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Tool Topic: Harbor Freight/S-K, Opinions?
Posted on 10/16/24 at 9:13 pm
Posted on 10/16/24 at 9:13 pm
About 7-8 years ago, I bought 3 good sets of S-K ratchets and sockets b/c they were damn good and American made.
Well, somebody bought 'em and they're crap now.
I'm seeing dang good quality at Harbor Freight tools now, especially their ICON box line and some of their hand tools.
Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
Well, somebody bought 'em and they're crap now.
I'm seeing dang good quality at Harbor Freight tools now, especially their ICON box line and some of their hand tools.
Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
15
Posted on 10/17/24 at 3:25 am to N2cars
quote:
Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
I have a large US General box from HF it sits in one place and holds tools, not dissatisfied.
I wouldn't expect screw tips or drill bits to last for any amount of time. I bought a SDS hammer/drill/chipper, use it to punch through block for condensate drain lines it was a fraction of the cost of the Makita I wanted. The latches on the box broke day one lol. My SDS only has one job & does it well enough. Most tools there wouldn't last in a commercial setting but in a pinch they will get you through "one."
There was a heated debate here, on their welders seems years ago. Dude was letting someone know they would get good use out of one for around the house beginner guy. He was roasted until he gave info on his trade and experience people still were talking trash. He/his company were out of town on a big job and their red and blue welders went down so in a pinch they bought a HF welder and completed the job. He was still roasted, so he posted some pic's of stacked dimes and everyone stfu if I remember correctly.
HF tools will work, some better than others. I would say the majority have a short lifespan but what do I know.
I do have their Viking jump box & that thing has saved my behind more than once. Sank a side x side killed the battery using the winch. No shiznit hooked the jump box to it and yup it worked to get my rig out, literally saved my machine and me more turmoil than I care to endure.
I'm a buy once cry once if I'm using something to earn $$$$ but some HF tools have a cult following like the jump box I have. Read the reviews if there are hundreds or thousands of people saying good to go, you're probably good to go.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 4:57 am to N2cars
It varies as to the level of use/safety in the tools.
Socket wrenches - I am probably HF on most of it, I'm not much of a mechanic but need to do basic stuff.
Chainsaws - not so much, I'd rather my Stihl pro saws.
Angle Grinders/sawzall - we buy HF all the time as we are always trashing them.
Socket wrenches - I am probably HF on most of it, I'm not much of a mechanic but need to do basic stuff.
Chainsaws - not so much, I'd rather my Stihl pro saws.
Angle Grinders/sawzall - we buy HF all the time as we are always trashing them.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 5:07 am to N2cars
Most of my hand tools are Snap-On, but anytime I need some kind of “specialty” tool that I won’t use very often I will check out Harbor Freight. For instance I needed an extra long pair of needle nose pliers (18”) and I bought a pair from HF.
There are a lot of good reviews on HF’s “premium” line of tools- Icon. I feel Icon is comparable to Kobalt and Husky line of tools, and all three are plenty good enough for the weekend warrior/homeowner.
There are a lot of good reviews on HF’s “premium” line of tools- Icon. I feel Icon is comparable to Kobalt and Husky line of tools, and all three are plenty good enough for the weekend warrior/homeowner.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 5:31 am to Tear It Up
Kinda what I'm thinking...
When I bought the SK stuff years ago, I wanted the best sets I could find, that wasn't Snap-On.
(I liked SO fine, just not easy to buy)
I need a bigger box and I looked at the Icon one they had. Looks pretty good, maybe not as good as SO, but likely close.
When I bought the SK stuff years ago, I wanted the best sets I could find, that wasn't Snap-On.
(I liked SO fine, just not easy to buy)
I need a bigger box and I looked at the Icon one they had. Looks pretty good, maybe not as good as SO, but likely close.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 6:17 am to N2cars
I'll start by saying I'm not a mechanic.
But what's the value in a snap on tool boxes vs the icon line. I could see argument that the HF US general line up is not heavy duty enough. Concern you overload the drawers? Do mechanics really move their boxes that much?
I'm absolutely a "buy once cry once" person but I don't see the reason for it.
I am not talking about tools. I understand it there most times. Buy the best you can afford
But what's the value in a snap on tool boxes vs the icon line. I could see argument that the HF US general line up is not heavy duty enough. Concern you overload the drawers? Do mechanics really move their boxes that much?
I'm absolutely a "buy once cry once" person but I don't see the reason for it.
I am not talking about tools. I understand it there most times. Buy the best you can afford
Posted on 10/17/24 at 6:47 am to N2cars
I have Snap On, Mac, Craftsman, Husky, and some HF stuff. My opinion is if you are making a living with your tools don't by HF stuff but if you are a weekend warrior then it's probably going to be fine for you.
My good stuff came from my Dad as he owned his own garage for a number of years. A buddy was needing tools and he bought this set and it seems like it will do the job.
HF Quinn Tool Set
My good stuff came from my Dad as he owned his own garage for a number of years. A buddy was needing tools and he bought this set and it seems like it will do the job.
HF Quinn Tool Set
Posted on 10/17/24 at 6:49 am to N2cars
quote:
Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
A little of both. For some tools, it is a great value to go HF. Their compressors are good. If you know which ones to look for, some of their hand tools are great.
I have zero complaints to this point.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 7:15 am to N2cars
I have a bunch of HF hand tools and they are fine. They are also about like Sears once was about swapping them out if they do break. Much easier to run to HF to replace a broken ratchet on Sunday morning than it is to swap a higher quality tool that is sold by a jobber.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 7:23 am to Stateguy
Agree.
I'm not gonna move boxes like I worked on a NASCAR team. I mainly one want that has goid drawers and won't tip.
I'm with you tools, and at 62, everything i buy is gonna outlast me anyway.
I'm not gonna move boxes like I worked on a NASCAR team. I mainly one want that has goid drawers and won't tip.
I'm with you tools, and at 62, everything i buy is gonna outlast me anyway.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 7:32 am to N2cars
If I'm excited about getting a tool, I'll shop for a name brand and research. If I just need something to get the job done, I'll check out Harbor Freight. I've heard people bash their clamps. I do a bit of serious woodworking and have never had an issue. Still have Bessy parallel clamps, but lower end clamps come from them. They have lifetime warranty if it does break.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 9:55 am to N2cars
I've used lots of HF tools. I have a drill press (with a little too much play in the spindle, but still usable), a hydraulic jack that has never given me problems, a 7" Hercules angle grinder that works great and a couple of polishers I'd buy again if I needed to replace them. I've also bought a die grinder that fell apart and several small tools that were trash.
My go to strategy now is to watch this YouTube channel for reviews of whatever I am shopping for before deciding what to buy: Project Farm. It has lots of no BS, get-to-the-point reviews of all kinds of tools. He generally does enough tests to give you a good idea of which brand/model of what tool will be the best value for you. And, he almost always includes some HF brands in his tests.
My go to strategy now is to watch this YouTube channel for reviews of whatever I am shopping for before deciding what to buy: Project Farm. It has lots of no BS, get-to-the-point reviews of all kinds of tools. He generally does enough tests to give you a good idea of which brand/model of what tool will be the best value for you. And, he almost always includes some HF brands in his tests.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 11:55 am to N2cars
quote:
or has HF always been pretty good?
They sell stuff that's pretty good, they sell stuff that's garbage. There's a reason the Icon stuff is more expensive.
You get what you pay for at HF just like everywhere else. My general rule of thumb is the more complex the tool, the more likely I am to look elsewhere. I don't buy anything from there that runs on electricity, for example. A socket set? Sure, if I needed one, but I'd stick with the Icon line.
Posted on 10/17/24 at 8:23 pm to N2cars
quote:
I'm seeing dang good quality at Harbor Freight tools now, especially their ICON box line and some of their hand tools. Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
HF has some really good stuff. So good that they are constantly being sued by the actual manufacturers because other than the color and label they are identical. So identical sometimes that they were made in the exact same Chinese factory.
Posted on 10/18/24 at 1:09 pm to N2cars
quote:
Am I just late to the party, or has HF always been pretty good?
A lot of their stuff is pretty decent now, but that wasn’t always the case. Back in the day they used to sell cheap Chinese knuckle busters. Now their Icon line is nice, but you will pay for that niceness. The knockoff Pelican cases are money. They have stores everywhere now so returns are easy.
It’s a shame what happened to SK, they were putting out great stuff at one point.
Posted on 10/18/24 at 9:05 pm to N2cars
HF seems to be average to decent on most things for general home use. I only shy away from electronic items that could fail and cause a fire. I’ve had nail guns, hand tools, belt sanders, shop vac etc.. and they have all been decent. I have a predator in the box but never opened it but I used a friends in IDA and it did well.
Posted on 10/18/24 at 9:17 pm to BigBinBR
quote:
So identical sometimes that they were made in the exact same Chinese factory.
A common thing with a lot of overpriced name brands. See colorless cooler thread.
Posted on 10/19/24 at 8:41 am to N2cars
Unless you do it for a living, HF hand tools are fine. Their quality is light years ahead of where it was 5 years ago.
I even prefer their Bauer and Hercules power tools. My Bauer 1/2" impact will bust loose bolts my buddy's Milwaukee wouldn't. I don't use them every day but for the average weekend warrior they're legit.
Hell run good gas and oil and those Predator engines will run forever.
Like another poster said, things like drill bits and other hardware; not so much.
I even prefer their Bauer and Hercules power tools. My Bauer 1/2" impact will bust loose bolts my buddy's Milwaukee wouldn't. I don't use them every day but for the average weekend warrior they're legit.
Hell run good gas and oil and those Predator engines will run forever.
Like another poster said, things like drill bits and other hardware; not so much.
Posted on 10/19/24 at 9:54 pm to bamarep
quote:
Their quality is light years ahead of where it was 5 years ago.
Much of their stuff is now made in Taiwan and not China anymore. Taiwan is now light-years ahead of China on metallic fabrication and manufacturing.
USA, Japan and Germany are still largely ahead of them, but Taiwan has really closed the "budget" gap.
Posted on 10/19/24 at 11:52 pm to Jack Ruby
I follow the rule a buddy of mine, who is an industrial maintenance supervisor, once gave me. But the HF one and if you wear it out go ahead and buy a nice one. You either don't need it often or you get a chance to learn what features you really need.
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