Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[MoArk Willy]

I bought a Rolair.....very quiet. It is my shop compressor.
You can actually stand next to it and have a conversation.
Not cheap, but quiet was my major issue when I bought it.
I understand the Harbor Freight ones are just as quiet and a bit cheaper.
If mine takes a crap I will most likely go with the Fortress.
It needs to fit under the workbench.

 

[Threepoint]

A new invention for you.

View attachment 617786


Bruce

Ha! You're right! I haven't seen one of those used in years. In fact, I have one somewhere in one of my electrical miscellaneous drawers. Thanks for the reminder. Now I'll just need to haul out a ladder to get to the 10' ceiling lights next time. :laughing:

 

[tookielee]

Anyone here but the green mid level 110V MIG welder that is around $150 it $200?

I can't comment on the MIG, but I once (years ago) bought a small flux core wire feed from them.
Got it home, plugged it in, and started welding. At least, that's what I thought. The only thing it
would melt was the wire, absolutely no melting or penetration on the metal I was trying to join.
Boxed it up, took it back, stopped at Lowes and bought the smallest Lincoln wire feed, welds perfectly.

 

[California]

I can't comment on the MIG, but I once (years ago) bought a small flux core wire feed from them.
Got it home, plugged it in, and started welding. At least, that's what I thought. The only thing it
would melt was the wire, absolutely no melting or penetration on the metal I was trying to join.
Boxed it up, took it back

The blue 110V AC "Mig100" flux welder? I returned one that worked similar. I think a bad batch of flux core wire doomed an entire shipment of those. Ebay was flooded with them in 'as-new, open box' condition.

A year later after reading about the bad batch of wire, I bought the same model again and it worked ok. Not excellent, but worth the $72 it cost with a coupon. Nothing I've ever welded with it has broken. I eventually sold it and now have better welders.

Photo below: Here's an example with the HF 110v AC blue welder: A neighbor gave me an incomplete exercise machine, I built a lifter for my spike harrow from part of it. And photo of the harrow, lifted.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Yeah, wire makes a huge difference with those things. I've found it near impossible to get a reasonable weld with .030" wire with my 90A version but .035" wire works just fine... have tried several wires, size is more of an issue than brand but yes they did have a bad batch of wire... with those stupid things you set the heat for what you are doing (low for sheet metal, high for everything else and from there you set the wire speed for the amount of heat you want to put into things, low for thick and fast for thin, it'll kinda ruin you for other welders since that's not how you're supposed to do it

On the inverter welders, I have a MIG 170 and the Unlimited 200 from Titanium, both weld great, on 110V I welded off of 3 different generators with the spool of .030" wire that came with the welder using the settings on the side door and it worked dang good... 2 of the generators used were while camping in the desert repairing wheeling rigs, and structural repairs no less, held up well for the abuse the welds took. If the 125 is similar to the 170 but single voltage input I imagine it is a LONG way ahead of the old chicago electric transformer A/C versions (flux core isn't supposed to work on A/C, but somehow they do...)

 

[Soldier415]

Recently picked up two HF predator 3500 inverters. As A test I set one up to run our 14k BTU window AC unit. It ran two hours Monday, then it ran it a full 10 hours yesterday before finally running out of fuel.

12 hours at 35-40% load on 2.5 gallons of fuel and couldn't even hear it inside the house.

Going to take both and the 50 amp parallel kit out to the camper and see how they do with both AC units and both fridges on

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

 

[PJSprog]

That's a good review, Soldier415. Thanks.

 

[DMax82]

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

Thanks for taking the time to share this! Have been looking hard at these.

 

[KubotainNH]

I just received an e-mail that has the popup canopy for $40 and a 11'4"x15'6" heavy tarp for $13. Good savings on both that I already own. I could use a new canopy and always good to have another big tarp.

 

[hunt4570]

Just an update to the above post regarding the HF Predator 3500 inverter generators.

Using the Firman 50 Amp parallel kit i plugged in our 41' 5th wheel. With both AC units running full bore, a residential fridge and mini fridge, and every light on it was drawing 13-14 amps from each inverter so right at about 50-55% load. From inside the camper I couldn't even hear them.

I ran it with that load for 12 hours before shutting them down as I didn't want to leave them unsecured outside overnight. Both generators still had fuel.

So far I am very happy with the purchase

I bought one of their 8750 Predator generators (if I remember # right without going out to look) a couple years ago. I have it set up in one of my outbuildings in case of power outage (I live out in the country). Have it wired through the panel so it will run my house from there. I don't use it a lot, but here and there I do and it has always worked just as it should, will run what I need in the house as long as I pay attention.[[ and yes I have the main panel wired so I can turn it off so I don't electrocute the power guys!!]]