Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[MoArk Willy]

Big and red here.....on my Mac.
Maybe it's a "pride" thing.

 

[Diggin It]

Poster is using Font tags, [ SIZE=4 ][ COLOR=#A52A2A ][ FONT=Tahoma ] Size 4 is normal, or one step above, color is a brownish rust, Tahoma is the type style. This is what I see:



Not a big deal for me. Looks and reads fine.

No where near as annoying as the fact that HF seems to have just in the past day or two switched their email images to a secure server which means they no longer display in the older email gathering utility I use. I now have to copy the URL and paste it into a browser to 'View as a Webpage'.

 

[5030]

...and lots better than posters who must post everything in upper case to make their point or so it appears. I don't read their missives.

 

[hunt4570]

...and lots better than posters who must post everything in upper case to make their point or so it appears. I don't read their missives.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??:laughing:

 

[John_Mc]

Hey PhysAssist, your most recent posts are showing up in huge font sizes and colors. Not sure how it works on this board, but maybe your font default settings got changed? :shocked:

Font is red, but normal sized on my iphone, red and huge on my laptop.

 

[John_Mc]

#1)- see: Which Portable Tire Pump is Best? Let's find out! - YouTube

No, I don't believe he tested Viair, and The Wirecutter does recommend those [https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-tire-inflators/], but I had one of the 100-PSI HF models and really liked it- until it froze up [which I now think I have figured out...]

I had a slow leak, and used it a couple of times in the space of 3 or 4 days, and then when I tried to use it another time, it was frozen up [and burnt out my accessory outlet fuses...]

However, when it failed, the ambient temperature had dropped from above freezing to -11F through the day while I was at work on a 12-hour shift, so I think in retrospect, it had gotten some moisture built up from using it the few previous times, and then froze solid when the temps plummeted, but what I don't understand is why it never worked again, and each time I tried it again, it burnt out my accessory fuses.

#2)- After my experiences and breaking my back standing on my head trying to replace the fuses, [and reading the Wirecutter's recommendations, I didn't want to have to use the cars' accessory outlets any more for this kind of [relatively] high-drain accessories, so I bought an extension cord that has battery clamps on one end, and an accessory outlet [cigarette light port] on the other, so I can run the "directly" off the cars' batteries...

#3)- No, I don't need 150 PSI for my truck's tired, however, the above was one of the reasons, I was thinking of getting the 150 PSI version- it has battery clamps as the OEM connectors.

The other reason were basically that whenever cost isn't a huge factor, I always prefer to get the heavier duty option, all other things being equal...

Especially as I tend to use my tools to their limits, [and sometimes find out that I have overshot somewhat :confused3:].

The Wirecutter review link did not work. It appears the closing bracket around the link was inadvertently included in the link you posted. Deleting that bracket got it working. Here's a working version of the link: The Best Tire Inflators for 2019: Reviews by Wirecutter

I agree with you about the desirability of electric leads which clamp on to the battery.

However, for my wife's vehicle, the convenience of plugging in to a cigarette lighter was the major consideration. Unfortunately, as it seem you discovered, some vehicles (particularly smaller ones) have the lighter plug on a 10 amp fuse. Many of these compressors draw 15 amps. My wife's is the one vehicle we have with a 10 Amp circuit. I almost bought the Wirecutter's recommended Viair 78P compressor for my wife's vehicle (by coincidence - I had not seen their review). However, it can draw up to 15 amps. The Viair 75P I ended up getting her draws less than 10 Amps, but still has a speedy fill time (they get this by setting the compressor up for higher volume, but limiting the max pressure to 50 PSI).

Tip on avoiding popping fuses when using a cigarette-lighter powered compressor:
I noticed that what often popped fuses for me in some vehicles when using a cigarette-lighter socket for power was starting or stopping the compressor under load. I found if I left the compressor disconnected, started it up, then connected it to the tire, and when done filling kept the compressor running, disconnected the hose from the tire, then shut off the compressor, I did not blow fuses. You can get a surge when starting or stopping an inductive load like an electric motor. If you reduce the load on it by not having it connected to a (even partially) pressurized tire, you reduce the surge, and may get by without blowing the fuse. This was the only way I could get our "Slime" brand compressor to work in our Toyota Minivan without popping fuses (interestingly, it was the "off" cycle which most often blew the fuse).

 

[GeneV]

I picked up this bending brake from harbor freight for like 65 bux, it's doing ok.

 

[5030]

Viair is also 3 times the cost of the HF compressor.

 

[3Ts]

Viair is also 3 times the cost of the HF compressor.

Viair also works many years later in the middle of the boondocks with no cell coverage. I have one mounted under my truck for the last 7 years. It's never failed me, although there is a slow leak somewhere which is probably the check valve.

 

[John_Mc]

Viair is also 3 times the cost of the HF compressor.

No, actually, it's not.

The Viair 78P which was the top rated compressor in the Wirecutter review that PhysAssist linked is currently on sale on Amazon for $38.25 (regularly $45.95). That sale price is just a couple bucks more than the HF Pittsburgh 100 PSI tire inflator. The Viair 78P also has a 30 minute duty cycle at 30 PSI. If my wife's car had been able to handle the 15 amp rating on it, I'd have jumped on it. (The larger 88P I got for my truck runs $59.39, and is well worth it if you are inflating large tires.)

 

[Fallon]

No, actually, it's not.

The Viair 78P which was the top rated compressor in the Wirecutter review that PhysAssist linked is currently on sale on Amazon for $38.25 (regularly $45.95). That sale price is just a couple bucks more than the HF Pittsburgh 100 PSI tire inflator. The Viair 78P also has a 30 minute duty cycle at 30 PSI. If my wife's car had been able to handle the 15 amp rating on it, I'd have jumped on it. (The larger 88P I got for my truck runs $59.39, and is well worth it if you are inflating large tires.)

Vair makes ones between $50 & $300. They generally look similar in photos. The more expensive ones are a lot more powerful & unsurprisingly pull a lot more amps. Pile of different accessories, auto-shutoff & permanent mount options too. Obviously bigger motors in the bigger ones, but probably bigger pumps too. They have varying duty cycles as well. They have charts with pressures & CFM on them, so you know the actual capabilities. Nice comparison guide on their site somewhere too.

I have a 400 automatic on my Christmas list. Would like to permanently mount it on the truck, but not sure how likely that would be if I even get one. A bit overkill, but I hate fighting to turn them on & off, that the smallest auto one i saw.

 

[John_Mc]

Vair makes ones between $50 & $300. They generally look similar in photos. The more expensive ones are a lot more powerful & unsurprisingly pull a lot more amps. Pile of different accessories, auto-shutoff & permanent mount options too. Obviously bigger motors in the bigger ones, but probably bigger pumps too. They have varying duty cycles as well. They have charts with pressures & CFM on them, so you know the actual capabilities. Nice comparison guide on their site somewhere too.

I have a 400 automatic on my Christmas list. Would like to permanently mount it on the truck, but not sure how likely that would be if I even get one. A bit overkill, but I hate fighting to turn them on & off, that the smallest auto one i saw.

I briefly considered a Viair 400. A friend has one, and it's a seriously nice piece of equipment. $200-$300 was more than I was willing to spend.

 

[Fallon]

I briefly considered a Viair 400. A friend has one, and it's a seriously nice piece of equipment. $200-$300 was more than I was willing to spend.

My battery powered (Ryobi One+) leaf blower isnt quite up to the task of blowing out the radiator on the tractor. Hoping the 400 might be enough. May or may not need a small accumulator tank or not. At any rate, it would be nice to have permantly mounted under the bed somewhere.

 

[Threepoint]

No, actually, it's not.

The Viair 78P which was the top rated compressor in the Wirecutter review that PhysAssist linked is currently on sale on Amazon for $38.25 (regularly $45.95). That sale price is just a couple bucks more than the HF Pittsburgh 100 PSI tire inflator. The Viair 78P also has a 30 minute duty cycle at 30 PSI. If my wife's car had been able to handle the 15 amp rating on it, I'd have jumped on it. (The larger 88P I got for my truck runs $59.39, and is well worth it if you are inflating large tires.)

But you can still use the HF 20% and 25% coupons on the Pittsburgh line of products. At least for now. :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

Looks like the tarps are back on a free coupon, but only for a couple of days in January for some silly reason.

 

[PJSprog]

Kinda scary as a lesson too. After Eric became manager he brought in modern MBA and marketing types then booted Dad and Dad's old buddies out of the company. There's some history there. Eric, like Trump, had been sent away to boarding school or something when he was little. 'Be kind to your kids, for they will be choosing your rest home'.

I worked for a small family-owned company not long ago that went a similar route. Son came in and learned how the company ran, argued a bunch with his father over vision for the future, then (with the help of his mother) booted his father out of the company he started in his garage 25 years ago. Fortunately, I wasn't there much longer after that.

 

[hunt4570]

Looks like the tarps are back on a free coupon, but only for a couple of days in January for some silly reason.

You got a thing for HF tarps dontcha!!:laughing:

 

[Ford850]

You got a thing for HF tarps dontcha!!:laughing:

I don't know a lot about Diggin It, but I know two things for sure. He's against members disclosing their location, and he loves HF tarps.

 

[Diggin It]

You got a thing for HF tarps dontcha!!:laughing:

No, not really. I usually get the other free stuff. But I'll need to do some spray painting in the near future and I need backdrops.

 

[Ford850]

No, not really. I usually get the other free stuff. But I'll need to do some spray painting in the near future and I need backdrops.

I remember reading another member's posts about using the tarps for painting, and that sounded like a perfect idea. I picked up several tarps and stored them on a shelf, then forgot all about them when I painted this summer. :irked: