HF tools that suck

[DFB]

A lot of Ryobi stuff is ok with me, I have an older "dark blue" Ryobi 10 inch chop saw I bought second hand. Its easier to cart to the job than my sliding beam Craftsman and enough for most cuts I usually need to do down at work. Also I bought new the smaller Ryobi 10 table saw w stand from HD to use there also and I like that a real lot...much better fence and smoother running than an 10 inch Craftsman portable table saw with leg set I have and never much use at all anymore.

So my current contribution to HF tools that suck will be this HF Hand Plane. I have had this thing around for decades only using it a few times that I can remember. The box has SKU# P7347 Block Plane 1 pc made in China printed on it but it looks just like the larger of the two piece set that they are calling a #4 Jack plane. For the life of me I cannot remember if there was the smaller one that came with it that they all say in the reviews is total junk.

No. 4 Jack and Mini Plane Set


Anyhow I took it out to work on a few of the ship lapped pine boards that I put down for the upstairs floor I recently did in my boss's new barn (this thread). I wanted to quickly shave down some edges that were slightly cupped up higher than the adjoining pieces and before using my belt sander to smooth them down. It truly is a pretty poorly machined tool but was good enough (and large enough) to use for these circumstances

So I made some adjustments to the tool and go to lock it all down and the LEVER CAP LOCK BREAKS OFF! It was some poorly cast piece and broke all around the pin hole.

And now I have stubby flat bladed Craftsman screwdriver (they pretty much suck too) pinning it all down so it don't move :laughing:

Nope don't feel I got my moneys worth out of this one...not with that modification




Ehh maybe the new Milwaukee 18v cordless planer could replace it :shocked:

 

[California]

go to lock it all down and the LEVER CAP LOCK BREAKS OFF! It was some poorly cast piece and broke all around the pin hole.

And now I have stubby flat bladed Craftsman screwdriver (they pretty much suck too) pinning it all down so it don't move :laughing

As they say at HF ... "Some Assembly Required" :laughing:

 

[KYBOTA2320]

Didn't read through the whole thread to see if this was mentioned but please listen to me when I say do not buy the drywall screw gun. Drywall is painful enough as it is, don't make it worse by using one of these. I'm serious when I say a Phillips screwdriver may be better that this option. A friend of mine asked me to hang some drywall for him. He said he would help and bought one of these. We had to wrap masking tape around the depth collar to keep it from moving and every three screws, the non magnetized bit would fall out. It also sounded like you stepped on a cat every time you squeezed the trigger.

 

[billwa]

It also sounded like you stepped on a cat every time you squeezed the trigger.

That's exactly what it sounds like! :laughing:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

[Q
Grinding disks and cutoff wheels. 1 to 5 rating. Stay Away From The Paper Thin Ones pay attention to the rated speed for them, and what your using them on. Find ones that are rated for at least 5% higher then the speed of the grinder!!! With a minimum of 1/8th thickness. I've had the same luck with hf brand as well as the ones from higher end welding suppliers. You have to pay attention to what your getting!!!!

ALWAYS WEAR A FACE SHIELD I've had a cut off wheel disintegrate and ended up with a piece stuck in my neck Missed the vein by a hair

I just finished a project where I used 50 HF 4.5" thin cutoff wheels with no problems.

Ron

 

[aczlan]

It also sounded like you stepped on a cat every time you squeezed the trigger.

As do most drywall guns in my experience...

Aaron Z

 

[California]

Couldn't be as noisy as the $9 angle grinder .... or is it?

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Pretty much anything electrical from HF is junk.

 

[deerslayer303]

The only thing electrical I have from there is a Sawzall. I used it to do a complete remodel on my house and it hasn't missed a beat. The batteries are a complete waste of time. Some of them wouldn't last 5 minutes. Lol

 

[dragoneggs]

Couldn't be as noisy as the $9 angle grinder .... or is it?

They do have an awful whine! I admit though I have a small fleet of them.

Pretty much anything electrical from HF is junk.

Agreed. I think that is pretty much where you have to draw the line on quality if you are broad brushing it.