdan]

I have to say their first generation of Chonda engines are quite good. I just started my frankentiller in prep for getting ready; after sitting outside under cover for a year it started on the second pull.

 

[Buggs67]

Same here after moving to the boondocks. "Town" depending on what you are looking for is about equidistant in both directions, give or take about 22 miles. I find myself headed to the one that just opened one of those "Crack Palaces" a few months ago more often than not.

Around here they call it "going over the Mountain" it being Blue Mountain and Carlisle or Mechanicsburg the destination. Both about 15 miles/25 min.