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ric 01-06-2005 01:50:34 66.82.9.81 145005 Report to Moderator	i would like some input on the quality of theses tool brands [Reply]   [No Email]
Bob in KY 01-14-2005 10:39:22 64.12.117.8 145489 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Hey ric. I live very near the Harbor Freight here in Lexington and I use a lot of their tools. In my mind, National Tool is a small step above Harbor Freight on quality, so I keep an eye to that when I research a purchase. I buy my jacks, stands, air tools, sandblasters, and other big ticket items from Harbor Freight, but their sockets and wrenches are junk. Of course they will replace anything that breaks, but I am tired of running back and forth. I recently bought a Chicago electric 1/2 inch drill from them. Used it for about two months and the thing died. I took it back and they gave me a new one. No questions asked. I liked that. I recently bought a 10d nailer from them to build a barn. I bought some of their nails but they did not have ring nails. When I went to the fastener store in town, they did not have the angle of nail to fit the Harbor Freight gun. Harbor Freight's gun uses 28 degree nails, the others use 30 degree. It will not work. In my experience, the Chinese come over here and get our quality tools and take them back to China to copy. When they do, they use inferior metals and change the design just slightly so that US customs will not rant and rave about patent infringements. The long and the short of it, you have to be careful what you buy.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Fornwalt 01-08-2005 19:58:52 206.245.133.230 145192 Report to Moderator	deerslayinrednek@yahoo.com in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   I have had a 3 piece Adj wrench set for about 3 years from harbor freight. These have worked as good as my Craftsman but 1/3 of the price. I try to stay away from the electronics as they are not real good, but what do I know I'm just a PA redneck farmer.   [Reply]   [No Email]
DAVE NE IOWA 01-06-2005 21:51:17 207.177.16.39 145078 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Pretty much like the rest have said, I buy a very few from HF. I WILL SAY THAT 20 Years ago I purchased a Millwalkee metal shears, repaced the 3 blades a half dozen times at total cost each time of &60.00 plus. I then purchased a new HF metal shear that lasted for a dozen days. But the accessory that turned the regular drill to a metal shear came out of the same mold as the Millwalkee, but the Millwalkee name blanked out. The whole drill from HF was $65.00 with the drill and accessory---this includes the 3 new blades plus all new housing that holds the 3 blades. Dave NE IOWA   [Reply]   [No Email]
rotten robert 01-06-2005 19:36:49 4.240.123.121 145069 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   I find some of the hand tools to be kinda clunky but work well. I like the big China end wrenches and have cut one in two and heated and bent another one to reach a hyd fitting. I steer away from the power tools and such but the normal tools work good. I got a Northern 3/8" air Impact that is a real nice little gun. Every once in awhile they have good prices on name brand tools. HF has good prices on Channel Lock pliers too.   [Reply]   [No Email]
RichZ 01-06-2005 18:01:13 4.156.114.170 145059 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   I have bought quite a few tools from Harbor Freight, and so far, I've been very happy with them. I don't use tools to make my living, but I am a farmer, and I do need a variety of tools, and the Harbor Freight ones have served me well, and you can't beat the price. A few Christmases ago, my wife decided to surprise me with a good 18volt cordless drill, because it's the power tool I use the most. She got me a Dewalt, and although it's fine, it's made in China, just like the Harbor Freight. The Dewalt drill is heavier than the Harbor Freight one I have, and does seem more reugged, but it doesn't hold a charge any longer than the Harbor Freight, and the Harbor Freight is just as powerfull. I've had very good service from Harbor Freight. I also wait for sales, and take the free shipping. It usually takes about 10 days for me to get the tools, but since I don't pay for the shipping, I don't mind. I bought a HF reciprocating saw and a pack of blades for it a few months ago, and they forgot to send the blades. I called their 800 number, and told them I didn't get the blades, and they said they'd send me 2 packs for the inconvenience, and they did. What's not to like about that???   [Reply]   [No Email]
FarmerDave 01-07-2005 04:43:19 208.207.98.124 145085 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to RichZ, 01-06-2005 18:01:13   Is your HF drill a Chicago Electric or a Master Drill?   [Reply]   [No Email]
RichZ 01-07-2005 14:30:37 207.69.137.203 145127 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to FarmerDave, 01-07-2005 04:43:19   It's a Master Drill, but from what I've heard there's not much difference between the two.   [Reply]   [No Email]
NC Wayne 01-06-2005 15:36:56 64.12.117.8 145049 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Most of the other posts concentrated on Harbour Freight stuff so other than to say I stay as far away as possible from their tools I'll hush about them. I work on heavy equipment for a living so like the old saying goes "My tools make my living". I've got tools with just about every name you can imagine on them. Lately I've needed to add some tools to my truck, that I didn't have like metric swivel sockets, more metric wrenches, and some of the larger size(1-1/2 and up) standard wrenches. So far I've used all of the stuff I bought just as hard as I would have any of the other "name brand" tools I've got and have yet to have a problem with any of them. The Northern tools have a good feel, and a good finish. Personally I preffer the matt finish vs the slick chrome, because even though they are a little harder to wipe clean they are easier to hold onto when your up to your elbows in oil and grease. Too they are usually comparable in size to the other name brand tools, meaning things like the OD of a box wrench isn't 1/4+ bigger than the nut size like many of the other off brands are, but is actually thin enough to get in the 'standard' clearances around a nut of a given size. Just my .02   [Reply]   [No Email]
thejdman01 01-06-2005 08:43:11 152.163.101.8 145033 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   you get what you pay for some things are ok some arent. i love harbor freight for greeze zerks etc as you can get a good selection cheap price. if you using the tools for a living and you use them severly they wont last. none of harbor frieghts tools will handle cheater bars. the harbor freight offers a "lifetime warrenty" from pittsburg but you might as well wipe you behind with the warrenty card. took tools back there they told me i had to send it in send it in and got it returned "out of business" then got a new adress and sent it there and they jacked me around i wasnt pleased trying to claim there warenty. the way ive seen their tools and experience using them if you want to take the lug nuts off your lawnmower there inch drive socket usually stands up. lol but in all seriousness and honestly from honest experience on there 3/4 inch drive rachet you can put about the same torque on a snap on 3/8s rachet and the snap on wont break where the 3/4 harbor freight will. you can adapt a 3/4 socket down to 3/8 and put a snap on rachet on it w/a bar and it wont break harbor freight will. and i was very very very disappointed in the fact that you couldnt even buy a rebuild kit for their rachets. once they break there junk much like they were to start with   [Reply]   [No Email]
txblu 01-06-2005 07:26:32 209.151.115.131 145022 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Work fine for me. I think that the quality is very good considering the cost. I usually wait till they put things on sale. Only bought a sprayer pump from Northern. Most tools from HF. Like I have been waiting for a framing nailer for about a year. They just put them on for $89 from $199 with freight paid, house brand....made in China of course; what isn't these days; not much. Bought 2; one for 10d and the other for 16d nails. Work great. Now if I were using them daily, in business, I would look elsewhere; made in USA and expect to pay $300 or so for it; but it surely will last. Now the HF might hold up also, but I wouldn't be expecting it; but I don't have a problem with what seems to be a quality product from them......till I break it or wear it out. Mark   [Reply]   [No Email]
9NJoe 01-06-2005 06:36:00 216.204.89.198 145019 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Ric, Be careful with harbor freight shipping. If you pay for any kind of express delivery and it is late, they will still charge you for the fast delivery. I ordered some stuff from them years ago and paid a hefty price to get it shipped 3 day priority. It arrived 2 weeks later shipped by UPS ground but I was charged the express rate. I called them to complain but got NO satisfaction. I have never ordered from them again. Joe   [Reply]   [No Email]
JT 01-06-2005 07:29:55 69.220.203.201 145023 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to 9NJoe, 01-06-2005 06:36:00   9NJoe, I learned about that 2-3 day priority crap a few years ago, also, that does not mean you will have it in 3 days, it means instead of taking 1-2 weeks to get it out of their warehouse, they will ship in 3 days, then you still will wait the 3-7 days you normally will get with ground UPS. So, it basically is a con job. The only reason I buy anything from harbor freight,they have a store in town, so I can see before I buy, I very seldom will order anything mail order for that reason, unless I know the product I am buying.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Steve (Magnolia, TX) 01-06-2005 06:31:18 161.114.1.184 145018 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   I'm not trying to be counter-productive, or anything, but this question comes up on this board almost once a week. Try searching the archives for "harbor freight" and you'll probably get back more opinions and experiences than you'll care to read.... Steve   [Reply]   [No Email]
Dannie 01-06-2005 02:21:22 204.111.96.208 145006 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to ric, 01-06-2005 01:50:34   Some are ok some are junk.How hard will they be used.Good tools will last,the other kind you buy ever so often.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Dick2 01-06-2005 04:24:05 4.240.42.117 145007 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to Dannie, 01-06-2005 02:21:22   As Dannie says, quality varies all over at Harbor Freight - but I still buy there after looking them over carefully. I do avoid any tools that were made in India, but the Chinese tools are getting better.   [Reply]   [No Email]
old dude 01-06-2005 08:52:38 24.51.141.166 145034 Report to Moderator	Re: harbor freight/ northern tools in reply to Dick2, 01-06-2005 04:24:05   chinese tools should be getting better a good precentage of them are our vintage iron sad but true   [Reply]   [No Email]