Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

Skyco · Mar 12, 2008

I vote #2

If you've watched the show as long as I have there has always been a fresh "trophy wife-able" co-host

BTW a quick google reveals the current co-host is no relation..........yet.

JCB · Mar 12, 2008

valleydweller1 said:
Yes Gemini, that is what I was referring to. To me, drawbars are for tractors and fit between the lower 3ph arms. I've only ever heard it called a stinger, maybe it's a west-coast thing? We call it a stinger because of the way it feels when you run into it with your shins.

Greg

Isn't that just a "ball mount"?

dirt clod · Mar 12, 2008

Is any of there welders descent?

bigshovel · Mar 12, 2008

I bought the 14 gauge electric metal shears at the sidewalk sale last week for the shop at my office. We get about 3 months service out of $189.00 Milwaukee unit. My two fabricators have used the 39.00 hf unit for 4 days and 6600 lineal feet and swear it is faster than the Milwaukee. Time will tell but it appears my operating costs are about to go down.

Brad

patrick_g · Mar 13, 2008

valleydweller1 said:
We call it a stinger because of the way it feels when you run into it with your shins.

Greg

OK, Greg!!! I shoulda thought of that, given the scars (real and imagined) on my shins from trailer hitches on pickups.

Mayhaps I was too hasty in my comment about continuing to call the drawbar a drawbar and not a stinger. You have made the case most eloquently! If there were a competition of total number of shin barkings on a hitch per year, lifetime, or just about any other category I'd be in the final contenders, I'm sorry to say.

Cohost on "Tool Time"... Yes, there has been a series of good uns, each able to spark at least a little fantasy. I just love "eye candy" in boots with a tool belt. Yeah, the host is no dummy. Norm A. is a fine dude in a woodworking sense but... it isn't the same, sorry TOH and NYW.

A thought just flashed into my head... As a young lad in my formative years I was exposed to many opportunities to observe the Ridgid tool brand calenders. You know the ones with pipe wrenches and threaders and such being posed with babes in scanty attire made to resemble work clothes by Frederick's of Hollywood.

And then there was the Mechanics Illustrated girl, MIMI who surely boosted subscriptions with her scanty blue and white vertically striped overalls (with or without the railroaders hat.)

Pat

855Idiot · Mar 13, 2008

dirt clod said:
Is any of there welders descent?

I looked at the welders there.

I asked the floor people if they had any problems with them.

I was told they got one in four back.

I quit considering one at that point.

I went with a name brand and have not looked back.

dfkrug · Mar 13, 2008

dirt clod said:
Are any of their welders descent?

I have the 220V spot welder ($160 on sale). Works fine, but needs
longer tongs. You have to supply your own plug. I have seen this
identical welder in catalogs from welder supply outfits for $700+. Of
course, they put another name on it.

RobJ · Mar 13, 2008

dirt clod said:
Is any of there welders descent?

I have 2 of the wire feed welders...don't use any gas with them. One is the 110 mig, on sale for $99, the other is the 220 mig on sale for $159 if I recall.

They both work ok. The 110 works nice on light stuff. The 220 has power for heavier stuff. Flux core wire is not my favorite so I use my sticks most of the time. Parts for the guns are the same as other popular models. The wire feeder is just ok...It won't feed good with a kink or tight turn in the line. But keep it mostly straight and it'll work. For $99 it has been worth it. Both have wire feed control, then 4 switch power settings.

Since I mostly use a stick, I went with a Lincoln and Hobart. Just the basic AC buzz boxes. Of the 2 I like the Lincoln better.

BTW for light duty I like the 7" angle grinder, Sazzall. Not the best luck with the air tools, impacts and nail guns.

Rob

shvl73 · Mar 14, 2008

855Idiot said:
I looked at the welders there.

I asked the floor people if they had any problems with them.

I was told they got one in four back.

I quit considering one at that point.

I went with a name brand and have not looked back.

You're smarter than me, I didn't ask, I bought.

Then I became one of those "one in four" returns.
I bought one of the mig welders, no power to the gun. The fan would come on, just nothing when you pulled the trigger.
I bought a Lincoln 175A mig and I like it alot.

patrick_g · Mar 14, 2008

dfkrug said:
I have the 220V spot welder ($160 on sale). Works fine, but needs
longer tongs. You have to supply your own plug. I have seen this
identical welder in catalogs from welder supply outfits for $700+. Of
course, they put another name on it.

Me too. Same unit. My first spot welder. I'm a novice with it but it sure tacks sheet metal together fast and secure.

Pat