Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Those don't open on my computer but are just black boxes. Is there a link to YouTube or whatever?

Both opened for me. Maybe right-click on one then 'copy URL', then past that (control V if Windows) into your address bar.

My HF torque wrench has always matched the two beam torque wrenches I compare it against. That's good enough, for my occasional use.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Those don't open on my computer but are just black boxes. Is there a link to YouTube or whatever?

Tekton vs. Harbor Freight 1/2” torque wrench review and accuracy test - YouTube

Harbor Freight torque wrench 8-year review and accuracy test - YouTube

Theres also a newer one where he compares the new $90 Icon from HF with some more expensive brands. They all had about the same accuracy as this cheap one..

 

[thepumpguysc]

Just remember to wind it back down, when you done using it.. 100% of the time..

 

[PhysAssist]

That used to be a nice friendly way to share and I used to do it. But now I get most of my coupons from hfqpdb and I just keep the list on the phone. And I hesitate to share my phone with strangers.

Yeah, I wouldn't do that either- I just usually have a mix of coupons from printouts to magazine pages, to the ones on the phone...

 

[TheMan419]

1 ft. x 17 ft. Portable Garage

Any one have any thoughts on this? Currently we store the wife's horse trailer in the barn. We need the space for hay storage. I live in northern Indiana so there is snow for sure and almost always a period of high wind during the winter. Is this thing going to hold up?

How is it attached to the ground?

 

[PILOON]

Probably not high enough for a horse trailer.
Generally you have to drive pins or pegs to tie it down.
As to snow you should clear it away after each event as in my area we see probably 20-30% of these shelters collapse every winter.

 

[PJSprog]

My Wife had one of those before we were married. She parked her convertible in it. They are OK as a temporary shelter, but they don't hold up well to weather and wind. And Bob is right. They have to be staked down, and the design for the one she had (also from HF) didn't make that process very accessible. Her's had started to develop tears after about six months. Fortunately, her car wasn't in it when high winds from a severe storm picked it up and threw it into the lake, taking out the power line to the barn in the process.

If winds are an issue where you are, I would not recommend one of those.

 

[PhysAssist]

My Wife had one of those before we were married. She parked her convertible in it. They are OK as a temporary shelter, but they don't hold up well to weather and wind. And Bob is right. They have to be staked down, and the design for the one she had (also from HF) didn't make that process very accessible. Her's had started to develop tears after about six months. Fortunately, her car wasn't in it when high winds from a severe storm picked it up and threw it into the lake, taking out the power line to the barn in the process.

If winds are an issue where you are, I would not recommend one of those.

I agree in substance, but as a short-term option, it could be viable, depending on your finances.

Ours lasted [with a lot of remedial work] several years- at least long enough to get our barn built and to a move-the-tractor in stage.

It just struck me that I'm remembering a Shelter Logic version, which we sourced from The Sportsman's Guide- although we did buy ground augers and ratchet straps from HF to anchor it to the ground.

That said, and HF website pictures and reviewed perused, the HF one actually has features that make it substantially better than my "name brand" tent/garage did- chiefly that the tent is all one piece- where ours was all separate panels for the roof, and each wall. Which meant that wind easily got in and under it, making it perform like a vertically oriented sail- wanting to lift straight off of the ground, and putting axial traction forces on all the pipe joints.

We ended up both pinning all the joints together with self-drilling sheet metal screws [which several HF reviewers also recommend], and tying all the roof pipe sections/pieces together with a guy rope running along the spine from end to end, and tied to augers about 6-8 feet from the center of the end walls to hold all the roof section pipes [many of which I couldn't reach d/t all the stored stuff in the way] together.

We also used ground augers attached to the upright pipes and tensioned by HF ratchet straps to hold it down.

This was all in addition to the 20' x 1" x 6" PT-pine boards that we screwed all of the anchors for the vertical pipes to as we assembled it, and then nailed to the ground with 12" galvanized landscaping nails every 3-4'.

I know it sounds like a nightmare, but that's what is nice both about this forum, and the HF tent vs ours- you know know what 3 years of fighting to keep our tent intact taught us, and that the HF one is less likely to need all that.

BTW, I also suggest using a push broom from the inside to clear off anything more than a light dusting of snow, because that, and the fiber-breakdown from the constant [uncontrollable] flapping in the wind, are what caused ours to finally give up the ghost.

The HF reviews also included some really good suggestions as to how to help it hold up- like choosing a shady vs sunny site- UV is horrible for virtually any tent material, even "UV-resistant" types.

Another possible source for REALLY high-quality [and not always high $, if you keep your eyes open] is Farmtek

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/home

As always- YMMV.

Good luck,
PA
PS: Here are some similar earth-auger anchors, since my HF search was fruitless:
GrayBunny GB-6874 Ground Anchor Kit, Set of 8 Earth Augers, 15" Long, 3" Wide Helix, 3/8” Diameter Stake Shaft, Includes Torque Bar, Rope, Carrying Sack & Eight Heavy Duty Rods- search this on Amazon- $20.97 [for 8 x15" plus rope]

OR [if you think you need or want to go deeper"
ShelterAuger 4-Piece Earth Anchor Kit with 4 Clamp-on Wire Tie-downs, 30-Inch- $22.99 [for 4x 30" w/ cable loops]

or for individual augers:
Auger Style Earth Anchors - FarmTek

This were even less each [depending on shipping]:
1/2" x 15", Earth Ground Anchor

and weirdly enough- these were cheaper than their 15" ones:
25 in. Earth Anchor with Auger at Tractor Supply Co.

BUT this looks like the least expensive:
Earth Anchor, Red, 3 x 15-In. | TrueValue.com at $3.49

Well, there goes my lunch hour, so again Good Luck!

 

[California]

YMMV.
The first cover on this HF 20x20 'tarp shed' almost lasted through its second winter.

This old post describes this photo. This was a later 20x20 tarp from ebay, and better quality than HF's.

The third, or fourth 20x20 tarp was from HF. It disintegrated within 8 months. Post describing this. Summary - I would buy elsewhere.

 

[John_Mc]

1 ft. x 17 ft. Portable Garage

Any one have any thoughts on this? Currently we store the wife's horse trailer in the barn. We need the space for hay storage. I live in northern Indiana so there is snow for sure and almost always a period of high wind during the winter. Is this thing going to hold up?

If you want a shelter that is well made and has a chance of lasting, skip the Harbor Freight stuff and order a Rhino Shelter. Much heavier duty - but they aren't cheap.