CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Favorite Harbor Freight tools

has anyone had good luck with the presses? i been thinking about pickin one up but I want it to actually work. Hey one other thing thats awesome there is those little seats with rollers and the tray underneath. There great for rollin around on while doing brake jobs and other stuff.
 
As far as the press I'm not don't have any first hand experience but I did see a story on the news the other day about a drug bust here in town where guys were making kilos of heroin or coke and the clip they showed was of the cops carring out a HF press. so I guess they must work for somethings. :haha:
 
The good stuff: Impact sockets, long frame floor jack, and most of my jackstands (3, 6, & 12 ton) are from there. The sockets were great untill I bought a good impact and it has started to wear the back side (square hole) of a few. The jack is awsome, for the price. The side plates don't have any strengthing angles bent into them. However, where else will you find a jack with almost three feet of lift height for $100. Last, the 3 ton and 6 ton jackstands go on sale regularly, for great prices. The 12 ton ones are what you want for a lifted truck, but the best sale I've seen on them was $10 off.

The bad, Pittsburg 1/2" rachet, 4.5" angle grinder (sort of), 1 1/2" wrench. After breaking 2 rachets I just gave up and threw it out. I bought 2, 4.5" angle grinders and the first one has worked great for several years. The other lasted a few months, and it only had a cup brush on it. If it had been the first one I would not have bought another. I used the 1 1/2" wrench on the nut for my trailer ball and damaged it the first time I used it.
 
Good:
2 ton cherry picker,
Big General tool box
Safety jacks
Tube notcher
14" metal cutting chop saw. (Ball bearing unit)

OK:
Air tools. Kinda weak and use lots of air but they seem to last.
Sand blaster


Bad:
Anything threaded, such as tailpipe expander, tap and die sets, coil spring compressors, gear pullers. Every one of those items stripped out by the second use. Non treated and weak metal I guess. :mad:
 
long frame jack, sandblasting cabinet, pressurized sand blaster (never used), plus I've order higher end name brand DA sander and rotary sander from them
 
I have one of their 20 ton presses, I'm happy with it. Also like the BIG jackstands, but what I really like from HF are the really thin cut off wheels for a 4.5 grinder
 
My $29.99 HF auto darking welding helmet.

I never tried one before and will never weld without one again! Best garage bargin ever....
 
SkulzNBonz said:
U Joint/Ball joint press. Good piece for those stubborn front axle u joints.

John
Are you talking about the one that looks like a beefy C-clamp. If so OH HELL YES.

Pittsburg deep impact sockets
1 bazillion piece drill bit set for 49.99
99.00 14" cutoff saw
7.99 pair of rectangle fog lights ( bought 6 pairs of them)
Magnetic trays/ long magnets
19.00 air cutoff/die grinder
129.00 110 gassless mig(for the little stuff)
bungees
zipties
elect connectors
trail screwdrivers and pliers
I keep all of it in a HF toolbox
And don't forget about the 12 TON jackstands that go almost 3 feet tall for 69.00 a pr.
Remember... Don't expect top of the line for 2.99
and you will be ok
 
ntx78k5 said:
anyone ever buy one of their air compressors? If so good / bad ????

A friend of mine did, about a year ago. So far so good. His is one of the bigger ones, it has a 60 gal tank. The pump is cast iron and the motor is 220V. It WILL keep up with a sander. If I sell my small compressor when I move, I'm going to buy one.
 
I love a lot of the stuff from there, but don't buy the X style tire irons....

FIgure it was somethign that they coudlnt' screw up, but the metal was too soft and it Ff^ucked up my lug nuts :(
 
I have the 12 ton press don't buy it or any other press that isn't guided by two rods hanging down from the top makes it diffucult and I bent mine. IMHO most of their electrical stuff sucks their air tools are the right price but do use alot of air and if you can't afford craftsman or other major brand tools the hand tools are fine too
 
I love the venturi vacuum pump (runs off your shop compressor). I used it to evacuate my AC system (what it was designed to do) before charging it with r134a...but I use it most as a $14 power bleeder. Add some tubing, fittings, and an old glass jar and you are ready to go. I use it to suck from the bleeder side and it goes very quick.
 
bigjbear said:
A friend of mine did, about a year ago. So far so good. His is one of the bigger ones, it has a 60 gal tank. The pump is cast iron and the motor is 220V. It WILL keep up with a sander. If I sell my small compressor when I move, I'm going to buy one.
Thanks for the info.
 
ive got this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32879
$199 on sale w/ arbor plates. i cant believe they truck freight 200 pounds for free. :eek1: use it all the time. very very useful. spring busings....... who needs a drill. it pops out those old rubber spring bushings with ease.
32879.gif


and ive got this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42204
i want to say it was $19 on sale..... ive used the crap outta that little grinder, and it just keeps on cuttin. this was the best $19 i've ever spent on tools.

42204.gif


the bad:
i bought a $4.99 air hammer with chisels...... yeah, it makes nice little dents in things, but its not powerful enough to do anything useful.
 
Triaged said:
I love the venturi vacuum pump (runs off your shop compressor). I used it to evacuate my AC system (what it was designed to do) before charging it with r134a...but I use it most as a $14 power bleeder. Add some tubing, fittings, and an old glass jar and you are ready to go. I use it to suck from the bleeder side and it goes very quick.
Do you have a part number for this? I could deffinately use one. Lets see wat I have from them:

20 ton press
Media blast cabinet
Several 4" grinders (keep them set up with different stuff, grinder, cutter, sander, etc.)
Pneumatic drill <-- kicks major ass
Various small air tools
Plastic tool boxes
Hammers
Engine hoist leveler

All works well.
 
my favorite that I bought is 2 of there biggest cressent wrench you can buy there. I use them for bending things like brackets or what ever I need to. home bending 101. leverage is my friend.

DSCN0073.JPG

DSCN0074.JPG

DSCN0075.JPG

DSCN0076.JPG

DSCN0077.JPG
 
whats that roll of blue stuff on the stand?

hehe, you should see the adjustables we use in marina's for bigger prop work, 5' handle with about a 5" opening.... :eek1: :haha:
 
Top Bottom