Harbor Freight tools

[jlee]

I'm probably going to order a set of ball joint / tie rod forks - may need them next weekend. I came up with a bunch of other stuff- this is what I have so far:

1654-4VGA 4 Piece Heavy Duty Pry Bar Set 11.99
2689-1VGA 4 Piece 1/2" Drive Impact Extension Set 9.99
4885-4VGA 12 Piece Industrial Punch and Chisel Set 5.99
38649-3VGA Ball Joint and Tie Rod Separators 7.99
92331-0VGA 5 Piece Heavy Duty Chisel Set 2.99


Their shipping appears to be based entirely upon the cost of the order, with no regard to weight...might as well stock up on stuff, but I don't want to buy junk I'll end up throwing away, either. The most heavily used item here will probably be the impact extensions.

I love Snap-on stuff, but can't justify the cost. I have mostly Craftsman stuff now, with a few sets of Gearwrenches and some Autozone branded stuff (breaker bar/etc). I prefer to stick with lifetime warranty with local replacement, but I highly doubt I'll be breaking hammers, pry bars and punches..and if I do, well, they're dirt cheap.

What else should I get?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

Yeah.

My brother worked for HFT for several years, so I've amassed quite a collection of HFT tools.

Most of it is junk, barely suitable for the weekend DIYer. But for hand tools like that, it should be OK.

 

[Modular]

They have cheap tools that are good for regular work. If they break then you can replace them and still be at 25% of the cost of their "superior" counterparts. I have a few of their things as they have a store no more than 4 miles from my house. If I need something quick and know I'll be using it one or two times, then I'll stop there and pick it up.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

My main problem is I don't think about the specialty tools until I need them...and then the shipping cost (and immediate want) usually kills the deal. I'm trying to think of what else I'd need..I could use a bench grinder, but I'm working out of a mostly-open barn...no garage, no good solid work bench, etc.

 

[MrPickins]

I have that ball-joint separator. It's solid as hell. :thumbsup:

Harbor freight is usually pretty good for non-mechanical hand tools. It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
I have that ball-joint separator. It's solid as hell. :thumbsup:

Harbor freight is usually pretty good for non-mechanical hand tools. It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

That's what I was thinking - note nothing on my list has moving parts..hah..

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

Yeah.

My brother worked for HFT for several years, so I've amassed quite a collection of HFT tools.

Most of it is junk, barely suitable for the weekend DIYer. But for hand tools like that, it should be OK.

Ok. I'm not buying high-wear items (ratchets, sockets, wrenches) - the impact extensions being the exception. I'm hoping I won't be bending pry bars..can't imagine they'd be that shoddy, though.

That said, anything else I should throw in there? I might get some hammers and a mallet or two..shipping is only going to go up by a buck or two.

 

[lokiju]

Harbor Freight and Northern Tools are nearly the same as far as quality and cost goes.

I go to both all the time when I need either a cheap tool for a one time job or some specialty tool that'd cost way to much at a Big Box store.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
I have that ball-joint separator. It's solid as hell. :thumbsup:

Harbor freight is usually pretty good for non-mechanical hand tools. It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

easier than you'd think if they use low-grade steel causing stuff to break or deform.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: MrPickins
I have that ball-joint separator. It's solid as hell. :thumbsup:

Harbor freight is usually pretty good for non-mechanical hand tools. It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

easier than you'd think if they use low-grade steel causing stuff to break or deform.

Yes the chisel will mushroom faster and not keep an edge. If you work the tool hard it may fail completely injuring you in the process.

 

[jlee]

I'll swing by Sears and see what they have this stuff listed for...maybe I'll just get it locally. I think that one pry bar will cost me more than four from HF, though, so I dunno.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

Yea, you'd think. I broke with my long standing rule of not buying Chinese tools, and got an axe. I figured how can they screwup a chunk of steel on a stick? The blade chipped under heavy use, and the head popped off after a month. I reset the head, and the handle broke shortly thereafter.

I've had sockets blow apart, wrenches bend, or snap, and knives that looked they were stamped from recycled tins :^/. If you go with Harbor Freight, choose carefully. Some things don't matter so much, but the aggravation of cheap tools isn't worth the cost savings.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: MrPickins
It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

Yea, you'd think. I broke with my long standing rule of not buying Chinese tools, and got an axe. I figured how can they screwup a chunk of steel on a stick? The blade chipped under heavy use, and the head popped off after a month. I reset the head, and the handle broke shortly thereafter.

I've had sockets blow apart, wrenches bend, or snap, and knives that looked they were stamped from recycled tins :^/. If you go with Harbor Freight, choose carefully. Some things don't matter so much, but the aggravation of cheap tools isn't worth the cost savings.

The main thing I need is the ball joint pullers..I'll price those locally. I might end up getting everything around here..Sears, Autozone, Advance Auto / etc often have warranties as well, depending on the product line.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm a big fan of Craftsman tools. They aren't the best, but they're pretty damned good for the money. They also have a stellar warranty.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: lxskllr
I'm a big fan of Craftsman tools. They aren't the best, but they're pretty damned good for the money. They also have a stellar warranty.

Glad you said that. I was about to visit Sears while forgetting (AGAIN) to bring in my slipping ratchet.

:heart:

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
It's hard to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

Oh, its very easy to mess up a solid chunk of metal.

I've bent a metal hammer handle. I've had a cheap wrench start deforming.

Metal comes in varying grades of hardness and other parameters which I don't much about.

 

[danzigrules]

my autozone has the ball joint and tie rod pickle forks for 10 bucks each.


and I am sure you can loan a tool them if need be.

 

[Vette73]

Yea a lot of their stuff is really good for the price. Their 10" tile saw is the same as some higher end ones. I bought it but got a good tile blade, not from HF.

Good woodwokring tools list.


HF Coupons

 

[VCIDJ]

i've been using harbor freight stuff for years. they carry certain things that work just as well as any of the big name tools.

 

[rudeguy]

Harbor Freight FTW!

When I was doing car audio, we used SnapOn until a HF opened in town. A set of crimpers went from $25 to $7. I miss living near Harbor Freight.

Never had any problems with anything I bought there.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
mostly cheap junk, but for specialty tools you use infrequently they often will do the job

This

 

[DrPizza]

fwiw, Autozone, or one of those other auto parts box stores, has the snap-on 2nds/off brand. I picked up a set of box wrenches for about $15 - disposable tool price. Those things are solid and have stood up to a LOT of stress, including having a pipe put on the end of one for additional torque when I was removing a couple bolts to install a trailer hitch. It didn't round off the bolt, nor did it round off. It held tight and did the job.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

a lot of the auto parts stores will also loan you the specialty tools (valve compressors, ball joint forks, etc.) for free.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
fwiw, Autozone, or one of those other auto parts box stores, has the snap-on 2nds/off brand. I picked up a set of box wrenches for about $15 - disposable tool price. Those things are solid and have stood up to a LOT of stress, including having a pipe put on the end of one for additional torque when I was removing a couple bolts to install a trailer hitch. It didn't round off the bolt, nor did it round off. It held tight and did the job.

Good to know..I'll have to check them out as well. Do you recall the brand name offhand?

I went to Sears and they want $39.99 for a set of forks...granted, it has more parts, apparently does more stuff, and comes with an air hammer fitting..but it's also a helluva lot more than $7.99.

$29.99 for one pry bar..$39.99 for a set of three, $54.99 for spring compressors...damn. I'll check Autozone before I place a HF order, but these prices seem pretty ridiculous.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
a lot of the auto parts stores will also loan you the specialty tools (valve compressors, ball joint forks, etc.) for free.

I know Autozone used to, but for some reason I thought they didn't anymore. I'll try my luck.