Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[neverfailyou]

I have a complete set of the old USA made Craftsman sockets, ratchets, wrenches, and screwdrivers in the shop. I’ve had them since the 1980s and nothing has broken yet. But I also have sets of the cheap HF tools in the vehicles, and house garage for emergency and occasional use. You can’t beat the price of the Pittsburgh tools for those purposes.

Today I lament that my USA made craftsman tools are no longer complete thru my own negligence, they just disappeared. Cheap tools seem to “stay home”.

 

[California]

Today I lament that my USA made craftsman tools are no longer complete thru my own negligence, they just disappeared. Cheap tools seem to “stay home”.

Yeah. My good USA-made Craftsman tools, Stiletto framing hammer, etc stay locked up until I start a project.

But cheap stuff like the $10 HF socket set live in drawers at the open-air workbench beyond the tractor in this photo.

Immediate access is more important to me than the risk of something being taken by the orchard laborers who congregate there for breaks and lunch. These immigrant farm laborers are great people. Nothing has ever disappeared.

 

[sd455dan]

My experience too. I broke the 3/8" ratchet in the $10 set when I was on my hands and knees under the tractor pushing on the ratchet. No way that could have been extreme force!

I returned the entire set for exchange and soon broke this second ratchet. Substituted an old Taiwan ratchet into that set and haven't broken it, over several years now.

But I get out my ancient Craftsman or Plumb socket sets when I have a real project. And start with the HF 1/2" extendable ratchet when I expect some force will be needed.

Yep, have a couple Craftsman's but my favorites are the old SK pro 1/2" ratchets

I broke a 1/2" import Ratchet and then removed the bolt with a 3/8" Thorsen... That was an eye opener.

Bent a 1/2"import breaker bar and snapped the head pin then broke a 1/2" Thorsen ratchet and replaced it with an SK Pro 1/2" Then put a 4 foot cheater bar on the SK 1/2 Ratchet and jumped up and down on it. (Axle nut) and removed it.

At least 40 years old now, Still going and it has also broke a few old Thorsen US made 1/2" and 3/8" sockets sockets and twisted off a few black oxide impact 1/2 to 3/8' reducers as well.
If I ever actually break the SK stuff going to try and get replacements. but so far have never needed to.

 

[thepumpguysc]

The BIG ORANGE Dead blow hammer is a keeper.!!
I just with I knew where it ran off to.!!
How the heck do you lose a BIG ORANGE HAMMER.!!
I ended up buying one from WallyWorld..

 

[California]

And a good HF tool I haven't seen mentioned:

HF's Fortress 2 gallon 'Ultra Quiet' compressor. 2.1 SCFM @ 90psi.


For near 20 years I've run the red predecessor to HF's recent black-tank 10 gallon compressor. The red one claimed 5.6 CFM @ 90psi - well maybe. Is a CFM smaller than a SCFM at the same psi output?

But finally I ran out of patience with the extreme noise. It made my shop unpleasant. So I recently bought HF's Fortress 2 gallon low-noise compressor and set it up to kick in before the red one does, with its air upstream from the red one then from there out to the air tool or sprayer. The old noisy compressor kicks in far less frequently now.

I would buy a low noise compressor if I were buying my first compressor today.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The BIG ORANGE Dead blow hammer is a keeper.!!
I just with I knew where it ran off to.!!
How the heck do you lose a BIG ORANGE HAMMER.!!
I ended up buying one from WallyWorld..

Now that you replaced it you'll find the one you lost!

 

[California]

The BIG ORANGE Dead blow hammer is a keeper.!!
I just with I knew where it ran off to.!!
How the heck do you lose a BIG ORANGE HAMMER.!!

You fix injector pumps with THAT???

 

[5030]

Only Stillson pipe wrenches I own are Ridge Tool and I have the huge one that the handle is 4 foot long for extra grunt. It's HEAVY though, not aluminum.

I've broken many sockets with my impact wrenches, SK's, Snap On, MAC's and Craftsman but I've never broken any of the HF black oxide impact sockets and believe me, I've tried. Those sockets are bulletproof. My true test is using a 1/2 inch drive impact socket on my IR 1" drive impact with an adapter. The IR makes almost 1900 foot pounds. Mostly I use the Thor 1/2" drive impact. It will do 1500 foot pounds which is really plenty for me.

Far as compressors go, my Quincy QP (pressure lubed) 10 horse is all I need. She makes 30 CFM at 175 psi. Of course 10 horse does spin the electric meter pretty hard. It has a 175 gallon vertical receiver and I run a Tsunami auto drain on it.

Finally, I bought (a while ago) both the 1/2" and 3/8" drive Icon clicker torque wrenches, They look just like the Snap On ones at 1/3 the price and they torque in both directions as well, something I require that lesser wrenches cannot do. Very nice and very accurate as well. They even come in their own fitted cases.

I see HF now offers an Icon 3/4" drive clicker torque wrench for torquing Bud truck wheels. My 250 foot pound Icon is enough for my use. I believe the new Icon torques to 1000 foot pounds.

I kind of wish HF sold a Rivnut setter with the long handles that the Pittsburg pop rivet tool has. I have the Doyle Rivnut setter and it's a bear to use with larger Rivnuts. Handles are too short.

 

[John_Mc]

Wow!! Unless they were getting paid "peanuts" (which I highly doubt) 62% is a Humongous raise!!

62% is over 6 years. That amounts to about 8.4% per year. The company had offered 50%. The union had been seeking 77%.

 

[Oaktree]

62% is over 6 years. That amounts to about 8.4% per year. The company had offered 50%. The union had been seeking 77%.

Still WAY better than any raise I ever got.