HF tools that suck

[PapaPerk]

Well reading through these posts is interesting and a lot of you are very passionate about your tools, great. A majority of posters have stated there opinion of HF good or bad. I'm of the mind that yes there are good stuff and junk stuff at HF. But people have also stated as to the quality of name brands. In my last post I picked two major names and showed that even name brands "can" and do manufacture in China. So be it. Another name although the company is HQ'd in Japan (Makita) has out sourced manufactuing to China. So far nothing I've read here have found a truely USA made (to include components) tool. Not saying there isn't but it's few and far between. The point is that if the tool is manufactured to specs it doesn't matter who's doing it. We're in a global economy and nothing is going to change it. Well barring a world war. Now to my personal opinion, I'd like to see more US manufacturing. I'd like to see all of our oil produced here. In a lot of ways I'd like to see us wind back the clock about 50 years. But that isn't going to happen. As long as companies "insist" on quality specifications for their products then you'll end up with a tool etc. that will perform and last. Again JMO.

Generally speaking.... Craftsman hand tools (socket, wrenches, etc), Snap-On, Armstrong, Klein, Channel Lock, Johnson, Vaughn, etc are made in the US. Yes power tools are nearly impossible to find made in the US now. I know some Milwaukees still are. DeWalt makes some saws in Mexico... quality is very good.

Makita makes their compound miter saws in the US too. And Makita still makes many high quality power tools in Japan... as does Hitachi. So you just have to look around. There's also high quality tools available from Europe.

You want it to change... the only way it will change is that the customers demand that the products they buy are made in the US. If we just sit back and accept it then we are certainly gonna loose more manufacturing jobs and skill. Then who's gonna make all the stuff if we do get into another world war?

Again just an opinion from a troll. Grunt. :laughing:

 

[Ken_CT]

Actually the term troll is taken from trolling, as in fishing, where the poster throws out the bait, usually some comment that they know will get people worked up, then watches to see who will take the bait.

 

[k0ua]

Well reading through these posts is interesting and a lot of you are very passionate about your tools, great. A majority of posters have stated there opinion of HF good or bad. I'm of the mind that yes there are good stuff and junk stuff at HF. But people have also stated as to the quality of name brands. In my last post I picked two major names and showed that even name brands "can" and do manufacture in China. So be it. Another name although the company is HQ'd in Japan (Makita) has out sourced manufactuing to China. So far nothing I've read here have found a truely USA made (to include components) tool. Not saying there isn't but it's few and far between. The point is that if the tool is manufactured to specs it doesn't matter who's doing it. We're in a global economy and nothing is going to change it. Well barring a world war. Now to my personal opinion, I'd like to see more US manufacturing. I'd like to see all of our oil produced here. In a lot of ways I'd like to see us wind back the clock about 50 years. But that isn't going to happen. As long as companies "insist" on quality specifications for their products then you'll end up with a tool etc. that will perform and last. Again JMO.

Well said:thumbsup:

As for Harbor Freight, I have some of their stuff, some is good, some is junk. Some is a real bargain, and some is a real rip-off. I don't get too excited about it. I try to select carefully. If I make wrong choices.. oh well.

James K0UA

 

[PapaPerk]

Actually the term troll is taken from trolling, as in fishing, where the poster throws out the bait, usually some comment that they know will get people worked up, then watches to see who will take the bait.

Yeah I know. I'm just having fun.

 

[chopped]

Very well described. I dont even mind that I might have to weld something (re weld) from HF>

Alot of this Harbor Freight talk often boils down to good vs. good enough. I would think that generally speaking, a Milwaukee/Dewalt/Hitachi/Porter Cable/Bostich/etc. is of better quality than whatever brand HF is marketing under that week. They also almost always cost considerably more. I would say that they are the "good" tools. The HF equipment, while not as high of quality, may be capable of doing the same job, albeit for a shorter amount of time perhaps (i.e. shorter lifespan) at a fraction of the cost. I would say that they are "good enough" tools. Again, the need for good vs. good enough boils down to the individuals needs.

As I mentioned, I've had good luck with HF power tools, as well as some from Cummins tool sales and Chuck Homier. I bought several $5 grinders that I felt I got $5 of use out of. Were they high quality - no. Did I get several hours use out of them and was I happy with money spent vs. results given? Absolutely.

When I was building my house and got to the point of needing a hole hawg, I waffled between the HF version and the Milwaukee version ($80 vs. $250). I decided to go quality and bought a brand new Milwaukee. The first day I used it, only 4 or 5 holes, the transmission broke. Now I will have to say I was only out the $12 that it cost to ship it to Atlanta for repair, but it was gone for almost a month. I had the luxury, since I was building the house myself, of switching to a different task while I waited. If I was in a hurry, I would have had to buy or rent a replacement.

In the end, its up to the consumer to make the decision as to whether they need a good or good-enough tool

 

[955Lincoln]

I needed a large pipe wrench for a job to work along with my large Rigid and thought "how could they screw up a pipe wrench". The price was so low that I ended up buying a whole set of them. When the large wrench wouldn't grab the pipe I looked at the jaws and saw that the teeth were smooshed flat. The pipe was harder than the teeth, no heat treating at all.

Total junk but they look really nice

 

[California]

I needed a large pipe wrench ... When the large wrench wouldn't grab the pipe I ... saw that the teeth were smooshed flat. The pipe was harder than the teeth

Mine did the same. I bought a huge HF aluminum pipe wrench for a one-time project - to get the end off a hydraulic cylinder. It worked fine. But the next time I used it, the shoulder of an old rusty pipe elbow gouged its teeth instead of unscrewing the elbow.

The teeth are replaceable on HF's pipe wrenches - and the prices on their big aluminum ones are far less than a name brand. Has anyone put Rigid etc replacement teeth into a HF aluminum pipe wrench? This is for very occasional farm repairs like that hydraulic cylinder, I don't need the quality I would buy for daily tradesman use.

 

[5030]

They do look nice and I considered buying one. I have a set of Rigid pipefitters wrenches but they are all in iron and not aluminum. The 4 footer is a real tank. If the jaw sets interchange, it would be a deal.

 

[Travelover]

They do look nice and I considered buying one. I have a set of Rigid pipefitters wrenches but they are all in iron and not aluminum. The 4 footer is a real tank. If the jaw sets interchange, it would be a deal.

I wonder if ya could take off the HF jaws, heat them red hot and then quench them in oil to temper them.

 

[deereman75]

I wonder if ya could take off the HF jaws, heat them red hot and then quench them in oil to temper them.

It depends on the type of steel, some kinds will quench in oil, some quench best in water, and some will crack no matter what they are quenched in, they can only cool in air. (the HF ones are probably mild steel, or pot metal) I think you would be better off getting good jaws, and making them fit, or getting a top quality used wrench

 

[PapaPerk]

It depends on the type of steel, some kinds will quench in oil, some quench best in water, and some will crack no matter what they are quenched in, they can only cool in air. (the HF ones are probably mild steel, or pot metal) I think you would be better off getting good jaws, and making them fit, or getting a top quality used wrench

Wise advice.

 

[Travelover]

It depends on the type of steel, some kinds will quench in oil, some quench best in water, and some will crack no matter what they are quenched in, they can only cool in air. (the HF ones are probably mild steel, or pot metal) I think you would be better off getting good jaws, and making them fit, or getting a top quality used wrench

Yea, probably so. I'd do it anyway just to see if it would work, though the steel may be too low in carbon to take much temper.

 

[Dargo]

It depends on the type of steel, some kinds will quench in oil, some quench best in water, and some will crack no matter what they are quenched in, they can only cool in air. (the HF ones are probably mild steel, or pot metal) I think you would be better off getting good jaws, and making them fit, or getting a top quality used wrench

It seems their heavier (weight wise) stuff is made from the worst pot metal. I've "Dargo'd" (means I broke it) several of their larger wrenches working on heavy equipment, shattered their largest vice as well as easily breaking their 50 pound anvil with a 3 pound hammer. Some of their metalurgy leaves a bit to be desired.

 

[deereman75]

It seems their heavier (weight wise) stuff is made from the worst pot metal. I've "Dargo'd" (means I broke it) several of their larger wrenches working on heavy equipment, shattered their largest vice as well as easily breaking their 50 pound anvil with a 3 pound hammer. Some of their metalurgy leaves a bit to be desired.

The anvil claims to be cast iron, which is one of the worst possible materials for an anvil (except pot metal). Blacksmiths call cast iron anvils ASOs or anvil shaped objects, the only long term use they have is as a door stop, or a paper weight. I am not at all surprised that you broke that anvil, it would last for a few seconds at most in any of the blacksmith shops I have been in.

 

[5030]

I believe Anvil's and vices should be cast steel, but maybe I'm wrong. My Wilton bench vise takes a lot of abuse and has never failed. It's cast steel.

Never had a use for an anvil.

 

[deereman75]

I believe Anvil's and vices should be cast steel, but maybe I'm wrong. My Wilton bench vise takes a lot of abuse and has never failed. It's cast steel.

Never had a use for an anvil.

yes, most good anvils now are cast tool steel, but the very best are forged (although some kinds, such as nimba anvils are cast, and just as good as the forged ones). All good vises are cast steel as far as I know. An anvil has to be very hard to work properly, just as hard as a hammer.

 

[crazyal]

It seems their heavier (weight wise) stuff is made from the worst pot metal. I've "Dargo'd" (means I broke it) several of their larger wrenches working on heavy equipment, shattered their largest vice as well as easily breaking their 50 pound anvil with a 3 pound hammer. Some of their metalurgy leaves a bit to be desired.

It only stands to reason. A small wrench only allows you to apply a small amount of force.

 

[Dargo]

It only stands to reason. A small wrench only allows you to apply a small amount of force.

But I'm the Amazing Dargo! I can break a HF anvil with a rubber mallet!! :laughing: Just kidding!!

Yes, I agree with you. I actually have commented that I like some of their 'normal' (not for heavy equipment) hand tools, particularly their ratcheting wrenches. I think they are a good buy for the money and should work just fine unless you use some cheater bar or something. With their larger wrenches, I'm destructive enough that I can pull on them hard enough to have them break. Heck, I'd almost bet that the smaller hand tools are made of better metal. The larger ones have a different look to them and, when they break, they look like pot metal at the break.

 

[crazyal]

I have plenty of pipe wrenches that I don't know where they came from, well I know they were made in China, that the handles are bent into funny shapes from people adding cheaters to them.

Personally I just avoid the cheap Chinese wrenches all together. I've had too many over the years that just weren't made to the correct spec and either fit too loose or or too tight to fit. I have enough sets of Craftsman wrenches and some large snap on wrenches so I'm all set. Besides I've smashed my knuckles too many times over the years to want to do it again.

 

[deereman75]

I have found some Rigid pipe wrenches dirt cheep at flea markets, in good condition. Now the old Rigid would clearly be better then a HF pipe wrench, and cost about the same. That is what I would buy. (plus I like old tools)