Anyone have any experience with Harbor Freight tools? They seem a lot less expensive than their competitors, but I don’t know if buying one of their tools is just money wasted before you buy a good tool, or if it is money well saved.
I’m most interested in the nail guns. Trying to decide whether renting a floor nail gun is more or less cost effective than buying an inexpensive one from HF.
I know there are supposed to be discussions on this topic, but I don’t seem to see them anywhere.
Replies
Somes good, somes bad, somes outright trash.
Ya get what ya pay for.
I have a stapler ( air, shoots reg. T50 type good for visqueen and upholstry) 19.00..worth every penny and then some.
Seen a roofer pull out a roofing nailer and toss it in 10 mins of screwing around with it..79.00 wasted.
So ya save a buck, ya roll the dice, some times you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
JUNK!!! ALL JUNK!!!!!
I would rather do without than buy some P.O.S. China #### from China Freight!
If H.F. were giving away there ####, I don't think that I could fill up a soup bowl!
You mean rice bowl no?
LOL.
Seriously, I have had ok luck with airtools like die grinders and such..I mean, whats to go wrong? And I had a chopsaw that lived out ON a scaffold all winter up by the roof..didn't CARE if fell, or died..it was rough cutting box gutter parts..no sense taking up a 500.00saw for stuff that is never seen nor need be super accurate.
Everything has a place.
And like it or not, more stuff you encounter is from China daily..it's all well and good to say you will NEVER BUY CHINESE, but in reality it is damm hard to pull off.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
I have had good results with the air tools. Most airtool designs have not changed in 25 years they seem to sell rip offs of american designs. I would not trust the electric stuff to last long term. the cases seem cheap and don't have a good feel. I think they are good on some of the hand tools the diamond honing kit is a great price when on sale I just need to replace mine now after five years. Pry bar etc stuff like that which you wind up loosing or leaving on a job. Cable ties and traps can never have enough of those.
It just depends how often you are going to use it, every day I would look else where. The occasional job your okay.
Wallyo
Edited 2/18/2008 8:26 pm ET by wallyo
Nathar,
I've had OK luck with them. However I accept that they are built to a price and not to a standard..
There are, as I see it, three reasons to buy tools from harbor Freight:
1) Having something is often better than doing without;
2) Using any version of a tool helps you learn the tool, as well as what features matter to you; and,
3) It's often a no-lose proposition. They're cheap enough that losing or breaking it doesn't really matter.
Now, that said .... HF quality is uneven. Some products are complete junk, while others perform surprisingly well. It's best to do what you've done .. ask about specific tools. I have not used their nail guns, so I won't answer directly. My experience so far, however, suggests they're worth a try.
I have not used their nail guns, so I won't answer directly. @@@A friend took one down to a Habitat project in Mexico. It worked well. He said that after a few days, they were going for the HF gun and leaving the Hitachi on the shelf.I have a pair of their big tin snips that is about half way through cutting shingles for 89 mansard roofs. Just bought some replacement blades for it. I can't abide their power tools, but some of the hand tools are fine. Their swager for electrical terminals at $15 is well worth it. We got three - and the Anchor swager stays on the boat.Have seen a number of their cheap compressors on jobs. Seem to run.My die grinder lasted 30 seconds, but they just exchanged it and the other one is still working.The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
i think frenchy answered it best...
but i have never had something from them that broke that they wouldn't/didn't replace no questions asked... even saw blades
i swear by a metal cutting blade they sell... that puppy in a junker 7.25" saw will cut 1/4" steel all day long like you were cutting wood (slowly) i've cut 10ft rips in 1/4" steel
their cheap HVLP paint gun/blower has sprayed prob 100 gallons of industrial enamel as well as any gun i have
so yeah... they have their place
p
As others have mentioned it's a roll of the dice. In or school shop we have gone through a half dozen of the little mini miter saws. They never last more than a half year or so. But now I buy the service agreement. If the one I currently have breaks they'll replace it. I spent $6.00 for the service contract and $20.00 for the saw. After the one I have breaks again I'll send it back and they'll send another one as per the agreement. At this rate I've got a drawer full of them for spare parts.
I think they are okay for staples like blades, cheap spring clamps, flux brushes, etc. But I doubt I'd buy anything more substantial from them.
I bought their floor stapler; I think it's a Bostitch clone. Works flawlessly, paid for itself on the first job. DON"T use the Harbour Freight staples that come with the kit, however. They seem nearly as soft as aluminum, and jam often. Paid about $120 for the gun.
Forgot to add their carbide cicular blades work well for me. I buy the 90 (or something like that) tooth twelve inch circular blades on sale they are cheap and cut well.
Wallyo
How many times do you plan to use it? One job, two? If you go to HF and it's junk you'll waste your time waiting plus the $ and then you'll have to rent or buy another.
I won't buy power anything from HF. Hand tools only and then only if it's something I know may get damaged or lost or "borrowed".
I'm not a pro so the advice is worth what you paid for it.
...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....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
It will make an excellent door stop or paper weight
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