Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

daugen · Jan 18, 2022

Harbor Freight Tools - 23400 Cactus Ave, Moreno Valley, Ca 92553, Us - company

Harbor Freight Tools's full import history & supplier list. Harbor Freight Tools's top company is Jiangsu Tongrun Equipment Technology with 1715 shipments. They primarily import from China with 1715 shipments

www.importyeti.com

interesting to see HF's largest supplier also supplies to Rural King and Tractor Supply and Costco

3Ts · Jan 18, 2022

Cycledude said:
Anyone here own one of these ?

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

the reviews seem mostly pretty good
the video looks great

I wasn't aware HF had one of these until your post so I went out and got one. (I've been looking for a double cut saw for a looonnnngg time and HF's price was right enough to try it out.) I have used it exactly one (1) time to cut 1/4" steel. Here are my thoughts after the one use.

Pro:
-It's cleaner than a grinder
-There's no sparks and the "grit" is much larger than the dust from a cutoff wheel.
-It's easy to handle (see notes)
-It leaves a really nice and smooth cut on the steel

Con:
-Can't really see where you're cutting. There is a V groove at the leading edge, but that isn't where the saw actually cut. The blade is completely enclosed so you can't see the cutting edge so I wouldn't use it for precision cuts.
-The cut is much much wider than a 4-1/2" cutoff wheel produces. I should have measured it, but I didn't.
-It's heavy, about 2x the weight of a 4-1/2" grinder

Notes:
- Not sure of the speed, whether the double cut or a cutoff wheel is quicker. I've used a cutoff wheel for many years and feel comfortable with them and 1st time with the double cut saw was slower than I expected, but I think it will speed up after using it awhile.
- It feels different than any tool I have so I felt a little uncomfortable with it, but when I first turned on a router for wood working many years ago, I thought the same thing with that.

California · Jan 18, 2022

3Ts said:
(I've been looking for a double cut saw for a looonnnngg time and HF's price was right enough to try it out.)

Con:
-Can't really see where you're cutting. There is a V groove at the leading edge, but that isn't where the saw actually cut. The blade is completely enclosed so you can't see the cutting edge so I wouldn't use it for precision cuts.

Make a sample cut partway into a block of wood, stop the saw, draw a pencil line down the edge of the 'shoe'. Lift off the saw, measure from your pencil line over to the edge of the cut, and to the far side of the cut. Now you can draw an offset line on the steel you want to cut. Just keep the edge of the saw following that offset line and the cut will be where you expect it.

Similar - you can clamp a straightedge to the workpiece right at the pencil line, and follow that.

stuckmotor · Jan 19, 2022

I must have been making spark testers from spark plugs for nearly forty years. Before that I tried to pull the pug and hold it against the engine without being shocked and watching for a spark as I pulled the starter rope. When I got old I had more trouble seeing the spark. Then I bought an inline checker from Harbor Freight. It makes a light that I CAN SEE. As a bonus, I don't have to clamp it to a ground on the block. Mine isn't new but to me, it looks like the one at the following link. In-Line Spark Checker

Travelover · Jan 24, 2022

Inexpensive item coupons

Midniteoyl · Jan 24, 2022

Link that works: Savings Coupons at Harbor Freight Tools

stuckmotor · Jan 24, 2022

Travelover said:
Inexpensive item coupons

Thanks for this. I bought two of the movers dollys last week at regular price. We'll see how good the (refund if goes on sale within so many days) works.

3Ts · Jan 25, 2022

California said:
Make a sample cut partway into a block of wood, stop the saw, draw a pencil line down the edge of the 'shoe'. Lift off the saw, measure from your pencil line over to the edge of the cut, and to the far side of the cut. Now you can draw an offset line on the steel you want to cut. Just keep the edge of the saw following that offset line and the cut will be where you expect it.

Similar - you can clamp a straightedge to the workpiece right at the pencil line, and follow that.

I looked at using a straightedge to guide the saw just like i'd use for my regular circular saw when I cut wood. The double cut does not have a flat edge and the motor interferes with a saw guide. And yes, I know this statement is hard to believe so I'll try to get a picture later today.

3Ts · Jan 25, 2022

Here's a couple of pictures to help explain the issue with the guide. First the saw is upside down so you're looking at the base plate of the saw. The redline is a straight edge and is normally where the saw would rest against a guide.

In this second image, you're looking at the side of the saw from the motor side (direction of the arrow in the 1st picture). The straight line with the arrow pointing to it is the same edge as in the first picture. However, notice the oval. This is a mounting lug where the two halves are bolted together and is in the same plane as the sole of the saw. Using a guide will only work until it hits the lug. To use a guide you will need to attach something to the bottom of the saw, but the manual says max depth of cut is 3/8". I've not measured how far the blades reach beyond the base plate, but it's not a lot.

Could you use the other side of the base plate for a guide, maybe, but I'd much prefer the guide be longer and nearer the shaft of the saw. I still like the saw and plan on using it more.