HF what do ya think?

[bbjumper]

Most of the tools I have been with me for a long time but I'm looking at a move and will have double the garage space. I have little experience with HF and was wondering what the general opinion is regarding quality and reliability of what they have. I like to buy tools, I just don't like to buy them twice..

Thanks

 

[Guest]

I like to buy tools, I just don't like to buy them twice.

That says it all... stay away from the majority of tools at HF then, cheap chinese crap.

 

[tkent02]

Some are very good, some are very crappy. Look closely before you buy anything, figure out how much quality you need. Ask around, for instance the angle grinder is still going strong after a lot of use, but the sawzall has had to be replaced a dozen times. It's just a crappy design. Just bought an air hose, very nice for the money. Got some air fittings at the same time, junk. If I were a profesional machanic I wouldn't use much of their stuff. I'm not, so a lot of it is just fine.

A lot of it's not.

They are good at taking returns if the tool won't work. I bought a set of several pairs of circlip pliers, all of them were too big for my purposes, so I took them back, no problem. The smaller circlip pliers they sell for a few bucks are just fine, and decent enough quality.

 

[Nessism]

Yup, hit or miss. Have a set of 1/4" sockets that are great, and a 3/8" stubby ratchet with swivel head that I like too. Most of the stuff they sell under their Pittsburg label w/lifetime warranty is pretty good quality.

 

[rustybronco]

Their floor jacks and safety stands are good as is their serpentine belt tool. Their air operated cutoff tool consumes a large amount of air but works excellent for what it costs. Their 20 Oz hvlp gravity spray gun is one step above junk but can be made to work.

As was said, it's a hit or miss proposition.

 

[posplayr]

Do a google search there are tourism with reviews of most of the poplar items sold at HF

 

[bbjumper]

Do a google search there are tourism with reviews of most of the poplar items sold at HF

great, I'll do that...

 

[tas850g]

Go to the garage journal forum and there is a loonnggg list of the good and bad tools at HF from experienced mechanics.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

 

[bwringer]

There are a bazillion threads on this topic on every gearhead web site.

Also, the reviews on HF's own site can be quite useful.

In general:

- It's a very mixed bag. Some good stuff, some crap.

- Don't order online. Go to the store and look and feel to make your own judgements.

- Not everything at HF is made in China. The tools made in Taiwan (mostly the "Pittsburgh Pro" line) are excellent quality and very reasonably priced. HF even has a lot more US-made stuff than you'd think, believe it or not.

- For electric tools, peruse the reviews and make sure you pay attention to the part number ("lot" number). Some of their motorized tools are incredibly durable. Some... not so much.

My specific recommendations:
- Work those coupons. But read the fine print and understand how they work. Nothing worse than getting stuck behind some whiny squeaker with reading comprehension difficulties.

- The Earthquake air tools are excellent. Everything else air powered not so good.

- I hear they have some decent air compressors

- The digital caliper and digital micrometer are great (perfect for shims). They also have a very useful infrared thermometer.

- Their air fittings stink, but almost everyone else is selling the same Chinese-made crap too. Look around for "Milton" brand fittings -- I found mine at a large farm store called Rural King.

- Ear plugs and safety glasses are great. Also nitrile gloves, mechanic's gloves, aprons, rags, etc.

- Get the heat gun. Great for shrink tubing and other stuff, and it's, like, eight bucks.

- Some of the misc. hardware kits (avoid the bolts, nuts, fuses, and hose clamps) are very useful. Cheap enough, and if they eventually save you one trip to the hardware store, they've paid for themselves.

- Lots of useful special tools and pullers for car work. Watch for sales and work your coupons.

- I've got a HF 20 ton hydraulic press, and I've used it far more than I ever thought I would. The newer model has some significant improvements, and it's not that gawdawful orange any more.

- Need to replace an engine in a pesky cage? Buy a HF engine crane and leveler, then sell the whole thing on CrackList a few weeks later when you're done for $50 less than you paid.

- Lots of people love the HF tool cabinets. Screaming bargain.

- Need to weld up some goofy one-off wrench? Planning to hack up a large pair of pliers to make a special puller? Get the raw materials at HF.



Also, don't overlook Menards -- their Masterforce hand tools (wrenches, ratchets, sockets, screwdrivers) are very good and mostly US-made. The MF pliers are pretty crappy and made in China, but they're usually hanging right next to the good stuff made in the US by Channellock. Lots of folks also love the MF brand tool boxes and cabinets.

 

[tkent02]

- Need to replace an engine in a pesky cage? Buy a HF engine crane and leveler, then sell the whole thing on CrackList a few weeks later when you're done for $50 less than you paid.

I think I need to sell mine. I'm done with car engines. Just sick of looking at it on the floor under the shelves.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Brian is right on most as I have their tool box (love it), heat gun (works well), and t-handle hex wrenches. But their quality on items that will need to cut or punch is iffy at best. I replaced the bits to the impact wrench I bought there because they broke after the second screw I hit while the punches I bought from them bent after one hit.

 

[850 Combat]

I like the newer sockets. Some of the ratchets don't have a very nice action. The engine hoist and balance bar is great. The $200 folding trailer with 12" wheels was a great value, but with the Oregon coast weather, the paint is failing after 8 years. First fading, then peeling. I had to add a ground to make the lights work.

 

[bbjumper]

I like the newer sockets. Some of the ratchets don't have a very nice action. The engine hoist and balance bar is great. The $200 folding trailer with 12" wheels was a great value, but with the Oregon coast weather, the paint is failing after 8 years. Tirs fading, then peeling.

For the money that still sounds like a pretty good deal..

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Snap-On and Mac are mostly what I own.

 

[FLHGSRay]

I've bought very little at HF. I found they play games with the prices. I recently took in a 25% off coupon on Sat to find it was only good on Sunday. Not a problem, but did it really matter? Went back 2 weeks later with a 20% off coupon and the same item was $20 higher. I bought a 40lb soda blaster. Haven't used it yet.

 

[DarthTAiness]

A lot of there tools are very hit or miss. I've got socket size adapters from them that have been used on 5 different cars, and I've got others that sheered off the first time I put any torque on them.

 

[Bustedknuckles]

I've bought a ton of stuff from HF, but recently started buying higher quality items because of the hit or miss nature of their products. I bought a Pittsburgh socket set and found that many of the sockets werent very accurate. Many were fine but many had way too much wiggle room, and I found that I was stripping bolts.

I've bought some power tools from them too. (4 inch angle grinder, reciprocating saw, large corded drill.) While these tools are DIRT cheap (basically disposable power tools) The drill head got bent after only a few months and now wiggles so much that its unusable. The saw is still trucking along but is infrequently used. and the angle grinder has been used a TON but is staring to excessively vibrate internally and the locking button is falling apart.

I've also purchased pic sets, impact driver sets, air tools, engine hoist, slide hammers and bearing pullers, and many other things with great value and reliability. So its not all bad.

I love Harbor freight but just like many other people have said, Its pretty hit or miss.

 

[tkent02]

Are their compressors any good?

 

[bbjumper]

A friend has one of the of the vertical models. It works ok but the noise is defining . We can't talk while it's running.

 

[tkent02]

I just need a new pump for mine, they cost quite a bit elsewhere.