Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[BukitCase]

Cougs (and all) - if you're serious about finding out more, you should go back and read ALL the info in the link I posted

Fuel your safety knowledge

It will answer pretty much every question you may have.

Also, everyone - according to that report, the NEW MAXIMUM recommended withdrawal is EVEN LESS THAN BEFORE, they now say ONLY 1/10 OF THE CYLINDER VOLUME PER HOUR -

For those who REALLY don't wanna read, the two MAIN REASONS for knowing about this are FIRES and EXPLOSIONS ... Steve

 

[5030]

Why ganged tanks are necessary. Real simple. OOOps, wrong term, ganged bottles, not tanks.

 

[5030]

For a small engine mechanic, I don't see that it makes much sense to spend 3x the price for Snap-On, Mac, etc. tools when decent quality box store tools will stand up just fine, especially if he doesn't need to finance the purchase. Keep in mind though that HF has only been a practical option for most of us only for the last 5-10 years when they expanded. I don't know how widespread their stores were on the west coast in the past, but here in the northeast they've only had much of a presence for the last decade or so.



I think the jury is still out on that, or at least with power tools. Yeah the newer "brands" don't feel quite as cheap as the old Chicago Electric crap, but time will tell on how they stand up. Agree their hand tools seem to be as good as anyone else's. Can't comment on air tools since I have no need for them.

As far as bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., sorry but that ship sailed a long time ago. Our workforce has long since priced themselves out of that market, at least for reasonably priced consumer goods.

You can always buy the Milwaukee 'Fuel' stuff and pay a premium price for offshore made anyway. Not in my toolbox.

My Bauer 20 volt stuff is alive and well and never an issue and I use them constantly.

 

[Cougsfan]

Thanks Steve. That article on torch safety was worth reading.

 

[BukitCase]

Cougs, you're entirely welcome; I figure that if I was given a "raincheck" on death by at least 55 years (so far) the least I can do is pass it on when given the chance...

"Why ganged tanks are necessary. Real simple. OOOps, wrong term, ganged bottles, not tanks"

5030, after all the (pre-internet) study I did, I knew I didn't wanna mess with ganged bottles so I did the math; the largest Acetylene bottle and the next to smallest rosebud (at the time) satisfied the withdrawal rate, and since I'm not into huge earthmovers it's been fine for me since I bought my tanks in the '70's... Steve

 

[5030]

Not sure about the earthmover stuff. What I stated originally was I know a guy who arches steel flatbed trailers and uses a big rosebud to heat the upper and lower flanges so they contract and curve. I don't get into that stuff at all. Just watch and he uses ganged bottles of oxygen and acetylene.

Not my thing at all.

 

[BukitCase]

Yeah, that'd be another place where you'd need a LOT of heat for sure; I've done a few similar things but on a MUCH smaller scale (and with mixed results) - the "earthmover" comment just meant jobs big enough to NEED all the hassle of ganged bottles, bigger hoses, bigger torches, etc - that hasn't been me, biggest thing I own is a roughly 30,000# manlift and a 12k backhoe... Steve

 

[Diggin It]

Have we talked about the 'goes through' socket sets yet? I got the old style Pittsburgh, but they have a newer version now. Thinking about getting another set some day as they come in mighty handy for longer bolts or threaded rod.

 

[PILOON]

Quote---"As far as bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., sorry but that ship sailed a long time ago. Our workforce has long since priced themselves out of that market, at least for reasonably priced consumer goods."

Problem there is gov'ts subsidized under aid projects support for those 3'rd world countries.
Most often with high performance robotic assembly equipment that supported US firms.
Well that has come back to bite us.
Those 3'rd world's use it but with $2-3-4 hr/hr workers and that simply can't compete with our high priced unionized workers.
We brought it upon ourselves!

 

[LouNY]

It isn't just the labor cost;
it is also the energy cost and the excess burdensome government regulations.
OSHA and IMSHA and the EPA have hamstrung manufacturing in the US.
Some safety and regulations are needed but we have gone so far overboard it is ridiculous.