Harbor Freight for tools?

If you are a pro mechanic then you know what brand of tool you prefer or you will ask other pro mechanics. I guess I am a pro mechanic since I get paid to work on a/c on a regular basis. I am perfectly happy with Craftsman for hand tools. The prices are very good if you watch the sales and use the incentives; I've gotten tools for basically free from Sears. I buy good air compressors, Puma stationary and just this week bought an IR gas wheelbarrow compressor for house projects. Regarding HF, I buy there a lot for one-off tools like an orbital polisher that will see little use. I have also had good luck with their air tools, keep them well-oiled and consider them somewhat disposable. If I need a shorty wrench then I might pick it up at HF. I buy quality drill-bits, 135d split-point from good names.
 
Skyrys62 said:
Agree and disagree...

Some people will make a mess of things no matter what.
If both are using quality tools, then yes it's the skills.

My brother is a retired diesel mechanic, and mechanic instructor. One of the best I've seen.
You put a crappy wrench in his hand, and he will mess around for a minute or two, and if it's not doing the job, it goes in the trash.

I've learned the hard way not to get them out anymore.
Some tools are just *****.
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A tool snob eh?

Indeed some tools are low quality. But they work and in skilled hands damage won’t be done. I’ve been bending wrenches for money for close to 25 years now and your brother would likely throw most of my tools away.

It is undeniable that the tool truck tools are better, but not enough better that the price can be justified in most cases.

And to stay on the theme of this thread, in the engine test lab in which I work I bet 75% of the tools in the mechanic’s boxes who are disassembling and reassembling engines on a daily basis came from China, mostly through Harbor Freight. :D
 
mondtster said:
in the engine test lab in which I work I bet 75% of the tools in the mechanic’s boxes who are disassembling and reassembling engines on a daily basis came from China, mostly through Harbor Freight.
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Surprising.
Maybe they've gotten better over the years.
I quit buying tools from there a long time ago except as mentioned an occasional air tool, bearing puller, etc.
I've had too good of success finding quality used tools from retired maintenance men I know, or on CL. Also black friday sales once in a while for new stuff.
If so, that is good to hear. :thumbsup:

I'll probably never give their drill bits or allen wrenches another chance though lol.
 
Skyrys62 said:
I call HF tools Snap-Off brand. But, as mentioned, they can be used for some things.

Airplane parts are more expensive than tools.... what if a socket or wrench slips, because it's a piece of crap, and breaks something else on a plane? For that amount of money, you could have had some really nice tools.
Just a thought...
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I agree, I’m leaning towards a similar set from Craftsman or Kobolt. Only A few dollars more actually and seemed to get better reviews. Thanks for your input.
 
kyleb said:
Me? I'd go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a set of their house brand combination wrenches and a couple of sets of ratchets and sockets (1/4 and 3/8 drive) in imperial measurements while they are on sale for Christmas. I'm much happier with those tools than with any hand tools I've seen at HF.
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I agree, thanks.
 
C-1 PILOT said:
I agree, I’m leaning towards a similar set from Craftsman or Kobolt. Only A few dollars more actually and seemed to get better reviews. Thanks for your input.
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Kobalt is a far better product these days, Especially the ratchets. Plus, Lowe’s is just like Sears used to be, if you break it they give you a new one without question. Sears hasn’t done that in a while, they’ll replace the broken stuff but it will be after hassling you for a while and they’ll give you another junk tool that was returned previously and repaired.
 
WannFly said:
yah i am eyeing an sir compressor and a tools chest, both on sale right now..
https://www.harborfreight.com/21-gal-25-HP-125-PSI-Cast-Iron-Vertical-Air-Compressor-61454.html

and
https://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-x-22-In-Double-Bank-Red-Roller-Cabinet-64133.html?
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Do NOT get an oiless motor compressor. They are noisy and never put out the volume that they advertise. Get a nice two cylinder 5-10hp with a 60-80 gallon tank. Northern Toll has some very nice compressors and sometimes free shipping. I have a 6hp with 80 gallon tank in my shop and it keeps up just fine I have painted three airplanes with it. Some tools from Harbor Freight work OK but their consumables like sandpaper etc is junk. Tacoma screw has nice quality stuff for reasonable prices.
 
yakdriver said:
Do NOT get an oiless motor compressor. They are noisy and never put out the volume that they advertise.
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Can't attest to the actual air volume, but my oil-less California Air Tools compressor is quiet enough that you can stand next to it and carry on a conversation without raising your voice. (Actually, I have one at home, and one in my lab at school.) My oil-less Craftsman, however, I leave the garage and wait for it to finish pumping up it's so beyond annoying loud (I've painted a 26 foot sailboat with it).
 
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yakdriver said:
Do NOT get an oiless motor compressor. They are noisy and never put out the volume that they advertise. Get a nice two cylinder 5-10hp with a 60-80 gallon tank. Northern Toll has some very nice compressors and sometimes free shipping. I have a 6hp with 80 gallon tank in my shop and it keeps up just fine I have painted three airplanes with it. Some tools from Harbor Freight work OK but their consumables like sandpaper etc is junk. Tacoma screw has nice quality stuff for reasonable prices.
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My dad's oiless craftsman compressor is noisy-enough that you pretty much just walk away from it after startup and come back after it is finished pressurizing. It was given to him for free but what a racket!

For purely selfish reasons, you should buy Gardner Denver (includes Champion, DV Systems, Hydrovane) air compressors. :) I bought an Iron Horse air compressor off of CL about 4 years ago which has been solid, probably had less than 50 hrs of run time is was so clean. 5HP, Heavy-built 20gal tank, oil-lubricated twin-cylinder. Runs quiet enough to have a conversation standing next to it. Side note: it must draw right at 15amps on startup because it kept popping the brand new GFCI breaker in my garage addition (once GFCI outlet was removed it worked fine).

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I finally replaced my wonky craftsman ratchets with HF comfort grip handle ratchets which have been fine. I also picked up SAE and metric sets of the HF ratchet box wrenches which I use all the time and have held up fine.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Side note: it must draw right at 15amps on startup because it kept popping the brand new GFCI breaker in my garage addition (once GFCI outlet was removed it worked fine).
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Ground fault breakers like to trip when you start some induction motors but not others- my band saw (probably 1/3 hp) trips the GFCI periodically - higher power motors (table saw, miter saw, dust collector, compressor(s)) do not trip it. More likely due to a little leakage current in the motor than the total current draw.

And, of course, it is physically impossible to get 5 horespower from a 110 volt 15 or 20 amp circuit. Unless it runs on 220, any claim of more than 2 hp is bogus.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
And, of course, it is physically impossible to get 5 horespower from a 110 volt 15 or 20 amp circuit. Unless it runs on 220, any claim of more than 2 hp is bogus.
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Yep!

But to clarify for casual readers, 110V * 20A = 2200W. 2200W * (1HP / 746W) = 2.95HP if you had perfect efficiency, which you don't so don't bet on more than 2HP. Ain't no way no how to get 5HP from 110V, 20A.
 
The biggest difference I find between cheap and expensive ratchets is the ratcheting tooth count. The more expensive tools have higher counts, which means you need less of a radius to swing the handle before turning he fastener. 90% of the time it doesn't make much difference, but oh, that 10%...
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Ground fault breakers like to trip when you start some induction motors but not others- my band saw (probably 1/3 hp) trips the GFCI periodically - higher power motors (table saw, miter saw, dust collector, compressor(s)) do not trip it. More likely due to a little leakage current in the motor than the total current draw.

And, of course, it is physically impossible to get 5 horespower from a 110 volt 15 or 20 amp circuit. Unless it runs on 220, any claim of more than 2 hp is bogus.
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Agreed. It can be wired 220, but the only outlet I have in the new garage wired for 220V is one of the giant 4-prong dryer-style outlets. I didn't feel like getting 10/3 or 8/3 wired up to the compressor in case I needed to run it somewhere else on the property or off-site.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
My oil-less Craftsman, however, I leave the garage and wait for it to finish pumping up it's so beyond annoying loud (I've painted a 26 foot sailboat with it).
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This. My oilless Craftsman is loud enough to wake the dead. It has been creating zombies here in Atlanta for about 20 years. (Inside joke - the Walking Dead is filmed here...)

I usually just wear hearing protection when I run it.
 
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