Dargo, me thinks you protest too much about HF. I think you have a girlfriend behind the counter or you actually have a soft spot in your heart for HF.:thumbsup:
I would certainly consider myself in the category of HF shopper that hopes against hope that the tools are going to do as advertised for at least a job or two. I'd never buy Snap On equivalent due to cost so for me the choice is often to either buy something from HF and do the work myself or pay a professional to do it for me. So far I've come out ahead as the HF tools I've bought have often allowed me to tackle tasks I'd not try without adding a few tools to my collection.
I've also used HF tools as a guidepost to decide what tools I am willing to spend money on to get something substantially better than HF's offering. For example the new HF multifunction oscillating tool even at $50 seemed like a waste of money so I bought the original Fein version at many times the cost. However, an extra set of ratcheting wrenches for $20 or a jumbo wrench set for $40 or an anvil at a buck a pound seems a no brainer as I would be loath to purchase such items for three or four times the cost from a more reputable manufacturer. On the other hand, while I really would like a 4 or 5 hp compressor I just cannot bring myself to trust HF on that sort of equipment and try to steer clear of complex devices too. Still, truth be told I did buy a $250 drain cleaner that more than paid for itself in one use but that just backs up my point about considering the cost of HF tools compared to hiring a professional to do the job.
So Dargo, I think you are kinda like the guy in school who teases only the pretty girls he's actually interested in when he's afraid to acknowledge as much. Come clean.
