Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Around $10 when they go on sale. .... Edit, add: I see a $9.99 coupon in the Sunday paper.

I too got a card of batteries off ebay. Over maybe five years I've installed the original battery plus one from that card. But I seldom use the caliper.

 

[lostcreekranch]

On the electronic calipers, I have the push button kind that I think is the one that auto shuts itself off. I'm not sure because I shut mine off when not being used. As mentioned, I have probably had it nine months or so and it's the original battery. It did not come with a spare. My first thought is you just got a bad Chinese battery.

Yes, probably.

 

[NHmitch]

You can buy those button batteries dirt cheap off eBay. Look for a LR44 battery.
Example: 10 x AG13 LR44 LR1154 SR44 A76 357A 303 357 Alkaline Coin Cell Button Battery G6 | eBay

I actually just bought a 50 pack of those a week ago, and I probably will never use all of them. I bought them for my HF digital mini moisture meter that I bought to tell how seasoned my firewood is. It works great, and after researching it before I bought it, there were people on arborist sites that spoke really well of it compared to expensive models. I am glad to know that my digital caliper takes the same battery! It funny, know that I use this caliper, I seem to do al
Of my measurements in mm. It seems to be a bit more accurate and is easier for me, sadly.

rl]http://t.harborfreight.com/digital-mini-moisture-meter-67143.html?utm_source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dharbor%2520freight%2520wood%2520moisture%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CCYQFjAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.harborfreight.com%252Fdigital-mini-moisture-meter-67143.html%26ei%3DyKUJU4iVKKbNsAT134DADQ%26usg%3DAFQjCNFnSsDjKisUReKWuhQwJEYZj2lXoQ%26bvm%3Dbv.61725948%2Cd.cWc&utm_medium=mobile_redirec

 

[paulharvey]

Got a question about the coupons. I know they exclude welders, compressors, and generators from there 20/25% off coupons. Does the computer do that automatically, or is it the clerks call? What I'm wondering about really is what they consider a welder. Is an Oxygen Regulator eligible for 25% off? In store it's like $35; but on ebay they have a Hobart Oxygen regulator (brand new) for $31.50.

 

[California]

You might be ok. I recently asked and learned they accept coupons for air tools but not compressors.

 

[sparc]

Once they had a digital caliper on sale for I think it was $9.99 and all I could find was a plastic model for $12.99. Finally found a clerk who located it for me and it was a solid stainless steel one for almost half the cost of the cheap plastic one that they had prominently displayed.

just cause its plastic doesn't make it cheap. if you need to use non-metalic calipers to measure something then you want a plastic one, not SS.

 

[crazyal]

I bought the 8" digital calipers so I would have a set that went wider than the 6" Mitutoyo set I have. The first thing I notice is the HF calipers are not as smooth when you slide them. There's a piece of metal that seams loose between the beam and the display. It seams to work just fine and seams accurate. But I have never set out my other set to be calibrated in the 10 years+ I've owned them.

 

[DFB]

I have a one inch micrometer I purchased thru Harbor Freight an unbelievable amount of years ago..and it's stamped made in Poland. There was that and some drill and centering bits also.

 

[Kernopelli]

I have 4 of the HF calipers. I bought a 6" digital about 4 yrs ago. It was dead on and was on its third battery. Leaving it out in an unheated/ uncooled and humid shop eventually made it unreliable. We had used it a LOT and I trusted it to rebuild a gas twin cylinder and a 3 cylinder diesel...both engines run better now than when I first got them. I still use them for wood lathe work. I have since bought 2 more standard 6" DC's and a long reach 6" DC. They have all been great. The guys at work can't believe how inexpensive and accurate they are. We have a set of gauge blocks and a $4000 set of 0-12" Starrett micrometers but I usually use my HF calipers instead of the Starrett mic's. They have been very accurate and are frankly easier to use. You also don't have to worry about dropping them or otherwise buggering them up. Never paid more than $9.99 for any of them! They are a "Best Buy" in my book.

I also really like my Pittsburgh Digital Torque Adapter Has lots of features that were easy to learn and adapts to any 1/4" thru 1/2" drive ratchet or breaker bar or socket.

 

[sixdogs]

There is a new HVLP spray gun from harbor freight and I'm wondering if anyone has used it? Here it is--

20 oz. (600cc) Professional High Volume Low Pressure Gravity Feed Spray Gun


It appears to be an upgrade of the current model that I use and is considered a reliable performer, especially for farm equipment work. Here is that one--

20 oz. High Volume Low Pressure Gravity Feed Spray Gun

This is $29.99 on sale but with a 20% coupon off it's $24 and a great sprayer for the price. The first HVLP mentioned is $59.99 and you could get it for $48 with a coupon. So I wonder if it's worth double the price? There are only four reviews on the site and they seem OK but with not enough to rely on.

Any advice or has anyone used one of these new sprayers? It could be a winner.