Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[dragoneggs]

As a 'tool guy' I have opened quite a few HF like quality tools and generally noted that gear boxes often contain a questionable lubricant (if any) that resembles lard, and some actually none at all.
Take a file to the gears and often the teeth are simple mild steel. Quality tool (Makita, Hitachi et al) will dull a file.

That my friends is the difference!

First thing I do is open up my HF grinders, wipe out the crap and pack with red grease. They still make questionable noises but better than new!

 

[Jim Nelson]

As a 'tool guy' I have opened quite a few HF like quality tools and generally noted that gear boxes often contain a questionable lubricant (if any) that resembles lard, and some actually none at all.
Take a file to the gears and often the teeth are simple mild steel. Quality tool (Makita, Hitachi et al) will dull a file.

That my friends is the difference!

When my last H.F. 4 1/2" angle grinder let the smoke out I went and bought a Makita for around $80 as I recall and when I got home and took it out of the box it was labeled "Made in China". It lasted about 10 min. and spit a segment out of the armature.I replaced it with a Bosch which seemed ok but was awkward for me so I then went to DeWalt and am happy with both the corded and cordless.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Yep, Kioti is guilty of part one (copying) but at least they made improvements on the original! :cool2: Our Orange is so much cooler than your orange.:laughing: Ours is Chevy Engine Block Orange!

Touche'
:drink:

 

[94BULLITT]

First thing I do is open up my HF grinders, wipe out the crap and pack with red grease. They still make questionable noises but better than new!

Some of mine barely had any grease in them. I used Ingersollrand air ratchet grease in mine.

 

[dragoneggs]

Some of mine barely had any grease in them. I used Ingersollrand air ratchet grease in mine.

Agreed. I think I have four or five and none of them had much of anything inside. I was surprised. Reason I opened the first one up was the 'grinding' noise when I first turned it on. Now it is standard practice.

 

[94BULLITT]

Agreed. I think I have four or five and none of them had much of anything inside. I was surprised. Reason I opened the first one up was the 'grinding' noise when I first turned it on. Now it is standard practice.

They are much quiter with some grease.

 

[Pixguy]

HUGE Parking Lot Sale that pretty much looks like any other sale.

Notice the yellow car on left side of the second pic.

PLEASE guys, you cannot camp out the night before! :laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

HUGE Parking Lot Sale that pretty much looks like any other sale.

Notice the yellow car on left side of pic. PLEASE guys, you cannot camp out the night before! :laughing:

Hey, this isn't just a parking lot sale, this is a "liquidation sale". They haven't had one of those since last month!

 

[sixdogs]

First thing I do is open up my HF grinders, wipe out the crap and pack with red grease. They still make questionable noises but better than new!

That's kind of sums up the HF experience. Change the grease and it sounds less bad. I'm ok with it.

Do you think the white grease looks like some kind of pork fat blended with something else?

 

[California]

White? I thought the grease used in export tools, machinery, tractors was China's means for disposing of their hazardous waste.