# harbor freight



## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

today i went to harbor freight. they were having a blowout sale. several people have mentioned the workmates. they had them on sale for 11.99. they are normally 19.99 at hf. i also bought a 1/2 inch impact wrench for 9.99. i got a 2 year replacement warranty for 5 dollars on the impact wrench. i also bought 18 inch clamps that adjust by a trigger, they also spread things. they were 1.99. these are cheapos but they are not the tiny little clamps.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Well those are throw away prices so I do not see how you can go too wrong. 

If you could use them for one project you get your monies worth


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI levon

Sounds like you made a great haul of some great buys 


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levon said:


> today i went to harbor freight. they were having a blowout sale. several people have mentioned the workmates. they had them on sale for 11.99. they are normally 19.99 at hf. i also bought a 1/2 inch impact wrench for 9.99. i got a 2 year replacement warranty for 5 dollars on the impact wrench. i also bought 18 inch clamps that adjust by a trigger, they also spread things. they were 1.99. these are cheapos but they are not the tiny little clamps.


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## Thumbswick (Jan 29, 2009)

A lot of people knock HF tools, I don't. I think they have generally good stuff at prices that are usually just fantastic compared to the regular retail outlets. And I agree with Nick. One time use generally pays for the tool the rest is just pure gravy! LOL!


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Levon, let me know how you like the impact wrench. I have one of theirs and it doesn't work worth a crap. I DO have a few other items that I'm pleased with, just not the air tools.

Brian


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

I bought C-clamps at Harbor Freight, eight 3-inch and four 4-inch, they seem a little "chunky" but so far they have worked well, I don't know if dropping them will break the casting, but otherwise they should last several lifetimes.
I also bought four 12" bar clamps and four 24" bar clamps. The all metal kind, not the plastic type. 
A few years ago I bought their 5-speed bench-top drill press, but sadly the bearing seems to have a bit of play in it now.
My "first" router was their trim router, it still works fine, but the plastic base has a lot to be desired of in it's design.
Their titanium plated drill bits, in the multipack packaging, punch through steel time after time with no problem at all. (10 for a buck something)

*IMHO*: they are a valid source for some inexpensive tools. Many people swear by them, I'm cautious after the drill press.

Cordially,
Gerry


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

Brian, i will let you know, but 10 bucks isnt too much if it isnt great. 

Gerry, i have 10 or 12 harbor freight clamps, they work fine and if i had bought them somewhere else, well i wouldnt have as many,lol

the work mate works fine, ive used it several times


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## Gerard_sr (Dec 7, 2008)

Very True, Levon, the fact that they are so inexpensive allowed me to get eight bar clamps for what I would have paid for one at the popular woodworking tool sites!

In these times one had to keep the belt tightened!

Cordially,
Gerry


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

HF offers some very good tools for excellent prices. Their older electric tools are all junk. They are starting to bring out much higher quality electric tools but they are not the norm.

Brian, I have several HF air tools that perform better than similar popular brand names. Most of the pipe fitters and machine builders I have worked with owned and preferred their air drills and die grinders over all other brands. I make sure my air tools are clean and they get a couple drops of Marvel air tool oil before each use. I'm sure this helps.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

My Dad went nuts buying from HF and now that he is gone, it has come down to me. Like the others, some of it is junk and some is good stuff. I have a lot of clamps that he bought and some pneumatic tool. The seem to work OK but I don't use them to make a living. I know we have one here in the Atlanta area and I plan to check it out.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

[B said:


> IMHO[/B]: they are a valid source for some inexpensive tools. Many people swear by them, I'm cautious after the drill press.
> 
> Cordially,
> Gerry


Gerry,
My DP had some run out issues that took some adjustment, but I don't have any other problems.....so far. Then, I only use it on wood and always at the slowest speed. 

I bought 12 of their 3/4 pipe clamps and had to ream them all to fit 3/4 black pipe. Tried to use one yesterday and found it was too tight to slide. I guess my pipe grew


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## GBM (Dec 18, 2007)

I want to tell everyone about a MIRACLE tool from HF.... 
I saw a $400 tool advertised on a 30 minute TV program ... which looked GREAT. 
It is also carried by Woodcraft. Just the accessory packs for special jobs at about $130.

No way I can spend that kind of money for a tool which I mostly wanted to cut clean holes in sheetrock at switch and plug positions.

So I am in HF for something else and see they have their Vibrating Multitool on sale for I think $60. I am thinking like some have mentioned in this thread... if it just works for a certain amount of time at that price it is still a bargain. It and the attachments look the same as that $400 tool from elsewhere. 
When I use it on molding, sheetrock and oak parquet it works GREAT. My house has 3/4 sheetrock and there is no way I can make a nice hole with a box cutter, hole saw, etc... this thing vibrates a clean hole right where I want it... I am thrilled. 
It also has a triangle shaped vibrating sander attachment. 

A couple of years ago HF put their floor bandsaw on sale for $260. I found a guy's website who told of his experience with this same model... he mentioned using Linkbelt to connect the motor to the drive wheel.... So at $7 a foot I do that as I put it together... never trying the usual stock belt that came with it.... before I saw his site I thought people who used Linkbelts did it because they did not know how to measure what length belt they needed. I was wrong. Linkbelts greatly reduce vibration transmission. So I get this bandsaw home and put together and try it out... it does not even need to be tracked. I turn it on and use it... after decades without a bandsaw I am thrilled with the possibilities I now have for cutting stuff... 

Once I was in HF and found their two stone Water/regular grinder on sale. About $40 I think. Looked really pretty. When I got it home it hummed but would not turn. I took it apart and found they had put NO grease in the 90 degree gear box. I greased it and now , even though I give it a helping hand to start it works just fine for sharpening.. it was about one third what the same machine would have cost elsewhere. 

My local store is great about honoring INTERNET SALES... just print off the sale page from the HF website and take it with you. They keep the paper copy and give you the sale price... hard to beat that... 
GBM


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## rsnajork (Apr 1, 2009)

I have been contemplating going to get the CM 16" Scroll Saw for 79 Bucks as I was going to drive an hour to get one from a guy on craigs list used. My wife had said go see what you can find it for online after saying see what you can find it for on craigs list lol. She says you will spend 25bucks in gas and 50 on the used one just get it at HF. So I am trying to read between the lines hmmmmm do HF or not to do HF is the Question lol.:fie:


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## Andiamo (Mar 7, 2009)

HF tools are mostly fantastic value -- remember that most of what they sell are sold by other stores, just with different brand names. For instance, look at their drill presses, and then figure out that you can buy exactly the same thing (different color/label) at the 'big box' home stores for several bucks more.


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## Mike Gager (Jan 14, 2009)

i like harbor freight. ive bought a ton of stuff from there and havent been disappointed yet


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## wuzfuzde (Feb 21, 2009)

*harbor tools*



xplorx4 said:


> My Dad went nuts buying from HF and now that he is gone, it has come down to me. Like the others, some of it is junk and some is good stuff. I have a lot of clamps that he bought and some pneumatic tool. The seem to work OK but I don't use them to make a living. I know we have one here in the Atlanta area and I plan to check it out.


The Harbor freight stores have lots of tools and lots of pieces of metal and plastic that looks like tools... the trick is in choosing.
Bill


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## tbreland (Apr 18, 2009)

I bought a drawermate dovetail jig for $14 and saw it at woodcraft the next day for $99.


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

We get the same stuff over here. The LED illuminated magnifying glass I got at Lidl was identical to the one HF advertised and is easily the best magnifier I've ever used. It is a genuinely quality item and is beautifully made.
They've still got them
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

Well worth getting !

Not all that cheap stuff is rubbish.

Cheers

Peter


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

*I agree*

I get stuff from HF quite a bit, and I agree some stuff is good, some stuff is ok and can be good with a few mods, and some stuff is pure junk.

You just gotta know what your looking at.

I bought a combo press brake, shear, form roller machine from them, and for the price it was good the only thing wrong with it was the bearings for the roll form rollers were cast crap metal of some type and broke right away, and wern't in a bearing housing. 

Fortunally I have a Smithy Granite 1324 in my garage/shop (see pic) so I can make or fix most everything I want, so I made new bearings, and housings.


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