Harbor Freight?

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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How's Harbor Freight as far as shipping time? Their FAQs page says 10-14 days...

I need something that Home Depot doesn't seem to stock, at least in their online catalog (metal punch).
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
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I've never ordered from them online. That said I signed up for their insiders club membership for $10 and they have quite a few good discounts online for subscribers.
 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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Originally posted by: SonnyDaze
We have a store here in town so I've never ordered online.
*facepalm*

I didn't realize they had retail locations :eek:. Looks like there's one on the way home. Thanks.
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: AmberClad
Originally posted by: SonnyDaze
We have a store here in town so I've never ordered online.
*facepalm*

I didn't realize they had retail locations :eek:. Looks like there's one on the way home. Thanks.

What are the odds...they have relatively few retail stores, and your luck has just reached epic proportions, lol. Enjoy your visit, they rock for lots of neat inexpensive stuff.
 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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Yeah, definitely fail on my part not realizing they had a store 15 min away. To be fair though, their web ordering didn't show a sale tax charge...
 
Aug 23, 2000
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OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
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Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

Might want to read the label at HD/Ls as most of their tools are now chinese as well.

Lowes use to get Snap Ons to make their hand tools but from what I have heard that has been outsoruced to cheaper makers as well.


Yea soem HF tools are not great but I have got my moneys worth out of most of them.
 

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
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Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

This. Harbor Freight tools can be dangerously shoddy. Buyer beware.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
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Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

yeap. a buddy of mine got a air compressor and tools for like $200 and it is shit.

 

oogabooga

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2003
7,806
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Originally posted by: AmberClad
Yeah, definitely fail on my part not realizing they had a store 15 min away. To be fair though, their web ordering didn't show a sale tax charge...

Their stores (At least near me) are sorta hit or miss and I think the prices might be different, but not a big difference.

One near me is pretty nice and well stocked. The other sorta sucks in terms of quality and stock..
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
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If you can, open the item before you buy and examine it.

Sometimes they sell rebadged fairly high quality tools - my dad bought a SPI digital caliper for work for ~$70, we went to harbor freight and bought what looked to be the same thing for $12. They seem to be identical except for the label - same tool, same hardcase, same instructions too.
 

JDub02

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2002
6,209
1
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Originally posted by: PottedMeat
If you can, open the item before you buy and examine it.

Sometimes they sell rebadged fairly high quality tools - my dad bought a SPI digital caliper for work for ~$70, we went to harbor freight and bought what looked to be the same thing for $12. They seem to be identical except for the label - same tool, same hardcase, same instructions too.

you've never heard of chinese knock-offs?

i've got a bunch of rolexes i can sell you. :p
 

zerocool1

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2002
4,486
1
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femaven.blogspot.com
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

Might want to read the label at HD/Ls as most of their tools are now chinese as well.

Lowes use to get Snap Ons to make their hand tools but from what I have heard that has been outsoruced to cheaper makers as well.


Yea soem HF tools are not great but I have got my moneys worth out of most of them.

there's a difference between cheap chinese shit and chinese shit...
 

jonnyGURU

Moderator <BR> Power Supplies
Moderator
Oct 30, 1999
11,815
104
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Originally posted by: zerocool1
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

Might want to read the label at HD/Ls as most of their tools are now chinese as well.

Lowes use to get Snap Ons to make their hand tools but from what I have heard that has been outsoruced to cheaper makers as well.


Yea soem HF tools are not great but I have got my moneys worth out of most of them.

there's a difference between cheap chinese shit and chinese shit...

Exactly. I'll take Chinese from Lowes over Chinese from Harbor Freight. HD has some dodgy stuff too, so be cautious.

Lowes and HD have your metal punch. Neither store puts anywhere close to their entire selection online.
 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
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You don't go to Harbor Freight to get quality tools for pennies on the dollar less than lowes or home depot.

You go there to get cheap shit that does the trick for that one off job you're doing then and there. It's like disposable tools.
 

jTanked

Senior member
May 28, 2009
204
0
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Google Harbor Freight Gems. There are some excellent deals to be had.

Some things aren't available at the store. 2 weeks is about right for shipping.
 

mztykal

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2000
6,712
48
91
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

Home Depot and Lowes stocks "cheap chinese shit" as far as hand tools go too...
 

JDub02

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2002
6,209
1
0
Originally posted by: Ns1
i feel like i learned something today

yah .. like don't buy chinese tools .. they may kill you or make you jump out a window over a stolen iphone prototype
 
Aug 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: mztykal
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
OK, while harbor frieght has a lot of stuff, I wouldn't use it if you need to do some serious work. It's all cheap chinese shit. After destroy 2 socket sets from there and turning a phillips head screw driver into an ice pick, I'll spend the extra for a better quality tool at Lowes or Home Depot.

Home Depot and Lowes stocks "cheap chinese shit" as far as hand tools go too...

Well to be fair intodays world, if you want to buy something in store, you have to wade through the chinese shit and not get the cheapest chinese shit. Kobalt tools are pretty good for the money. Light years ahead of the shit at Habor Frieght. If I had the luxury of a Snap-On aor Matco truck pulling up to my house I'd buy their tools, but I don't so I get what I can for the money.