Harbor freight

[Generic Eric]

Out of town on training; harbour freight across street.   What's cool? 

[Howard_Casto]

Whatever's on sale.  HF doesn't always have quality stuff, but they have cheap stuff, sometimes unrealistically cheap.  They always have really weird special purpose tools as well.  go buy some left handed widgets or something.

[RetroGreg]

Look online for coupons. You may have to sign up with your email, but they'll send you some. You always get a free cheap tool with any purchase each month - usually a tape measure or a cheap screwdriver set, but you can never have too many. Most of the power tool won't last you more than 1-2 builds probably, but they're cheap and they work. You can find some good stuff to fill your toolbox though.

[leapinlew]

My Harbor Freight infrequently used tools that I like:

Heat gun - $10
Shrink tube - not sure if it's a good deal or not, but definitely works
Rotary tool - $10 dremel knockoff
Reciprocating saw - $15 I wouldn't recommend this for frequent use

[jtslade]

HVLP spray gun 9-12$

Have not tried it yet but just got a knock off Dremel kit for $9 (just saw this on sale 80 pc kit Dremel for 7.99$)

The two part epoxy is like 1-2$ and its awesome.

The power sprayer for washing cars is $79 and its not bad.. Small. Get the basic job done..

File set is great..






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[jtslade]

Coping saw is ok.. Not my favorite...


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[pbj]

They're not really all that cheap anymore and the coupons are a joke.  They're fun to wander but I don't really bother with anything besides basic tools I should already own but don't.

[BadMouth]

Yeah, I kept putting off driving the 45 minutes to harbor freight to buy a new oscilating tool after the last one died.
It turned out the local walmart had an extremely similar (if not the same) one for a buck more.

It's a good place for the oddball specialty tools that are expensive elsewhere and you're only going to use once or twice.  (02 sensor wrenches and such)
You can also get big variety packs of cotter pins, O-rings, springs, etc for what you'd pay for only a few at the big box or auto parts stores.

Always read the online reviews before buying anything expensive or powered by electricity.
I really like their titanium nitride coated drill bits.  They last much longer than the bits from the big box stores.

On the flipside, I tried to use one of their $8 power drills to mix a 5 gallon bucket of paint and smoke rolled out of it immediately.

The Bigfoot Hand cart is awesome.
The folding aluminum ramps are awesome.
My uncle owns multiple aluminum race jacks and loves them.

I have so many of the free tape measures that I don't bother getting them anymore.

[vwalbridge]

Yeah, I kept putting off driving the 45 minutes to harbor freight

+1  I'd probably visit HF more often if they built them near me. No matter where I've lived, they never seem to be just down the street.

I think they are good for a few select items like others have pointed out.

-Moving Blankets
-Tarps
-Tie down straps
-Gigantic wrenches
-Oscillation tools
-Dremel knock offs


Also, the entire store smells like vulcanized rubber. That could be either a good or a bad thing for you.

[harveybirdman]

Tamper resistant allen wrenches
Rotary tool is good not great but price is awesome but buy dremel bits
Clamps
Tweezer sets
Slot cutters
Sanding blocks
Storage solutions

Dad also has a metal brake he got there it's pretty nice

[knave]

Harbor freight items I use that don't suck:

- Tape measure
- tool box
- wall hooks
- drill bits
- square
- magnetic parts bowl
- Security bits
- Hot glue sticks
- tarps
- 12 and 18v batteries (I swap the cells into my old Makita and Ryobi batteries for $8 to $11)
- Coolant filter wrench
- 12v inverter
- extension cord male and female plugs
- casters
- paint brushes
- Basic hand tools

There's more...just keep it simple. Unfortunately some HF items are so cheap but kind of function that I suffer through them instead of getting quality versions somewhere else. (cough pneumatic fittings...cough)

[BadMouth]

Tamper resistant allen wrenches

That reminds me of the tamper resistant screwdriver bit kit.
It is friggin awesome for the price.

[Token]

Harbor Freight tools are fine as long they don't require electricity to operate.

[pbj]

You know, I was going to suggest snap ring pliers and a pop rivet gun.... but they're cheaper on Amazon.

[Generic Eric]

Thanks fellas

[JDFan]

IF you don't have a drill press already can't go too far wrong with a $60 one --

http://widgets.harborfreight.com/wswidgets/common/displayCoupon.do?week=1216&campaign=a&page=coupon7.html&cust=61411227648&keycode=1013&single=true&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1216a&utm_source=1013&cid=mEmail_s1013_c1216a

[dmckean]

Wow.

Wish I had a place to put one.

[Slippyblade]

It's not a bad drill press either.  Had one for years, lived outside on the porch.  I (ab)used it regularly.

[yotsuya]

IF you don't have a drill press already can't go too far wrong with a $60 one --

http://widgets.harborfreight.com/wswidgets/common/displayCoupon.do?week=1216&campaign=a&page=coupon7.html&cust=61411227648&keycode=1013&single=true&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1216a&utm_source=1013&cid=mEmail_s1013_c1216a

Yeah, one day I'm going to pull the trigger on that thing.

[pbj]

Ain't gonna lie - a drill press changed my life.

[Howard_Casto]

Ditto.  If you live in a 1 bedroom apt you have room for a drill press.... just get rid of that unnecessary chair... you know, the only one you own.   

[BorgDog]

I picked up several of these parts storage containers recently, work great for storing all kinds of little parts.  I have a couple full of electric connectors and a couple more full of pinball machine parts.  Basically the same as the stanley ones only cheaper, read somewhere the same company actually makes both and people with the stanley ones buy these for extra bins to swap in different sizes.  Shorter one $9, deeper one $14

[jennifer]

      If you need a drill press go to Lowes, For 300.00 you can get a dreamy floor model that actually (IMO) is just as nice as that 750.00 Jet sold elsewhere.... As for H/F, I gotta +1 that heat gun, The tips seem a bit flimsy but who needs them anyway, the gun itself will take substantial abuse. Second on my list would be the arbor press, It can be retrofitted to make a rivet press, I wont lie a big project but well worth it should one be so inclined...And finally, that hydraulic cart thing, turn the handle upside down (and shorten it a bit) Works really well as a coffin jack, used for moving pins around.

[bdn103]

I have a pile of HF clamps that are great. I also love their large capacity dust collector. I used it to make a 2 stage dust collector. Works great.

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah, I kept putting off driving the 45 minutes to harbor freight

+1  I'd probably visit HF more often if they built them near me. No matter where I've lived, they never seem to be just down the street.

Seriously I think they have some sort of computer program that calculates the worst possible place to put their stores.  It seems like no matter where I'm at the nearest HF is an hour away or more.

[05SRT4]

Yeah, I kept putting off driving the 45 minutes to harbor freight

+1  I'd probably visit HF more often if they built them near me. No matter where I've lived, they never seem to be just down the street.

Seriously I think they have some sort of computer program that calculates the worst possible place to put their stores.  It seems like no matter where I'm at the nearest HF is an hour away or more.

Weird, in SLC we have HF all over the place. I think there are at least 4 within a 10 min drive from my place.

[nexusmtz]

Also, the entire store smells like vulcanized rubber. That could be either a good or a bad thing for you.

+1
My replacement hand truck tire still stinks, my magnetic parts bowl base oozes, and I had to goo-gone the coating off of my IR thermometer because it broke down into a sticky mess. There's so much out-gassing going on in that store that it pushes the doors open if they don't throw the deadbolts.

[BadMouth]

Out of town on training; harbour freight across street.   What's cool?

So did you buy anything?

[knave]

Sometimes it is fun to just go into HF with a stack of coupons and see what kinds of crazy deals you can get away with.

One coupon per transaction ---my bottom---. LOL, It all depends on how the cashier is feeling that day.

Although I am spoiled with one 10 minutes from me. I often go to get just one item with a 20% or 25% off coupon.

[pbj]

I used to print out a page of those 20% off coupons and hand them out while I stood in line.  All kinds of funny reactions... some were suspicious, some argued that the cashier wouldn't take them (and then demanded one after they saw them work), some went back to the floor and purchased a large item.  With a sketchy coupon I always figured it was good to load up the line with irate customers in case a cashier decided to get picky...