Harbor Freight

[Need4Speed1299]

So I found out I had a harbor freight store locally. I went there and couldnt keep my pants on. I bought some impacts, sockets, cut off wheel, it was great.

[mrsleeve]

Its great till you try to use that junk and it breaks the 1st time you use it or blows up in your hand I hate that sore other than for junk crap that I will just cut up or make specialty tools out of.

[evil_twin]

its good just for that point... to have a 1 time use thing and have it break. i bought a cut off wheel tool from them, and have been using it to break shit. hasn't shat out on me yet. if you know what you're buying then it's good enough.

[xwill112x]

you have to be particular about what you buy there, some is fine, some is complete shit.

[F34R]

Its great till you try to use that junk and it breaks the 1st time you use it or blows up in your hand I hate that sore other than for junk crap that I will just cut up or make specialty tools out of.

1+ harbor has some good cheap stuff. Almost all is cheap China shit.
Snap on or Craftsman FTW.

[Need4Speed1299]

Its a good bang for you buck. I mean, if it breaks I get a new one. I can buy a complete set of power tools for the cost of 1 snap on impact. On a budget and just needing the tools, its perfect.

[Sagaris]

I was just there today too, the one on Layton. I was looking for a flex hone but couldnt find one :\ The torque wrench I got from there is garbage, never worked properly, but the electric impact gun is marvelous!

[Hodge]

The only crap thing I have ever gotten from Harbor Freight was a cordless impact gun I tried using for Auto-Cross events to swap out wheels. It worked for 4 or 5 auto-x's then it died. I even got a new battery, which didn't work.

Other than that, my 20 gallon tank, 2 gallon tank, hand tools, sockets, extensions, etc have all been great. I even have 2 floor jacks (racing low profile and heavy duty orange).

I am about to buy their nice HVLP spray gun to paint the E34. I borrowed a neighbors gun, and later found out it was a HB piece and decided to just buy the same one.

That being said, you definitely need to be choosy on what you buy at HB. But I honestly think that holds true anywhere.


I do have a ton of really old Craftsman tools that my dad bought 30+ years ago and use them all the time along with the HB tools.

[b*saint]

I have a ton of snapon and it not worth the money but damn does it look nice in my garage. I think if I had to do it over, I would get Mac edge wrenches. Contacts 4 sides instead of 2.

I've returned 90% of things Ive bought from h/f because its shitty to me. imo. My dad on the other hand loves that place.

[Need4Speed1299]

I am about to buy their nice HVLP spray gun to paint the E34. I borrowed a neighbors gun, and later found out it was a HB piece and decided to just buy the same one.

Honestly, I am all for harbor freight. I went to technical college for autobody, so I had to take a look at the paint guns. They would be great for spraying high build primer or a sealer (with the correct tip size) but, I would never spray base or clear coat. Here is why.

The main job of a paint gun is to atomize paint and do it efficiently. Base and clear can be very pricey and for it to look nice, you need a gun that atomizes paint perfect. I would be worried about the gun atomizing paint weird or wasting product. I would be skeptical of the quality of the nozzle/tip; skeptical that the holes may not be precise enough. The last thing you want to do is respray.

Here is what I would recommend on a budget. Binks and Sata have been making great paint guns for a long time.

$170 binks hvlp

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/binks-bhv-gravity-feed-hvlp-903348-p-16830.aspx

I use binks and have a few of there spray guns including the mach1, 2001, and model 7. The 2001 is oldschool and not gravity feed, but I swear it lays paint amazing. When I paint my car I plan on buying the BHv, the gun listed above. Otherwise Im going to get a seal kit and a smaller tip for my oldschool 2001. :D

[Roysneon]

There's no Harbor Freight here, but there is a store that's the exact same idea called Princess Auto. Lots of guys will shit on you for buying your stuff there, but for the price I've picked up all kinds of stuff there. Got a 2 1/2 ton jack, creeper and two jack stands for $60, a set of good spring compressors for $29.99 (on sale), etc. Like someone said above, you just have to be careful about what you buy there. I'd never get a torque wrench there, but I would buy sockets, hand tools, etc.

[Jand3rson]

you have to be particular about what you buy there, some is fine, some is complete shit.

Exactly. Besides, you have to keep in mind that a lot of the "cheap" tools that are sold there are the same tools that are re-branded as other, more well-known brands. These no-name companies don't have their own foundries and factories to make tools in, they just re-brand them as their own. It's like store-brand products. Safeway isn't producing their own cold medicine, cereal and soda.

[F34R]

The race jack and rear bearing pullers are dirt cheap and do a great job. Thing I love about my Craftsman hand tools is; I can be NASTY and evil to them till they bust or shit bearings. I beat mine to shit in the pick and pull. Then get new ones for free, works out just fine.

I buy low cost tools too, there is great stuff to be had for less. I <3 tools SO MUCH!

[Need4Speed1299]

The race jack and rear bearing pullers are dirt cheap and do a great job. Thing I love about my Craftsman hand tools is; I can be NASTY and evil to them till they bust or shit bearings. I beat mine to shit in the pick and pull. Then get new ones for free, works out just fine.

I buy low cost tools too, there is great stuff to be had for less. I <3 tools SO MUCH!

Speaking of craftsman, I bought a new smaller toolbox and a ratchet set from the 1960s for $30. It has 1/4in, 3/8in, and 1/2in ratchets. I went to sears and they said they would trade for thin ratchets if I pay the difference. So pretty much I would be paying $50 for them and get a free toolbox. Honestly... I like these ratchets better than the basic snap on ones. Like f34r said, you can really beat on them.

Thin craftsman
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...&blockType=G22

Snap on

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=15224&group_ID=225&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

[xwill112x]

with my school discount i get roughly 50% off any snap on brand tools, and thats about the only time im gonna ever buy that shit. there stuff is WAY over priced for way it is, you definitly pay for the name.