OK, I keep getting catalogs from discount tool sellers like; Harbor Freight, Cummins, Northern tools, etc…
Comments please….
OK, I keep getting catalogs from discount tool sellers like; Harbor Freight, Cummins, Northern tools, etc…
Comments please….
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Replies
Heads up going in. Reconditioned or seconds in many cases. You get what you wish for. A specific tool for a special job, if it lasts past that...all the better. Sometimes a rental might be better and fewer $ in the long run.
When I had my shop we never carried the cheap line....only the less expensive one ;0)
...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...
Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home.
It depends. Northern isn't that cheap, I get better deals on the real thing locally. I find that Harbor Freight is pretty much the cheapest of cheap.
There are some things I'd buy at harbor freight - a 1/2" drill for mixing mud etc. 2 years and going strong, $35?
There is a retail location I have stopped by on the way to the city - when you see the tools up close, the lure of the bargain fades. Some are pretty bad.
I second the "There are some things I'd buy at harbor freight - a 1/2" drill for mixing mud " - the 'D-handle' works great for that!
If you buy from harbor freight, expect to be very disappointed. At least that way the tool will meet or exceed your expectations.
Also,Expect everything in the box to have a stank oilly smell to it.Always thought it's be cool to have a HF store and finally we do - I went in and couldn't see a single thing I'd like to spend my money on except maybe some sanding sponges...JT
If the item is mainly steel, there's a chance it's pretty good. Harbor frieght jack stands, engine stands, pry bars, small end cutter pliers and and big end cutters have all been very close in quality to those costing much much.
I've used my $4.97 pry bar weekly for going on 5 years now and it's just as good as the $20 version purchased someone else.
The big end cutters are used weekly for cutting 16d nails and pulling nails with most of the damage to the cutters from letting people use it and they grip a screw.
The small end cutters were used daily and held us as well as my current pair of Channelocs.
I've also been quite happy with a big steel vice and anvil.
Overall I'd say their quality is hit or miss, mostly miss, so it's like going to a garage sale.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Several years ago I walked into harbor freight and looked around. I ended up buying a box of 100 paint brushes (chip brushes) for about $10.I think they were on sale.About a month ago I wanted a cheap drill press. I looked around and ended up buying a Delta at Lowes for $100 which is about as cheap as you can get.^^^^^^
a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces
I got a HF a couple towns away. I've bought some stuff from them, things I figured they couldn't possibly screw up. I was wrong. Some stuff I've bought from them is perfectly fine, for how I'll use it.
3 worst things I bought there: nail sets(which were softer than the nails, and just mushroomed); 3' crowbar, which bent; and chisels, which don't really hold an edge, so now just get a hit on the grinder and are relgated to beater status.
I've had good luck with wrenches of various types, a magnet, and probably a few other things. I've even had friends in the metal working side of things pick up their angle grinders and sawzalls, etc, and while they may sound like the devil, they work. Just be wary of what you buy.