Harbor Freight tools

[Black88GTA]

The HF torque wrenches are actually pretty well regarded. I can't remember where I saw it, but someone did an accuracy test of a HF wrench vs. a Snap-On and it was spot on target. Dirt cheap too. I got a 1/2" drive, a 3/8" drive, and a 1/4" drive combined for probably 1/2 the cost of a single Snap-On wrench.

EDIT: One thing though, be prepared to wait a long time for the shipping. I think HF uses a team of snails to drag your order to your doorstep.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
The HF torque wrenches are actually pretty well regarded. I can't remember where I saw it, but someone did an accuracy test of a HF wrench vs. a Snap-On and it was spot on target. Dirt cheap too. I got a 1/2" drive, a 3/8" drive, and a 1/4" drive combined for probably 1/2 the cost of a single Snap-On wrench.

EDIT: One thing though, be prepared to wait a long time for the shipping. I think HF uses a team of snails to drag your order to your doorstep.

Like this? I have a non-clicky style 1/2" drive now..would love a ratcheting one, but didn't want to cough up the $$.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: MrPickins
It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

Oh, its very easy to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

I've bent a metal hammer handle. I've had a cheap wrench start deforming.

Metal comes in varying grades of hardness and other parameters which I don't much about.

Steel alloys have a very wide range of hardnesses, and yield and ultimate strengths.
This nice chart in the back of one of my textbooks lists the yield strengths of low-grade hot-rolled 1020 steel as 30,000 psi. Brinell hardness: 111.
But a nice 8740 steel, oil-quenched and tempered at 400° has a yield strength of 240,000. psi. Brinell hardness: 578.

Quenching and tempering, plus the different alloying agents, will of course increase the cost. You'll likely find very low grade steel, minimally treated (probably just cold-worked) at Harbor Freight. It's no good when the hex-head screw you're trying to extract is much harder than the cheap Allen wrench you've got.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: MrPickins
It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

Oh, its very easy to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

I've bent a metal hammer handle. I've had a cheap wrench start deforming.

Metal comes in varying grades of hardness and other parameters which I don't much about.

Steel alloys have a very wide range of hardnesses, and yield and ultimate strengths.
This nice chart in the back of one of my textbooks lists the yield strengths of low-grade hot-rolled 1020 steel as 30,000 psi. Brinell hardness: 111.
But a nice 8740 steel, oil-quenched and tempered at 400° has a yield strength of 240,000. psi. Brinell hardness: 578.

Quenching and tempering, plus the different alloying agents, will of course increase the cost. You'll likely find very low grade steel, minimally treated (probably just cold-worked) at Harbor Freight. It's no good when the hex-head screw you're trying to extract is much harder than the cheap Allen wrench you've got.

My wrenches, ratchets and most sockets are Craftsman..same with t-handle hex keys, standard hex keys, etc. I mainly need the ball joint forks and a couple of pry bars..have a hard time coughing up what Sears wants for them.

I had a 19mm wrench start flexing yesterday (love leverage!)..definitely won't be getting walmart wrenches anytime soon.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
The HF torque wrenches are actually pretty well regarded. I can't remember where I saw it, but someone did an accuracy test of a HF wrench vs. a Snap-On and it was spot on target. Dirt cheap too. I got a 1/2" drive, a 3/8" drive, and a 1/4" drive combined for probably 1/2 the cost of a single Snap-On wrench.

EDIT: One thing though, be prepared to wait a long time for the shipping. I think HF uses a team of snails to drag your order to your doorstep.

Like this? I have a non-clicky style 1/2" drive now..would love a ratcheting one, but didn't want to cough up the $$.

That's the one Comes with a nice little plastic case too...

 

[Lounatik]

I started to think about this while I was in Sears today: How much longer is the Kmart debacle going to last? Will Sears be gone soon as Kmart drags them down to hell? Just a thought, because I like Craftsmen tools and the "lifetime" ( I guess it is Sears' lifetime now, huh? ) warranty you get with them.


Peace

Lounatik

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

Perfect description.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Lounatik
I started to think about this while I was in Sears today: How much longer is the Kmart debacle going to last? Will Sears be gone soon as Kmart drags them down to hell? Just a thought, because I like Craftsmen tools and the "lifetime" ( I guess it is Sears' lifetime now, huh? ) warranty you get with them.


Peace

Lounatik

I hope they stick around..I just swapped out my 1/4" drive ratchet and a flex 3/8" drive ratchet today...took about 30 seconds.

I bought a tap and die set at Lowe's a couple of years ago - was quite surprised to find a lifetime warranty on it..hardly ever see that for 'wear tools'!

 

[jlee]

Well, this is my current cart setup-- liable to adjust after I check Autozone in the morning.

1 239-7VGA 1/2" Drive Click Stop Torque Wrench 14.99
1 807-9VGA 3/8" Drive Click Stop Torque Wrench 14.99
1 2689-1VGA 4 Piece 1/2" Drive Impact Extension Set 9.99
1 3980-6VGA Strut Spring Compressor 12.99
1 7383-7VGA 11 Piece 1/2" Metric Deep Wall Impact Socket Set 15.99
1 38649-3VGA Ball Joint and Tie Rod Separators 7.99
1 39216-6VGA 3 Piece Ball Pein Hammer Set 12.99
Subtotal 89.93

Shipping is only 9.99. :Q

I rarely use my impact gun..maybe it sucks (one of the free-with-compressor-purchase Craftsman rigs), but it's usually faster to just put a breaker bar on something. However, my 1/2" drive socket selection is lacking a bit, and it'd be nice to have these kicking around. I've read good stuff about the HF impact sockets.

Spring compressor is a maybe. I don't think it's necessary to replace springs on my car- there's not a whole lot of preload. Separator forks..well, for 8 bucks, I might as well. Hammers..I only have one, and I'm hoping they can't screw up a hammer too badly.

 

[SoulAssassin]

These ratcheting wrenches go on sale for $10 every other week or so...I'm VERY happy with them. Haven't broke one yet and I use them on the time on the Jeep. They come with a lifetime warranty but you have to mail it in and for $10 a set I would probably just buy another set and hope I don't keep breaking the same size.

http://www.harborfreightusa.co...Name=&SubCategoryName=

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
These ratcheting wrenches go on sale for $10 every other week or so...I'm VERY happy with them. Haven't broke one yet and I use them on the time on the Jeep. They come with a lifetime warranty but you have to mail it in and for $10 a set I would probably just buy another set and hope I don't keep breaking the same size.

http://www.harborfreightusa.co...Name=&SubCategoryName=

I already have a set of Craftsman offset ratcheting box ends, else I'd jump on that. Very handy to have.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: DrPizza
fwiw, Autozone, or one of those other auto parts box stores, has the snap-on 2nds/off brand. I picked up a set of box wrenches for about $15 - disposable tool price. Those things are solid and have stood up to a LOT of stress, including having a pipe put on the end of one for additional torque when I was removing a couple bolts to install a trailer hitch. It didn't round off the bolt, nor did it round off. It held tight and did the job.

Good to know..I'll have to check them out as well. Do you recall the brand name offhand?

I went to Sears and they want $39.99 for a set of forks...granted, it has more parts, apparently does more stuff, and comes with an air hammer fitting..but it's also a helluva lot more than $7.99.

$29.99 for one pry bar..$39.99 for a set of three, $54.99 for spring compressors...damn. I'll check Autozone before I place a HF order, but these prices seem pretty ridiculous.

I thought about it - I think it was at Parts America. The salesman explained that they were made by snap-on. I just needed one particular size, but bought the whole set and remarked something about "disposable" - he told me that wouldn't be cheap quality like most $10 and $15 sets. They're not. Unfortunately, I can't remember the brand. Also, fwiw, my kids have left them in the driveway on more than one occasion. They didn't rust as readily (not sure they even have rust on them now) as craftsman. Craftsman wrenches rusted the first time the kids left them outside.

 

[LordMorpheus]

hand tools should be fine for the most part.

The power tools that I've used are awful, especially their cordless stuff.

But a pickle fork to seperate ball joints? I'd be very surprised if they manged to make one of those that didn't work, it's simple and big, should be fine from harbor freight.

 

[oogabooga]

HF is very hit or miss. I think it has to do with an extreme lack of Quality Control. Their prices are amazing if you can get a tool that works and stays working. It's amazing the lack of QC - sometimes on forums people will swear by one tool whereas another group of people will have the exact opposite experience with the same tool all just cause of well.. luck.

As such, I test everything I get when I buy from them. I have had some solid diagonal cutters and others that wouldn't even close proper in the same delivery. Almost every air tool that I have gotten has needed some adjustment/work to get to work proper. What makes it worth it is the chance that if it works well.. you've paid 1/4 the price for the tool.

For some of the tools you listed I would try out an auto-part store like autozone and try the lend a tool thing. They charge you for the tool, but when you bring it back used whatever they give you refund. A friend went this past weekend for a spring compressor, had to make the deposit, returned it and basically used it for free. They had a mat that had every tool they would let you use under the "lend a tool" program. You Pay more up front, but you get it all back (though you don't get to keep the tool if you wanted to keep it and have it around).

 

[BabaBooey]

I get alot of tools and the like from there and have not had a issue yet with anything.

 

[AmigaMan]

A HF opened here in Durham and I got a cheap $70 compound miter saw. It works, but I was at Lowes the other day and Dewalt's version of the same tool is just so much nicer. It's smoother when moving it and the blade guard works much better. It's also $250, so I figure I can live with the cheapness until it breaks.

 

[bobdole369]

Absolute garbage. Cheapest most chinese parts ever. The tools from harbor freight are good for exactly one use - preferably the project that your working on. I've had screwdrivers bust, wrenches fall apart, impact tools that impact about 15 times than died, jacks drop the car, a welding torch starter flung the flint right out of itself, etc.

You get exactly what you pay for. Maybe for a specialty tool that is used once, but otherwise I'm not filling my toolbox with garbage.

 

[Sasiki]

Dad buys a lot of inexpensive tools at Harbor Freight. For the weekend job, they are fine. He loves the Pittsburgh brand wrenches and sockets. Never had a problem out of anything from Harbor Freight actually. Ratcheting tie down straps are inexpensive there too. Before ordering online, check and see if there is a store close to you (which I'm sure you have already done).

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Sasiki
Dad buys a lot of inexpensive tools at Harbor Freight. For the weekend job, they are fine. He loves the Pittsburgh brand wrenches and sockets. Never had a problem out of anything from Harbor Freight actually. Ratcheting tie down straps are inexpensive there too. Before ordering online, check and see if there is a store close to you (which I'm sure you have already done).

Dude, I live in NH.

I'm going to FL in a couple of weeks, though..might swing through one when I'm down there.

 

[sjwaste]

I usually buy the Home Depot brand, Husky. Light/casual use, but never had anything fail, and it costs less than most of my Craftsman tools did. Husky sockets, ratchets, etc are especially good. I also use one of their torque wrenches. So far, so good.

 

[Miramonti]

I have one locally on the other side of town and always visit when nearby. Great resource.

 

[eplebnista]

Not too well made, most of them wear out really quick.