Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Originally Posted by JB4310 View Post
Never think of a 2smoke as a continuous duty engine,

Don't let Detroit Diesel know that

Or Evinrude/Johnson!

I have a 2-stroke water pump that was probably intended as a ditch pump. It's light, I bought it to backpack into my gold mining claim. This pump assembly replaced one based on a Briggs&Stratton that weighed twice as much. I also had a floating pump based on a Chrysler Industrial 2-stroke (same as a Clinton outboard) that didn't even have a throttle, the throttle was hardwired wide open and it ran flat out every moment it was running. Didn't seem to hurt it any.

 

[psj12]

I've been looking for a benchtop toolbox, like the kind you would put on top of a rolling base. Considering the nice comments regarding HF toolboxes, I'm looking at this one and wonder if anyone owns one and what they think.

Red Roller Cabinet Top Chest

It seems pretty high priced but sales, deals and coupons can knock it down a bunch. Any thoughts?

I have a top and bottom unit and they are good quality for the $$

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I bought the 1.5 watt solar charger 4 years ago for about $13 (they are $19.99 now minus coupon), and it has been working great on keeping the 12V battery charged on my farm gate opener. It has turned pink in the sun and I had to caulk it with silicone, but it keeps on going.

Beautiful view you have there...:thumbsup:

 

[brewdog]

HF doesn't seem to have any Heavy Duty bench Vice products. I need something that has 6" jaws and 3/4" tightening rod.

 

[sixdogs]

HF doesn't seem to have any Heavy Duty bench Vise products. I need something that has 6" jaws and 3/4" tightening rod.

I bought a huge "super heavy duty" bench vise from them a number of years ago and admired how smooth it was. Turns out that the smoothness of it was made possible not by metal but by auto body filler around what I learned was a rough casting.
Oh, the vise is crudely OK and I have really pounded on it, but the body filler began to flake off almost immediately. Did they think no one would notice?
Farm sales often have nice vises go cheap and I think American quliity still has an edge on everything else in this category.

 

[brewdog]

I bought a huge "super heavy duty" bench vise from them a number of years ago and admired how smooth it was. Turns out that the smoothness of it was made possible not by metal but by auto body filler around what I learned was a rough casting.
Oh, the vise is crudely OK and I have really pounded on it, but the body filler began to flake off almost immediately. Did they think no one would notice?
Farm sales often have nice vises go cheap and I think American quliity still has an edge on everything else in this category.

That's funny about the body filler ! I'll check Tractor Supply or a Farm Sales store. Thanks.

 

[sixdogs]

That's funny about the body filler ! I'll check Tractor Supply or a Farm Sales store. Thanks.

Vises at farm sales often go cheap. I recently bought a medium sized well-made American vise for $15 and was the only bidder. You rarely see one go for very much. Cheaper, in fact, than HF.

 

[deereman75]

If you want the best new vise, you are looking at a Record, and also over $100. I would try to find a good used vise. I saw at a building salvage yard a "vise with workbench attached". It was a 10'' or 12'' vise, that weighed over 100#, with a simple angle iron workbench with a steel top. Personaly I would look for a blacksmiths leg vise, I have used them lots, and I like them alot more then normal vises.

 

[leeinMT]

Beautiful view you have there...:thumbsup:

Yeah, sometimes when I look out, I can almost hear the choir start to sing.
I have had really good luck with HF's shop dust pans and bench brushes. They are cheap enough to keep all over, but what I don't understand is why they keep switching back and forth between steel and aluminum. I bought one yesterday and got a nice free 25 foot tape measure with my coupon.
They have supposedly discontinued the 6 inch bench vise. I know it wasn't a Wilton, but it seemed ok and I was ready to get one. Good idea about the farm sales.

 

[crazyal]

I bought a huge "super heavy duty" bench vise from them a number of years ago and admired how smooth it was. Turns out that the smoothness of it was made possible not by metal but by auto body filler around what I learned was a rough casting.
Oh, the vise is crudely OK and I have really pounded on it, but the body filler began to flake off almost immediately. Did they think no one would notice?
Farm sales often have nice vises go cheap and I think American quliity still has an edge on everything else in this category.

I fell for that one too. Started using the outside (what I thought was) steel to help shape a piece of metal only to have filler go flying on the first hit. I have a 1908 BullDog US made vice that I don't think could be broken.