Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Oaktree]

Yesterday I opened a HF 8x10 tarp, one of several I bought on sale 3-4 years ago.

I spread it over a firewood rack that I made 7' 4" wide to fit the labeled, finished size of the tarps. There was about a 6 inch gap. Then I got a tape measure, pulled the tarp tight and measured it. 6' 10" wide. So I measured another one from the same purchase. It was 7' 4" as it should be.

You must have gotten a metric one. :laughing:

 

[flyerdan]

Speaking of tarps, something to keep an eye out is that they haven't been cut by a boxcutter. No fault of the product, but a while back when they had a sale on tarps I got a bunch of the pickup bed cover size and put them in the file cabinet in the shop. Grabbed a new one to help someone move a dining table in the rain, got there and found a bunch of slits where they opened the case and nicked the top tarp. Didn't notice it at the store, when it was unfolded there were like six parts that had cuts. HF is one store where it's really necessary to carefully inspect stuff before it goes in the cart.

 

[Wa11banger]

First week report for the 3 in 1 framing nailer from HF.. I am not a professional builder, carpenter, any of that "er" stuff and if you are, why are you trolling this thread lol

First it is incredibly cheap (pricewise) bought it for 119 and it goes on sale for 99 in 2 days so I will be going back for that credit

The good:
compared to those I picked up at the local HD it seems to be in the same weight class not much lighter like most cheaper products usually are
Instructions are easy and are on the nail rail of the gun so you don't have to keep going back to printed manual depending on what nails you are using
It misfired only twice, and exactly as described if it gets too low on nails.. Both times while shooting nails upwards and with only 3 nails left in the rail
Used it with both 21 deg and 34 degree 2" , 3-1/4", and 3-1/2" nails.. The 21 deg nails were Dewalt brand bought at HD the 34 degree were bought at HF. It fired both easily
Framed and built most of a one sided barn this past weekend. Will put up pics and a build thread shortly
Extremely efficient on air.. was set at 68 lbs to set 3"+ nails that is 2 lbs lighter than recommended in the manual

The bad
Cannot plunge fire the nail gun.. It has to press and then pull trigger to fire.. Not really a bad thing but I thought it should be able to plunge fire
The grip is a little small (diameter) in my opinion but I cannot tell you if others are larger. Maybe they are all that small? Maybe I have big hands?


Unrelated bad:
Although the nails at HF are much cheaper this time they actually come that way because they suck.. I bought the 34 degree ringed nails and the plastic glue on the ends never melted they pulled fairly easy whereas the dewalt nails that plastic glue seemed to melt when driven in and was much, much harder to remove the nail..

So far a great purchase, time will tell as I have a house to build.. If it survives that then it is a great great purchase

Ok thought I would give an update on performance.. 9000+ nails and still working great.. Oil it every day of use and I think it is a winner. It would probably be faster changing nail types if I had 3 different guns but I have become a pro at changing it out for different nails angles. Taking merely seconds to do. It has suffered its very first super "Aw ****" jam.. Due to my limited experience with other nailers I cannot judge if they all can do this.. But I left the tension off of the nails due to trying to fill it max it bent one of the nail heads sideways and crammed it half down the piston tunnel.. This required about an hour of fidgeting but I got it all taken apart, cleared and it has worked flawlessly again since. I dont blame the product for this but it was sure a hassle to clear that one.

Also a reinforcement do not buy HF nails at all costs they are softer and again the glue is there to give you a pretty color it does nothing in the wood or to hold the nail. Alternatively, it has been slamming DEWALT 3.24" framing nails non stop most every weekend day.

Granted its all been by one of two users, myself and my son. We may not work at the same speed as others. But for a part timer, I give this tool two thumbs up

 

[DFB]

Look a 5 star review! :shocked:

Plumb Bob With 15 Ft. Line


I watched that 2nd video... 5 Things at Harbor Freight Worth Buying! The 60 pc tap and die set looks pretty decent in the online photos and includes both SAE and metric for the price of just one of my old Craftsman sets. I have seen the 45pc titanium coated tap die set with the larger sizes in couple of repair shops. (one at the motorcycle shop I frequent)

I don't know what to say on that electric impact wrench. I have a Cal Hawk branded one with the exact same specs its never impressed me much. I originally bought it years ago probably because the price was right? :confused3:

I tried to loosen the compensator sprocket nut (165ft lbs is factory spec) on my Harley to replace the alternator with it not a chance.

It has been in the tool box drawer for like forever so I just took it out chucked up a 1/2x 13 bolt in the Yost steel vise then a couple of flat washers, a lock washer and then ran down the nut and let it hammer for 15 seconds.

Then I took my tiny 12v Milwaukee 3/8 drive cordless impact rated at 100ft lbs and in about 5 secs. it loosened and spun the nut off. I tried the scenario twice with the same results. :confused2:

Not very scientific hey!


Impact tools we discuss them often on TBN (I searched this thread)

The cordless impact wrench that HF offers claims a higher torque value a whopping 330 FT LBS or about 100 ft lbs more than the corded model. Not bad! Does cost more though and sadly a little outdated being Ni Cad, but looks interesting and much more mobile than the corded tool. A similar sized tool kit (single battery)from a brand name like Milwaukee would cost more than double the price and it is just about the same cost as a bare tool Ryobi or Milwaukee 1/2 drive compact impact wrench which are only rated at about 200ftlbs. In the you tube vid it looks like it does all right for itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOppsRCePUY

I really like cordless impact wrenches and drivers I have quite a few different ones!

 

[DFB]

Followup on the little Ryobi impact driver that claims 1600 inch-pounds.

Today I replaced a tire on the little watering trailer pictured above, and torqued the lugs with the Ryobi until the socket wouldn't move. Then I used a beam torque wrench to finish tightening the lugs. It took just over 50 ft/lbs to tighten the lugs beyond what the Ryobi could do. The Ryobi is very handy but this is a huge variance from claimed specs.

Doesn't (claimed) 1600 inch-pounds translate to 133 ft lbs? What am I missing here?

Did you find a satisfactory answer to your question?


I know both Workshop Addict performed a torque test video and Real Tool Reviews has done several videos testing torque ratings of different cordless impacts.

Bolt size and thread pitch are the main factors in duplicating factory ratings it seems

 

[California]

Followup on the little Ryobi impact driver that claims 1600 inch-pounds.

Today I replaced a tire on the little watering trailer pictured above, and torqued the lugs with the Ryobi until the socket wouldn't move. Then I used a beam torque wrench to finish tightening the lugs. It took just over 50 ft/lbs to tighten the lugs beyond what the Ryobi could do. The Ryobi is very handy but this is a huge variance from claimed specs.

Doesn't (claimed) 1600 inch-pounds translate to 133 ft lbs? What am I missing here?

Did you find a satisfactory answer to your question?

Yep. For farm and vehicle use I went and bought HF's Earthquake 1/2" air wrench - claimed 700 ft lbs, and 3/8 x 1/4 air couplers so it could breathe. A couple of points on my backhoe etc specify over 150 ft lbs so I decided to just get this instead of straining with a breaker bar any more. I'm getting old and impatient.


The little Ryobi impact tool remains useful for carpentry. Here's a photo running in 10 inch lag bolts (into drilled holes), replacing the rotted out foundation plates under a 100 year old water tank tower. This is earthquake country. Bolting the 6x6 corner columns to the plates, and the plates to the concrete foundation, is needed to prevent the structure from leaping off its foundation when the Big One comes.

And I continue to use the little Ryobi for ordinary nuts & bolts, and to reach the first 50 ft lbs quickly then finish with a beam torque wrench when remounting tires etc. Note this Ryobi is the little 1/4" hex drive 'impact driver' intended for deck screws etc, not their 1/2" 'impact wrench' with a lot more torque. (Looking up those links I see the impact wrench kit with battery and charger is only $10 more than the bare tool. Recommended).

 

[SPYDERLK]

Ok, point taken. :thumbsup:

But I started my discussion of this belt/disc sander with high hopes, I inquired here about others' experiences before buying this. The replies were favorable so I relied on this 'don't suck' thread and went ahead and bought one.

But those favorable replies must have described the earier 41 lb version, not the 29 lb version with same product number that I received. It seemed reasonable to write my followup here in the same thread as my initial inquiry.

Overall, I agree, they sell enough sucky stuff to deserve a thread dedicated to that.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/114375-hf-tools-suck.html?highlight=tools+that+suck

 

[bcp]

Quote Originally Posted by California View Post
Followup on the little Ryobi impact driver that claims 1600 inch-pounds.

Today I replaced a tire on the little watering trailer pictured above, and torqued the lugs with the Ryobi until the socket wouldn't move. Then I used a beam torque wrench to finish tightening the lugs. It took just over 50 ft/lbs to tighten the lugs beyond what the Ryobi could do. The Ryobi is very handy but this is a huge variance from claimed specs.

Doesn't (claimed) 1600 inch-pounds translate to 133 ft lbs? What am I missing here?

Did you find a satisfactory answer to your question?

If it has a square drive, those were square-inch-pounds. Divide 1600 by 144.

:laughing:

Bruce

 

[California]

Overall, I agree, they sell enough sucky stuff to deserve a thread dedicated to that.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/114375-hf-tools-suck.html?highlight=tools+that+suck

I was joking, I've posted in that thread too including recently. Post #427 and a couple more on that same page.

 

[California]

If it has a square drive, those were square-inch-pounds. Divide 1600 by 144.

It gets even stranger.

I just corrected my post two posts up, #5156, to clarify I'm discussing Ryobi's little 1/4" hex drive impact driver intended for deck screws, not their 1/2" mechanic's impact wrench.

Got some math for that?