Brand New Goodies

Just bought some brand new tools. The Dual action sander was 14.99 and the In-Line sander was 29.99. What a bargain. I know that the Harbor Freight tools always bring up a debate around here. So here's my view. I used to buy all of my tools from Sears or the tool truck that came around. I spent a fortune on things. When I didn't have the buku bucks, I did without. Just like I've done waiting for these to go on sale. The nice thing about Harbor Freight is the fact that I can buy tools that I wouldn't normally buy. I would find a way to get the job done without them. And that would either cause a poor job, or a very long job. Both of these toold are over $100 each at the name brand stores. I could break each one 5 times and I would still be exactly where I started. The nice thing is though, even though they are cheap in price, they aren't necessarily cheap in quality. I have everyone of my HF tools and have only broke one. The Angle grinder that I bought for 9.99 and had to replace for 14.99. It lasted over 2.5 years of constant usage. I mean CONSTANT usage. HF is able to sell everything dirt cheap because they either rebuild the Name Brand stuff and resell or they are the direct manufacturer and importer of the tool. There is no middleman or salesman to pay. Some of my family are in the business of having things made in China and then selling them here to the large chain stores like Walmart and Target, Kmart, Sears, Ace Hardware. He sells these things for a very low price and the chains sometimes triple that price when selling to the consumer. They have so much overhead to deal with that they have to mark the products up enormous percentages to survive. Harbor Freight is the Manufacturer of MOST of the tools that they sell. Yes, they are made in China, but so is everything else nowadays. The days of cheap made in china metal are long gone. I hear that MGs will be made in China soon. Will you guys still buy? Hard decision. So after all this rambling, you guys that haven't tried the Harbor Freight stuff because you're afraid that its cheap, take the leap into the great unknown. Hey, if is OK for Brian it's OK for your too. God that was corny!

And the biggest reason of all to buy HF, is that I have a LOT more money to spend at Atlanta Imports/Moss or Vicky Brit or wherever I get my MGB parts. I've got a$500 parts order coming in next week, WHOOOOO HOOOOO it'll be like Xmas around here. I love opening the boxes.

Forgot to post the pictures. Next thread



Post Edited (03-03-05 22:46)

Whoops, forgot the pictures, I was rambling on so long it slipped right out my brain. That seems to be happening a lot recently.

I had a $500 order come in from Brit-tek last week . The box sat opened in my kitchen for a few days before the wife had me move it to the garage . The shiny new parts just make my heart go all a flutter .

Gee Brian, sounded less like a ringing endorsement as it did something you might hear in a confessional. Bless you my son, for your penance, say three Hail Makitas and promise not to feel guilty about buying HF tools any more. :)

Here's a little story about HF tools. I had bought a HF sheet metal air shears for not alot of money, I loved the tool, like you it would've been anything I was willing to pay a bunch for off a tool truck, anyway after two years of use I finally broke it. I decided I liked my air sheers so much now I would spring for the high dollar tool truck version, got one from Snap On, pulled it out to use it the first time, biggest wimp shears I had ever used for about 5 times the cost of the HF shears, I promptly returned the Snap On unit and went back to HF and bought a new air shear this time with the replacement warranty. Some tools just are not worth the extra loot the tool trucks want, air tools being one for sure. I've also got the DA sander you showed for a little over a year now, works fine and gets used regularly.

Isn't it sick when you listen for the sound of the UPS truck coming down the street, and are dissapointed when it doesn't come to your house.

I have the same DA and have used and abused it. I have 3 of their grinders so I never have to switch the head. And I also use their floor jacks. HF also has good prices on name brand air tools and sometimes you can catch them on sale or closeout. I bought an Ingersoll Rand DA last week for $20 at my local store

So far, I've bought a few things at HF and have been pretty happy. Pry bars, air chisel and air mini cut off wheel. The only thing that has been a bust is the mini cut off wheel. It won't cut the metal in my car, so I guess I'm out $9!

I still don't know if I'm gonna buy the MIG from them. I'm going to look at the used one first.

John they have Hobart which is what I have, thought I didn't buy it there. It was cheaper at the local farm store

I'm more disposed to buy US tools when I can afford them but will buy stuff from HF. I can't quite agree that the days of cheap chinese junk are gone. My recent experience with a Craftsman jack (chinese made) makes me leary. I bought it since it was Craftsman, good stuff right? I only use it ocassionally and only to lift the light LBCs. What a piece of crap. Makes strange sproinging noises and now leaks and won't lift. Sears offered me a piece of paper showing where I could take it for repair. I told the guy I'd just throw it in the trash. Since I got no reason to buy an expensive floor jack I'll probably go over to HF and buy another cheap chinese jack. As least I'll not be disappointed if it fails (unless it drops the car).

I really do hate to see so much manufacturing leaving the US. I've always felt that US tools were among the best, now it seems that they (Sears, etc.)are having to supplant their US made stuff with chinese stuff just to compete from a price point.

Is this the one chuck?

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=55236>

I know I should shut-up but I just highly dislike China. Call me an isolationist but that's just how I feel. The people are wonderful but their government is the worst of the worst IMO and I feel I am supporting them when I buy their products. Yes I do own products from China but I now try to avoid them to buy USA built whenever possible. Rant over.

Hey John, Did ya notice that hobart says factory reconditioned?

I got one of those aluminum floor jacks from HF for Christmas. Not as sturdy as my steel jack, but handy to have a second jack sometimes, and also, I've already thrown it in the car and taken it with me once. I can lift the whole thing with one hand.

I'm all for what Tim said!
I'm an Plastic Engineer who is forced to purchase injection mold tooling from China due to market conditions. It makes me sick to see year after year that the leaders in China make the top 5 dictators as far as human rights abuse goes.
- Something to consider...Why is it that much if not all of our recycling of Plastic Pop Bottles is sent overseas for processing? That is because the chemicals to break-down the plastic to it's original chemical forms are so highly toxic and carcinogenic that we have outlawed their use in the US.
What the heck, with the billions of Chinese to dispose of what else is their government to do?

I'll continue to not purchase Made in China if there is a domestic alternative available, but more and more manufacturers continue to move to China due to so many people looking for the CHEAPEST item possible. Many times the Chinese item will be equal to or better than the US produced. But I would prefer knowing that I helped support the infrastructure of the US economy not some dictatorship.

Rant over for now......

Rant over my bu^^ocks! Keep it up. Louder. Can't hear ya in the back of the room. Do it again.
Amen

I receive a box of MG parts on Wednesday and the Harbor Freight Sidewalk sale is tomorrow!!!! I've got my list and checking it twice - lots of stuff 50-75% off.

One item in particular - battery minder that will keep your batter charged with a trickle charge all winter. I need a couple - MG and 2 boat batteries.

John

China is going to be the next Japan they are getting all the technoligies they jsut dont have the QC down yet and once they do allot of good US companys will go out of bussiness. It was brought on by greedy poeple trying to save more money. Look at the posts poeple dont care about quality really aslong as its cheap. China is not putting money into their country its mainly the US that is developing a country that is not even theirs. I dont mean to offend any one this is just my opinion.

If we can't keep up with the Chinese then we need to do better. I don't buy the fact that we should just buy American because it's American. America was founded by overacheivers that wanted to do things better. Look what happened with the Japanese a decade ago. Everyone started buying Japanese becuase they sold a better product. It made the Americans build a better product and find a way to compete. If you are truly American and you believe in the FREE MARKET then buying from another place and creating competition is only better for the consumer. If you believe in subsidies and trying to prop up a dying industry because of American jobs then so be it. But, that's not American. What Japan did gave the American consumer a BETTER automobile. Now we could bring in the fact that their workers aren't payed as much or live in squallor, but if they sell a better product for less money, then good for them. Buying an inferior product because of misplaced patriotism only makes the situation worse. Look at Amtrak, Look at the Airline Industry, Farming, the list goes on and on, the bottom line is America has to either start building a better product at competetive prices or we will all suffer in the long run. People bitch about jobs going overseas, the world is getting smaller, if they have a better product for less money they and WE deserve to have it. That is truly free market. The Americans will retrain and find new jobs, we are a great people we always find a way to make it work. In the meantime, if HF sells a better product for less money, then I'm buying. This has nothing to do with HF by the way, just an innocent observation. Competition breeds a better world.

Well put Brain.