# i got some 48" aluminum Bar clamps today, $12.99



## notLefty (Apr 11, 2012)

they have cast iron heads and tails.. perfect for what i need to do. i got 6. 

I'm building a computer table out of a 36" door, edged with hard wood, and a 4'x8' piece of that white 1/8" hard board with a frame, from the desk top up on the wall.. with black 10" shelves attached on white board, thru to the studs. soon to have room for my 3 computers and some work space.. my present computer table is maybe, 26"x40". it is so small i had to make a different case to put the computer in.. the Antek 900 only left enough space in front of it for 2/3 of the mouse pad. i will put a link to a picture of it.

Aluminum Bar Clamps - Harbor Freight Tools


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## jlk103144 (Mar 26, 2012)

That's a great price for something of that size. Isn't Free Trade wonderful?


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## Cochese (Jan 12, 2010)

They are worth the price, but a caution: do not overexert the clamp. The bar will be just fine but you run the risk of breaking the clamp head.

I unfortunately found out the hard way. Oh well, only $10 wasted.


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## Jack Wilson (Mar 14, 2010)

Nice computer, but please, I really wanna see pictures of your clamps!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

local supplier (Carba-Tec) had them on special recently , so I bought 6 x 48"

From memory, mine were also $12.

They are ok for my case work, but I agree with Cocheseuga, don't overclamp them...


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## bclarknc (Feb 28, 2012)

If you guys have an Ollie's around. I've found their aluminum U shaped clamps, in sizes from roughly 24 to 48" work very well for light duty work. I think their Steelton grip clamps beat HF's any day. I did notice HF had started carrying some like them though.


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## RCclee (Mar 31, 2012)

Lets face it they are junk for the most part. I refuse to buy from Harbor Freight Tools. You get what you pay for there that is for sure. Everything I have bought there is junk.


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## RJM (Apr 11, 2010)

RCclee said:


> Lets face it they are junk for the most part. I refuse to buy from Harbor Freight Tools. You get what you pay for there that is for sure. Everything I have bought there is junk.


I buy stuff from HF all the time and most of it works fine.

I have their Al bar clamps and the work great. I do stay away from most of their other clamps - they are kind of junky.

Also, their locking pliers (aka vice-grips) are hit and miss. I'll go thru a dozen before picking 2 that I'm satisfied with (they don't always work).

Their hand tools (sockets, rachets, wrenches, etc) are good enough too.

Their sanding belts suck - they lap the joint and it creates a bump - but i have a belt sander from HF that works great with Norton belts.

My 8 gallon air compressor is from HF. Does what it's supposed to do. I have a few air tools from them as well - they work fine.

Also, you can't beat beat HF for air lines and fittings.

I also buy plastic beads for media blasting from HF. Also, their air gun nails work as good as any.

The arc welding rods I buy from HF are just as good as the ones from the welding supply house but at half the price. I'm not welding anything critical anyway.

I buy casters from them all the time at 1/2 to 1/4 th what Home Depot charges.

I have a 1 lb dead blow hammer that works great too.

I have some HSS spiral router bits that work good for rough stuff. I don't use them often - I use my carbide spirals for good stuff.

I stay away from their wood chisels and wood planes but I buy drill bits from them all the time. Sometimes the smaller bits (i.e. 3/32 and lower) are not straight but I can usually find one that is in another box.

I also have a 4-1/2 grinder from HF. Their grinding discs are also a deal compared to others (HF/Lowes/OSH).

Anyway, it's not fair to say all HF stuff is junk. Some of it is quite nice (wrenches and such) and some of it is good enough.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Those clamps are fine for most jobs. I read years ago that the most common cause of joint failure is glue starvation from over clamping. Also, clamps were never made for straightening out crooked parts. That's what jointers are for.


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## notLefty (Apr 11, 2012)

i don't clamp things tight, i just snug it up. i needed something to just hold the board on edge of the door to pre-drill to put screws in when i glue it.. when the glue is dry i remove the screw and put in a dowel. i only have one hand, i have to use a lot of clamps around the shop. i want to make some chests and furniture when i get things more organized and get familiar with the new tools. 

one thing you do not want to do with HF tools is leave them plugged in.. i had a sander nearly catch on fire the motor got so hot. it toasted the saw dust on the motor.

i pick and choose what i get there.


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## notLefty (Apr 11, 2012)

i cant get any of the new photos out of the camera.. my USB to camer, cable wont work and my SD to USB adapter doesn't work either... i'll try to get a driver frt the USB's maybe. i don't know, it used to work.


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## Cochese (Jan 12, 2010)

RCclee said:


> Lets face it they are junk for the most part. I refuse to buy from Harbor Freight Tools. You get what you pay for there that is for sure. Everything I have bought there is junk.


Good for you. Perhaps the next time you see Harbor Freight mentioned, you won't bother posting about it.

I love people that deal in absolutes.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

A wise old man told me many years ago that "Everyone is a dumbass about something". Conversely, most people have some admirable traits and something that are really smart about. I feel the same way about tool stores - you can get good tools anywhere, if you are savvy enough to recognize quality and balance your purchase intentions with your project needs. I've only been to Harbor Freight a handful of times, but for some items, they cannot be beat IMHO. You cannot expect a super-cheap product to be of the highest quality available - it simply ain't going to happen, however; high prices DO NOT always indicate quality. Use your brain to weigh the advantages / disadvantages of a product you're contemplating purchasing. Here is something else to ponder: GASOLINE PRICES. If you see something that you need to purchase, but know that it can be purchased slightly cheaper somewhere that requires a long drive - think about your travel expenses. Unless you have time to kill and gasoline to waste, consider the final cost including those potentially wasted gallons of gas. I would rather "throw away my money" to my local hardware store than to send it to terrorists from OPEC.


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## Admin (Feb 13, 2012)

If your computer and camera have wifi, do it that way
Regards
Ray


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## jlk103144 (Mar 26, 2012)

OPG3 said:


> A wise old man told me many years ago that "Everyone is a dumbass about something". Conversely, most people have some admirable traits and something that are really smart about. I feel the same way about tool stores - you can get good tools anywhere, if you are savvy enough to recognize quality and balance your purchase intentions with your project needs. I've only been to Harbor Freight a handful of times, but for some items, they cannot be beat IMHO. You cannot expect a super-cheap product to be of the highest quality available - it simply ain't going to happen, however; high prices DO NOT always indicate quality. Use your brain to weigh the advantages / disadvantages of a product you're contemplating purchasing. Here is something else to ponder: GASOLINE PRICES. If you see something that you need to purchase, but know that it can be purchased slightly cheaper somewhere that requires a long drive - think about your travel expenses. Unless you have time to kill and gasoline to waste, consider the final cost including those potentially wasted gallons of gas. I would rather "throw away my money" to my local hardware store than to send it to terrorists from OPEC.


Hear, hear! Everything's worth is based on several traits, one being incidence of usage(opportunity cost). If I am going to pay the prohibitive cost for a Festool, I had better use it constantly just for it to pay for itself. Or if I don't want to scratch it's pretty skin, perhaps a Milwakee? But If I only occasionally use the tool, over-engineering is not my first priority. 

And I heard the same thing during the 60s about Japanese tools, and later Taiwanese tool, and then Korean ones. Today a Japanese made wrench is worth a pretty good bit. And I suspect when the Chinese economy grows to the point where it is more cost effective to have tools made in Vietnam, or Burma, that is where the tool industry will suddenly move, as China retools for something up the technological food chain. Its how countries increase their technical/economic wealth. 

But until then, I'll keep going to Harbor Freight,selectively getting what I want at wonderful prices, and enjoying Bastiat's "unseen" advantage as a result.


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## 57759 (Apr 8, 2011)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Those clamps are fine for most jobs. I read years ago that the most common cause of joint failure is glue starvation from over clamping. Also, clamps were never made for straightening out crooked parts. That's what jointers are for.


******************************************************
At last, someone that understands what the problem is/was.

I was on a forum reading how bad Ouick Grip clamps are and they were supposedly being thrown in the trash. I'll take any that's being trashed because that's about all I use. I have QG clamps from 4" to 54" but I'll take more any day. I really feel sorry for those that are still using an un-handy awkward pipe clamp because they think that kind of pressure is needed.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

SandburRanch said:


> ******************************************************
> At last, someone that understands what the problem is/was.
> 
> I was on a forum reading how bad Ouick Grip clamps are and they were supposedly being thrown in the trash. I'll take any that's being trashed because that's about all I use. I have QG clamps from 4" to 54" but I'll take more any day. I really feel sorry for those that are still using an un-handy awkward pipe clamp because they think that kind of pressure is needed.


The quick grips are great. You can hold onto the parts with one hand and clamp with the other. That's also what I like about the aluminum bar clamps with aluminum heads. Even the 48" can be one handed. Pipe clamps have their place too, especially if you need long reach. With a few pipe couplings I had mine out to 12' once.
I have somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred clamps, from spring loaded plastic ones to Bessey K-bodys. They all have a best use for certain jobs.

I would use the quik grips more but for some reason the manufacturers of those type clamps have never figured out that if they made the backside of the jaws flat and square the clamps would stand up on the bench without rolling over. Some of the pipe clamp makers have figured that one out which is why I still like using them at times.


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## RCclee (Mar 31, 2012)

A real Harbor Freight tool guy it sounds like. You will never convince me that they sell good quality tools. The fact that they "work" is not a very good recommendation. I will agree that if you want a cheap tool for one time use and you don't want to spend a fortune for something you won't use often maybe it's an option. You can't really argue that it's a place to go for good quality tools though. You'll never win that one.


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## RCclee (Mar 31, 2012)

I won't if you won't.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

RCclee said:


> A real Harbor Freight tool guy it sounds like. You will never convince me that they sell good quality tools. The fact that they "work" is not a very good recommendation. I will agree that if you want a cheap tool for one time use and you don't want to spend a fortune for something you won't use often maybe it's an option. You can't really argue that it's a place to go for good quality tools though. You'll never win that one.


Not sure who you were aiming that comment at but there are lots of light duty tools that were aimed at light duty use. In that context, if they give decent service for the price then they are not junk. No tool will give good service if used outside it's operating parameters, for example screwdrivers do not make good prybars. Not to defend Harbor Freight. They do sell some junk. 
A lot of the cheap clamps will give very good service if you are not one of those guys who believes that you need a 1000lbs of clamping pressure to get the job done. The fact is that as glue dries some of the water and glue migrate into the wood grain. If you squeeze most of it out with overclamping then you will wind up with a weaker joint. So in that context, the quikgrip and aluminum bar clamps will give very good service if you just snug them up good and don't overdo it.


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## Cochese (Jan 12, 2010)

RCclee said:


> I won't if you won't.


I suppose you enjoy paying more for the same things. Or that you enjoy ****ting on what other people buy.

I have a few things from HF that are made from the same dies, and in the same factory by the same people that make the other import tools that people willingly fork over 2-3x the amount for.

I personally don't take stock in what the name on the side is, but what makes it tick. The name on the side is a false sense of security.

There's quite a few things at HF that are actually a better buy than the equivalent anywhere else for 2x the price, but if you don't want to hear that that's on you.


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## jlk103144 (Mar 26, 2012)

RCclee said:


> A real Harbor Freight tool guy it sounds like. You will never convince me that they sell good quality tools. The fact that they "work" is not a very good recommendation. I will agree that if you want a cheap tool for one time use and you don't want to spend a fortune for something you won't use often maybe it's an option. You can't really argue that it's a place to go for good quality tools though. You'll never win that one.


Do you personally have any problems with buying and using other foreign made tools?


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