High End Harbor Freight

[87National]

I've only bought something from Hazard Fraught 3 times. Been disappointed every time. (fuel pressure gauge, ultrasonic cleaner, bearing puller kit)

Maybe the secret is to buy stuff that has no moving parts and material quality/hardness doesn't matter?

The secret is to lower your expectations......lol.

I shop there a half dozen times a year and have only been disappointed twice (heat gun that failed and a junk hammer drill). I just recently purchased a dual voltage Titan MIG welder and it is a very nice machine.

Everything from hand tools to paint brushes to garden tools.....a winch...even a couple of power tools (15a angle grinder, palm sander, router) have held up well.

 

[motorheadmike]

Hopefully my Princess Auto ball joint press works okay.

Up here the "good stuff" is usually under the Pro Point brand. I've got a few things and they seem to work out alright for my hobbiest needs.

 

[350Regal]

I can say with Craftsman stuff the new stuff I've never personally used it. But I know for a fact Stanley Black and Decker owns them. I can't imagine that the Craftsman ratchets are worse than old ones I mean the ones from the late 90s- 2000s were absolute junk they skipped they didn't work smoothly I would have took it a Stanley any day. I got some plain harbor freight Pittsburgh sockets I've had decent luck with them. I got the half inch extendable ratchet, I got the old green and black handled one I've had that for I got to say at least 10 years still love it.

 

[81cutlass]

The secret is to lower your expectations......lol.

I shop there a half dozen times a year and have only been disappointed twice (heat gun that failed and a junk hammer drill). I just recently purchased a dual voltage Titan MIG welder and it is a very nice machine.

Everything from hand tools to paint brushes to garden tools.....a winch...even a couple of power tools (15a angle grinder, palm sander, router) have held up well.

I didn't know my expectation for the fuel pressure tester to not leak out of the fitting between the hose and gage, for the adhesive in the ultasonic cleaner to not melt when I splashed in some parts cleaner, or the fingers of the puller to not disintegrate the first time I cranked down on a taper roller bearing were too much to ask for 😛

My former shop mentor in college said the only thing he buys at Hazard Fraught are things with no moving parts. Screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, hammers. If it moved he didn't go to the Fraught.

 

[Bonnewagon]

As mentioned, some is great, some is junk. I think they lost the recipe for threads. Anything threaded is like two different pitches and they self destruct. When I first started in the PO I used to see their flyers in the mailstream. It was a two page fold-over and they mostly sold "storehouse" brand lots of screws and other fasteners in handy stackable bins. They slowly grew and when I eventually bought something I was pleasantly surprised. They even had free shipping over a certain amount. But once they expanded into tools I was very disappointed. Some items where just laughable crap. I broke many an "impact" socket. Only recently has the quality been up to Craftsman and other brands. It may seem like everything is from China but it should be noted that they source from all over the World. I have found the chrome plating from India is superior to all. I guess if they can keep the quality up then they have earned our respect. I don't see American made tools that you can hand down to your Grandkids coming back anytime soon.

 

[Flyers9928]

I don't have air at home so I use electric tools. I bought their electric cut off wheel about 10 years ago. I have beat the ever living piss out of it and it just keeps going. I got a 2nd one about a year ago so I wouldn't have to change out the cut off wheel with a small grinding wheel. The newer one has a limiter on it, but it still get's the job done. With the 1st one I bought I was cutting up body panels, had the gloves on just cutting. It would trip the circuit breaker on the tool, reset keep going. Did that for about an hour straight. Took my gloves off went to grab a drink, came back 5 mins to keep going and went to pick it up bare handed and almost burnt my hand with how hot the thing was! Yet it still worked, never slowed down or nothing. STILL going strong.

 

[tkruger]

I have found that for the money the Bauer line of power tools is good. Mine have all held up well. I admit they are not equivalent to Milwaukee or Makita. But at $60 for a 20v drill with bag battery and charger it is not a bad deal. They are equivalent to Ryobi. The batteries are less expensive. I and my kids are working in the garage and it is better for use to have a set of good power tools than a few pro tools. These are a case of what do you need. I do have corded tools for the really tuff jobs.

I avoid many of low end tools there. Anything that is not labeled with a brand. Their batteries are good for remotes and that is about it. Flashlights are OK but I have found better deals elsewhere.

 

[jiho]

I didn't know my expectation for the fuel pressure tester to not leak out of the fitting between the hose and gage, for the adhesive in the ultasonic cleaner to not melt when I splashed in some parts cleaner, or the fingers of the puller to not disintegrate the first time I cranked down on a taper roller bearing were too much to ask for 😛

Fuel pressure testers are weird. I got the cheap Innova that you see everywhere. First time, I pressed the bleed button and fuel leaked all over my hand. Key on engine off, the gauge showed a slow steady leak. Engine running, gauge fluttered so fast you could hardly see it, a couple PSI low. But when I tried it again later the bleed valve no longer seemed to leak, and with the engine running I got a nice steady reading right where it should be. Haven't tried it since. Is it possible the seals need to see fuel before they actually start to seal?

 

[joesregalproject]

I've only bought something from Hazard Fraught 3 times. Been disappointed every time. (fuel pressure gauge, ultrasonic cleaner, bearing puller kit)

Maybe the secret is to buy stuff that has no moving parts and material quality/hardness doesn't matter?

I bought the ultrasonic cleaner. It worked okay for about a year. I have a few pullers from them, they've all been cheaply made but they worked for what I needed. Actually their small slide hammer was exactly the right size and thread for removing the front pump on my Dodge 47re transmission. I wouldn't trust their fuel pressure gauge to be accurate.

Their power tools are mostly junk. I do like the $10 angle grinders because they work fine and I can have one grinder for each attachment instead of constantly switching. Also I abuse the sh*t out of them and don't lose sleep over it. I'd cry if I abused a Milwaukee the way I beat on the Harbor Freight grinders.

I do have the Bauer corded DA polisher and it has been quite fine although I haven't really used it a lot. I'd like to do some paint correction on my F-150 and I'll be able to really test it then.

 

[Turbo Zach]

I make my living with my hand tools. I have quite a few cheep tools along with expensive tools. I am a cheapskate so I buy all kinds of stuff. I can say Stanley tools are the best. Just as good as Snap-On or Mac. Problem for me is Walmart doesn't sell them anymore. Makes it harder to buy. I have a few things from Harbor Freight. Only stuff that doesn't really matter. I did buy some of the new Craftsman tools a while back. I put together a mobile work bench a while back, so when I am at the shop I don't have to keep walking back to the Service truck to get stuff and put it all away every time I have to leave. I found a Christmas deal at Low's. 100 bucks for a full set of 1/4, 3/8,1/2 socket sets in a nice plastic toolbox that fit my shelf space. I also have a set of the professional black crome wrenches. I have been using them almost daily. The wrenches are good and I like them. The socket sets have been good for what I paid for them, but ok quality. The 3/8 ratchet messed up already so I took it apart and fixed it. The way the flipper latch ratchets is kind of hokey. Do not grease the ratchet. It makes it not work at all. I have it working again, but it is not on the same level as my Stanley one.