Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Grumpycat]

Bought a small (3,500W) generator from Harbor Freight recently. Does it suck?

I have no idea. It's only been about a week since I ordered it. Now they say Monday.

I bought the 5000W inverter Predator on Black Friday sale. Gasoline/Propane. Remote electric start. 3600W continuous on propane, 3400W on gasoline. Haven't unboxed it yet, saving for a project.

 

[Gregster613]

After the large compressor's regulator. I didn't think this through like you are doing. It just works.

Now considering this in more detail, I think in theory the large tank's regulator would remain open only until pressure in its tank reaches the regulator set pressure. (120 psi) But then because I have plenty of air for a while, this might mean that the large tank keeps filling until the small compressor (135psi) cuts off, so I have 135 psi provided from both tanks for a while.

Good question. If you are right, I'm not stressing the 20 year old tank beyond its design limit, 120psi. But if the whole 135 psi is getting shoved in there then it's good that that rig is back in a corner behind a big workbench!

If I needed a certain regulated air pressure then the inlet T before the outlet regulator would be better. But my use isn't that sophisticated.

For painting (rare) I set up with a regulator/water separator at the far end of the hose with a short hose from there to the gun.

Thanks for the clarification California! Now I know where to place my tee in the system! I never even gave a thought to "overloading" the older tank; I just wanted to know where "exactly" you placed your tee. But, since you mentioned it, I suppose one could possibly overload a tank.
I won't worry about it since it's such a small amount of difference. I just want to use my smaller compressor - which sits unused most of the time - to add supply to my main compressor. I do the same as you for painting or whenever I have an air tool on that needs be individually regulated.
I'm gonna have to get to wrenching now and couple the systems together. Thanks again.

 

[Gregster613]

Photo - the last time I painted at a scale larger than a spray can. HF's (then) $10 spray gun, HF 10 gallon compressor, HF regulator/water separator. Rustoleum prime and finish coat. 'Good enough for the girls I go with', to quote an old Carpenter buddy.

Looks good and got the job done well, working on the cheaper end of the scale at that! I love working with almost all of my HF tools. I'm just a homeowner not a contractor and they work well for me!

 

[jyoutz]

Looks good and got the job done well, working on the cheaper end of the scale at that! I love working with almost all of my HF tools. I'm just a homeowner not a contractor and they work well for me!

HF tools have really improved over the past ten years. They used to have cheap limited use and life tools. Now I would rank their better tools as good as any of the big name tools.

 

[5030]

Well it’s cold and messy out and I’m just in the shop killing time so I’ll join in. My favorite little tool at harbor freight is the battery powered liquid transfer pumps. They are short lived but cheap enough to not fuss when they quit. And just as good as one that costs a lot. I ne ver try and return one just toss it and get a new one. That one tool that don’t suck from harbor freight

Lots of tools don't suck at HF, but many do. Especially the bargain basement ones.

I do the same with the battery powered pumps, I buy a few when on sale in the HF ITC listings. When they poop out they get tossed and as cheap as they are, no issue. One thing I do, do, is I run them on Amazon Basics Li-Ion rechargeable D cells and I have a Chinese charger I keep them charged with. 2 sets, one in the pump and one in waiting. The pumps are hard on regular batteries which is why I use the Li-Ion ones.

FYI, HF has the conditioning wheels for the Bauer corded conditioning tool on sale, ITC. I have one (got it on ITC sale as well) and it's a great timesaver for pre conditioning steel, stainless and aluminum, prior to welding. One caution however, you must segregate the wheels by material as you cannot condition aluminum and then steel with the same wheel as the wheel will contaminate the materials prior to welding. I mark the respective wheels with a paint marker on the end to denote which wheel is for what. The tool is the best and fastest wat for removing oxidation, bar none.

I did take the gearbox apart when I bought it and replaced the Chinese smooze grease inside with real grease, something I do with all gear drive HF tools. The Chinese smooze grease is junk. Smells like Soy Sauce and looks like it as well and I blow out the tool's motor after every use as well because the dust from the operation will soon eat up the brushes. Nice tool and cheaper than the look alike one that Eastwood sells for 2 times the price and if you have an Eastwood tool, the HF conditioning wheels fit that as well and the HF wheels are much cheaper, even not on sale.

Why pay more when you can pay less for the same things.

 

[5030]

HF tools have really improved over the past ten years. They used to have cheap limited use and life tools. Now I would rank their better tools as good as any of the big name tools.

I rank their Icon and Chief air tools HIGHER than the tool truck stuff for about 1/2 the price. Case in point, the Chief air powered 4.5" angle grinder. Mirror copy of the IR angle grinder for 1/2 the IR cost (not on sale), in some ways, even better. The Chief has a grease fitting on the nose for adding grease to the gearbox, the IR don't and I have both btw. The Chief air powered drill is as good as the IR at 1/2 the cost as well.

I also have the Icon 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench and their new 3/4" drive clicker as well. If you watch 'Project Farm's' evaluation of clicker wrenches, you'll see that the HF ones are as good as the tool truck (Snap-On, MAC) ones at half the cost. In fact the Icon ones look just like the tool truck ones except for the laser engraved name on them. Most likely made in the same Chinese factory as well. Have the Snap-On ones as well. Identical in all aspects and the Icon clickers torque in both directions, something I require for torquing left hand threads. Cheap torque wrenches only torque in the right hand (tightening) mode.

Finally, HF tool boxes are top shelf in build quality plus they come in various colors including Kubota Orange which is what I have.

Finally, finally, I also have a full compliment of HF welders, I own their Pro-Tig 205 as well as both their 65 amp and 45 amp plasma cutters. They are all IGBT machines and you can get the extended warranty on them, which I did. The HF plasma cutters consumables are much cheaper than the Hyper-Therm consumables (I had and sold the HT cutter). I use the 45 amp machine as a freehand cutter and the 65 amp machine is interfaced to my CNC plasma table and unlike the Hyper Therm cutter, HF has the interface plug on the front of the cutter so integrating it to the table was 100% plug and play (I used the HT interface cable).

The Pro-Tig 205 is an extremely capable machine, 100% digital readout with infinite adjustments and it comes with Tig pulse as well and runs either DC for ferrous materials or AC pulse for aluminum. It's fan on demand as well and the foot pedal is much netter than the Lincoln Invertig which I also sold.

Only downside on the Pro-Tig is the torch and the fact that it isn't water cooled so I purchased a CK Worldwide Series 2, flex head water cooled torch (which is really necessary for welding aluminum) as well as an Everlast water cooler as my Lincoln Weld Mate water cooler went with the Invertig when I sold it.

Interestingly, the Pro-Tig is a much smoother machine than the Invertig ever was and the ProTig is lift arc as well as scratch start Tig, whereas the Lincoln was only scratch start.

Best part was, I sold the Lincoln and the Hypertherm plasma cutter and with the proceeds, bought all 3 machines plus the extended 3 year warranty on all of them and still put money back in the shop account.

I did keep my 2 Hobart Handler 210 wire machines however, simply because the Hobart's have the best wet out of any MIG machines I've ever used and at maximum amperage they are capable of spray transfer and they were made in Troy, Ohio, unlike the new Hobart's that are made in China and the new Hobart machines are now IGBT machines, just like everyone else is today.

You can tell I'm a HF junkie but I will say for dollars spent versus value received, you cannot beat HF or their warranty either. If you have any issues or failure with anything, you take it back to the store and they give you a new one, on the spot. Try that with the others and see what happens.... Been there, did that and it works 100%. Even the cheaper Pittsburg tools have a lifetime replacement warranty.

If you own a Hobart or Lincoln or Miller machine and it fails under warranty, you get to take it to an authorized service center and wait for it to be repaired. I don't want to wait around for weeks for a machine to get repaired. With HF, you get a NEW or equal value machine on the spot, instantly.

No brainer in my opinion.

 

[scootr]

I bought an new multi-fuel generator. Tired of gas carburetor problems every couple of years for a brief use so this one runs on propane which can sit without fuel issues.
I don't know if it works as I've never needed it in the 5 yrs it's been in the shed.

 

[bmaverick]

I bought an new multi-fuel generator. Tired of gas carburetor problems every couple of years for a brief use so this one runs on propane which can sit without fuel issues.
I don't know if it works as I've never needed it in the 5 yrs it's been in the shed.

You at least need to run it once or twice on propane ONLY. You do not want to do a break-in period during an emergency time. Use the oil that came with the genset for the engine. After about 30mins or so, (read manual) you can shut it down, drain the break-in oil, and then refill with a good syn.

Now you can let it sit out there for years. Four years after getting the Dual fuel, we needed it. Worked on the first start on propane. No dumb genset maintenance run each month or so like gasoline requires. So, only run it on PROPANE and nothing else.

 

[paulsharvey]

Credit where credit is due, nice thing about HF, I just dropped of that 3 gal pancake for full refund, no issues. I ordered a new capacitor for the 8 gal earlier on Amazon, for like $12. Now, it Would be nice if they stocked wear parts for there tools, but i don't blame them for not keeping all that around, they are a discount tool store

 

[bmaverick]

Credit where credit is due, nice thing about HF, I just dropped of that 3 gal pancake for full refund, no issues. I ordered a new capacitor for the 8 gal earlier on Amazon, for like $12. Now, it Would be nice if they stocked wear parts for there tools, but i don't blame them for not keeping all that around, they are a discount tool store

return back to the store in 3-days. Get the broken 3gal pancake with tank for pennies on the dollar. Now you have spare parts.

 

[scootr]

Just stopped in HF for a screwdriver. Spent $35 on stuff I probably don't need.

 

[jyoutz]

Just stopped in HF for a screwdriver. Spent $35 on stuff I probably don't need.

Yeah, that’s easy to do and I am frequently guilty of doing the same.

 

[jyoutz]

return back to the store in 3-days. Get the broken 3gal pancake with tank for pennies on the dollar. Now you have spare parts.

Maybe not three days, but yes. The store manager at our local store told me they send all broken items back to be refurbished and they are then sold at stores for a substantial discount. But the refurbished items only have a 5 day warranty, not the same as the original warranty.

 

[California]

I bought the 11 amp Hercules corded angle grinder as refurb at half price. Same as new except somebody's initials are engraved on it. This is a near perfect twin to the $100 DeWalt. I love it.

 

[5030]

Now, it Would be nice if they stocked wear parts for there tools

They do actually if you look in the respective tool ad, you'll see 'replacement parts available' I did just that for a pair of swirl rings for the Titanium plasma cutters I purchased as the stores don't carry them so I ordered them direct from HF and they sent me a pair.

On an HF kick today so...

I have to say the Pittsburg black oxide impact sockets (normal and deep well) are ****. I have yet to break one and I abuse them constantly. I've broken Snap-On, SK Wayne, Proto and MAC impact sockets. Never broke the Pittsburg impact sockets, ever. Of course the usual lifetime guarantee applies.

The store I go to, the female manager and I are pretty good friends, in fact I'm teaching her how to TIG weld and she wants me to apply for a job there to which I said no. I'd spend all the money I made there buying HF stuff and I have enough as it is. I like being semi retired and keeping up with 3 rentals, part time farming and managing the machine shop and fabricating custom motorcycle parts is way more than enough for me at 74 years old.

Besides, I don't like working for someone else anyway, even if the boss is a pretty young lass that likes me...lol

 

[jyoutz]

They do actually if you look in the respective tool ad, you'll see 'replacement parts available' I did just that for a pair of swirl rings for the Titanium plasma cutters I purchased as the stores don't carry them so I ordered them direct from HF and they sent me a pair.

On an HF kick today so...

I have to say the Pittsburg black oxide impact sockets (normal and deep well) are ****. I have yet to break one and I abuse them constantly. I've broken Snap-On, SK Wayne, Proto and MAC impact sockets. Never broke the Pittsburg impact sockets, ever. Of course the usual lifetime guarantee applies.

The store I go to, the female manager and I are pretty good friends, in fact I'm teaching her how to TIG weld and she wants me to apply for a job there to which I said no. I'd spend all the money I made there buying HF stuff and I have enough as it is. I like being semi retired and keeping up with 3 rentals, part time farming and managing the machine shop and fabricating custom motorcycle parts is way more than enough for me at 74 years old.

Besides, I don't like working for someone else anyway, even if the boss is a pretty young lass that likes me...lol

I bout a set of those 1/2” Pittsburgh impact sockets, both SAE and metric last month when they were on sale for $13 each. Couldn’t pass that up. Of course I spent considerably more buying the Hercules 1/2” impact driver to go along with the sockets.

 

[Happy in NC]

How do HF lifetime warranty work. Just exchange a wrench or are there more hoops to jump through. Most of my tools are old Craftsman where you could just walk in and exchange them

 

[jyoutz]

How do HF lifetime warranty work. Just exchange a wrench or are there more hoops to jump through. Most of my tools are old Craftsman where you could just walk in and exchange them

It’s the same for HF. (For the tools that are lifetime warranty). I do have a large set of the old craftsman US made hand tools that I bought back in the 1980s. I wonder if they still honor that warranty since craftsman tools are still sold by Lowe’s and Ace Hardware?

 

[5030]

I bout a set of those 1/2” Pittsburgh impact sockets, both SAE and metric last month when they were on sale for $13 each. Couldn’t pass that up. Of course I spent considerably more buying the Hercules 1/2” impact driver to go along with the sockets.

Only non air powered impact I have is the small Bauer 20 volt one that is good for smaller bolts. I run the sockets with either my Astro Pneumatic Thor 1/2" drive air impact or my IR 3/4 drive air impact with a 3/4 to 1/2 impact rated adapter. So I abuse them all the time. The Thor makes 1700 foot pounds break away and the IR makes over 2000 break away.

 

[jyoutz]

Only non air powered impact I have is the small Bauer 20 volt one that is good for smaller bolts. I run the sockets with either my Astro Pneumatic Thor 1/2" drive air impact or my IR 3/4 drive air impact with a 3/4 to 1/2 impact rated adapter. So I abuse them all the time. The Thor makes 1700 foot pounds break away and the IR makes over 2000 break away.

The Hercules 1/2” impact does have a breakaway of 1500 foot pounds so they are pretty good for cordless tools.