I'm a sucker for Harbor Freight Tools

[64V19816]

Yeah. Harbor Freight. Like the letter I sent with the Totally Useless pack of sandpaper I bought and sent back to their corporate office......ALL of their products are substandard and many do not provide workmanlike performance. In my opinion...if you want GOOD cheap tools buy used Sears Craftsman tools. I'm using many tools my Grandfather bought in the 1940s.

[Zandoz]

I'm another Harbor Freighter. I've lost way too many good/expensive tools to relative/friend/neighbor borrowers. I'm not what I'd call a power user anymore, for occasional light use I go with HF....and if they do brake or disappear, I'm not out as much. And on the other hand some of their stuff does hold up fairly well. I've got an HF mitre saw that has held up for close to 10 years, including through a whole house rehab,2 room additions, and building a workshop.

[Clem64]

Our SEARS just closed for good. Total bummer. I've been buying Craftsman stuff for 50+ years and have always been ok with them. Buying online just ain't the same as the in store experience. Yeah, I also do the HF thing when necessary.

[dean pearson]

I agree with this in some ways but I can almost guarantee that the owner of harbor freight made more profit off of those tools than the original manufacturer.
Does nothing for U.S. manufacturing tho and we truly need more of that.

Has anyone here had any experience with the small lathe that they sell ?

I want a lathe and a small mill.

Dean.

[Warren Webb]

Add me to the list of HF customers, except I found a place in Paramont, California that beats HF. It's called JR Tools. In a way it reminds me of Costco in that they dont carry all the same things all the time but their prices are almost hlf of HF. As far as quality goes, for those of us that just need stuff for our personal use it is fine. Now if I was back doing body work for a living, then I would need Mac, Matco ect brands.

The exception to all this is what 64V19816 said about the abrasives. On those it doesnt pay to scrimp. I prefer 3M stuff even over Norton because they wear longer & I spend less time changing sandpaper or whatever I'm using. Time is money too.

[studegary]

It is only recently that we have a Harbor Freight store in the area. Back when I was buying tools, that Harbor Freight stuff looked like a good buy until I added the shipping. I have been downsizing my (major) tool assortment. I only have small hand tools now. The only thing that I have purchased in the Poughkeepsie Harbor Freight is flashlights and batteries. The store has always been busy with buyers, not just shoppers, when I have gone there.

[sweetolbob]

Posted by dean pearson
I want a lathe and a small mill

Dean, a couple of thoughts.

- I own an Enco brand gap lathe that I purchased 20 years ago. I believe it's about 14" X 40". It's Chinese and looks like it was hand hewn out of several blocks of cast iron. So pretty it's not but when you get past the aesthetics it's an accurate and capable machine. The ways are flat and true, the runout is excellent and it will cut great with carbide tooling. It came with four pages of QC data just like the good US stuff and it was darn close to some of the much higher priced ones my shop purchased in the 80's. So as far as a lathe goes from HF, see if they have QC data with it and look it over. If it looks good buy it.

-As far as a mill goes, I also have an Enco mill/drill setup that works fine but if I were to buy anything in this day and age, I find a Bridgeport or equivalent and drag it home. I was at a tool auction last month down the road from la Maison SOB and a couple of Bridgeports with nice beds and 3-axis DRO's and power feed went for $2700 and $2900. I had a hard time keeping my hand out of the air at that price. They will also run rings around any mill/drill machine that you will find in that price range.

Food for thought, Bob

[mmagic]

Yeah. Harbor Freight. Like the letter I sent with the Totally Useless pack of sandpaper I bought and sent back to their corporate office.......

Toilet paper and HF sand paper... one and the same. Wire cup brush for the angle grinder $5 at HF and looks to be the same thing at HD for $22 ! And, it was one from HD that blew up on me.... Gawd that hurt !! HF step drills cheap and work great for cutting spot welds out and seem to last. Some items ok and others aweful !!

[T-CAB]

In Canada we have "Princess Auto" same stuff, just different colours. A lot of it is low quality and will break and wear quickly, however, if you are only going to use it a few times most will work OK. Do not buy the metal clamps the hold panels together. They are totally worthless. Buy "visogrip" or other USA (or Canadian) made clamps.

T-cab

[bowhawk]

My personal favorite is the HF digital calipers for about $7.00 just don't forget to turn it off.

[wittsend]

I live about 8 miles from the main HF warehouse in Camarillo, Ca. I use to love their parking lot sales. Typically getting there early allowed for the best selection. However, getting there at the end of the last day gets a great price. A number of years ago my son and I happened by not knowing about the sale. A half hour later I was calling the wife to come down with the mini van. In the end I spent $300. I got a 60 gallon 3 HP compressor for $80 (about $450). We got one of their small lathes for $100 (also about $450). I got a motorized drain cleaner for $45. I got a whole bunch of other stuff all for my $300. I figured it was about $1,500 at the regular price.

Sadly the sales have not had the deals of late. Mostly they are regular store items at the typical circular ad sale price. It's just that more items are on sale at one time. Well..., I take that back I did get their $50 angle grinder a few years ago for $18. The trick was in the final hour to ASK them to lower the price.

Tom

[Dougie]

There's a place for HF tools. they are great for hobby use. Bought my engine hoist for $99 on sale. Paid for itself many times over.