Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[5030]

Swung by HF on the way home yesterday and bought the Bauer 20 volt grease gun. Got it for 80 bucks with my birthday coupon and my HF card points. I have yet to unbox it but I'll post up a review when I get it out and use it. It's a 'tool only' purchase but I have plenty of Bauer batteries and a couple chargers too. Gonna put a bulk load fitting on it so I can load it via my air grease pump. I've had excellent 'luck' with all the Bauer cordless tools so far with the exception of the brushed 4.5" angle grinder that has a penchant for shutting off if pushed too hard despite the fact that the battery has plenty of life in it. I read on Torque Test Channel that the Milwaukee 4.5" exhibits the same thing. Probably should buy the new brushless unit but not going to until this one dies which it probably won't in my lifetime. The shutting off is irritating but easily overcame by sliding the switch to off and back on again. Very handy for working underneath a vehicle or in a tight spot.

Review to follow when I get to doing it.

 

[daugen]

5030, good luck with grease gun. I've had every type, including a Dewalt cordless which I really liked, and no longer have.
As long as they load easy and catch a prime quickly, anything with a push button is great. Gives you a free hand basically.
I currently have an air grease gun. It works fine but that cordless was better.

I grew up filling an ancient Alemite with a big aluminum spoon from a 30? gallon drum of grease.

 

[5030]

5030, good luck with grease gun. I've had every type, including a Dewalt cordless which I really liked, and no longer have.
As long as they load easy and catch a prime quickly, anything with a push button is great. Gives you a free hand basically.
I currently have an air grease gun. It works fine but that cordless was better.

I grew up filling an ancient Alemite with a big aluminum spoon from a 30? gallon drum of grease.

Thank you. I don't believe it will pose any issues, none of my Bauer 20 volt stuff has failed yet (other than the odd stopping 4.5" angle grinder) Been there and did that too. Amazing how much winds up on you versus in the gun isn't it? I own an ARO which resides on top of a 150 pound open head drum of grease and I' like it but it has it's limitations. I do bulk fill all my lever guns with it (via an extended length zerk fitted to each lever gun and I run the clear Poly Carobnate barrels on them so I can see how much or how little grease is left inside. Nothing worse than running out of grease in the middle of greasing something.

One reason why I don't care for grease cartridges, No matter what you do, you wind up getting grease on your hands or clothes where as the bulk load with a clear barrel is mess free and I prefer to buy grease in bulk anyway. It sits in the corner near an air outlet and I have 50 feet of Parker grease hose on it so I can get out the door and to a machine if necessary. Pneumatic greasers are not a cheap date by a long shot but it's one of those things that lasts a lifetime.

Will see how the HF greaser does. I got it cheap enough (why I bought it actually). I'm inherently cheap to begin with.

 

[Gregster613]

Thank you. I don't believe it will pose any issues, none of my Bauer 20 volt stuff has failed yet (other than the odd stopping 4.5" angle grinder) Been there and did that too. Amazing how much winds up on you versus in the gun isn't it? I own an ARO which resides on top of a 150 pound open head drum of grease and I' like it but it has it's limitations. I do bulk fill all my lever guns with it (via an extended length zerk fitted to each lever gun and I run the clear Poly Carobnate barrels on them so I can see how much or how little grease is left inside. Nothing worse than running out of grease in the middle of greasing something.

One reason why I don't care for grease cartridges, No matter what you do, you wind up getting grease on your hands or clothes where as the bulk load with a clear barrel is mess free and I prefer to buy grease in bulk anyway. It sits in the corner near an air outlet and I have 50 feet of Parker grease hose on it so I can get out the door and to a machine if necessary. Pneumatic greasers are not a cheap date by a long shot but it's one of those things that lasts a lifetime.

Will see how the HF greaser does. I got it cheap enough (why I bought it actually). I'm inherently cheap to begin with.

5030, Can you explain a bit more about those Poly Carobnate barrels? I've never heard of a clear barrel on a grease gun but it'd sure help letting me know when I'm almost out of grease in it!!
I've got an HF pneumatic grease gun that works just fine but I never know when I need to change the cylinder until I'm greasing a fitting and "whoops" no grease is coming out. Then re-load and try to work out the darn air inside! I'd change to a clear barrel if possible and I knew where to find one. Thanks, Greg

 

[BravoXray]

5030, Can you explain a bit more about those Poly Carobnate barrels? I've never heard of a clear barrel on a grease gun but it'd sure help letting me know when I'm almost out of grease in it!!
I've got an HF pneumatic grease gun that works just fine but I never know when I need to change the cylinder until I'm greasing a fitting and "whoops" no grease is coming out. Then re-load and try to work out the darn air inside! I'd change to a clear barrel if possible and I knew where to find one. Thanks, Greg

Not 5030, but on every grease gun I have ever owned you could pull the t-handle at the end of the barrel out and that showed you how much was remaining in the tube. If it only pulled out an inch or less, the tube is almost empty. You have to pull the handle out all the way and off to the side to lock it to load a new tube.
Seems pretty easy to me, as every time I use the gun, I pull the t-handle out to see how much is left before I start greasing things.

 

[5030]

5030, Can you explain a bit more about those Poly Carobnate barrels? I've never heard of a clear barrel on a grease gun but it'd sure help letting me know when I'm almost out of grease in it!!
I've got an HF pneumatic grease gun that works just fine but I never know when I need to change the cylinder until I'm greasing a fitting and "whoops" no grease is coming out. Then re-load and try to work out the darn air inside! I'd change to a clear barrel if possible and I knew where to find one. Thanks, Greg

Run up polycarbonate grease gun barrels on Amazon or just grease gun barrels, that is where I got mine. I believe the maker was Plews. Sure is nice and the barrels come with their own plunger and handle too. I like seeing how much I have or don't have. Of course they will only work with bulk loading as you cannot see inside a grease cartridge.

 

[Gregster613]

Not 5030, but on every grease gun I have ever owned you could pull the t-handle at the end of the barrel out and that showed you how much was remaining in the tube. If it only pulled out an inch or less, the tube is almost empty. You have to pull the handle out all the way and off to the side to lock it to load a new tube.
Seems pretty easy to me, as every time I use the gun, I pull the t-handle out to see how much is left before I start greasing things.

BravoXray, Yes after you mentioned it - I thought of checking the plunger level! I just don't think of it when I grab the gun to get the greasing procedure over and done with! I've got to slow down some and not be so rushed all the time I reckon. Thanks for the "simple" reminder to a forgetful dufus like me.

 

[Gregster613]

Run up polycarbonate grease gun barrels on Amazon or just grease gun barrels, that is where I got mine. I believe the maker was Plews. Sure is nice and the barrels come with their own plunger and handle too. I like seeing how much I have or don't have. Of course they will only work with bulk loading as you cannot see inside a grease cartridge.

5030, Thanks for that info on the clear barrels! Now I can look them up and see if they'll be of use for me. Although I do use cartridges so probably not. I now know exactly what you were talking about though. Thanks

 

[John_Mc]

What's the scoop on the Greenwood 4 gallon backpack sprayer (#63092) sold by HF? My local HF has them on sale for 60% off.

Do they work OK? How do they hold up?

Also wondering about the Central Pneumatic paint shaker (item 94605). Do they hold up OK, or is it the usual central pneumatic disposable junk?

 

[5030]

Good question, don't have either. Never had an issue with my Solo backpack sprayer. Gotta be 20 years old.