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What do you think of the Harbour freight products?

10K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  Tommyt654  
#1 ·
What do you think of the Harbour freight products?
 
#2 ·
My self i don't buy any Their stuff lot's of it is what i would call it low qual A friend bought a jug saw and i went over to use to cut metal The blade went a couple inch's and all the teeth were gone on the blade It was a metal blade I guess you get what you pay for Junk is what i call it Maybe some of the items may be ok But for a pro they don't shop their my 2cents
 
#3 ·
FWIW, I got a used HF lathe that saw heavy use for two years. The owner bought a much higher quality lathe for bowls, etc. So far, it has proven to be good for what I use it for. On the recommendation of another rodbuilder, I bought a HF mini-chuck. Should be here early next week. I'll use it to turn wood reel seats with a mandrel to turn cork grips. I guess HF is like anything, you can get a lemon.
IMHO, I wouldn't have a Craftsman product; they contract them to outside vendors and change vendors every couple of years, depending on who has the cheapest price. My experience with them is that, after a while, parts are hard to find. Plus....they make a few changes from the contractor's products so you have to get parts from Sears. FWIW, several years ago I was in the Murray-Ohio plant in Tennessee. They were running the red Murray riding mowers down the line, followed by the gray Craftsman mower. My brother-in-law had a Craftsman riding mower and had nothing but trouble. He sold it and bought a JD.
 
#5 ·
Aha !

You mean
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#6 ·
I could use a wheel loader, but I think convincing She who buys things would be an impossibility as She just doesn't understand my need for a 1 to 5 acre sand box to play in with full sized Tonka Toys. :)

As for Harbor Freight, all depends on what you buy and what your needs are for the tool. Don't go buy their 18v cordless drills and expect them to work like a high end construction tool. Some of the tools are the same as the big name brand ones with just a different logo slapped on, or so it looks like and has been pointed out in other threads and websites.
 
#7 ·
I went to HF here in town the other day for the first time. I was amazed at what can be pack in one small place. I looked at all of there power tools and some were obviously poorly made. But, most of what I saw, like grinders, lathes, belt sanders looked like any other tool of that kind you'd buy at a big box store or sears. I think its a good place to buy a hand tool that you need, but wont use a lot. Or maybe an angle grinder that you use occasionally. Like a previous post said, if you run a shop or are a pro, you wouldn't buy tools there.
 
#8 ·
Okay folks. Here's my story. Been hearing about H.Freight for many years. Found one within a few miles of where we spend winters. Me very very excited at first. Have bought several items and will offer fair comments. Clamps: cheap, some more trouble than they worth. Very poor machining. Strap clamp: junk I had to toss first time I used it. A $99 Chicago Electric compound miter saw that was 99% dead on accurate out of the box and has been cutting just fine since I unpacked it. Set of drill bits: pure crap from the start. Metal sqare,pocket square, plastic level, combination square (a little sloppy) all are useable tools. I will go back to the store again but I will PAY ATTENTION to what I am going to buy. You CAN save money there. But I have also tossed away a few buck for pure junk. But that's MY fault. As has been said: Caveat Emptor*

*What did you expect dumb ass.
 
#10 ·
Hi Jake - Think you gonna have some problems with the quick clamps. They work well at first but start to slip after you use them a few times. Haven't figured out a fix for that yet. Another problem they have is the pivot for the tension lever likes to break. Took all mine apart, drill hole through the housing and put 10-24 bolts through. Take the handle apart you will see what I mean. Otherwise, let me know and I'll post pics. Other problem I had with them was switching from clamp to spreader. The nut holding the end on isn't captured and the bolt is very short. Got it together and epoxied the nut in.
The toggle clamps are a bit stiff but some dry graphite spray took care of that.
I think there best deal are the c-clamps. Pretty tough to mess those up without being pretty obvious about it.
Good Luck :)
 
#11 ·
I haven't had a problem with the quick clamps since I glued the rubber pads on. But also haven't used them much yet as they are the last clamps grabbed whenever I am doing something. But having only 8 decent clamps bought we before these, it doesn't take too long before they are needed if gluing up smaller things.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I tried to convince my Wife to go there today as She ended with the day off unexpectedly and I have need of a bandsaw or scrollsaw and would like to get a compressor that is powered by more that 1hp unlike the one I am using now. Few other things too. So I loaded up links to all of the appropriate coupons and ads of the stuff I wanted and asked Her to look through. Got told nope, can wait, some of those things are on sale until the end of May and She just doesn't want to go anywhere tomorrow (at the time it was tomorrow yet).
 
#18 ·
Thanks Mike...

sure does look like the Griz don't it....HF didn't supply a price, but ya gotta wonder, just how many "differences" there are between the two...

bill
 
#20 ·
Mike...

don't know if you read the post that really makes one wonder.....

"Its not that they are cheap....its that all the others are over priced!"...
 
#22 ·
I've bought several items from HF, and so far, have not been disapppointed.. too much anyway. Yes, some stuff is really cheap, but most has worked as well as I expected.

Quick clamps, or pistol grip clamps, whatever they are called, have worked well except for the previously mentioned pads. Brad nailer, impact gun, die grinder/cut off tool, trim router, have all worked well. Even got some router bits there that aren't half bad.
 
#23 ·
Even if they are made in the same factory, could they be using some components that were "seconds" after failing Grizzly's QC standards or onsite inspector's eye? All that material's gotta go somewhere and it'd be more profitable selling as an assembly than as scrap metal.

Then again, they could be truly identical except for the paint. Call me a skeptic but "Let the buyer beware!" I'd at least want to see the exact one I was purchasing in action. Hmm.. a *premium* price for a demo unit?? Now *there's* a concept! :D
 
#25 · (Edited)
Just my 2 cents :)

HF products are OK most of the time,many vendors all buy from the same place if they have the clout they can demand it with a tag on them or paint job on items that have vendors name on it..
If you look at the clamps (and many other items) you will not see a tag on them just the normal made in China one..or what every..that will give you a hint it is on the low end of QC...

i.e. items from this vendor sold under the name of HF.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?f=bylogo&logourl=Windsor.gif&brand=Windsor Design
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#28 ·
Ya, I saw that article. Before I read it we had only bought a few small things there. Since then bought a lot of stuff with only slight problems with the clamps (the glued pads) and I forgot about the problem with the corner clamps we got too. Some one suggested sanding them to get a better grip and I need to remember to do that before I use them next time. Might just go to menards and get 4 more of their cheap ones instead as the 4 I already have work pretty good.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I have the bar clamps on my list for next time. I only have 2 right now and could use a couple more, especially if they are as good as I have read.

Done to these things I want from there:

Clamps
Band Saw or Scroll Saw
Drill Press
Decent sized Air Compressor
Pin Nailer.
Electric Hoist
Wheelchair Ramp/Carrier
Dovetail jig (that one is a maybe)

The rest would just be misc little stuff for now, as I don't really have the space to put most of the stuff on the list.

Forgot I wouldn't mind the little cut off tool, the oscillating tool, the 2.5 (i think) hp plunge router if it goes on sale plus I can use a 20% on it. Some of this stuff I wouldn't mind one little bit if it came from some other store instead.