Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[jyoutz]

I've had this HF (oil) compressor for many years. I can't remember what I paid but I'm guessing about $150. Then a few years ago I saw they had a 28° framing nailer on clearance. 30 degree nails work fine in it.
My contractor friend & I were building a tack room in the horse stable and both his expensive compressor and nailer quit so I got mine. They both worked great and he was surprised.View attachment 3451393View attachment 3451394View attachment 3451395

I‘ve have a 20 gallon upright central pneumatic HF air compressor for a long time and it always works. But then I don’t run it everyday like a shop would do.

 

[California]

I've had this HF (oil) compressor for many years. I can't remember what I paid but I'm guessing about $150.

I have the similar red HF compressor, #90234, I think a little earlier. 10 gallons. Claimed "4hp peak/ 3hp rated" and 5.6 SCFM @ 90 psi. I doubt it's anywhere near that. But it does fine for inflating big tractor tires and high pressure trailer tires. And spray painting (with a water filter downstream). It's sufficient for a half inch impact wrench, my most frequent use use.

The advantage of this inexpensive HF compressor is after 20 years I was able to replace the overheat cutout switch and the pressure regulator assembly with identical new generic parts from Ebay. It hasn't needed anything else. Still works fine.

(Stock photo)

 

[paulsharvey]

I've had this HF (oil) compressor for many years. I can't remember what I paid but I'm guessing about $150. Then a few years ago I saw they had a 28° framing nailer on clearance. 30 degree nails work fine in it.
My contractor friend & I were building a tack room in the horse stable and both his expensive compressor and nailer quit so I got mine. They both worked great and he was surprised.View attachment 3451393View attachment 3451394View attachment 3451395

I have the exact same one. It has recently taken a crap after about 5 years. It's acting like a start capacitor; but i replaced that and zero difference. I'm likely to replace it with the similar McGraw one, but have considered going oilless?

 

[California]

I have the exact same one. It has recently taken a crap after about 5 years. It's acting like a start capacitor; but i replaced that and zero difference. I'm likely to replace it with the similar McGraw one, but have considered going oilless?

Is there some sort of unloader on these so it doesn't have to start against the full pressure in the tank?

Alternately - the reason I replaced the overheat cutout (described above) was the compressor would stall when worked hard. Replacing that resumed normal operation. It is a reset button located behind the yellow arrow near the top of the machine, in my photo above. Dunno where it is located on yours.

My unit is the oil-less version. I bought it in about 2004 and only those electrical features have needed attention. After replacing those, it works same as new.

 

[jjeff]

I've had this HF (oil) compressor for many years. I can't remember what I paid but I'm guessing about $150. Then a few years ago I saw they had a 28° framing nailer on clearance. 30 degree nails work fine in it.
My contractor friend & I were building a tack room in the horse stable and both his expensive compressor and nailer quit so I got mine. They both worked great and he was surprised.View attachment 3451393View attachment 3451394View attachment 3451395

Do you have to press the trigger and depress the head of the the nailer every time you want to put a nail in? Nice it works with 28 and 30 degree angle nails clips, when I built my place ran 2 framing nailers off my old craftsman 26 gal. all day. Kind of looking at a 24 gal porter cable brand compressor mainly for price point can pick one up for over 100 less than a HF one however I'm well aware of you get what you pay for.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Do you have to press the trigger and depress the head of the the nailer every time you want to put a nail in? Nice it works with 28 and 30 degree angle nails clips, when I built my place ran 2 framing nailers off my old craftsman 26 gal. all day. Kind of looking at a 24 gal porter cable brand compressor mainly for price point can pick one up for over 100 less than a HF one however I'm well aware of you get what you pay for.

My nailer worked both ways, position & trigger or for speed hold trigger and tap & shoot. It has a single or three lever. Not sure why I'd ever drive in three nails at once. Mainly we used it to assemble then went back with deck screws.

 

[Doug Vee]

At 71 nothing is like it used to be We used to pound a box of sinkers every day. 2 swings start and set. I quit framing at 50 yrs old. It just hurt to go to work at that age, and standing walls was no fun... walking plates became more difficult. I went into management... I lasted 5 yrs doing that. I felt like I ran a daycare center for 200 grown men. Anyway it was good while it lasted. I enjoyed working and being outside.

I switched to superintendent at 42. I did some work with the tools for the next 18 years, but mostly, as you say, adult daycare and documentation. It was good work, though stressful.

I left that for a state park maintenance management gig for the final 5 years of my working life. Which was almost as stressful, surprisingly. The biggest perk from that job was having a porcelain toilet at work.

Doug

 

[California]

I followed the advice of more experienced Carpenters and bought rentals that needed fixing. Worked much of the year then when things were slow I rehabbed the rentals. We started dirt-poor. The first repairs went on MasterCard until rental income paid them off.

After a few years the rentals carried me while I went back to college. The most valuable thing I learned working on my MBA was that selling the rentals and carrying the financing, generated as much income as operating the rentals. With a lot less hassle. That degree got me into better income and an easier life.

The next owners payments to us after we sold the rentals covered our payments buying a decent home.

Bootstrapping from poor to a good life was possible in the 70's. I'm not sure that's true today.

 

[jjeff]

Anyone have any experience with either a Fortress or McGraw hf 20-30 gallon air compressor? Or thoughts on them? kind of need a new one in that somewhat mobile size range for my place up north would like to keep it under $400. Would be used extensively for a little bit when I'm up there then sit unused for months stored and used in a
unheated garage so cold startup would be important in winter. Current almost 20 yrs old 26 gal. craftsman with oil less integrated pump motor has been great for and invaluable. I think it has decent ss reed valves or something like that. are the harbor freight brands comparable? excessive noise decibels aren't an issue with me in fact I like louder in case I forget and leave it on I'll hear it cycling at night from cabin and shut it off. Lol

Snow drift and omewhat unrelated to HF tools but Bought the 24 gallon porter cable brand on sale for intermittent use up north, almost 150 bucks Cheaper than most hf 20+ gallon ones. Crossing fingers it's similar in reliability to my old 26 gal. craftsman it replaced. Definitely not as quick to build pressure in tank as others I've experienced, does run a 1/2" higher torque impact no problem though.

 

[California]

Snow drift and somewhat unrelated to HF tools but Bought the 24 gallon porter cable ...

When somebody does it better than the HF gear we're familiar with, lets hear it!