OPINION The New Model Of Harbor Freight Charger Is Garbage

Hey Mex, I thought the saying around this forum is/was "if it has moving parts DONT BUY IT FROM HARBOR FREIGHT"!

LOL

I have bought some tools I'll probably use once or twice then they'l sit on a hook the rest of the time. That's HF. I used Snap on and Mac tools when my business depended on it years ago. Now, I used what I can afford to get the job done.

I use HF 4" side grinders almost commercially,.....for 20 bucks, very hard to beat.

jfkmk wrote:
Probably 90% of what Harbor Freight sells is garbage. That's why it is so cheap.

*If* you know the limitations -vs- your expectations.....you can do quite well with HF "stuff" as others have stated.

Have lots of HF items - including the electric cable hoist I use to lift my SG hitch (about 300lbs) out of my p/up.

I'm pretty selective about *powered* items as far as longevity & reliability.

Ex: HF is *not* the place to go for a cordless drill.

However, Some of the supposed "quality", brands have deserted *us*!
Example: The hydraulic cylinder on my Sears floor jack died.
Expensive at the time I bought the jack.
Sears no longer supplies replacement parts..:(
Search the Internet - I'm not the only one looking to repair the same model.
Some guy in the Midwest sells a repair kit for about $50.
For the amount I use the jack - bought a HF 3T for just a tad more.
Whenever it dies, I'll figure I got my use out of it -vs- the cost.

BTW - that torque wrench.
The 1/2" HF item is pretty short.
Yeah, I carry one in my trlr.

The mega high dollar Snap-On is for a guy rebuilding engines (or?) full time, 8 hours a day.
Home Depot has a long 1/2" click type TQ wrench for about $80 with a lifetime warranty.

The middle of the road ($80) Depot item is worth it to me for the extra leverage over the HF "cheapie" for my "at home" tools.

YTVMV (Your Torque "Values" May Vary)..;)

~

I got one about year in a half ago after reading and surprised to read on here that Harbor Freight made a good one. So I picked one up. Mine works OK (I guess) except green light (to indicate fully charged) didn't work from day one. There was another one high regarded by black and Decker but no longer made.

mena661 wrote:

westend wrote:
Bummer, I was planning on getting one of the HF chargers and hooking up with the variac. I guess I'll look elsewhere.

They stopped selling the one we're using. I (and Mex) were hoping the replacement was as good as the old one. It wasn't.

Yeah, understood. Thanks to Mex for taking the time to do the surgery and the shout out.

I do have an auto charger that puts out quite a bit of current but it's bulky. I was thinking to get something more RV sized. Maybe I'll get a hair you know where and build one. I have a few parts laying around and would build the charge circuit off someone's plan. I've looked at a couple of schematics and it is not that involved. Maybe some members have thought about building one and have some tips.

westend wrote:
Bummer, I was planning on getting one of the HF chargers and hooking up with the variac. I guess I'll look elsewhere.

They stopped selling the one we're using. I (and Mex) were hoping the replacement was as good as the old one. It wasn't.

Bummer, I was planning on getting one of the HF chargers and hooking up with the variac. I guess I'll look elsewhere.

Harbor Freight, your choice for disposable tools.

For me a Generator is something that needs to be 100%, so I own Honda EU2000s. Similar things can be said about my BandSaw, TableSaw, Lathes, Drill-Press, Thickness Sander, Disk Sander, etc.

For other things, Harbor Freight is spot on. I buy their right-angle drill (with coupon for less then $20). I use it for sanding. After a certain amount of time the sawdust destroys the drill. Just like it does with a $100+ drill. But the Harbor Freight lasts nearly as long as the expensive choice. Net Savings.

I just bought a set of their cheapest open-end wrenches, to use sizing tenons (wood-turning). Net Savings

I also have a sets of their Jumbo combo-wrenches (metric and SAE to 2-1/2 inches/60 mm). I need them less then once a year. Net Savings.

Their digital micrometers are spot on for wood-turning. Net Savings

The sell a two-mode LED flash-light for $6 that I see elsewhere (same model) for $12. Net Savings.

I have their 2000 lb chain hoist, I use it about once a year. Net Savings.

I have their 300 ft tape measure, need it about once a year. Net Savings.

They give away things (with coupon); small LED flash-light, 25 ft Tape Measure, Scissors, etc. Net Savings

It's fun to banter with folks a person knows and trusts. This particular forum is special to me, and while I can rant and rage sometimes at the ignorance of supposedly intelligent entities, it's always a delight to banter.

PS: To me, it's HARBOR FRIGHT

If it has an electrical cord and plug and comes from Harbor Fright, it departs China already broken.