Decent Harbor Freight find
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
Decent Harbor Freight find
About a month ago, HF had a sale on needle scalers, so I picked one up. It's a halfway decent copy of an IR125, a little worse on tolerances, but nearly identical.
The only major issue is that the needles aren't hardened properly, so after a few hours they all bent and mushroomed out. Simple fix, though, since the needles are the same as the IR125 ones, and can be replaced for $12. So far, this thing has held up to a solid month of -me- using it daily to remove weld slag, mill scale, everything else you encounter in a weld shop.
So, yes they do have useable Chinese made junk at HF.
The only major issue is that the needles aren't hardened properly, so after a few hours they all bent and mushroomed out. Simple fix, though, since the needles are the same as the IR125 ones, and can be replaced for $12. So far, this thing has held up to a solid month of -me- using it daily to remove weld slag, mill scale, everything else you encounter in a weld shop.
So, yes they do have useable Chinese made junk at HF.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 626
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From: Rome, GA
HF has some good items. I have a general tool box that I bought there, 40 inches wide, roll around. I gave $399.00 for it about 4 years ago. It is a great box. Very heavy built. I have no complaints with it. I would put it up against a lot of expensive name brand boxes. Some of their stuff is flea market quality but if you look at what you are getting they do have some decent stuff to, especially if you use it in a home shop and it is not going to see everyday industrial type use. I stay away from their hand tools for the most part. The socket sets are definitely flea market variety, as are their wrenchs. I also bought one of their 9 inch angle grinders for $59.00. It hasnt failed to do what I needed yet. Now it definitely would not hold up in a job shop setting, but it works good for my home shop with occaisional use. I will be making a trip to the HF store in Atlanta soon. I have several items that I want to get for my shop.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,228
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From: Running Springs CA
HF has an interesting mixture of real tools and junk. I bought Goodyear made-in-USA compressor air hose there, for instance. I have a lot of air tools from them, including an aircraft rivet gun. Excellent quality.
Jim
Jim
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: wichita kansas
I've had mixed luck with their stuff. Electric sander and their table mounted router were junk. The 4.5 grinder, 12" slider miter saw, 2 & 1 hp compressors, impact sockets, impact wrenches and the professional series wrenches have been good so far.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,481
Likes: 5,542
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
it is doing great Jared. but make sure you get the one with the built in pressure regulator and current gauge. the other one is cheap china stuff , and you can not find consumables for it anywhere but from H.F.
it will cut 1/4 steel like a hot knife through butter, 3/8 cleanly, 1/2 with a jagged edge.
a trick i learned years ago is to paint the surface you are going to cut before you do your mark out. then you can drag the tip without overheating the machine.
this makes life allot easier, cause standoff cutting is a pain in the butt.
it will cut 1/4 steel like a hot knife through butter, 3/8 cleanly, 1/2 with a jagged edge.
a trick i learned years ago is to paint the surface you are going to cut before you do your mark out. then you can drag the tip without overheating the machine.
this makes life allot easier, cause standoff cutting is a pain in the butt.
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 788
Likes: 1
From: Hendersonville, TN
Originally Posted by tjc transport
it is doing great Jared. but make sure you get the one with the built in pressure regulator and current gauge. the other one is cheap china stuff , and you can not find consumables for it anywhere but from H.F.
it will cut 1/4 steel like a hot knife through butter, 3/8 cleanly, 1/2 with a jagged edge.
a trick i learned years ago is to paint the surface you are going to cut before you do your mark out. then you can drag the tip without overheating the machine.
this makes life allot easier, cause standoff cutting is a pain in the butt.
it will cut 1/4 steel like a hot knife through butter, 3/8 cleanly, 1/2 with a jagged edge.
a trick i learned years ago is to paint the surface you are going to cut before you do your mark out. then you can drag the tip without overheating the machine.
this makes life allot easier, cause standoff cutting is a pain in the butt.
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Olathe, KS
I have several of the die grinders, the $10 on sale versions, Sure is nice to not change out bits/brushes and the 17 in inline . Used the snot out of all, the inline is showing wear but is still going strong. Overall have had very good performance out of them. Not Snap-on, but they get the job done well. I do have an inline oiler.
Cummins tool air tools really suck.
Cummins tool air tools really suck.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
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From: The Big, Oregon
There are a couple different tip and insulator options for the plasma cutter- if you are dragging the tapered exposed-tip version, then that little tip is hot and will short out. If you haven't tried it, get a castle cup for yours. It stands that tip off the surface about 1/8", and is insulated. That way you aren't breathing the burnt paint fumes.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 626
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From: Rome, GA
Went to Harbor Freight today. I bought a cherry picker and several other item. The cherry picker is a 1 Ton capacity lift. It is normally $159.00 they had it on sale for $99.00 and I had a 15% off cupon that happen to go out after today. I got it for $85.00. I also bought a grinder stand for $24.99, that thing was a real pain in the **** to put together. I was going to by a 12" dovetail jig that they had on sale for $29.99 regularly $59.99 but they were out of them. When I got home I called HF, after I pulled it up online, and the operator told me that they couldnt always match the stores because they were a different division. She looked it up and they had it onsale online for $19.99. with shipping it was $27.53. Not a bad days shopping.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Usually purchase w/ knowledge may last hours or years. Not much on their power tools, especially Central Electric, purchased their Buffer and stand and only useful purpose may be able to use as an anchor, now use stand for bench grinder and works great. After exhanging buffer for another one and it failed decided to take apart and discovered why. Also purchased their Flex cable extention which lasted about as long as it takes to cook a 3 minute egg. Otherwise, purchase HF items on fairly regular basis, only draw back is replacement parts but have found in some instances able to purchase replacement parts thru another outlet improving on items performance. Apparently no longer carry the huge plastic storage bags I used for pressure blasting the larger auto parts, must be about at least 6' long and 4-5' wide, keep checking on occasion to see if they restock them. Primarily try and purchase USA made tools but it's getting harder to find them. You don't want to contact a company who advertises made in US and ask where the item is assembled.
dave
dave
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 855
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From: Ocean Park WA
I got a set of 1/2 and 3/4 Pitsburg impact sockets I used while working for U-haul and they've held up but I don't use their air tools after the trouble I had with them. I've bought some tools from them and you just got to be carefull.
