Harbor Frieght Toos
#31
04-14-2013, 05:59 AM
I guess I was a proud father. So my kid come in the shop with a HF
industrial big side door sand blaster. He bought about 100# of glass
beads. He bought an air dryer & separator from Napa for it. So I tell
him a how to. first strip the paint, wire brush it, get it as clean as you
can so you dont polute the glass beads. OK So I milled a bunch of
1-2-3 blocks- wedges parrales. Then to glass bead them. Proud daddy,
wicked job a nice saturn sheen. Next time DOA thats all she wrote.
And I even keep a 40watt bulb in there. Its dry, I sifted all 100lbs
I cleaned the nozzel good, its got good suction. Done. So I guess its
back outside with the 25 yr old faithful with my pockets full of media.
Atleast it looks impressive in the shop. (floor art)
industrial big side door sand blaster. He bought about 100# of glass
beads. He bought an air dryer & separator from Napa for it. So I tell
him a how to. first strip the paint, wire brush it, get it as clean as you
can so you dont polute the glass beads. OK So I milled a bunch of
1-2-3 blocks- wedges parrales. Then to glass bead them. Proud daddy,
wicked job a nice saturn sheen. Next time DOA thats all she wrote.
And I even keep a 40watt bulb in there. Its dry, I sifted all 100lbs
I cleaned the nozzel good, its got good suction. Done. So I guess its
back outside with the 25 yr old faithful with my pockets full of media.
Atleast it looks impressive in the shop. (floor art)
#32
04-14-2013, 08:45 AM
Post Fiend
Most of my garage is Snap-On, Matco and OTC. HF generally gets considered for tools I use very occasionally if they are on sale when I need them. Most HF tools no bargain if not on sale 30-50% off IMO.
A few Harbor freight success stories- jackstands, 4 leg engine stand, benchgrinders, Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets are now good, gravity feed paint guns if used for appropriate uses. Solder gun (burns hot and wired several project cars before it failed. 3" Cutoff wheel disks great for the money.
Fails- most any HF pneumatic tool I ever tried was junk in a short time, if not right out of the box. Most of their electric tools are a fail if you need them to work for long.
Any tool that truly needs to be made of quality steel to function (most pullers), look elsewhere IMO). Most of their common handtools like pliers, screwdrivers and hammers belong in your wife's junk drawer. Good for tightening up a screw on a table leg and little more.
All just my opinion, I think AX mentioned their low bidder approach and complete lack of QC. Inspect everything you buy frequently if failure is going to get you hurt.
A few Harbor freight success stories- jackstands, 4 leg engine stand, benchgrinders, Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets are now good, gravity feed paint guns if used for appropriate uses. Solder gun (burns hot and wired several project cars before it failed. 3" Cutoff wheel disks great for the money.
Fails- most any HF pneumatic tool I ever tried was junk in a short time, if not right out of the box. Most of their electric tools are a fail if you need them to work for long.
Any tool that truly needs to be made of quality steel to function (most pullers), look elsewhere IMO). Most of their common handtools like pliers, screwdrivers and hammers belong in your wife's junk drawer. Good for tightening up a screw on a table leg and little more.
All just my opinion, I think AX mentioned their low bidder approach and complete lack of QC. Inspect everything you buy frequently if failure is going to get you hurt.
#33
04-14-2013, 08:53 AM
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My opinion is like most of you, if you use the tool every day buy a name brand. If you use it every couple of months HF is a good option. I like there small angle grinders. I have had a new one in the box sitting on a shelf waiting for one of my old ones to die, it been on the shelf for two years. I have a HF press, its only used maybe two or three times a year, been working fine for the last five years. I also have there large blast cabinet, used weekly for the last five years, works like a champ. Some of there stuff is junk, you just have to shop wisely.
#34
04-14-2013, 09:05 AM
Posting Guru
They opened a hp in the town next to me, I have gone in and looked around and was excited about the price! But a little voice in the back of my head said to good to be worth anything ! I did need a press last year so I got one from HP and I was not impressed ! It was a1/4 of the price of the one I wanted , but $ was tight and I needed it to fix the skid steer for a job . It s no Duke but it did do what I needed that day
.
My dad had a saying that "once you lower your standards ,it is hard to go back"
. My dad had a saying that "once you lower your standards ,it is hard to go back"
#35
04-14-2013, 09:17 AM
Fleet Owner
Their air tools typically use 2x as much air as a quality piece. 50-50 chance whether their hydraulics hold pressure.
#36
04-14-2013, 09:23 AM
zoot, if the fiber disk is glazing, you are using too fine a grit and/or using too much pressure. Let the abrasive do the work, too much pressure will not speed it up! You only need enough pressure t keep the disk in contact with the surface, if you are bending the disk you are using way too much pressure. Don't be afraid to change to a different grit and or a new disk, they are inexpensive. If you don't want to change grits a lot, buy another 10.00 grinder and set each up with a different grit. When grinding welds start with a 30 grit and a light touch to knock down the excess bead. You should not touch the parent metal surface, only the bead. When the bead get close to flat, switch to a 50 grit disk. Be sure to keep the disk parallel to the surface and keep it moving until the disk begins to skim the original metal along side the bead. Use at least the outer 1/2 or more of the disk surface, not just the outer edge. Now switch to a 80 grit disk and refine your surface with a very light touch (or better yet use a DA sander with Si-C grit paper), and it should be ready for a good coat of high build primer. I also use the 30 grit to bevel edges of heavier stock for penetration and 50 grit to remove paint and/or rust from the weld area prior to welding.
If you are mig welding, stop what you are doing and immediately order a spool or two of ESAB Spoolarc Easy Grind wire in .025 for metal up to 14 ga and .030 for thicker. It's more expensive, and harder to find (look in my mig welding tutorial for online discount source) but it makes better, cleaner welds that are MUCH easier to grind smooth. Once you use it you will never go back to standard wire!
If you are mig welding, stop what you are doing and immediately order a spool or two of ESAB Spoolarc Easy Grind wire in .025 for metal up to 14 ga and .030 for thicker. It's more expensive, and harder to find (look in my mig welding tutorial for online discount source) but it makes better, cleaner welds that are MUCH easier to grind smooth. Once you use it you will never go back to standard wire!
#37
04-14-2013, 09:42 AM
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#38
04-14-2013, 09:47 AM
Fleet Owner
#40
04-14-2013, 01:54 PM
Fleet Owner
You can see from the grain structure of the metal. There is a way to grind them and from the color of the sparks tell if it's cast or low-carbon steel. I haven't ever seen a forging line, or what I'd call a mold parting line. To be honest, I haven't heard of one failing, so they must be "adequate".
#41
04-14-2013, 02:32 PM
Post Fiend
I wondered too, and waited for my friends to use them for 10 years before I tried any. Their are certain tools that could get you sued out of business fast, and jackstands has got to be one of them. I haven't heard of any failing. Have you? I use them at 1/4 of rated weight so I hope that is enough safety factor.
#42
04-15-2013, 07:25 PM
Post Fiend
Back to the welding helmets. Which ones do you guys have? I looked at three different ones. They are similar, but the electronics do appear to be somewhat different. I would have just bought one but forgot my coupon. I think I have a coupon for one of the "racing" versions for about 40 bucks.
A clerk couldn't ID the one on coupon. She said all three helmets are out on clubmember mailing list coupons now. They must rotate mail lists and most everything is on sale for somebody at all times. Pretty slick marketing strategy I guess.
A clerk couldn't ID the one on coupon. She said all three helmets are out on clubmember mailing list coupons now. They must rotate mail lists and most everything is on sale for somebody at all times. Pretty slick marketing strategy I guess.
#43
04-15-2013, 08:21 PM
AFAIK the only difference between the 3 self darkening helmets is the color scheme. Buy whichever one is on sale with coupon for 39.95 or less. I find the lowest price coupons on in their 2 page ads in the enthusiast magazines: Hot Rod, Rod and Custom, Street Rodder, Custom Truck, etc. don't forget the free VOM and the 20% off one item coupons. The coupon usually has the item stock # right on it.
Dean, yes your welder is exactly right for the Easy grind wire. Your welder should be able to handle 8" (20#) spools. I'd suggest you read thru my MIG welding tutorial: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-practice.html
Dean, yes your welder is exactly right for the Easy grind wire. Your welder should be able to handle 8" (20#) spools. I'd suggest you read thru my MIG welding tutorial: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-practice.html
#44
04-15-2013, 08:37 PM
Post Fiend
AX
Electronic portion definitely appears somewhat different. At last this week they do. Probably function the same other than the adjusting mechanisms so I will just buy whichever one I have coupon for.
Also, the HF unibits are a great deal. Cut clean and last if you don't abuse them. I don't use them to start holes, but they are coated and seem to work about as well as the expensive ones off the tool trucks, Drillmaster is the brand I believe. They go on sale for about 10 bucks for a 2 bit set. They are 50 off the tool trucks.
Electronic portion definitely appears somewhat different. At last this week they do. Probably function the same other than the adjusting mechanisms so I will just buy whichever one I have coupon for.
Also, the HF unibits are a great deal. Cut clean and last if you don't abuse them. I don't use them to start holes, but they are coated and seem to work about as well as the expensive ones off the tool trucks, Drillmaster is the brand I believe. They go on sale for about 10 bucks for a 2 bit set. They are 50 off the tool trucks.
#45
04-15-2013, 08:55 PM
Fleet Owner
I have heard (can't say personally) that the response time on a "quality" Miller or such helmet is much faster and more reliable than the cheapos. I'm on my second HF helmet, and after a year it is only useful on the lowest (lightest) setting. You can look at the sun on Shade 11 and not see it.