Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

[QUOTE=Truxx1956;424547]Has anybody tried one of their English wheels? QUOTE]


Ive used a buddies. I would definately brace the top arm to the side arm. It flexes quite a bit. If your not a master fabricator, this will work fine.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

There are no circumstances under which I would use a product sold at HF that spins rapidly or is under enough stress so that a disintegrating piece flies into a part of my body that does not readily regenerate.

Sanding flaps, grinding wheels, die grinders...you get the picture.

When your face needs reconstructive surgery, getting an offshore manufacturer to "make-good" is not going to be a pleasant thing.

I have found, however that their rubber gloves are a fine bargain.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

For that category of tools, ones that spins and can fling stuff or break apart while spinning ..... just because the product have a label that say made in USA, it does not make me feel any safer. I always wear a full face shield. Goggles leaves the rest of my face exposed. Most of us do the same with floor jacks. USA made HW or Chinese made Craftsman jack, we still use jack stands.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

My experience disagrees.

I have used the cheapest HF 4.5" and 4" cutoff discs (PASS)
in my Makita 4.5" angle grinder for years. The discs don't last long, but are so cheap (about 50cents each) it's well worth it, and not one has flown apart. You need to let the abrasive rather than pressure do the work. Push too hard and you chip the disc.

I bought the cheap straight die grinder and the 3" discs also but haven't tried them yet.

Of course I may be scaring off disaster by always wearing protection. ;)

JME - Rod

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I just bought a few things from HF and as usual its a mixed bag

HF Roller stand for table saw/ planer PASS! I like this tool it was about 12 bucks and although simple it does the job. I saw the exact same device at Lowes for more than twice the price.

HF Small steel leg set PASS! I bought this KD leg set for my thickness planer and it is more than adequate for the job. The packaging says it will support 300 lbs and I believe it.

HF mini 1 hp dust collector PASS! I just bought this one and it compares favorably to the Rockler unit that costs 80 bucks more. If you believe the specs at 914 cfm, it moves about a third more air than the Rockler unit and is pretty quiet while doing it. Although the Rockler expandable Dust Right hose would be a welcome addition to any shop.

Pittsburg Forge HF 1/2 inch drive deep 6 point impact socket METRIC. Tentative pass. I havent used them yet but if they're anything like the other impact sockets from HF, they are the buy of a lifetime.

HF automatic compressor drainer kit MISERABLE FAIL!!! A great concept but it falls very short in execution. The kit consists of a pneumatic actuated drain valve for the compressor tank and the fittings and tubing to splice it into the pilot/unloader line between the compressor tank and pressure switch. Here's the rub...The kit claims to have a 1/4 inch NPT street T, a 1/4 inch petcock. a 1/4 inch tube fitting x 1/8 male NPT fitting and 8 feet of 1/4 inch nylon tubing.

In reality, the kit does indeed have the drain valve, petcock and the street T but the 1/4 inch tube by 1/8 pipe fitting is a 6 mm compression tube and the 1/4 inch nylon tube is 6mm polyurethane tube. The instructions tell you to cut the tube between the compressor tank and the pressure switch and install the compression T and run the branch to the drain valve, this all works fine if you happen to have 6mm plastic tubing from your tank to the pressure switch. The tapping on the valve for the plastic line is not 1/8 NPT so you are stuck with using the fitting they give you and using the 6mm tubing. I ended up buying a 1/4 inch compression T, cutting off and machining a piece of the 6mm T and soldering it into the branch of the 1/4 inch compression T. Then I installed this T into the line from the tank to the pressure switch. Once everything was installed, I found the handle of the petcock was just spinning around and would not allow you to adequately shut off the petcock, I removed the petcock, re-staked the handle and re installed...although you could now tighten it, it would not shut off nor would the threaded connection between the petcock and the street T stop leaking even after being re-taped and re-tightened. I chucked the petcock for my original lever operated ball valve drain cock and even now still have the slightest seepage at that threaded connection! The threads in the supplied street T only go in about 3 threads so there is little engagement when you make it up.

So if you are feeling creative and don't mind a little extra time and money spent, this thing actually does work but I really can't recommend it to anyone without a lathe and patience!

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I'm a mechanic, and use these almost daily. They are a great buy. I'd recommend them to anyone who needs an affordable set of impact sockets.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

There's a place around here called Construction Junction that mainly specializes in stuff salvaged from houses being remodeled or torn down. Pretty cool random architectural stuff. Awhile back, HF donated a bunch of stuff from their "Pittsburgh" line... which was kinda funny, considering this IS Pittsburgh!

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I was in the need of some c-clamps and I have been looking around for a while for some American made ones that I could afford. Nothing yet:dunno: Even though I hate buying Chinese tools I saw Harbor Freight was having a sale on some clamps so I said what the hell and bought some. The 6" were $3.49 or something like that.

Check this one out:

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/tools/dscf2831.jpg

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/tools/dscf2824.jpg

I haven't used them enough to tell if they will hold up to some abuse but there aren't 2 out of the 8 that look the same or look like a quality c-clamp. I'm keeping an eye out for some USA ones.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Buying tools at HF should always include some basic inspection for defects, but you can always take them back and pick out a few good ones. Chances are good some batch of clamps came in, and over a few days the good ones were picked out and the bad ones left behind.

Guys at the the register should do what they do in a grocery store, open each dozen eggs and check for broken etc.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I agree. I should have looked them over before buying. I doubt I'll make the trip back just to exchange a couple of them, these will just be my beater clamps.

Wouldn't that be nice!

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Good advice.:thumbup:

Off topic;

What the heck kind of grocery store has the time to check YOUR stuff for cracked eggs?:headscrat
Just curious. I shop at Costco and Winco and learned to check on eggs when my Grandmother took me shopping... In 1963...
Never had a clerk check for me though.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

http://www.traderjoes.com/

Not sure if they have them in your area but by far the best prices on eggs (if you don't want to buy 5 dozen) and they always check them for you. I am already in the habit of checking them myself but it's always nice that they do too.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

That's like putting Cheng Shin tires on a jaguar. :lol_hitti

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Gonna irritate a few but;

Cheap welder, 90 amp 110 volt wire feed welder. PASS.
They sell it for 149, got one at their sidewalk sale for 70 bucks, using sale price and coupon. Used it to do three jobs and dang thing worked great. In fact I decided to get their better MIG unit in 220 volt so I could play around with that.
Didn't keep the 90 amp though, no room for it.
Sold it on Craig's list in one day.
For 100 cash...
Can't get better than that for a cheap welder, I was paid to use it...

Bought their 279 dollar one online, refurbished, for 110...
3 days shipping for 10.99, plus they gave me a 10 dollar gift card.

Can't give a pass or fail on the 220 welder as I haven't really used it yet, just played with it.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Wow, good hustle, Chris. You came out smellin like a rose.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Hey, I wasn't hustling him,:bounce: the price that day was 149 plus tax, he paid 100.

Me, I would have found a coupon and waited till the sale but he was happy to save the bucks.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I stumbled across http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/ while checking on this awhile back.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

Actually, I agree with the other guy. After having two chopsaw disks explode and bury themselves in my freaking wall, I won't touch HF abrasives.


Check rockler. They had some great deals on JET clamps, not sure if they're still going on or not.

VERY good advice. At HF, no tool is the same. Spin the air tools, check hydraulics, etc.

I've gone so far as to purposely buy crappy stuff on sale, then wait for the good pieces to roll in, so I could swap them and get sale price still.

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

I thought the exact opposite. They were cheap, and they have done everything I expected and more. I have been quite pleased with them. :thumbup: PASS

Re: The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread...
 

are the impact sockets you guys are purchasing the Pittsburgh brand?