List tools have you found worthwhile or junk from HF?

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Joined
Sep 29, 2009
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I've noticed there is a lot of talk on here about people getting their tools from HF. I'm mostly :barf: towards a lot of HF's stuff but I will admit there are some things I've gotten from there that I can say were probably worth the money. With that in mind I figured if everyone posted what they've gotten (that they can remember) from HF, this might serve as a good spot to realize good finds. Or save people some $ from not wasting cash on something they were thinking about buying.

I'll start:

My HF 4x6 vertical/'horizontal bandsaw imo very worth it. Waited for it to go on sale and then used a 20% off coupon on it. The table can use some mods but I've been using it as is and it's tolerable.

Any kind of magnet I've gotten (really how can you screw up a magnet? :D). I think I paid like $2 for one of those big welders magnets with the 45 degree angles on it. Plus a few other random weight magnets which you can usually find on sale for about the cost of a soda. Worth it.

I bought one of those little small part organizer jammies, the ones with all the little plastic drawers. it came with like 1000 various nuts, bolts, and washers. I think I paid somewhere around 7-8 bucks for it (had a coupon). I guess for the organizer it's not bad, a bit on the flimsy side, for the price I think it was an alright buy, but not something I'd say is a "must have" unless you really need some of those little drawer organizer things.
 
I have found the $2 - $3 hand files to be very usable.

The HF portable bandsaw does a very nice job of cutting even .25 inch steel, and when sped up cuts nicely through wood, antler, ivory and bone.

The 1x30 belt sander has worked out well for me. The 4x36 belt sander with the 6" disk sander has not been quite as successful, but I have already gone through several belts, so it must be doing something useful.

The 90 amp Flux Wire Welder is, predictably, underpowered and messy. With a little practice, though, it does the light work.

The 4" angle grinder is a monster. I expected it to be underpowered, but I was mistaken.
 
I got a 4" angle grinder from HF but the one I got was absolute junk. The motor gears came apart with just a few times of easy cutting. I ended up getting a Makita 4.5" with the diamond blade from home depot for $70 I think and it has become one of my most used and useful tools. My dad used mine once and got one too.

I get zip ties from HF, welding gloves 3pair for $5 isn't bad they are pretty thick. I actually don't use them for welding too much but they are great for the fireplace or handling hot items. I got a decent set of ratchet ties that I have been hauling stuff around in my truck for about 3 years and only one of them has a small fray.
 
My first belt sander is from HF....best $40 I ever spent, about 5 years old now and keeps on ticking. I've upgraded now, but still find this one handy for lots of stuff.
 

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Harbor Freight. Clamps and screwdriver bits are awesome. Gloves and sockets are great. Cordless tools are junk.

Fletch: Where's your 1000th post celebratory?
 
HF = Harbor Freight

I purchase the Harbor Freight portable band saw a few years ago. I had to shim and finesse the upper wheel to get decent tracking of the blade for starters. Soon the rear bearing guide got loose and would allow the blade to get pinched between the bearing and frame. I installed a wider bearing and fixed this. Then the vari-speed trigger shot craps. Re-wired it to single speed(high) and I plug it in and out to start and stop:grumpy:. Ear muffs are required, this thing makes noise! I am now shopping for a Dewalt:D To be fair I have cut a lot of parts with this saw but I regret not going with the Dewalt the first time around.

I purchased the Harbor Freight 6 x 26 knee mill and for the most part have been extremely happy with it. A few minor things I would like changed, especially the addition of a spindle lock. Other wise no regrets.

Ken
 
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Metal cutting band saw and wood cutting band saw are both worth it.
Hand tools, drill bits, abrasives,not worth it
Stan
 
I'm going to have to say their drill bits are crap!

Other than that, I haven't had anything long enough to give a solid report on.
 
I have the smaller 3.5" angle grinder and it's been 6 years and a lot of bogging it down in metal stock way too big for it, and it keeps chugging along. The cutoff wheels they sell are total crap, but I do use them when they are on sale. This is the only tool I own from them though.
 
The little 1x30 grinder was worth the $29.95 or so--I now use it for sharpening.

I have one of the little 5 speed drill presses they have for $59.95 and it is pretty crappy but does work.

Not knife related, but the 150lb. 3/8" torque wrench for $9.95 works great--I mostly use it for torquing lug nuts.

I do want to try one of their portaband saws.
 
I've batted about .500 at HF. .500 is great in baseball, not so good for stuff I buy. The worst was an admittedly cheap set of leather edging tools. Abolute junk! The groover simply did not come close to working.
 
Here are some items from HF that I use for knife making. Metal cutting bandsaw, Automatic punch, digital calipers, 6" SS ruler, 1" spring clamps,1" heavy duty spring clamps, 2" spring clamps, 220 v spot welder, 10 packs of drill bits in these sizes 1/4", 3/16", 1/8", 5/32",3/32"/ 1/16", acid brushes, ball pein hammer, Mini mill, needle file set, sanding belt cleaner, transfer punches, 5" vise, cross slide vise, paraells, scissors, fluorescent magnifying lamp, 6" swivel pad lock grips,100 pack razor blades, universal tool stand, heavy duty tool stand, grinder stand, leather welding gloves, welding helmet, 100 lb and 150lb magnets. These are all items that I have used with good results.

Tim
 
I've got a surface grinder, mini lathe, drill press and the 64 1/2'" vert/horz band saw all from HF. I have been using all of them for over 10 years. All have been good purchases.
 
The metal cutting bandsaw is a good buy. The mill/drill that uses the Jacobs chuck instead of collets, not so much. The 12 inch disc grinder is a POS. Their basic hand tools are okay but not as good as the former Craftsman stuff being sold by Home Depot. I haven't bought any of their power tools. I have bought some Ryobo stuff and that has been a bit of a mixed bag, so now I stick with stuff like Dewalt and Hitachi.
 
1/2x18 handheld beltsander I had to shim the tension spring and make a few other mods but I use it a lot to clean up welds on rapier hilts, their abrasives suck so I use the belts for 1/2 x 18 Milwaulkie belts for their band-file. HF oxy-acetalene torches are dangerous. I bought one and the regulators pulsed, and teh torch itself kept backfiring, I exchanged it, the exchange did the same thing. I returned it. I got an English Wheel, it is badly aligned and doesn't work well. Their bimetal metal cutting bandsaw blades work surprisingly well. Their machine tools are mostly crap, their tarps are crap, their tie-downs work well, their zip-ties are about average, they do not make drills or cutting tools that cut with the exception of the bandsaw blade, their hammers are crap, their clamps are soft but cheap, their welders are poorly designed. I just bought a 14 inch metal chopsaw for $50.00 with a coupon that was in Home Shop Machinist magazine, it seems to work.

-page
 
My first drillpress was a $40 HF model I got on sale when I saw the price on the flier. The motor burned out in two weeks. I checked on the back to see if I could just replace/upgrade the motor, but it was welded on. Thats the last motor powered tool I bought from them.
 
I like the pump up aerosol bottle you can put anything in it makes for cheap spray oil.I just ordered a 40 peice tap and die set that I'll probably regret,but for 11 bucks the case can be filled with my loose ones.1/8" double sided pilot hole bits are a good buy & they save on your good bits. For the most part I try to buy second hand old American made hand tools and new American made things in general but I slip up here and there...mostly @HF:o

I bought one of those 100 lb magnets and it stopped working...lol maybe it was the murkey brackish water of the hudson river but When I first got it it would lift a 12x8 x 1" steel plate after 3 months it wouldnt lift a wrench :eek:
 
I'll post a review of their 4x36 belt sander soon. Just picked one up today since it was so cheap.
 
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