I bought both Bauer and Hercules tools and like them both. I got at least 25 cordless tools and a dozen batteries. You can't beat the deals when they give you a free tool for buying a battery and charger. Best Bang for the buck!
I've been shopping at Harbor Freight for 20 yrs or more now and I actually bought few tools from them and used them more than once. Then a long came the Icon brand and Chief and Earthquake. It has now became the place that I go to first when looking for a tool.
Wow, 20 years of shopping at Harbor Freight! It's great to know that brands like Icon, Chief, and Earthquake have contributed to your positive experience.
Same. Every time I go in, I see at least one mechanic in coveralls buying Icon or Quinn. My wood/metal fab shop is either vintage 1950's American cast iron, or Harbor Freight.
I was mail ordering off Harbor Freight in the mid 90s when they only had stores in California in 2 locations. Back in the bad old days. I'd buy stuff off them just to see how bad it was. Some of it was pretty bad too.
I've got some Knipex and Wera stuff that I really like. Next time I go by the HF store, I'mma check out the ICON stuff and see how it stands up to Knipex, etc.
I have an old Chicago Electric handheld belt sander (orange plastic body) that I bought at Harbor Freight over 20 years ago. I paid maybe $15-20 for it. Still works to this day.
I have a 3 inch hf grinder that I've owned for 20 years, I thought I lost it in a flood but found it buried in my garden a year after the flood. its still a crappy tool but it works still
Some of the old Harbor Freight power tools were gems. Not many but a few. I bought an electric planer off of them which is a clone of a Makita and it's legit. I also bought a little plunge router off HF and it's a clone of a Bosch and I ran that thing into the ground. The bearings are shot in it today but I can't complain for the use I got. It'll still run. I have an old heavy duty mud mixer drill off HF and it's still a trooper.
understand that this is my living. if I have no tools, I don't eat. Generally, the tools harbor freight sells have been geared for harry homeowners and hobbyists but now they are trying to sell tools to actual tradesmen. I hope they put Ryobi out of business.....
I concur with your assessment. Buy the brand that works for you. As a DIYer, I don’t depend on my tools so day in, day out use and dependability are not requirements for me. I have bought both low end and high end hand planes. They all work but the high end ones are easier to precisely set and keep that set up more consistently. While the time isn’t critical to me, the satisfaction of knowing the high end tools are more enjoyable to use makes a difference. Having said that, I have bought several HF tools and every one of them have served my needs well.
Well said. Everyone's needs and preferences are different when it comes to tools. It's all about finding the right tools for your needs, whether it's high-end precision or reliable affordability. Harbor Freight tools may not be high-end, but they sure do get the job done.
I like Harbour Freight brands because when they break or wear out, they are easy to fix with shop fabricated parts (like making a new handle for your clamp which broke). Great video thumbs up.
That's what I was thinking when he said the handle broke. I'd have pinned a new handle to it. When those cheap one handed clamps break I fix them too. I drill the plastic pins out and replace them with a nut and a bolt. That's what fails in them is this pair of plastic pins inside of them. The pivot for the squeeze handle. A 1/4" x 20 bolt and they're good to go. I think 4 of mine have the bolt mod now.
When I was growing up To indicate that a product was Poorly made we Would say it was made in Japan. Then the quality of Japanese products Improved to the point that they have A reputation of making high quality products. Then the term change to Made in Taiwan And then their products improved And then their products improved. Same used to be said about Harbor freight. But you are right when you said they have improved the quality of their products. My son and I both own a company. We are purchased harbor freights flex core wire welder and we love it. We have purchased a new matic tools and we love them. I know of some that have purchased their sliding compound miters saw. I was impressed. You are correct when you say Purchase the tool Based on the amount of its intended use. Good advice for all.
That's an interesting comparison! It's incredible how perceptions of product quality can shift over time. It's great to hear that Harbor Freight tools have become a reliable choice for you and your son.
My philosophy of use is disposal. For cost of using DeWalt and Milwaukee, you can get about 1.5 - 3x the stuff from Bauer and Hercules without the extra bell and whistles. For a single dewalt 5 amp battery (100 bucks normal price) i can get a bauer 5amh Battery, a single charger, a saw and a blade on a regular bauer or Hercules sale. A DeWalt charger is like 120 and the saw is 100. I would rather spend the 300 on two bundles and an 8amh battery (100) to keep in the car for road side assistance. Such as cutting up curbside furniture on trash day. One man's bed frame is now one of my work benches.
The Father's retired alright, he died in 2016. I have tools I bought mail order from HF in the 80s-90s and they still work great. Overall hand or power tools have worked well.
I've had a fair number of regrettable power tool failures with old Harbor Freight stuff. I even bought their "professional" line angle grinder not that long ago and it's terrible. I know a good from a bad angle grinder. I've used enough of them. That one has no power, gets hotter than a pistol and it sounds like it's on the verge of blowing up. It sounds so bad. I don't use it at all. It sits up on a shelf to remind me not to buy their junk.
I can’t lie, I have a 1/2 inch impact that I’ve used for several years now. Never once has it malfunctioned and it does exactly what it said it would. I can’t complain.
Harbor Freight also sells non-resident brands. I bought a Franklin stud sensor which is also sold at Home Depot (for $8 more, I might add). One can also purchase Bremen (Bessey) clamps, PB petroleum products, WD40. I think the current owner is making a concerted effort to: a. Incorporate more name brands, and b. Improve the quality of resident brands to compete functionally with brands found elsewhere, including tool trucks.
It's encouraging to hear about the efforts Harbor Freight is making to offer a wider range of brands and improve quality. Appreciate you bringing this up!
I have always been a proponent (for myself) of buying quality tools, to last a lifetime. However, as I got past 50, I realized, I can buy less expensive tools and they will (for me) still last a lifetime. 😁✌🖖
Mah man! I'm with ya. I grew up in a tool and die family and have been buying quality tools for 50 years. One gets accustomed to working with quality tools. I don't like buying/using something that is not reliable. However, as you said, my lifetime is a lot shorter. I'll go with HF or other budget friendly stuff for a tool I won't use very often IF it is made 'well enough' to get the job done. I know plenty of guys who will use and struggle with a crappy tool because they don't want to spend money on good stuff, but will go to the bar every night and drop $30+ drinking Lite beer. Shrug.
I'm a contractor and have been renting jackhammers for years.I went to Harbor freight and my bauer jack.Hammer has lasted nine years and i've made my money over many times
I share the philosophy that you buy the HF model until you use it enough to break it, then step up. I have a few HF pneumatic nailers that I fully expected to die quickly due to the price and they are still going strong after 8+ yrs. But I’m just a weekender.
That's a practical way to go about it. Why splurge when the HF models are holding up just fine? It's like the old saying, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' Your HF nailers must be tough cookies to last that long.
I have a brad nailer from Harbor Freight and I love it. It has zero safety features. You pull that trigger and it's going to fire a nail. Which can be a plus working with it. If I want to toe a nail in a corner it'll do it. One with one of them front safety bumps good luck. At one time that thing died on me so I took it all apart and cleaned the cylinder out. Now it's running again like new. I have fired tens of thousands of nails out of it. I was like you ain't dying on me.
When I was a young man I was an artist working in wood and welded steel. For convenience and to save time, I had several angle grinders each with a different functioning disc. I needed one more grinder and purchased it from HF. It worked well for 1 day. The locking button that facilitates disc changes, broke off. Never bought from HF again. I realize that can happen on a better tool but it is a lot less likely.
@@swimminwitdafishes8059 I heard so many times great things about Harbor Freight grinders. So one day I was like what the heck let me get one. I got the "Professional" one. Because I like paddle switches. So I spent the money. Well that grinder is just the biggest POS. First off it sounds like death running. I get that tools make noise. The noise this one makes is not a good noise. Then it's not particularly powerful. Finally running it heats up hotter than a $2 pistol. Yeah it kinda sorta works. But I just hate using it. So I don't. It sits on a shelf collecting dust. I got 6 other grinders I can use. I went out and got a Skil to have as a little paddle switch grinder. It cost $20 more than the HF but it's way better. It I like and do use.
I'm a small business mobile welder and I use their Hercules grinders exclusively. I've had 3 grinders, an impact and a die grinder with 6 batteries that bounce around in the truck. Theyve held up great for over a year. They're far more than a diy brand now.
@@johnstagg7901 what? Their prices are dirt cheap yet. Even their expensive stuff is still 1/2 the price of snap on or matco. Id argue that most of their tools are also better quality than any in house brand from fleet farm or stores like that
Just bought the bauer battery and charger kit and got the 71/4 circular saw free. Just what I needed for replacing some siding on the house. Perfect timing
If you’re (I’m) buying Chinese made tools might as well buy low cost. Just got the Hercules planer. It does its job admirably. I went out looking for a table saw too. I didn’t see anytime in the Dewalt that would make me choose it so the Hercules came home with me. Plus the 20% off sales on both helped my bank account.
Over the 30+ years of buying tools I have bought countless brands of tools, I have zero concerns with buying some tools from HF rather than a high end brand. I wanted to buy a 12” compound miter so was going to buy the yellow $600 one then Hercules came out with theirs, after touching and reviewing them I noticed build quality is nearly identical so waiting one year for it to be shaken out by others I ended buying the Herc for nearly 1/2 the cost. Have owned and put it through it paces fro about 2 years and it is a fantastic saw, my sisters boyfriend who has a HF salary but thinks he is Thurston Howell hardly does any DIY because he ends up making things worse after touching but likes to buy tools and when he does will “only buy quality” so will never buy anything from HF. I laugh as his yellow tools are overkill for him and 1/2 are broken because he has 10 thumbs.
Hey, thanks for sharing your experience. Love that you found your match with the Hercules saw. It's proof that you don't need deep pockets to get the tools you need.
you said what i been saying all these years, if the tool isnt complicated (ex. drill press/belt sander) HF is a good place to go, or for one off, i worked for HF years ago and their quality control was horrible.
Harbor Freight can be a great option for certain tools and projects. Sorry to hear about the quality control issues you encountered, though. And thanks for sharing your experience!
I do wood working and I am a welder too and have been a certified mechanic for msny years, they do have something for me at each stage of work, hobby or pro. I have always looked at the job I need to work on and match the tool for it. Cost is always an issue and buying too cheap a tool is bad for the wallet and so is getting a pricey tool that sits in a cabnet and is a money dump. Thanks for your advice.
Great video and well said. Pro tools are great, and get them if you need them, but if you don't, learn to check your ego at the door and just get what you need.
I am a HF fan, I have nothing bad to say about them. Some things I think are great value are disposables (rubber gloves, chip and acid brushes, grinder disks and belt sander belts), hardware kits, US General tool boxes, calipers, transfer punches, drill bit kits (for wood only), the flush cut Japanese saw, magnetic trays, the F clamps (up to about 24”), Hercules miter saw and planer, small parts organizers and other storage like the ammo boxes and toolbars. And that is just woodworking tools. For hand tools Pittsburgh comes with a lifetime warranty, no receipt required and are good medium use tools. Quinn and Doyle are a reasonably priced step up and ICON is tool truck quality. And if you know you are going to make a big purchase either wait for a sale or join the Insider Club. I’m on a different battery platform but my friend is all in on Bauer portable and swears by them. I do have a Bauer corded grinder and it is as good as my DeWalt. And my son has used their pancake compressor (the gray one, the name escapes me) for nearly 3 years and likes it.
I was literally there yesterday and saw those chisels you mentioned. I had the opposite reaction as you, which was that they’re so cheap, I might as well give them a try.
I'm sure they're chrome vanadium steel. The handle material might not be the best. But if it breaks you can make new handles. Chisel handles are consumables. If anything they're probably too hard steel. A chisel that's too hard is harder to sharpen. Harder than it needs to be. Plus they can chip using them. But for rough carpentry I bet they're fine.
@1pcfred I bought them just to practice sharpening chisels before I got into narex or anything like that. I also got some jorgenson (lowes) hand planes to learn how to tune a plane (your gonna have to tune it lol) but overall they're usable, the chisels are actually a bit soft but you could use them going with the grain, I just wouldn't try hammering out a mortise with em lol.
@@jaseswinconos I'll tell you what I should have known when I was starting out. Hollow grind the primary bevel on a bench grinder then hone the secondary bevel using a honing guide. Yeah you can do it all freehand, but why? That is just harder and takes longer to do. A grinder and a guide is quick and easy. You can argue but all of that costs extra. It doesn't have to cost that much. I have twelve bucks and change into it. I built the grinder I use. I probably could have made a honing guide too. Work smarter, not harder. Be clever. Freehand sharpening is miserable drudgery. It doesn't get any better with time. Quite frankly I have a greater sense of accomplishment with what I'm doing now. Sure I got stuff sharp freehand but it never looked that good. My tools always looked amateurish. The edges on my tools today it looks like they were sharpened by someone that knew what they were doing. Because now I do.
I agree if I need a special purpose tool for will probably be a one time use I find the rental fee (If available) of that tool and if it a high enough percentage of the HF least expensive offering I will buy it there. That calculation works for me and there is an off chance I will need it again someday. A good example of this was a SDS impact hammer. Rental cost at the time was approx. 59$ the HF offering was approx. 85$. For me no brainer and I have used it several times since .They have really upped their game with other items I now use daily. My favorite purchase was the Earthquake 1/2 inch impact driver I use mostly on lug nuts and larger fasteners it has had heavy use over 5 years, has the original battery and still going strong. Plus their returns policy is excellent I have nothing at this point in time to complain about with HF. Great video. Cheers.
Exactly the video I was looking for. Was just in Harbor Freight today and I was looking at all the tools and I was wondering why I never hear about them. Saw that Hercules miter saw and it looked good and the price looked better. Thank you for making this video. Subscribed.
Excellent video! Thanks to this, I will definitely be giving some serious thought to Harbor Freight tools in the near future. I'm about to close on my first house, and it needs quite a bit of work, so I'll be needing some new tools. I've been there in the past for some small things (hardware, socket sets, etc.) and I noticed that all of the products were in-house brands, but I never thought too hard about what that meant for their business model. Makes sense that there's some savings there to be passed on to the consumer.
Great stuff sir. I got a Chicago electric drill over 5 years ago because I was going through life stuff and needed a drill. Not everyone should use an electric drill. The video is very helpful since I have the woodworking bone back. I used to work for a high end cabinet shop 20 years ago and went to work for the gubment. After building a couple things for my lovely bride to be I want to get back into it.
5:45 I have a very similar story with the hammer drill, the only power tool I've bought from Harbor Freight. First used it to drill holes in brick to install a bike rack, then years later to drill a few holes in cinder block wall. No complaints about the price or performance!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It seems like the HF hammer drill is perfect for occasional projects, just like the ones we both experienced. It's great when a tool can handle those tasks without any issues.
Yeah I have an el cheapo hammer drill from Harbor Freight. It works. A Chicago Electric one. I think I paid $30 for it? It's bright orange. So I'm never losing it.
Just stumbled upon this video and I agree with it. I have bought many tools from harbor freight. If it's a higher priced item I usually research it online first. You really can't go wrong with Hercules in my opinion. I have the table saw and miter saw.both work flawlessly. Only wish the table saw had a soft start feature. Also anything with the Doyle or Quinn name has been great quality.
Excellent analysis. A couple of years ago I needed a small side grinder for a single job. Harbor Freight was running their 4 1/2" Warrior brand grinder on sale for less than $10. Seemed like a no-brainer so I bought it. It did the job perfectly fine and ever since has been used primarily to sharpen my lawn mower blades a few times per season. Not sure how it would hold up under heavier use, but it turned out to be perfect for my needs. Several years ago I was also in the market for a 12 inch sliding compound miter saw. I narrowed it down to the Hercules and DeWalt tools. Lowes was running the DeWalt on sale for about $360 which at the time was about the same price as the Hercules. The tools appeared very comparable, and both got excellent reviews. But when I researched the availability of repair parts I found I could buy any part I needed for the DeWalt while only a very limited number of parts were available for the Hercules. That sold me on the DeWalt. If I would have had to pay the regular price on the DeWalt (about $200 more) it would have been a much tougher decision. Overall I've had good luck with Harbor Freight tools, but your advice about matching the tool to your actual requirements is very sound.
Thank you for sharing! It's really valuable to learn about your decision-making process with the two brands. And yeah, researching repair parts is definitely a smart move.
Love me some Bauer & Hercules. For the most part. Hate the Bauer angle grinder I have. But, I hate most angle grinders with flick switches rather than trigger switches.
Appreciate your honesty! It's great to hear that you're a fan of Bauer & Hercules tools overall. Sorry to hear about the hiccup with the angle grinder, though. Maybe there's a different model that would work better for you.
Those first clamps you show can break but are easily fixed. The plastic on the inside of the mechanism will break but can be fixed with a simple small bolt and nut. I also have the same drill press and it has served its purpose.
Right on. Pro finish carpenter here, love HF, but ya gotta pick and choose wisely, though I have to admit it's trial and error for me over the years. Tried the $10 angle grinder. Junk.(was really no surprise) bought their $25 23 ga.pin gun at least 15 years ago,I've estimated I've driven at least 50,000 pins w it,still use it every day. Same w their first multi tool,though it's corded and since added the Milwaukee 18v to my collection, but it still works like a champ.
It's true, with HF, you've got to be selective, but when you find the gems like that pin gun, it's golden. Sometimes, HF surprises us with their reliability.
A few things i can recommend. The 18v warrior drill.( not 12 volt) I've had it a couple years, usually drill pilot holes with it, but have used it for hole saws, etc. Bauer cordless rotary tool, lots of power and long battery life. On sale often Clamps! The only issue I've had is the plastic protectors won't stay on. Warrior angle grinder, for 10-15 bucks. It will last most people years.
Spot on with your video. Harbor Freight has some good stuff and some stuff that if it makes it through that one job you'll be lucky. I've bought stuff from HF for 20+ years, the first purchase I made from them was their old US General 44" roller tool chest....a year later I bought the top chest...I never got the end cabinets unfortunately, and now the stuff they have is bigger so it won't work with my old tool chest. However, that old tool chest combo has sat on my carport for 20+ years, other than being dusty and dirty its a great tool chest...one of those things that you can save a lot of money and get a quality item that'll ast for decades. I did have the Chicago Electric sliding 10" and the sliding 12" miter saws, both worked fine, overall quality was expected to be cheap, and that's what they were....my grandfather passed away recently and my uncles took all grandpa's tools, so I shoved those 2 Chicago Electric saws in their trailer too...figured they wanted all the tools, they can have those as well, no loss to me, I'll eventually replace them, but most likely with the Hercules 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw, or the Skil Worm Drive 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw. I had a Chicago Electric 10" portable table saw that thing was cheap, beyond cheap, the bearings in the arbor side of the motor failed within a couple years, and I trashed the saw. The Hercules portable table saw they have now is pretty good for the price....the Warrior version is just as crappy as the Chicago Electric one was...I think some of the Chicago Electric stuff has been rebranded with the Warrior name....and some of the old Chicago Electric stuff they no longer sell was bought by TEMU and sold without any labeling on the tool or packaging LOL. I have several of their air tools, all work just fine, oldest being my 18 Gauge Brad Nailer, which is about 20 years old as well....still works great, and its been used and abused over the years. I have the framing nailer and the roofing nailer, both I've used very little but very useful when I need them...that's kind of the thing with HF tools, a lot of the stuff is great for those once or twice a year needs where you can't justify spending 3x or more money on a tool you need for a project that'll sit on a shelf most of the time unused, but you need it for that one task. The Bauer and Hercules lines are good, I've got tools in both lines, and they work fine, I have no complaints with them, and have recently pretty much given away all my Yellow tools as most brands of tools out there now are much better than the Dewalt stuff in terms of power and torque. Yep, you pay for the name and that's about it with Dewalt anymore, they're far from top of the line now, and their prices are ridiculous. I have a few Skil tools, but all are corded, some old Black and Decker stuff, Ryobi, etc. I'm far from brand loyal, I buy what happens to be on the shelf at the time for the most part.
That's impressive longevity for your impact driver! Harbor Freight tools can definitely surprise us with their durability, especially when they're such a crucial part of the toolkit for so long.
I noticed the set of transfer punches you have setting in front of you on your bench. These transfer punches are very good quality and very useful for woodworking. They are inexpensive and identical to the punches from Lee Valley, which costs several times as much. The sizes are from 1/16" to 1/2" in 1/64" increments.
Great vid - I was a bit on guard based on the title cuz I've seen some tool snob channels that really run down HF. But you seemed to give an honest assessment. Not all good, not all bad and you helped to give context around buying decisions. Well done.
I agree that Harbor Freight is great when you need to use a tool once, but some of the tools you said were good enough were some of my worse HF purchases. I'd purchased 4 of the longer quick release bar clamps and they kept snapping. I exchanged a couple no problems, but even those snapped. I finally tossed the lot. That was years ago, so maybe it's gotten better. The belt sander I use to this day, but I had to do some tweaking to get it to run right when I bought it, and the motor bogs down easily. I haven't bought their hand plane, but I have seen others on youtube try to "fix" that plane and it definitely doesn't seem to be worth the trouble. Also, tests of edge retention show it to be horrible. I do think HF is doing better. For example, I bought Icon replacements for older hex key T-handles that I liked the form factor but were breaking free of their handles and rounding over. The Icon's are much better. But I do think they let their low bar go too low.
I appreciate your input. It sounds like you've had your share of ups and downs with Harbor Freight tools. Sorry to hear about the issues with the bar clamps. Have you found any other gems in their lineup?
Some clamps are not made to produce ultimate pressure. If you need a lot of pressure you can always just use a lot of clamps too. As many as you can fit. Each clamp you add will increase the pressure. Clamps are not always a one and done deal. I was at a yard sale and a guy just gave me a broken genuine Quick Grip. The movable jaw was busted right off. So I made a new one for it. Out of heavy steel. It ain't broke again yet. It's honestly one of my favorite clamps I have.
Very informative video! Thanks for putting this together. I have quite a few harbor freight Pittsburgh and Doyle hand tools, and they seem very solid and well-built. Wouldn't hesitate to buy more. The Icon line is more expensive and probably better built and more durable, but the less expensive brands are fine for my every day do-it-yourself needs.
Thanks! Yeah, Harbor Freight's tools can be surprisingly good for the price. And it's good to hear the Pittsburgh and Doyle tools are holding up well for you. 😊
I've been doing a lot of real stone veneer last year we did a bank we had a pretty much brand new rigid tile saw and the comparable diamond back from harbor freight they were both about $300 we beat the shit out of both but the diamond back we returned and got a new one if you take advantage of their extended warranty you can buy a tool once and replace it whenever you want so it's definitely worth buying the HF tool in that situation
Impressive to hear about your experience with both the Ridgid and Harbor Freight saws! It sounds like both tools endured quite a beating during your project. It's also great that even after putting the HF diamond back through intense use, you were able to exchange it hassle-free. Thanks for sharing!
I’m lucky enough to have a HF in the same strip mall as my local HD. HF is perfect for disposable things (gloves, tyvek suits) as well as things with few moving parts (power cords, tool bags). It’s great to have the choice.
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I have four Harbor Freight parallel clamps in my shop. They have worked great. I will buy more as I need them. You do have to baby them a bit. Make sure you put tape on the bar to keep the glue off. This is also a good tip for top-of-the-line clamps. Also, the bar metal is a little softer than the high-end brands so resist the temptation to crank up the clamping pressure.
HF parallel clamps may not get as much attention as some other brands, but they're definitely a solid choice for many. Good to know they're working out for you!
I agree with what you said. I’m very conservative about what I buy, so I always look for reviews on almost anything I buy, on the cost and what I’m using it for.
I love walking into harbor freight. It's a well lit and always impeccably clean. The staff are fantastic and I recently picked up the Hercules 1/2 impact wrench. If you look at impact wrench reviews it appears that they seldom do them from the northeast. Here in New England we have a ton of salt being used and lots of moisture which equals a lot of rust. I did my brakes all around including the removal of the rotors/calipers. Lugs came off effortlessly and the caliper rear bolts came off pretty easy. This didn't reach all the boys from the back due to its size but I knew that going in. Just really happy with the tools in general for the above average mechanic or carpenter. I even saved about 50 bucks because I have the inside track membership. I also appreciate the variety in the tool boxes, jack stands, and add-ons. Lastly, the return policy and the warranty cannot be beat. Hercules impact wrench has a 5 year warranty and a three for the battery. Phenomenal!
It's awesome to hear that you had such a good time at Harbor Freight and that the Hercules impact wrench worked well for you. The Inside Track membership sounds like a great way to save some cash as well 🙂
I was just in the brand new Harbor Freight by me and the lighting wasn't the best. The old store further away is brighter. The Torque Test Channel tests Harbor Freight impact guns.
Hey brother good content! Just want to make one correction Chicago pneumatic isn't harbor freight it's products are sold elsewhere but it's easy to get mixed up with the other Chicago brands sold at HF.
Central Pneumatic is the Harbor Freight house brand. Chicago Pneumatic is a legit company and probably why HF started naming everything Chicago this and that. But when it came to the pneumatic line they had to go with a different name because there Chicago was already taken.
I'm not a cheapskate, I just don't like paying money for things! I started out in the 90's on the cheapo stuff like the 9 dollar angle grinder (I hear that inflation caused it to go up to 10 dollars) but now, my wood/metal fab shop is either vintage American cast iron from the 1950's or Harbor freight. Every time I go in, I see AT LEAST one mechanic in coveralls buying Icon or Quinn. I have GIVEN AWAY a harbor freight 4x36 belt sander and a 5 inch swivel vise after about 25 years of hard service. Ended up moving and decided to just buy new. My old swivel vise cost 59 bucks back in the day - it's 79 now - not much inflation...
@@GrowLLLTigeRRR Smart man. I’ve got the DeWalt 779 12” sliding dual bevel miter saw which I love. After close inspection, the Hercules looks equally good.
I had that exact same green 4x36 sander for about 25 years. At about year ten, I dropped it off of a 3 foot table onto concrete. It landed on the disc sander and broke it. I picked it up, took off the broken disc sander, put it back on the table (and secured it this time), turned it on and it kept on working! I was literally waiting for the thing to die before I got a new one but ended up moving and just gave it away. As far as I know, that thing is still going!
I love Harbor Freight. I think if you buy their better or best versions of tools and don’t abuse them you’ll probably make out ok. Sure, the Pittsburgh hand tools aren’t the highest quality, if your paycheck depends on your tools maybe don’t buy that brand but if you’re a weekend warrior maybe they’ll suffice. Plus they do have a lifetime warranty. If you’re only going to use a power tool infrequently or for lighter duty work maybe the Warrior brand will do just fine. I have Pittsburgh hand tools and Warrior, Chicago Electric and Bauer corded tools from Harbor Freight and I’m pleased with 98% of them. I’m also only a DIYer and I know tools have limitations, all of them, no matter where you buy them from. That’s my 🪙🪙
Nice, it's refreshing to hear a balanced perspective on their offerings. Your advice about choosing their better or best versions for longevity makes a lot of sense. At the end of the day, it's all about finding the right fit for your needs.
I bought the harbor freight chisels as a beginner to woodworking. I figure the bad steel will probably make me better at sharpening. If I keep with it I can buy a higher quality version elsewhere.
The tools are"private label" built FOR Harbor Freight BY contract manufacturers. Harbor Freight owns no manufacturing facilities. Harbor Freight is not vertically integrated, it is a sales company that purchases direct from manufacturers in the same way that Walmart buys Hart tools and Aldi buys food.. . That doesn't mean that HF tools are not good quality but that they are not uniquely made for them. Contract manufacturers will typically build variations of a tool for many customers, label and package them and make small modifications to the cases in color. Contract manufacturers survive because they make reliable products in large quantities. The efficiencies HF has over Home Depot, Lowes and auto parts stores are an inventory limited to house brands, a smaller number of inventory items, simplified warranty processing and very limited, low budget advertising. I've worked for contractors whose techs owned "professional" tools, had them break on jobs and rather than lose money waiting for a tool truck, bought tools from Harbor Freight. They paid for themselves once the time that wasn't lost was considered. Many of them lasted for years of heavy use, and this was a decade before Hercules, Pittsburg Pro and Icon were sold.
I used to think those impacts and s*** from harbor freight were junk I bought a Bower impact because I have left my Makita in my other vehicle so I just needed something to get by come to find out that power works as good as my Makita and I've ended up picking up one of their skill saws their grinders a radio and their job fan works amazing.
thank you sir for the work you put into your teaching videos, and this particular video is extremely helpful to me personally. I have bought quite a few of Harbor Freight's various clamps and I've never had a failure yet when used properly for what they're designed to for. I've always wondered about their Bauer and Hercules line of power tools, if they were of good quality. Now I'm looking at their Central Machinery lathe. Thanks for the insights!
Exactly Harbor Freight is supposed to be for the working man’s weekend projects. I use Snap On tools for work and the home stuff is mainly Harbor freight. In my opinion it’s like the modern day Sears. AND if something breaks I can run down there and get a replacement with no questions asked!!
I have Snap-On tools and I have Harbor Freight tools and the hardware I use it on can't tell the difference. I like my snappy stuff but their prices are insane. There's a reason they can get away with it. The reason is that Snap-On is a government contractor. Snap-On doesn't need anyone but the US government as a customer. They can sell a couple billion a year and they're happy.
I've had a Hercules brand drill driver for 7 years and have used it almost every day. The lock collar locked up once and they replaced it no problem and no extra money out of pocket. (oop... i did have to purchase the extended warranty which was almost nothing).
Harbor Freight is like the casino for tools. You gamble and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Years ago before Harbor Freight really upped their game I'd buy their power tools and they were pretty terrible. I bought a jig saw off of them and it wasn't super cheap. But half the price of a name brand tool. Initially it worked OK. But then the blade holder broke, then it literally blew up in my hand, then finally the gear broke in it and that I couldn't fix. So that was the end of that. So I sucked it up and bought a name brand tool and it still works. The name brand tool never broke.
I get what you mean with HF. Sometimes you luck out, sometimes... not so much. Sorry to hear about your jig saw ordeal, but at least you found a reliable replacement in the end.
@@sawinery-woodworking well yeah. Bosch was making some pretty good power tools back then. The Harbor Freight jig saw was entertaining if nothing else. Ah look the front fell off. Whoa it blew up right in my hand! I tossed it across my shop when that happened. Good times.
HF does not actually "build their own" tools. Bauer and Hercules are made in the same Chinese factories as Ryobi and DeWalt. (Yes, DeWalt has some US manufacturing, but with Chinese parts) China will build whatever quality tools you pay them to build. Remember, these people have a nuclear arsenal. That said, your video is spot-on. There are good and bad tools at HF. Way more good than bad today compared to 15 years ago. Doing the research is up to the buyer.
Sorry if I implied that they actually build their own. I’m sure you’re right that they just find a Chinese manufacturer to build for them. I guess the big difference today, compared to 20 years ago, is they’re having that factory turn out better quality tools.
From what I've heard Harbor Freight has an engineer from Milwaukee or something and he's designed some of the HF tools to their special spec. But a lot of it is rebranded far eastern stuff. If you're buying X number of shipping containers they'll slap any name on the stuff you're getting.
Bauer line does not include a table saw. The Hercules is almost nice, but has enough QA issues to make it a hard pass. It wouldn't take much to bring the quality level up, but in its current form... no. The Warrior is very budget oriented as low as $125-$130 on sale. May be okay for small DIY projects. Definitely not for large material. Use at your own risk. Skil offers a much better entry level table saw. The TS6307-00 is better quality than the Hercules, and cost substantially less. Chicago Electric, but CENTRAL Pneumatic and Machinery.
The new Hercules brushless power tools are actually really competitive performance wise. Performance wise i would say their drill and impact are equivalent to last gen Milwaukee (i have a feeling they are made by the manufacturer Milwaukee uses) and they offer 5year warranty on Hercules brushless tools and 3 yr on the batteries
I have nover had a Harbour Freight tool fail me. I have other brands from when I was a mechanic that still work but if I need a new tool I shop Harbour Freight first. Great tools for the home owner and a great selection. I have a new welder from there and it is low cost and easy too use with practice.
Great to hear you've had such solid luck with Harbor Freight tools, especially for home projects! Sounds like they've really come through for you. Care to share some of your favorites aside from your new welder?
@@sawinery-woodworking I have the Electric and air powered impact guns and their small tire changer for mower and small trailer tires and they are all great tools. I used the electric impact gun and it surprised me as too the power it has. Great tools.
I have used Doyle and Quinn dikes and lineman's pliers they do the job quite adequately while they are not top of the line klien or channel lock at least they are not great neck
You just have to know what youre looking at with some of their stuff. Some of their stuff has several part numbers for the same tool. The 20t press for example. Theres 2 different versions. I cant remember which one is better but one bolts together and the other has the main frame welded. Same tool, same price, different quality.
I find it interesting that he had the 1" sander and when he got the 4" he gave the 1" away. I have both, I use both, I use the 1" far more, and on the 4" I use the disc more then the belt. the 4" belt just has poor duct collection and is completely under powered. but they both have their uses, going forward I would defiantly recommend the bower belt sander over the Central Machinery he has even with the price jump, or if you have the room, get the Central Machinery 6" belt/disc sander
Much better than the Pittsburgh clamps that you showed are HarborFreight Bremen clamps, which are just as good as Dewalt or Jorgensen (at about 60% of the price).
9:22 I think you meant to say Warrior, rather than Bauer. HF doesn't have a Bauer table saw. The Warrior line is equivalent to Chicago Electric. That Hercules table saw is nice, but it's slightly outclassed in features and price by the Skil TS6307-00.
There are some gems in that store as well as some crap. The #4 sized and the dual adjustment plane with wood tote and knob are not good at all as a jackplane. I am going to turn mine into scrubplanes. Not sure how well that will work out yet but they currently serve no other purpose.
I have a Hercules mitre saw, and it's great, but I'm a DYI'er, so it might not hold up with constant use. I've used it regularly for over 5 years, and worn out the blade it came with (which was VERY good), but perhaps there are other brands which hold up better.
Appreciate you sharing your experience! It's awesome to hear that your Hercules miter saw has been serving you well for over 5 years. And yes, considering other brands geared towards heavy-duty use is definitely a good idea for prolonged or intense usage.
The issue with Her toes right now is the number of tools they have for that anyway platform. They need to widen the number of tools that run on that battery platform.
Just to pick a nit... you CAN drill a hole into concrete with a regular drill, but you can drill it more efficiently with the hammer drill. Otherwise, an easy video to warch 👍🏻
I bought the Hercules job site table saw. It’s a mirror copy of the Dewalt, use it twice a month for projects, and works like a champ.. Not every day, but fits my need
Wow, perfectly rational level-headed takes…a guy standing among a normal amount of both power tools and hand tools…no over the top hyperbole, neither irrational brand loyalty or hatred. Actual information with historical context thrown in. I’m confused, I think you’re doing this UA-cam thing all wrong! 😂
LOL, maybe I need to throw in a few exaggerated reactions to keep up with the UA-cam crowd! But seriously, thanks for noticing the effort. Just wanted to share some solid info 😊
The thing about Harbor Freight is that 95-99% of people don't need nicer tools. I'm an "average joe" that uses tools here and there around the house. I probably use all of my tools a combined 0-5 times per month. Why do I need expensive tools? When the HF tools I own finally break (I'm not convinced they ever will at the rate I use tools) I just buy another one for a few bucks. There is no way in my lifetime I'll come even close to spending what it would cost even to just buy a cheaper/middle of the road priced brand like Irwins line of tools. Let alone Snap On, Mac etc.
You make a great point. Harbor Freight tools are great for folks who don't need high-end tools for frequent use. It's all about practicality and saving money where we can.
It's funny you say you don't have any use for the welders or the automotive department but now that I do woodworking the entire store is like a candy shop for me. I am pretty versatile when it comes to working with my hands but yeah, I do woodworking, welding and automotive work. Lol talk about a trifecta huh😂😂😂
Also remember that the hand tool brands like Pittsburgh and Icon have a lifetime warranty. Take back that clamp your son broke, and they'll give you a new one.
I wish that all of their battery tools would use the same battery. I would get their best drill as I use it the most. Some other tools I hardly use, I'd get cheap ones. Now I need more batteries and chargers.
I believe your statement that "harbor freight makes tools" is misleading. They may spec them but I don't believe they own any manufacturing in the USA or anywhere else.
I think even that may be a little far. A lot of what’s in the store is manufactured white label in China and then shopped to brands. You’ll run into identical tools sold under different labels. He has a Wen band saw there and a lot of Wen tools are the same. That said, all store brands operate that way. Craftsman used to be like Bass Pro store brands: a little cheaper offering made by the major manufacturers. Hand planes were made by Sargant and Millers Falls for 100 years. But I think they had gone full store brand even prior to Sears going defunct, definitely after. Kobalt, Husky, etc. operate that way. Also lower tier brands like Skill. Ryobi is where you start getting dedicated manufacturing. Then you run into the mess of corporate structures where most big box name brands fall under 2 parent companies, often going GM putting different plastic (and batteries) on the same tool body. And then there’s some of the old brands that have gone overseas. Pony Jorgensen’s customer support is even in China, and I can’t tell the difference between their F clamps and HF’s except the color. I just buy clamps at garage/estate sales from when they had better tolerances and no plastic. Irwin Marples is similar with at least some of their line, seem to be the same as big box store brand. Stanley mostly exists as a label sold off to different companies in different segments. I have an old HF drill press that’s good enough. I’ll replace it eventually. Probably anything that’s a big electric motor is fine: the sander, a grinder, whatever. They’re basically the bare minimum reference design of that thing. It’ll be kinda crappy, the tolerances aren’t great, and the plastic will break off, but they’ll work. That’s not OK for a saw. And their regular power tools are just bad, except for his use case of “once in a blue moon” when you can’t borrow one. But I mostly buy shop stuff there: magnet trays, funnels, wire brushes, etc. The one real thing they’re my source for is Evaporust. Dollar Tree is often better for things like cheap paint brushes, spray bottles, cleaners, and their table cloths make a great small drop cloth to protect a bench from glue ups or finish. For things in bulk, Amazon or Temu (if you can wait 2 weeks) are cheaper for the same junk.
I'm suspicious the, "I don't need one, so I'm not doing that," comment regarding the table saw was reflexively aimed at a spouse... 😂 After I show my husband a new tool and he reminds me we already have that tool, I have to backpedal with, "Oh, yea, yea.. I was just looking and thought it was cool. 😏"
Want 14 Woodworking Plans? Get them here: shop.sawinery.net/pages/free-plans
I bought both Bauer and Hercules tools and like them both. I got at least 25 cordless tools and a dozen batteries. You can't beat the deals when they give you a free tool for buying a battery and charger. Best Bang for the buck!
I've been shopping at Harbor Freight for 20 yrs or more now and I actually bought few tools from them and used them more than once. Then a long came the Icon brand and Chief and Earthquake. It has now became the place that I go to first when looking for a tool.
Wow, 20 years of shopping at Harbor Freight! It's great to know that brands like Icon, Chief, and Earthquake have contributed to your positive experience.
Same. Every time I go in, I see at least one mechanic in coveralls buying Icon or Quinn. My wood/metal fab shop is either vintage 1950's American cast iron, or Harbor Freight.
I was mail ordering off Harbor Freight in the mid 90s when they only had stores in California in 2 locations. Back in the bad old days. I'd buy stuff off them just to see how bad it was. Some of it was pretty bad too.
I've got some Knipex and Wera stuff that I really like. Next time I go by the HF store, I'mma check out the ICON stuff and see how it stands up to Knipex, etc.
The only issue I've ever had with Harbor Freight Tools is with motor brushes or battery packs that wore out .
I have an old Chicago Electric handheld belt sander (orange plastic body) that I bought at Harbor Freight over 20 years ago. I paid maybe $15-20 for it. Still works to this day.
That's what I call getting your money's worth! It's awesome that your old belt sander from Harbor Freight is still kicking after two decades.
I may have that same belt sander. Put it through some hard work sanding down my deck.
I have a 3 inch hf grinder that I've owned for 20 years, I thought I lost it in a flood but found it buried in my garden a year after the flood. its still a crappy tool but it works still
Some of the old Harbor Freight power tools were gems. Not many but a few. I bought an electric planer off of them which is a clone of a Makita and it's legit. I also bought a little plunge router off HF and it's a clone of a Bosch and I ran that thing into the ground. The bearings are shot in it today but I can't complain for the use I got. It'll still run. I have an old heavy duty mud mixer drill off HF and it's still a trooper.
understand that this is my living. if I have no tools, I don't eat. Generally, the tools harbor freight sells have been geared for harry homeowners and hobbyists but now they are trying to sell tools to actual tradesmen. I hope they put Ryobi out of business.....
I concur with your assessment. Buy the brand that works for you. As a DIYer, I don’t depend on my tools so day in, day out use and dependability are not requirements for me.
I have bought both low end and high end hand planes. They all work but the high end ones are easier to precisely set and keep that set up more consistently. While the time isn’t critical to me, the satisfaction of knowing the high end tools are more enjoyable to use makes a difference.
Having said that, I have bought several HF tools and every one of them have served my needs well.
Well said. Everyone's needs and preferences are different when it comes to tools. It's all about finding the right tools for your needs, whether it's high-end precision or reliable affordability. Harbor Freight tools may not be high-end, but they sure do get the job done.
95% of the tools or gear I’ve purchased from Harbor Freight have been great quality for the DIY weekend warrior that I am.
I like Harbour Freight brands because when they break or wear out, they are easy to fix with shop fabricated parts (like making a new handle for your clamp which broke). Great video thumbs up.
Appreciate the support! It's awesome to hear you're making the most out of your Harbor Freight tools with some ingenuity.
That's what I was thinking when he said the handle broke. I'd have pinned a new handle to it. When those cheap one handed clamps break I fix them too. I drill the plastic pins out and replace them with a nut and a bolt. That's what fails in them is this pair of plastic pins inside of them. The pivot for the squeeze handle. A 1/4" x 20 bolt and they're good to go. I think 4 of mine have the bolt mod now.
When I was growing up To indicate that a product was Poorly made we Would say it was made in Japan.
Then the quality of Japanese products Improved to the point that they have A reputation of making high quality products.
Then the term change to Made in Taiwan And then their products improved And then their products improved. Same used to be said about Harbor freight. But you are right when you said they have improved the quality of their products. My son and I both own a company. We are purchased harbor freights flex core wire welder and we love it. We have purchased a new matic tools and we love them. I know of some that have purchased their sliding compound miters saw. I was impressed. You are correct when you say Purchase the tool Based on the amount of its intended use.
Good advice for all.
That's an interesting comparison! It's incredible how perceptions of product quality can shift over time. It's great to hear that Harbor Freight tools have become a reliable choice for you and your son.
My philosophy of use is disposal. For cost of using DeWalt and Milwaukee, you can get about 1.5 - 3x the stuff from Bauer and Hercules without the extra bell and whistles. For a single dewalt 5 amp battery (100 bucks normal price) i can get a bauer 5amh Battery, a single charger, a saw and a blade on a regular bauer or Hercules sale. A DeWalt charger is like 120 and the saw is 100. I would rather spend the 300 on two bundles and an 8amh battery (100) to keep in the car for road side assistance. Such as cutting up curbside furniture on trash day. One man's bed frame is now one of my work benches.
The Father's retired alright, he died in 2016. I have tools I bought mail order from HF in the 80s-90s and they still work great. Overall hand or power tools have worked well.
I've had a fair number of regrettable power tool failures with old Harbor Freight stuff. I even bought their "professional" line angle grinder not that long ago and it's terrible. I know a good from a bad angle grinder. I've used enough of them. That one has no power, gets hotter than a pistol and it sounds like it's on the verge of blowing up. It sounds so bad. I don't use it at all. It sits up on a shelf to remind me not to buy their junk.
I can’t lie, I have a 1/2 inch impact that I’ve used for several years now. Never once has it malfunctioned and it does exactly what it said it would. I can’t complain.
Harbor Freight also sells non-resident brands. I bought a Franklin stud sensor which is also sold at Home Depot (for $8 more, I might add). One can also purchase Bremen (Bessey) clamps, PB petroleum products, WD40. I think the current owner is making a concerted effort to: a. Incorporate more name brands, and b. Improve the quality of resident brands to compete functionally with brands found elsewhere, including tool trucks.
It's encouraging to hear about the efforts Harbor Freight is making to offer a wider range of brands and improve quality. Appreciate you bringing this up!
Oh! Bremen are Bessey! I was wondering why they are so good.
@@Obtuse94 Bremen aren’t Bessey. I suppose they could be made in the same Chinese factory!
I have always been a proponent (for myself) of buying
quality tools, to last a lifetime. However, as I got past
50, I realized, I can buy less expensive tools and they
will (for me) still last a lifetime. 😁✌🖖
Lol i never looked at it like that.
Mah man! I'm with ya. I grew up in a tool and die family and have been buying quality tools for 50 years. One gets accustomed to working with quality tools. I don't like buying/using something that is not reliable. However, as you said, my lifetime is a lot shorter.
I'll go with HF or other budget friendly stuff for a tool I won't use very often IF it is made 'well enough' to get the job done.
I know plenty of guys who will use and struggle with a crappy tool because they don't want to spend money on good stuff, but will go to the bar every night and drop $30+ drinking Lite beer. Shrug.
@@stringlarson1247 addiction is a hell of a problem.
I'm old enough that I don't buy warranties or green bananas.
I'm a contractor and have been renting jackhammers for years.I went to Harbor freight and my bauer jack.Hammer has lasted nine years and i've made my money over many times
I share the philosophy that you buy the HF model until you use it enough to break it, then step up.
I have a few HF pneumatic nailers that I fully expected to die quickly due to the price and they are still going strong after 8+ yrs.
But I’m just a weekender.
That's a practical way to go about it. Why splurge when the HF models are holding up just fine? It's like the old saying, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' Your HF nailers must be tough cookies to last that long.
I have a brad nailer from Harbor Freight and I love it. It has zero safety features. You pull that trigger and it's going to fire a nail. Which can be a plus working with it. If I want to toe a nail in a corner it'll do it. One with one of them front safety bumps good luck. At one time that thing died on me so I took it all apart and cleaned the cylinder out. Now it's running again like new. I have fired tens of thousands of nails out of it. I was like you ain't dying on me.
When I was a young man I was an artist working in wood and welded steel. For convenience and to save time, I had several angle grinders each with a different functioning disc. I needed one more grinder and purchased it from HF. It worked well for 1 day. The locking button that facilitates disc changes, broke off. Never bought from HF again. I realize that can happen on a better tool but it is a lot less likely.
@@swimminwitdafishes8059 I heard so many times great things about Harbor Freight grinders. So one day I was like what the heck let me get one. I got the "Professional" one. Because I like paddle switches. So I spent the money. Well that grinder is just the biggest POS. First off it sounds like death running. I get that tools make noise. The noise this one makes is not a good noise. Then it's not particularly powerful. Finally running it heats up hotter than a $2 pistol. Yeah it kinda sorta works. But I just hate using it. So I don't. It sits on a shelf collecting dust. I got 6 other grinders I can use. I went out and got a Skil to have as a little paddle switch grinder. It cost $20 more than the HF but it's way better. It I like and do use.
HF has pretty much taken on the DIY market and caters to it. Their products are "good enough", and for me, that's good enough.
Spot on. It's all about getting the job done without breaking the bank.
And they are doing a good job taking on the tool trucks too.
I'm a small business mobile welder and I use their Hercules grinders exclusively. I've had 3 grinders, an impact and a die grinder with 6 batteries that bounce around in the truck. Theyve held up great for over a year. They're far more than a diy brand now.
They sell tools at professional tool prices and have given up on the home DIY customer. No one can afford the high prices at harbor freight anymore!
@@johnstagg7901 what? Their prices are dirt cheap yet. Even their expensive stuff is still 1/2 the price of snap on or matco. Id argue that most of their tools are also better quality than any in house brand from fleet farm or stores like that
Just bought the bauer battery and charger kit and got the 71/4 circular saw free. Just what I needed for replacing some siding on the house. Perfect timing
If you’re (I’m) buying Chinese made tools might as well buy low cost. Just got the Hercules planer. It does its job admirably. I went out looking for a table saw too. I didn’t see anytime in the Dewalt that would make me choose it so the Hercules came home with me. Plus the 20% off sales on both helped my bank account.
Thanks for the info and yes I agree with you about how to spend and for what purpose and how many projects you need the tools etc. Awesome thanks 😊
Glad you found it helpful! Appreciate your comment. ☺
Over the 30+ years of buying tools I have bought countless brands of tools, I have zero concerns with buying some tools from HF rather than a high end brand. I wanted to buy a 12” compound miter so was going to buy the yellow $600 one then Hercules came out with theirs, after touching and reviewing them I noticed build quality is nearly identical so waiting one year for it to be shaken out by others I ended buying the Herc for nearly 1/2 the cost. Have owned and put it through it paces fro about 2 years and it is a fantastic saw, my sisters boyfriend who has a HF salary but thinks he is Thurston Howell hardly does any DIY because he ends up making things worse after touching but likes to buy tools and when he does will “only buy quality” so will never buy anything from HF. I laugh as his yellow tools are overkill for him and 1/2 are broken because he has 10 thumbs.
Hey, thanks for sharing your experience. Love that you found your match with the Hercules saw. It's proof that you don't need deep pockets to get the tools you need.
you said what i been saying all these years, if the tool isnt complicated (ex. drill press/belt sander) HF is a good place to go, or for one off, i worked for HF years ago and their quality control was horrible.
Harbor Freight can be a great option for certain tools and projects. Sorry to hear about the quality control issues you encountered, though. And thanks for sharing your experience!
I do wood working and I am a welder too and have been a certified mechanic for msny years, they do have something for me at each stage of work, hobby or pro. I have always looked at the job I need to work on and match the tool for it. Cost is always an issue and buying too cheap a tool is bad for the wallet and so is getting a pricey tool that sits in a cabnet and is a money dump. Thanks for your advice.
Great video and well said. Pro tools are great, and get them if you need them, but if you don't, learn to check your ego at the door and just get what you need.
Glad you liked the video! Totally agree with you there.
I am a HF fan, I have nothing bad to say about them. Some things I think are great value are disposables (rubber gloves, chip and acid brushes, grinder disks and belt sander belts), hardware kits, US General tool boxes, calipers, transfer punches, drill bit kits (for wood only), the flush cut Japanese saw, magnetic trays, the F clamps (up to about 24”), Hercules miter saw and planer, small parts organizers and other storage like the ammo boxes and toolbars. And that is just woodworking tools. For hand tools Pittsburgh comes with a lifetime warranty, no receipt required and are good medium use tools. Quinn and Doyle are a reasonably priced step up and ICON is tool truck quality. And if you know you are going to make a big purchase either wait for a sale or join the Insider Club. I’m on a different battery platform but my friend is all in on Bauer portable and swears by them. I do have a Bauer corded grinder and it is as good as my DeWalt. And my son has used their pancake compressor (the gray one, the name escapes me) for nearly 3 years and likes it.
I was literally there yesterday and saw those chisels you mentioned. I had the opposite reaction as you, which was that they’re so cheap, I might as well give them a try.
Hey, thanks for sharing your take! It's all about finding what works best for our needs. Hope those chisels work out well for you!
I'm sure they're chrome vanadium steel. The handle material might not be the best. But if it breaks you can make new handles. Chisel handles are consumables. If anything they're probably too hard steel. A chisel that's too hard is harder to sharpen. Harder than it needs to be. Plus they can chip using them. But for rough carpentry I bet they're fine.
@1pcfred I bought them just to practice sharpening chisels before I got into narex or anything like that. I also got some jorgenson (lowes) hand planes to learn how to tune a plane (your gonna have to tune it lol) but overall they're usable, the chisels are actually a bit soft but you could use them going with the grain, I just wouldn't try hammering out a mortise with em lol.
@@jaseswinconos I'll tell you what I should have known when I was starting out. Hollow grind the primary bevel on a bench grinder then hone the secondary bevel using a honing guide. Yeah you can do it all freehand, but why? That is just harder and takes longer to do. A grinder and a guide is quick and easy. You can argue but all of that costs extra. It doesn't have to cost that much. I have twelve bucks and change into it. I built the grinder I use. I probably could have made a honing guide too. Work smarter, not harder. Be clever. Freehand sharpening is miserable drudgery. It doesn't get any better with time. Quite frankly I have a greater sense of accomplishment with what I'm doing now. Sure I got stuff sharp freehand but it never looked that good. My tools always looked amateurish. The edges on my tools today it looks like they were sharpened by someone that knew what they were doing. Because now I do.
I agree if I need a special purpose tool for will probably be a one time use I find the rental fee (If available) of that tool and if it a high enough percentage of the HF least expensive offering I will buy it there. That calculation works for me and there is an off chance I will need it again someday. A good example of this was a SDS impact hammer. Rental cost at the time was approx. 59$ the HF offering was approx. 85$. For me no brainer and I have used it several times since .They have really upped their game with other items I now use daily. My favorite purchase was the Earthquake 1/2 inch impact driver I use mostly on lug nuts and larger fasteners it has had heavy use over 5 years, has the original battery and still going strong. Plus their returns policy is excellent I have nothing at this point in time to complain about with HF. Great video. Cheers.
Exactly the video I was looking for. Was just in Harbor Freight today and I was looking at all the tools and I was wondering why I never hear about them. Saw that Hercules miter saw and it looked good and the price looked better.
Thank you for making this video. Subscribed.
Excellent video! Thanks to this, I will definitely be giving some serious thought to Harbor Freight tools in the near future. I'm about to close on my first house, and it needs quite a bit of work, so I'll be needing some new tools. I've been there in the past for some small things (hardware, socket sets, etc.) and I noticed that all of the products were in-house brands, but I never thought too hard about what that meant for their business model. Makes sense that there's some savings there to be passed on to the consumer.
Great stuff sir. I got a Chicago electric drill over 5 years ago because I was going through life stuff and needed a drill. Not everyone should use an electric drill. The video is very helpful since I have the woodworking bone back. I used to work for a high end cabinet shop 20 years ago and went to work for the gubment. After building a couple things for my lovely bride to be I want to get back into it.
5:45 I have a very similar story with the hammer drill, the only power tool I've bought from Harbor Freight. First used it to drill holes in brick to install a bike rack, then years later to drill a few holes in cinder block wall. No complaints about the price or performance!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It seems like the HF hammer drill is perfect for occasional projects, just like the ones we both experienced. It's great when a tool can handle those tasks without any issues.
Yeah I have an el cheapo hammer drill from Harbor Freight. It works. A Chicago Electric one. I think I paid $30 for it? It's bright orange. So I'm never losing it.
Just stumbled upon this video and I agree with it. I have bought many tools from harbor freight. If it's a higher priced item I usually research it online first. You really can't go wrong with Hercules in my opinion. I have the table saw and miter saw.both work flawlessly. Only wish the table saw had a soft start feature. Also anything with the Doyle or Quinn name has been great quality.
Hey, thanks for adding your two cents! The Hercules line is a solid choice, and I'm glad they've worked so well for you.
That 1"x30" belt sander was my go to for knife sharpening for soooooooo long.
Excellent analysis. A couple of years ago I needed a small side grinder for a single job. Harbor Freight was running their 4 1/2" Warrior brand grinder on sale for less than $10. Seemed like a no-brainer so I bought it. It did the job perfectly fine and ever since has been used primarily to sharpen my lawn mower blades a few times per season. Not sure how it would hold up under heavier use, but it turned out to be perfect for my needs.
Several years ago I was also in the market for a 12 inch sliding compound miter saw. I narrowed it down to the Hercules and DeWalt tools. Lowes was running the DeWalt on sale for about $360 which at the time was about the same price as the Hercules. The tools appeared very comparable, and both got excellent reviews. But when I researched the availability of repair parts I found I could buy any part I needed for the DeWalt while only a very limited number of parts were available for the Hercules. That sold me on the DeWalt. If I would have had to pay the regular price on the DeWalt (about $200 more) it would have been a much tougher decision.
Overall I've had good luck with Harbor Freight tools, but your advice about matching the tool to your actual requirements is very sound.
Thank you for sharing! It's really valuable to learn about your decision-making process with the two brands. And yeah, researching repair parts is definitely a smart move.
I like most HF tools I have, even the cheap $11 chisels I bought are decent once I sharpened them and they hold an edge enough for me
It can definitely be surprising how even budget-friendly tools can hold up with a bit of TLC.
Love me some Bauer & Hercules. For the most part. Hate the Bauer angle grinder I have. But, I hate most angle grinders with flick switches rather than trigger switches.
Appreciate your honesty! It's great to hear that you're a fan of Bauer & Hercules tools overall. Sorry to hear about the hiccup with the angle grinder, though. Maybe there's a different model that would work better for you.
Those first clamps you show can break but are easily fixed. The plastic on the inside of the mechanism will break but can be fixed with a simple small bolt and nut. I also have the same drill press and it has served its purpose.
Yeah I've done the bolt fix on those clamps. Them plastic pins inside snap off.
They can also be exchanged for a new one for free. The newer version is far more robust.
@@glumberty1 The nut and bolt fix is solid.
Right on. Pro finish carpenter here, love HF, but ya gotta pick and choose wisely, though I have to admit it's trial and error for me over the years. Tried the $10 angle grinder. Junk.(was really no surprise) bought their $25 23 ga.pin gun at least 15 years ago,I've estimated I've driven at least 50,000 pins w it,still use it every day. Same w their first multi tool,though it's corded and since added the Milwaukee 18v to my collection, but it still works like a champ.
It's true, with HF, you've got to be selective, but when you find the gems like that pin gun, it's golden. Sometimes, HF surprises us with their reliability.
A few things i can recommend.
The 18v warrior drill.( not 12 volt)
I've had it a couple years, usually drill pilot holes with it, but have used it for hole saws, etc.
Bauer cordless rotary tool, lots of power and long battery life. On sale often
Clamps! The only issue I've had is the plastic protectors won't stay on.
Warrior angle grinder, for 10-15 bucks. It will last most people years.
Thanks for the recommendations! It helps narrow down my choices for next time. 😊
Spot on with your video. Harbor Freight has some good stuff and some stuff that if it makes it through that one job you'll be lucky. I've bought stuff from HF for 20+ years, the first purchase I made from them was their old US General 44" roller tool chest....a year later I bought the top chest...I never got the end cabinets unfortunately, and now the stuff they have is bigger so it won't work with my old tool chest. However, that old tool chest combo has sat on my carport for 20+ years, other than being dusty and dirty its a great tool chest...one of those things that you can save a lot of money and get a quality item that'll ast for decades.
I did have the Chicago Electric sliding 10" and the sliding 12" miter saws, both worked fine, overall quality was expected to be cheap, and that's what they were....my grandfather passed away recently and my uncles took all grandpa's tools, so I shoved those 2 Chicago Electric saws in their trailer too...figured they wanted all the tools, they can have those as well, no loss to me, I'll eventually replace them, but most likely with the Hercules 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw, or the Skil Worm Drive 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw.
I had a Chicago Electric 10" portable table saw that thing was cheap, beyond cheap, the bearings in the arbor side of the motor failed within a couple years, and I trashed the saw. The Hercules portable table saw they have now is pretty good for the price....the Warrior version is just as crappy as the Chicago Electric one was...I think some of the Chicago Electric stuff has been rebranded with the Warrior name....and some of the old Chicago Electric stuff they no longer sell was bought by TEMU and sold without any labeling on the tool or packaging LOL.
I have several of their air tools, all work just fine, oldest being my 18 Gauge Brad Nailer, which is about 20 years old as well....still works great, and its been used and abused over the years. I have the framing nailer and the roofing nailer, both I've used very little but very useful when I need them...that's kind of the thing with HF tools, a lot of the stuff is great for those once or twice a year needs where you can't justify spending 3x or more money on a tool you need for a project that'll sit on a shelf most of the time unused, but you need it for that one task.
The Bauer and Hercules lines are good, I've got tools in both lines, and they work fine, I have no complaints with them, and have recently pretty much given away all my Yellow tools as most brands of tools out there now are much better than the Dewalt stuff in terms of power and torque. Yep, you pay for the name and that's about it with Dewalt anymore, they're far from top of the line now, and their prices are ridiculous. I have a few Skil tools, but all are corded, some old Black and Decker stuff, Ryobi, etc. I'm far from brand loyal, I buy what happens to be on the shelf at the time for the most part.
I have the Hercules miter saw. I got it for $300 and I got it set up to where it is accurate as anything can be.
I have a 1/2 inch drive impact that I bought 40 years ago that still hit good, and I used it on the job for twenty years!
That's impressive longevity for your impact driver! Harbor Freight tools can definitely surprise us with their durability, especially when they're such a crucial part of the toolkit for so long.
@@sawinery-woodworking it was the Alltrade brand that they quit selling in the 90’s I believe.
I noticed the set of transfer punches you have setting in front of you on your bench. These transfer punches are very good quality and very useful for woodworking. They are inexpensive and identical to the punches from Lee Valley, which costs several times as much. The sizes are from 1/16" to 1/2" in 1/64" increments.
Great vid - I was a bit on guard based on the title cuz I've seen some tool snob channels that really run down HF. But you seemed to give an honest assessment. Not all good, not all bad and you helped to give context around buying decisions. Well done.
Thanks, appreciate it! Just trying to keep it real and helpful for everyone.
I agree that Harbor Freight is great when you need to use a tool once, but some of the tools you said were good enough were some of my worse HF purchases. I'd purchased 4 of the longer quick release bar clamps and they kept snapping. I exchanged a couple no problems, but even those snapped. I finally tossed the lot. That was years ago, so maybe it's gotten better. The belt sander I use to this day, but I had to do some tweaking to get it to run right when I bought it, and the motor bogs down easily. I haven't bought their hand plane, but I have seen others on youtube try to "fix" that plane and it definitely doesn't seem to be worth the trouble. Also, tests of edge retention show it to be horrible. I do think HF is doing better. For example, I bought Icon replacements for older hex key T-handles that I liked the form factor but were breaking free of their handles and rounding over. The Icon's are much better. But I do think they let their low bar go too low.
I appreciate your input. It sounds like you've had your share of ups and downs with Harbor Freight tools. Sorry to hear about the issues with the bar clamps. Have you found any other gems in their lineup?
Some clamps are not made to produce ultimate pressure. If you need a lot of pressure you can always just use a lot of clamps too. As many as you can fit. Each clamp you add will increase the pressure. Clamps are not always a one and done deal. I was at a yard sale and a guy just gave me a broken genuine Quick Grip. The movable jaw was busted right off. So I made a new one for it. Out of heavy steel. It ain't broke again yet. It's honestly one of my favorite clamps I have.
Very informative video! Thanks for putting this together. I have quite a few harbor freight Pittsburgh and Doyle hand tools, and they seem very solid and well-built. Wouldn't hesitate to buy more. The Icon line is more expensive and probably better built and more durable, but the less expensive brands are fine for my every day do-it-yourself needs.
Thanks! Yeah, Harbor Freight's tools can be surprisingly good for the price. And it's good to hear the Pittsburgh and Doyle tools are holding up well for you. 😊
@@sawinery-woodworking 👍
I've been doing a lot of real stone veneer last year we did a bank we had a pretty much brand new rigid tile saw and the comparable diamond back from harbor freight they were both about $300 we beat the shit out of both but the diamond back we returned and got a new one if you take advantage of their extended warranty you can buy a tool once and replace it whenever you want so it's definitely worth buying the HF tool in that situation
Impressive to hear about your experience with both the Ridgid and Harbor Freight saws! It sounds like both tools endured quite a beating during your project. It's also great that even after putting the HF diamond back through intense use, you were able to exchange it hassle-free. Thanks for sharing!
I’m lucky enough to have a HF in the same strip mall as my local HD. HF is perfect for disposable things (gloves, tyvek suits) as well as things with few moving parts (power cords, tool bags). It’s great to have the choice.
I have four Harbor Freight parallel clamps in my shop. They have worked great. I will buy more as I need them. You do have to baby them a bit. Make sure you put tape on the bar to keep the glue off. This is also a good tip for top-of-the-line clamps. Also, the bar metal is a little softer than the high-end brands so resist the temptation to crank up the clamping pressure.
HF parallel clamps may not get as much attention as some other brands, but they're definitely a solid choice for many. Good to know they're working out for you!
I agree with what you said. I’m very conservative about what I buy, so I always look for reviews on almost anything I buy, on the cost and what I’m using it for.
I love walking into harbor freight. It's a well lit and always impeccably clean. The staff are fantastic and I recently picked up the Hercules 1/2 impact wrench. If you look at impact wrench reviews it appears that they seldom do them from the northeast. Here in New England we have a ton of salt being used and lots of moisture which equals a lot of rust. I did my brakes all around including the removal of the rotors/calipers. Lugs came off effortlessly and the caliper rear bolts came off pretty easy. This didn't reach all the boys from the back due to its size but I knew that going in. Just really happy with the tools in general for the above average mechanic or carpenter. I even saved about 50 bucks because I have the inside track membership. I also appreciate the variety in the tool boxes, jack stands, and add-ons. Lastly, the return policy and the warranty cannot be beat. Hercules impact wrench has a 5 year warranty and a three for the battery. Phenomenal!
It's awesome to hear that you had such a good time at Harbor Freight and that the Hercules impact wrench worked well for you. The Inside Track membership sounds like a great way to save some cash as well 🙂
I was just in the brand new Harbor Freight by me and the lighting wasn't the best. The old store further away is brighter. The Torque Test Channel tests Harbor Freight impact guns.
Well researched, well edited, well presented. Very useful! Kudos!
Thank you!
Thanks Uncle! Im new to the tool world and just getting started.
That's great! We got a ton of videos here on the channel that you might find useful. Thanks for the support!
For the past 5 yrs bought plenty of harbor freight brands and never had 1 failure..
Hey brother good content! Just want to make one correction Chicago pneumatic isn't harbor freight it's products are sold elsewhere but it's easy to get mixed up with the other Chicago brands sold at HF.
Central Pneumatic is the Harbor Freight house brand. Chicago Pneumatic is a legit company and probably why HF started naming everything Chicago this and that. But when it came to the pneumatic line they had to go with a different name because there Chicago was already taken.
I'm not a cheapskate, I just don't like paying money for things! I started out in the 90's on the cheapo stuff like the 9 dollar angle grinder (I hear that inflation caused it to go up to 10 dollars) but now, my wood/metal fab shop is either vintage American cast iron from the 1950's or Harbor freight. Every time I go in, I see AT LEAST one mechanic in coveralls buying Icon or Quinn. I have GIVEN AWAY a harbor freight 4x36 belt sander and a 5 inch swivel vise after about 25 years of hard service. Ended up moving and decided to just buy new. My old swivel vise cost 59 bucks back in the day - it's 79 now - not much inflation...
I love my Hercules dual bevel miter saw.
@@GrowLLLTigeRRR the Hercules rolling miter saw stand is also very nice.
@@jimivey6462 Indeed it is! I bought it with my saw.
@@GrowLLLTigeRRR Smart man. I’ve got the DeWalt 779 12” sliding dual bevel miter saw which I love. After close inspection, the Hercules looks equally good.
Seems like a very honest explanation.
I had that exact same green 4x36 sander for about 25 years. At about year ten, I dropped it off of a 3 foot table onto concrete. It landed on the disc sander and broke it.
I picked it up, took off the broken disc sander, put it back on the table (and secured it this time), turned it on and it kept on working!
I was literally waiting for the thing to die before I got a new one but ended up moving and just gave it away. As far as I know, that thing is still going!
It's impressive that the sander survived that fall and kept on going strong. Definitely amazing how durable some tools can be.
I love Harbor Freight. I think if you buy their better or best versions of tools and don’t abuse them you’ll probably make out ok. Sure, the Pittsburgh hand tools aren’t the highest quality, if your paycheck depends on your tools maybe don’t buy that brand but if you’re a weekend warrior maybe they’ll suffice. Plus they do have a lifetime warranty. If you’re only going to use a power tool infrequently or for lighter duty work maybe the Warrior brand will do just fine. I have Pittsburgh hand tools and Warrior, Chicago Electric and Bauer corded tools from Harbor Freight and I’m pleased with 98% of them. I’m also only a DIYer and I know tools have limitations, all of them, no matter where you buy them from. That’s my 🪙🪙
Nice, it's refreshing to hear a balanced perspective on their offerings. Your advice about choosing their better or best versions for longevity makes a lot of sense. At the end of the day, it's all about finding the right fit for your needs.
@Rossg1981 I was browsing in Harbor Freight today and their woodworking offerings really were limited.
I love this channel
I bought the harbor freight chisels as a beginner to woodworking. I figure the bad steel will probably make me better at sharpening. If I keep with it I can buy a higher quality version elsewhere.
Same
Clamps and tarps pretty doggone good.
The tools are"private label" built FOR Harbor Freight BY contract manufacturers. Harbor Freight owns no manufacturing facilities. Harbor Freight is not vertically integrated, it is a sales company that purchases direct from manufacturers in the same way that Walmart buys Hart tools and Aldi buys food.. . That doesn't mean that HF tools are not good quality but that they are not uniquely made for them. Contract manufacturers will typically build variations of a tool for many customers, label and package them and make small modifications to the cases in color. Contract manufacturers survive because they make reliable products in large quantities. The efficiencies HF has over Home Depot, Lowes and auto parts stores are an inventory limited to house brands, a smaller number of inventory items, simplified warranty processing and very limited, low budget advertising.
I've worked for contractors whose techs owned "professional" tools, had them break on jobs and rather than lose money waiting for a tool truck, bought tools from Harbor Freight. They paid for themselves once the time that wasn't lost was considered. Many of them lasted for years of heavy use, and this was a decade before Hercules, Pittsburg Pro and Icon were sold.
I used to think those impacts and s*** from harbor freight were junk I bought a Bower impact because I have left my Makita in my other vehicle so I just needed something to get by come to find out that power works as good as my Makita and I've ended up picking up one of their skill saws their grinders a radio and their job fan works amazing.
thank you sir for the work you put into your teaching videos, and this particular video is extremely helpful to me personally. I have bought quite a few of Harbor Freight's various clamps and I've never had a failure yet when used properly for what they're designed to for. I've always wondered about their Bauer and Hercules line of power tools, if they were of good quality. Now I'm looking at their Central Machinery lathe. Thanks for the insights!
Thank you for your kind words! I'm so glad to hear that the video was helpful for you.
Exactly Harbor Freight is supposed to be for the working man’s weekend projects. I use Snap On tools for work and the home stuff is mainly Harbor freight. In my opinion it’s like the modern day Sears. AND if something breaks I can run down there and get a replacement with no questions asked!!
I'm right there with you. It's all about balance, and can't beat the convenience of their return policy.
I have Snap-On tools and I have Harbor Freight tools and the hardware I use it on can't tell the difference. I like my snappy stuff but their prices are insane. There's a reason they can get away with it. The reason is that Snap-On is a government contractor. Snap-On doesn't need anyone but the US government as a customer. They can sell a couple billion a year and they're happy.
I've had a Hercules brand drill driver for 7 years and have used it almost every day. The lock collar locked up once and they replaced it no problem and no extra money out of pocket. (oop... i did have to purchase the extended warranty which was almost nothing).
Harbor Freight is like the casino for tools. You gamble and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Years ago before Harbor Freight really upped their game I'd buy their power tools and they were pretty terrible. I bought a jig saw off of them and it wasn't super cheap. But half the price of a name brand tool. Initially it worked OK. But then the blade holder broke, then it literally blew up in my hand, then finally the gear broke in it and that I couldn't fix. So that was the end of that. So I sucked it up and bought a name brand tool and it still works. The name brand tool never broke.
I get what you mean with HF. Sometimes you luck out, sometimes... not so much. Sorry to hear about your jig saw ordeal, but at least you found a reliable replacement in the end.
@@sawinery-woodworking well yeah. Bosch was making some pretty good power tools back then. The Harbor Freight jig saw was entertaining if nothing else. Ah look the front fell off. Whoa it blew up right in my hand! I tossed it across my shop when that happened. Good times.
Harbor freight is basically the tools plug no middle men…smart business move considering how popular they are🔥🔥🔥🔥
HF does not actually "build their own" tools. Bauer and Hercules are made in the same Chinese factories as Ryobi and DeWalt. (Yes, DeWalt has some US manufacturing, but with Chinese parts)
China will build whatever quality tools you pay them to build. Remember, these people have a nuclear arsenal.
That said, your video is spot-on. There are good and bad tools at HF. Way more good than bad today compared to 15 years ago.
Doing the research is up to the buyer.
Sorry if I implied that they actually build their own. I’m sure you’re right that they just find a Chinese manufacturer to build for them. I guess the big difference today, compared to 20 years ago, is they’re having that factory turn out better quality tools.
From what I've heard Harbor Freight has an engineer from Milwaukee or something and he's designed some of the HF tools to their special spec. But a lot of it is rebranded far eastern stuff. If you're buying X number of shipping containers they'll slap any name on the stuff you're getting.
Bauer line does not include a table saw.
The Hercules is almost nice, but has enough QA issues to make it a hard pass. It wouldn't take much to bring the quality level up, but in its current form... no.
The Warrior is very budget oriented as low as $125-$130 on sale. May be okay for small DIY projects. Definitely not for large material. Use at your own risk.
Skil offers a much better entry level table saw. The TS6307-00 is better quality than the Hercules, and cost substantially less.
Chicago Electric, but CENTRAL Pneumatic and Machinery.
The new Hercules brushless power tools are actually really competitive performance wise. Performance wise i would say their drill and impact are equivalent to last gen Milwaukee (i have a feeling they are made by the manufacturer Milwaukee uses) and they offer 5year warranty on Hercules brushless tools and 3 yr on the batteries
I have nover had a Harbour Freight tool fail me. I have other brands from when I was a mechanic that still work but if I need a new tool I shop Harbour Freight first. Great tools for the home owner and a great selection. I have a new welder from there and it is low cost and easy too use with practice.
Great to hear you've had such solid luck with Harbor Freight tools, especially for home projects! Sounds like they've really come through for you. Care to share some of your favorites aside from your new welder?
@@sawinery-woodworking I have the Electric and air powered impact guns and their small tire changer for mower and small trailer tires and they are all great tools. I used the electric impact gun and it surprised me as too the power it has. Great tools.
Their parallel clamps are honestly comparable to the Jorgensen clamps, at almost half the price. I use them daily and they’ve been awesome!
I'm glad to hear that! It's always a win when you find quality tools at a great price.
Pony Jorgensen got bought by GreatStar China. So it's all off shore now.
I have used Doyle and Quinn dikes and lineman's pliers they do the job quite adequately while they are not top of the line klien or channel lock at least they are not great neck
You just have to know what youre looking at with some of their stuff. Some of their stuff has several part numbers for the same tool. The 20t press for example. Theres 2 different versions. I cant remember which one is better but one bolts together and the other has the main frame welded. Same tool, same price, different quality.
Thanks for chiming in! Your advice about understanding Harbor Freight tools is much appreciated. Appreciate you sharing!
I just wish that they would sale more wood working tools and not just the cheap ones that they have.
Yes I love hf great place
I find it interesting that he had the 1" sander and when he got the 4" he gave the 1" away. I have both, I use both, I use the 1" far more, and on the 4" I use the disc more then the belt. the 4" belt just has poor duct collection and is completely under powered. but they both have their uses, going forward I would defiantly recommend the bower belt sander over the Central Machinery he has even with the price jump, or if you have the room, get the Central Machinery 6" belt/disc sander
Much better than the Pittsburgh clamps that you showed are HarborFreight Bremen clamps, which are just as good as Dewalt or Jorgensen (at about 60% of the price).
Great Video. Thanks
9:22 I think you meant to say Warrior, rather than Bauer. HF doesn't have a Bauer table saw. The Warrior line is equivalent to Chicago Electric.
That Hercules table saw is nice, but it's slightly outclassed in features and price by the Skil TS6307-00.
You’re right. My memory failed me there. I guess I assumed it was Bauer. Either way, I wasn’t all that impressed with it.
There are some gems in that store as well as some crap. The #4 sized and the dual adjustment plane with wood tote and knob are not good at all as a jackplane. I am going to turn mine into scrubplanes. Not sure how well that will work out yet but they currently serve no other purpose.
Excellent!
I have a Hercules mitre saw, and it's great, but I'm a DYI'er, so it might not hold up with constant use. I've used it regularly for over 5 years, and worn out the blade it came with (which was VERY good), but perhaps there are other brands which hold up better.
Appreciate you sharing your experience! It's awesome to hear that your Hercules miter saw has been serving you well for over 5 years. And yes, considering other brands geared towards heavy-duty use is definitely a good idea for prolonged or intense usage.
The issue with Her toes right now is the number of tools they have for that anyway platform. They need to widen the number of tools that run on that battery platform.
Just to pick a nit... you CAN drill a hole into concrete with a regular drill, but you can drill it more efficiently with the hammer drill. Otherwise, an easy video to warch 👍🏻
I bought the Hercules job site table saw. It’s a mirror copy of the Dewalt, use it twice a month for projects, and works like a champ.. Not every day, but fits my need
I have some h f tools don't use them that much but i know they will work plus i don't have a lot of money to get quality tools
Wow, perfectly rational level-headed takes…a guy standing among a normal amount of both power tools and hand tools…no over the top hyperbole, neither irrational brand loyalty or hatred. Actual information with historical context thrown in. I’m confused, I think you’re doing this UA-cam thing all wrong! 😂
LOL, maybe I need to throw in a few exaggerated reactions to keep up with the UA-cam crowd! But seriously, thanks for noticing the effort. Just wanted to share some solid info 😊
If you were going to buy a router table, what brand would it be?
The thing about Harbor Freight is that 95-99% of people don't need nicer tools. I'm an "average joe" that uses tools here and there around the house. I probably use all of my tools a combined 0-5 times per month. Why do I need expensive tools? When the HF tools I own finally break (I'm not convinced they ever will at the rate I use tools) I just buy another one for a few bucks. There is no way in my lifetime I'll come even close to spending what it would cost even to just buy a cheaper/middle of the road priced brand like Irwins line of tools. Let alone Snap On, Mac etc.
You make a great point. Harbor Freight tools are great for folks who don't need high-end tools for frequent use. It's all about practicality and saving money where we can.
It's funny you say you don't have any use for the welders or the automotive department but now that I do woodworking the entire store is like a candy shop for me. I am pretty versatile when it comes to working with my hands but yeah, I do woodworking, welding and automotive work. Lol talk about a trifecta huh😂😂😂
I would trust this man with my life
Also remember that the hand tool brands like Pittsburgh and Icon have a lifetime warranty. Take back that clamp your son broke, and they'll give you a new one.
Hey, thanks for sharing that! It's great to have that extra reassurance when investing in tools.
I bought a socket set 3 years ago for $12 and maybe used it 3 times. I’d say I got my moneys worth
Nice one! Sometimes all we need are affordable tools that get the job done when you need them.
The Doyle 9” Lineman’s pliers are high quality @ $18, a third of the price of premium brands.
I wish that all of their battery tools would use the same battery. I would get their best drill as I use it the most. Some other tools I hardly use, I'd get cheap ones. Now I need more batteries and chargers.
I believe your statement that "harbor freight makes tools" is misleading. They may spec them but I don't believe they own any manufacturing in the USA or anywhere else.
I think even that may be a little far. A lot of what’s in the store is manufactured white label in China and then shopped to brands. You’ll run into identical tools sold under different labels. He has a Wen band saw there and a lot of Wen tools are the same.
That said, all store brands operate that way. Craftsman used to be like Bass Pro store brands: a little cheaper offering made by the major manufacturers. Hand planes were made by Sargant and Millers Falls for 100 years. But I think they had gone full store brand even prior to Sears going defunct, definitely after. Kobalt, Husky, etc. operate that way. Also lower tier brands like Skill. Ryobi is where you start getting dedicated manufacturing. Then you run into the mess of corporate structures where most big box name brands fall under 2 parent companies, often going GM putting different plastic (and batteries) on the same tool body.
And then there’s some of the old brands that have gone overseas. Pony Jorgensen’s customer support is even in China, and I can’t tell the difference between their F clamps and HF’s except the color. I just buy clamps at garage/estate sales from when they had better tolerances and no plastic. Irwin Marples is similar with at least some of their line, seem to be the same as big box store brand. Stanley mostly exists as a label sold off to different companies in different segments.
I have an old HF drill press that’s good enough. I’ll replace it eventually. Probably anything that’s a big electric motor is fine: the sander, a grinder, whatever. They’re basically the bare minimum reference design of that thing. It’ll be kinda crappy, the tolerances aren’t great, and the plastic will break off, but they’ll work. That’s not OK for a saw. And their regular power tools are just bad, except for his use case of “once in a blue moon” when you can’t borrow one.
But I mostly buy shop stuff there: magnet trays, funnels, wire brushes, etc. The one real thing they’re my source for is Evaporust. Dollar Tree is often better for things like cheap paint brushes, spray bottles, cleaners, and their table cloths make a great small drop cloth to protect a bench from glue ups or finish. For things in bulk, Amazon or Temu (if you can wait 2 weeks) are cheaper for the same junk.
I agree 100%
I'm suspicious the, "I don't need one, so I'm not doing that," comment regarding the table saw was reflexively aimed at a spouse... 😂
After I show my husband a new tool and he reminds me we already have that tool, I have to backpedal with, "Oh, yea, yea.. I was just looking and thought it was cool. 😏"