Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[5030]

Seventy four hundred bucks? Ya' think?

I have to say, one of my tenants is a technician at a local diesel garage and a few months ago he purchased a Snap On roll around tool cabinet and it's really nice but it was 11 grand. I guess Snap On allows you to pay for it on some kind of time payment deal. Not sure. I know that he has mostly Snap On tools but again, not sure how the payments are set up. Snap On dealers are all franchisee's and they run their trucks to different shops.

When I worked at Freightliner I bought Snap On and Mac off the tool truck but I already had (and still have) a roll around toolbox I bought at a pawn shop many years ago. It's a Mac and it's a little banged up but it's good with me. Holds all my tools just fine.

While neither here nor there, I was pretty dismayed with Snap On, bought a Snap On 12 volt test light, opened the box and inside was a sticker that said 'Made in China' and that light cost me 100 bucks.

 

[5030]

I own a Snap On 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench. It was 600 bucks. I also own the Icon 1/2" drive clicker wrench and it was $109.00 tax included. If you put them side by side, you cannot tell the difference except the Snap On has black plated indications and numbers, the Icon don't. They are identical right down to the machined parts. Probably made in the same factory in China too. I figure Harbor Freight don't want to get sued over trade dress infringement so they changed theirs up a bit.

They feel exactly the same, adjust exactly the same and release exactly the same. Only difference is price.

Be nice if HF offered a 3/4" drive clicker wrench as well but probably won't happen as most home mechanics don't need a 750 foot pound torque wrench

 

[5030]

From this article

" Harbor Freight told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it realized the tooling used to make the stands near Hangzhou, China, had become worn out due to age and was manufacturing inconsistent parts. As a result, the ratchet teeth might not be deep enough to hold the lifting extension in place if a shift in weight occurs, like when you're banging on a rusty brake drum with a mallet, and the stand could collapse without warning."

Interesting. I had a good close look at the pair I have (6 ton) and the teeth in the casting are plenty deep and the mechanism bites in really good. Interestingly, I also have a set from Autozone that are dead wringers for the HF stands, only difference is the paint. I wonder if the Autozone stands and the HF stands are from the same place????

 

[dragoneggs]

As my means have improved over the years, I don't hesitate much in buying top quality tools but I have NEVER understood the buying of Snap On tool boxes. :confused3: And I'm the guy that started the Festool thread. :laughing:

 

[4570Man]

As my means have improved over the years, I don't hesitate much in buying top quality tools but I have NEVER understood the buying of Snap On tool boxes. :confused3: And I'm the guy that started the Festool thread. :laughing:

Same. The harbor freight US General brand is a perfectly adequate box. I can’t imagine ever running out of tools that’s on my wish list and until then I’ll spend money on tools that maybe I can live without vs a toolbox.

 

[Alan W.]

Returned my two sets of jack stands today. Issued a gift card for the current price for them, even though I paid sale price only.
Gonna look for some made in USA replacements.

 

[Diggin It]

My tool storage places are either plastic or cardboard. They stack sort of, until they crush or the bottom falls out. No drawers though.

 

[Ford850]

As my means have improved over the years, I don't hesitate much in buying top quality tools but I have NEVER understood the buying of Snap On tool boxes. :confused3: And I'm the guy that started the Festool thread. :laughing:

:laughing: That IS pretty funny!
I'm sort of the same way though. Although I don't have any Festool tools, I do try to buy the "close to top end" Bosch and Dewalt which gets me much better quality. I can understand buying high quality tools, but I'd never buy top end storage boxes. Good quality cabinets, yes, but not the crazy "cost more than a home" tool chests.

 

[4get gto]

In all honesty I don't think the dealers make overly great money either.

 

[Pixguy]

I was cutting some granite with my cut off wheel with a diamond blade for about 10 minutes when it started to smoke and sounded shot. I guess I got my $20 worth but barely. I'll try it again later But figure that it's dead.