Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Oaktree]

Most everything that HF sells today in the upscale tool lines fails to qualify as suck tools.

Having said that I don't much care for the HF rivet assortments. Much better quality one are available elsewhere.

They seemed to be well on their way to distance themselves from their "suck tools" image by the time they started having any physical presence in my area. Or at least had started offering better models.

I will say they have some interesting items not generally found in the tool dept. of Lowes. HD, etc.

Their hose clamp assortments aren't very good, not real impressed with their sawzall blades and drill bits either.

 

[5030]

Never purchased their drills. In as much as I own and operate a short run machine and fab shop, I only buy high quality drills and taps and dies anyway. Heard bad things about their drills so I would not buy them anyway. Only Cleveland Twist or Chicago Latrobe here.

 

[John_Mc]

One thing noticeable is the hf Tools that don't suck suck has many more posts and is far more active than the opposite thread I remember seeing of hf tools that do suck I definitely contributed to both the sucky other thread definitely not so much anymore. Self proclaimed tool junkies like me need a decent tool store after sears demise.

I suspect that a lot of people did not see the need for two threads and just posted here for both good tools and tools that suck. (I count myself in that group.)

Also, when I buy a cheap, disposable tool I pretty much expect it to suck, so am not surprised when it breaks. It's when I'm surprised by how bad a tool is that I'm willing to take the time to report on it.

I'm not really buying the low-end tools anymore if I can avoid them, so don't have a lot of input about them anyway.

 

[nctox]

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Bought this a few months ago. Assembly was straight forward and seems to be as sturdy as advertised. I cobbled together a little support post for when it is fully raised, just because I'm an overly cautious sort. I don't think this one falls into the "Suck" category.
Sorry. I should have described it. ATV lift, 500lb capacity.

 

[jjeff]

I suspect that a lot of people did not see the need for two threads and just posted here for both good tools and tools that suck. (I count myself in that group.)

Also, when I buy a cheap, disposable tool I pretty much expect it to suck, so am not surprised when it breaks. It's when I'm surprised by how bad a tool is that I'm willing to take the time to report on it.

I'm not really buying the low-end tools anymore if I can avoid them, so don't have a lot of input about them anyway.

Back when I bought that rivet gun it was the cheapest I could find was so tired of using a hand rivet tool dozens of times per snowmobiles bile I was extending the tunnels on.aftrr long tracking them. This pneumatic rivet gun made my life so much easier. .on the opposite spectrum Unfortunately when a unreliable pos tool will make a easier not so challenging project literally impossible with frustrating 4 letter words.

 

[Runner]

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Bought this a few months ago. Assembly was straight forward and seems to be as sturdy as advertised. I cobbled together a little support post for when it is fully raised, just because I'm an overly cautious sort. I don't think this one falls into the "Suck" category.
Sorry. I should have described it. ATV lift, 500lb capacity.

X2 I have this lift and like it a lot.

 

[tradosaurus]

I, for one, don't have any desire to use used ear plugs with ear wax on them, throwaway or not.

Dude, just save the wax in a jar and pretty soon you have a candle.

 

[Runner]

Dude, just save the wax in a jar and pretty soon you have a candle.

I had lots of ear problems as a kid and HATE putting anything in my ears. I do, however love the HF hearing protectors and use them all the time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/ear-muffs-70038.html

IMO they are cheap, work great, rugged and a good value.

 

[John_Mc]

I had lots of ear problems as a kid and HATE putting anything in my ears. I do, however love the HF hearing protectors and use them all the time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/ear-muffs-70038.html

IMO they are cheap, work great, rugged and a good value.

Unfortunately, at only a 17 NRR, I'd put that in the "kind of sucks" category. Certainly better than not wearing hearing protection at all.

I generally wear Husqvarna hearing protectors. They make 2 styles, a homeowner version and a pro version. Both have 25 dB NRR. (The pro version just has a better, more comfortable headband.) Stihl and many others sell some with similar ratings.

 

[LouNY]

Unfortunately, at only a 17 NRR, I'd put that in the "kind of sucks" category. Certainly better than not wearing hearing protection at all.

I generally wear Husqvarna hearing protectors. They make 2 styles, a homeowner version and a pro version. Both have 25 dB NRR. (The pro version just has a better, more comfortable headband.) Stihl and many others sell some with similar ratings.

Unless you have to wear glasses then all the over the head muffs loss most of there effectiveness.