Harbor Freight

[Clone TIE Pilot]

This is why HF and their kind suck. When you bought an American made hammer an American company made it and American workers made money. If you buy an imported hammer for pennies on the dollar a foreign company made it and a foreign worker makes money. You figure if it breaks you just get another cheaply and if you really need a good hammer you will just get the American made one. That is OK until the American company shuts down and you are left with only the imported junk. Now since the import is the only hammer left the importer raises the price of it until it is what the well made American hammer used to cost. Then the importer pockets the difference and you are paying full price for junk. I don't blame the foreign company- I blame the scumbag American importer. An American company is closed and the importer caused that. He doesn't care. All he cares about is the money he is raking in. THAT is treason.

More likely the American company would shut its US factory and outsource to thr same Chinese factory the importer uses. Either way it sucks. Then again, barring lower cost importers can hurt US consumers and the whole economy by reducing the total number of transactions from limiting options for the benefit of a few domestic CEOs. Lots of different brands cone from the same factory.

To add confusion, some name brand manurfacturers also make lines of no name goods while some no name companies are hired to manurfacturer goods for name brands companies. This makes finding quality very difficult anymore. A lot of marketing stuidies show that while consumers want quality, they largerly prefer value over quality. It is hard to offer both.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Simple rule for the 20% or (rare 25%) coupon, it isn't valid on anything that'd make it worthwhile to use.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Unions are what made this country great, yet also what caused this situation. When people expect to be paid $30/hr for screwing off and maybe driving a fork lift a few times, this is what happens. That is NOT to say all union employees do that at all. But labor costs are what pushed production overseas. Nothing else

My perspective on this is that while labor costs were certainly a large factor, from the late '80s onward, companies that used to be family-owned and operated changed hands. Where the former ownership was interested in making a dollar, they also believed that they were there to provide a living to the employees as well. As they aged, their heirs didn't always feel that way, and sold outright, or went public and now answered to shareholders and the board. Most shareholders were in it for the return ($$$), didn't really care about the history or the employees. This is also where the labor costs became an issue, outsourcing would add even more to that return. You see it on Shark Tank all the time, first thing they want to do is get it made overseas for less money.

I worked for a collision shop owner who would discount jobs heavily to keep work flowing so his employees would make a living, and the shop would net very little. This wasn't always the case, but did happen from time to time when things were slow.

Ultimately, as the retail market moves toward fewer and fewer players/manufacturers, and the public continues their quest for the absolute cheapest price, trying to buy a quality anything is going to become even more difficult.

I once lived (for quite a few years) in a town dominated by one major tractor manufacturer. The problem was, the tractor company employees all wanted top dollar and every possible benefit, but wanted to buy everything for their daily lives at the absolute cheapest retailer. Collecting $30 an hour wages and expecting to buy life's necessities at $1 an item doesn't last long.

 

[mikester]

I was never a fan of HF but over the past 5 or 6 years Ive bought a few things at the local store. I bought a set of the cheap car dollies to move my cars in my garage and they work fine. I also own 6 of the 6 ton jack stands. Theyre not too bad.
Like the 5 drawer cart. Always wanted one but didnt have room. What I do like is the larger tool boxes. A guy I know bought a 72" for his shop and its very well built. The finish on its awesome. If I didnt have a 41" set that my wife gave me as a gift I'd probably buy one of the 56" combos in that lime green. One of my friends just bought a 52" Craftsman from Lowes I really think the HF is better built. Plus he cant expand it since Craftsman stopped making side boxes.

 

[500/600]

Simple rule for the 20% or (rare 25%) coupon, it isn't valid on anything that'd make it worthwhile to use.

I used one for my engine hoist and two separate ones for engine stands. I used one on my 20 ton hydraulic press. I'd have to disagree with you.

 

[87National]

Hand tools are one thing. I would never trust a jack or cherry picker etc from them. I bought a cherry picker from NAPA. It was maybe 50 more but there is a definite build quality difference.

If you take a close look at cherry pickers, jacks, engine stands, etc. They are all manufactured in the same chinese factory.......the only difference is paint color, different stickers.....etc.

Remember the recent deal with Snapon selling a $700 floor jack that is virtually identical to the HF Daytona jack?

 

[87National]

But labor costs are what pushed production overseas. Nothing else

In addition to cheaper labor.....two other things drove manufacturing overseas..... 1) Corporate tax rate and 2) Regulatory over reach.

 

[Techman]

If you take a close look at cherry pickers, jacks, engine stands, etc. They are all manufactured in the same chinese factory.......the only difference is paint color, different stickers.....etc.

Remember the recent deal with Snapon selling a $700 floor jack that is virtually identical to the HF Daytona jack?

I did compare both and then some. The NAPA one was clearly better produced. Thicker steel better welds etc. They are not the same.

 

[Techman]

If you want to see the difference there is a you tube channel. AvE or BOLTR. Both searches should take you there. The guy is some sort of engineer or something. No one knows his identity but he is from Canada most likely. He completely tears the tool apart before he uses it. Checks quality of steel,bearings etc.

 

[TURNA]

Canadian Engineer........?????

Base bigger than top eh......should work eh