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Getting my Very Own Harbor Freight

2K views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  MrRon 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Just thought I'd gloat and let everyone know that they're opening a new store 4 miles from my workshop. Unfortunately it won't benefit me that much. Over the past 10 years I've made about 5 purchases and only one gets used with regularity (cannibalized dust collector used for extracting smoke from the laser engraver) . Another two are used on occasion and the others have been shelved.

For those living close to Bradley, Illinois, feel free to celebrate if you're inclined to shop there.
 
#3 ·
They are spreading like weeds. One just opened near us in north central MA. My first trip, I bought a cheap screwdriver that my son wanted to use with his R/C bits. We got a free LED flashlight!

I saw a nice pile of free pallets next to the parking lot. That may be my next "purchase".
 
#5 ·
I used to buy only the highest quality tools, telling myself that buying cheap would eventually cost me more. However more often than not I needed a tool for a specific project and after that the highest quality 10 times more expensive than usual tools left to gather dust. At HF tools are so cheap that usually pay for themselves after the first job. If you do not need it anymore you sell it for not much less than you bought it to the next guy who needs a tool for a specific project.
Some of the tools at HF are actually quite good. Their wet tile saw for example costs around $200 and is not worse than a times more expensive tool from HD or Lowes. On the other hand I looked at their smaller drill presses yesterday and my advice to better buy Ryobi if you want to stay cheap.

So if you are not a professional that uses the same tool 24/7 HF often is a good choice.
 
#6 ·
For single use tools I end up at the local tool rental place. For bargains, Craigslist and Ebay are usually the winners. Not knocking Harbor Freight. It's just in practice, I almost always end up passing on their big sales and choosing other tool sources.
 
#7 ·
Some of their products are gems. I bought the chainsaw sharpener with a coupon for a touch over $30 and it's paid for itself after sharpening 4 chains (local guy wants $8 each). Their socket wrenches and socket sets are a bargain. Many of my bike riding buddies bought the motorcycle lift. A new 4×8 trailer for $299 is a deal. The Predator 6 1/2 hp engine is a steal at $99 with a coupon and I have one on a Troy Bilt tiller I got for free. My bird fountain pump crapped out and they had one that fit for under ten bucks. Thanks to the coupons I keep a free multimeter in the house, garage, my truck, my wife's car, my toolkit, and my motorcycle tank bag. When you need an assortment of cotter pins or machine screws or whatever they have the cheapest ones around. Their little electric cut off tool and spot weld cutter helped me replace the rocker panel in my truck. I needed a sheetrock cutout tool for one job and couldn't see spending a hundred on the name brand one so I got one that worked fine for $18! You can knock certain tools they sell, but the wrenches and stuff that the box stores and Sears and the auto zones all sell is also made in China and it usually costs twice as much.
 
#8 ·
I don't buy any tools there, but they are good for nitrile gloves, tarps, chip brushes, acid brushs, and all kinds of odds and ends that are useful. I will say this: every time I go in there the one near me is busy so I guess some folks like their tools. I'm in a rural area, and I understand farmers like to carry a few tools on their equipment for field adjustments…usually the cheap stuff since it gets lost a lot. Maybe that's some of the business I see there.
 
#9 ·
I used to buy only the highest quality tools, telling myself that buying cheap would eventually cost me more. However more often than not I needed a tool for a specific project and after that the highest quality 10 times more expensive than usual tools left to gather dust. At HF tools are so cheap that usually pay for themselves after the first job. If you do not need it anymore you sell it for not much less than you bought it to the next guy who needs a tool for a specific project.
Some of the tools at HF are actually quite good. Their wet tile saw for example costs around $200 and is not worse than a times more expensive tool from HD or Lowes. On the other hand I looked at their smaller drill presses yesterday and my advice to better buy Ryobi if you want to stay cheap.

So if you are not a professional that uses the same tool 24/7 HF often is a good choice.

- 716
You hold the key…a one time use certainly justifies taking a chance. And quite frankly some of their stuff might work just fine…years ago I bought a 6×48 stationary belt sander from an outfit called AMT (probably the same outfit where HF gets much of their stuff) and had zero complaints with it. On the other side I used to get Craftsman tools for Christmas but swore them off when one of their routers hit the trash bin after maybe an hour of use…"roll the dice" I guess.
 
#10 ·
Closest one to me for a long time was 50 minutes away. I went there a lot when I was first setting up my shop. Last fall one opened up about 30 minutes from me.

I don't visit them much anymore. Only thing I want is that roller cart side tray so I can get a free set of screw drivers or maybe a free electrical meter thing.
 
#11 ·
I don t buy any tools there, but they are good for nitrile gloves, tarps, chip brushes, acid brushs, and all kinds of odds and ends that are useful. I will say this: every time I go in there the one near me is busy so I guess some folks like their tools. I m in a rural area, and I understand farmers like to carry a few tools on their equipment for field adjustments…usually the cheap stuff since it gets lost a lot. Maybe that s some of the business I see there.

- Fred Hargis
I find that there are no "bargains" on the "odds and ends"...but I do seem to spend a lot of time in their store when I get up there (kid in a candy store).
 
#12 ·
Closest one to me for a long time was 50 minutes away. I went there a lot when I was first setting up my shop. Last fall one opened up about 30 minutes from me.

I don t visit them much anymore. Only thing I want is that roller cart side tray so I can get a free set of screw drivers or maybe a free electrical meter thing.

- InstantSiv
My shop seems to be a breeding ground for benches…only thing I have ever bought there was their furniture movers where I can easily move infrequent stuff under/out. Cheaper than buying the wheels and making my own. But I think they have a great business model…if the quality becomes a problem I'm sure they will take the proper steps to fix it.
 
#13 ·
I have to wonder if HF has improved the quality of their tools. It used to be that they were mostly criticized as being junk, but lately I have been seeing favorable reviews more and more often. I have a shop crane that has been fine so I tried a pin nailer and that has been flawless so far (about 2000 pins), but I only use Cadex pins. FWIW
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm thinking it's lowered expectations due to the fact that less people have exposure to quality tools. I use a lot of industrial quality tools and which is why I usually don't use a Harbor Freight buy for long. The fiddling it takes to keep budget tools working flawlessly is tiresome. They work but not enough to keep me happy. Most of my tools are high dollar stuff I got cheap at sales and auctions then fixed back up. Sometimes they don't even need fixing since they're built to last forever.

In the same way, I can barely tolerate store-bought tomatoes. They are dry and flavorless compared to fresh-picked from the garden.

A lot of younger people barely know how to pick up a tool. Not enough exposure during childhood I guess. If you've never used a drill/driver, then a Harbor Freight cordless will seem delightful when you first get your hands on it because it's compared to a screwdriver.
 
#15 ·
Seems like more of these giant Chinese companies are manufacturing the exact item for many different companies. Since the harbor freight near me opened i have noticed this more with tools. Nothing beats old american industrial tools and machinery, the tools at harbor freight dont even come close. but if buy the exact same tool with a different label for half the price… you betcha
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I m thinking it s lowered expectations due to the fact that less people have exposure to quality tools.

A lot of younger people barely know how to pick up a tool. Not enough exposure during childhood I guess. If you ve never used a drill/driver, then a Harbor Freight cordless will seem delightful when you first get your hands on it because it s compared to a screwdriver.

- JAAune
No, it's mostly because their quality is getting much better. They have a lot of really good items that are stupid cheap and are better than things that cost 5x as much. Their red tool boxes and tool cart, for instance. Comparing their red boxes to anything other than Snap-On level of stuff, the HF stuff is better. Nail guns, HVLP gun, etc. There's a lot of really good stuff there mixed in with the crap. And then the majority of stuff is good enough. Not as good as other things, but also nowhere near the cost. Their F-clamps and aluminum bar clamps are good examples of this.
 
#18 ·
Seems like more of these giant Chinese companies are manufacturing the exact item for many different companies.
Absolutely. Just like Craftsman (sears), HF doesn't make anything. Most imported tools are coming out of the same factory and they just change colors depending on who is purchasing/reselling them. Perfect example is the little $9 purple HF HVLP gun. Change the fluid tip (to 1.0mm) and add a metal cup, and that $9 gun becomes one that Sears sells for over $70! I've seen them in auto parts stores setup the same as the HF ones (1.4mm tip and plastic cup - with the same H827W cast into the handle) for $40 or more. I was looking at a bearing splitter set, and the same one that HF sells for ~$30 goes for upwards of $100 at other places… and they are identical. The list goes on and on…

Cheers,
Brad
 
#21 ·
I ll bet they have one of those vacuum operated duct work systems like banks have that suck the money straight to china. :)
- AlaskaGuy
Harbor Freight is actually a US based company - Headquarters in Calabasas, California. They just import most of their stuff - but not exclusively… they do sell some North American made things as well.

Cheers,
Brad
 
#25 ·
I just drove over to my HP and picked up a plug cutter set for like $3.50 and got a cheap cheap screw driver set for free.
For the 10 times I'll use it I don't want to pay top $ and needed it now for my wood toy project.

Most true wood working stores and hard ware store are gone.
Sure you can get it off the net but two three day down the road.
Plus it's fun to go in there and try to figure out what some of the odd ball stuff they have is used for.
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
No, it s mostly because their quality is getting much better. They have a lot of really good items that are stupid cheap and are better than things that cost 5x as much. Their red tool boxes and tool cart, for instance. Comparing their red boxes to anything other than Snap-On level of stuff, the HF stuff is better. Nail guns, HVLP gun, etc. There s a lot of really good stuff there mixed in with the crap. And then the majority of stuff is good enough. Not as good as other things, but also nowhere near the cost. Their F-clamps and aluminum bar clamps are good examples of this.

- jmartel
Most of what you've described isn't a new development. Their air tools and clamps have been considered decent for over a decade. When I first started attending classes at Marc Adams School in 2004, students were doing clamp runs to Harbor Freight and emptying the store over the weekend. Die grinders and HVLP guns were also on the list of items students were willing to buy.

So I'm still of the opinion there's been very little change in quality.
 
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