Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[aczlan]

This sucker needs to be used with torque sticks for sure to not overtighten.

Or turn it down, mine has 3 settings:
1. "Hand tight"
2. "3/8 ratchet tight"
3. "Did you want the threads pulled out of the nut" tight

I generally use the middle setting to snug down lug nuts, then tighten them with a torque wrench.

Aaron Z

 

[Oaktree]

Ha! When I was in eighth grade, I had to choose one of four languages to study as a second language: German, Spanish, French or Latin. My teachers and advisors urged Spanish. I went with French, studied it for four years, and now kick myself for never learning Spanish! Quebec may be the one place in North America where that decision might have paid off for me! :laughing:

Or northern New England where those with a French-Canadian heritage (as well as Canadian tourists) far outnumber Hispanics. When I was in high school the foreign language choices were French and Latin. I didn't have any say in the matter, but French was chosen for me, however it was Parisian French, not Canadian.

Most if not all of our official state "Welcome To New Hampshire" signs also say Bienvenue.

 

[CMV]

Soooooo much stuff I buy there and very little disappointing/garbage/waste of money. Some of my favorites:

3 generators. The 3000/3500 inverter, the 3500/4300 & the 7250/9000 regular ones. The inverter one is so quiet - you can stand right next to it running a good load and have a conversation in a normal voice. The standard gas ones, from 1st time out of box and every time since, start easily on first pull and work great. I have been extremely impressed with them and the 3500/4300 is my most used by far. Years in service and lots of use at my remote property with no utilities, and it just performs excellently every time.

The little electric log splitter for $225 w/ coupon. I expected it to be a POS or struggle a lot, but it just goes thru logs even way oversize. Only downside is the 3500/4300 generator won't run it - needs the larger one or household AC. But it does a lot more than it looks like it could/should.

Gloves in general. From the 5 mil nitrile to the various mechanics or basic work gloves. Super cheap and hold up a long time.

The quick-change airbrush kits. Just throw away the little plastic container (comes with 6) and the gun never needs cleaned.

The fat yellow 3000 lb ratchet straps @ $9 are a steal.

The purple HVLP spray gun that's always on sale for around $10 - works as well as a $60 one and cleans up easily.

The digital calipers. Those are hit & miss so I buy 6, keep 2 best, return remainder. But the sets I have on my reloading bench, at my lathe, & at my mill are every bit as smooth, accurate, and repeatable as the Mitutoyo we use at work. Calibration checks even after years of use, they're still dead nuts with 1" & 2" references.

The fine walnut media in 25lb box. Works great for reloading case tumbling and never clogs a flash hole. Much cheaper than other types.

The 5/16 gr 70 truckers chain. Have a bunch of these & some I cut into 2 x 10'.

The 21 gal 2.5HP black air compressor. Loud & needs a 20A circuit, but I use all the time for over 3 yrs and it's excellent. Keeps up with a blast cabinet

Just saw in an email this week they have a rifle length Apache case for Around $100. Have one of the smaller ones that's real nice so want to check that one out next time I'm at the store. If it's a good as the small ones, that's a nice case for the $.

Some stuff is pure crap - the TiN drill sets - fine for wood, but are horrible on metal, need sharpened new, and way too much size variance for precision work. The mesh paint filters - poor design and let lots of unfiltered liquid just run through bottom corner of cone. Most of the basic hand tools are too soft to be durable.

@Diggin It - check these out for basic lifting. I use with pallet forks a lot, but much better than the tow strap if you don't want to use chains:



6 ft. 64 lbs. Capacity Lifting Sling

 

[sixdogs]

Or turn it down, mine has 3 settings:
1. "Hand tight"
2. "3/8 ratchet tight"
3. "Did you want the threads pulled out of the nut" tight

I generally use the middle setting to snug down lug nuts, then tighten them with a torque wrench.

Aaron Z

Torque wrench is what I use. If you have an Earthquake and use on lug nuts you eventually will overtighten and strip or bend a backing plate or something.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Where is the 3 torque switch?

 

[aczlan]

Torque wrench is what I use. If you have an Earthquake and use on lug nuts you eventually will overtighten and strip or bend a backing plate or something.

As I said, I use it to snug the bolts down. I stop once they get snug and I always end up tightening them more when I switch to the torque wrench.

Where is the 3 torque switch?

On the back of the Earthquake that I have, you have 1 reverse setting and 3 forward settings.

Aaron Z

 

[PJSprog]

The digital calipers. Those are hit & miss so I buy 6, keep 2 best, return remainder. But the sets I have on my reloading bench, at my lathe, & at my mill are every bit as smooth, accurate, and repeatable as the Mitutoyo we use at work. Calibration checks even after years of use, they're still dead nuts with 1" & 2" references.

I have the digital calipers, but I stopped using them. Got tired of changing the batteries all the time. I bought the 6" dial caliper for my loading bench, and haven't changed a battery in over 10 years. They work great, too.

 

[lostcreekranch]

As I said, I use it to snug the bolts down. I stop once they get snug and I always end up tightening them more when I switch to the torque wrench.
On the back of the Earthquake that I have, you have 1 reverse setting and 3 forward settings.

Aaron Z

I have this one;



Like Aaron notes, reverse and three torque settings. I've never needed the highest setting.



1/2 in. Aluminum Air Impact Wrench

 

[CMV]

I have the digital calipers, but I stopped using them. Got tired of changing the batteries all the time. I bought the 6" dial caliper for my loading bench, and haven't changed a battery in over 10 years. They work great, too.

hmmmmm....the batteries mine came with last well over a year. I don't use their included spares. I have something else that uses same LR44 battery - illuminated scope maybe? - but buy a bunch of blister packs of name brand ones from amazon. So the calipers get those when the originals fade & they last a longer time after that. Wonder if yours didn't auto-off correctly or something? But they are "hit or miss" - I've gotten plenty that were real gritty, wouldn't return to zero, would always start up in mm and need changed to in every single time, or simply were off 3-5 thou and wouldn't calibrate to a reference. Store is only a few miles from me and I pass it all the time, so buying a handful & then returning the duds next day isn't a big deal.

They used to carry an outside micrometer with a mechanical digit counter that was a copy of a Mitutoyo 193 but think they only have the more expensive electronic one now. Wish I'd have bought another couple of those since it works pretty well too

 

[aczlan]

I have this one;

View attachment 587549

Like Aaron notes, reverse and three torque settings. I've never needed the highest setting.

View attachment 587551

1/2 in. Aluminum Air Impact Wrench

That looks like mine (other than mine is not as clean).

Aaron Z