An interesting note on Harbor Freight Tools

[Trackrig]

Since Harbor Freight Tools comes up quit often on the forum, I thought I'd pass this along.

In the Sept 3rd edition of Forbes magazine there is a short article titled BILLIONAIRE BLUFF which lists the billionaires living at North Beverly Park in LA.

It lists Eric Smidt's house (the owner of Harbor Freight Tools) valued at $17.5M. It has two lots totaling six acres with amenities including French-style formal gardens and a 16,000 sq ft garage with a bowling alley, but he has to do without a swimming pool.

I'm sure you're all on his Christmas card list.

Bill

[Valkyriebush]

My favorite store!

[pnichols]

It's been my experience that there are two kinds of tool users who should buy top quality tools:

1) The person who doesn't use their tools much ... they need to rest assured that a tool that's been sitting around not used often that will not let them down unexpectedly during the rare times they do need to count on it.

2) The person who uses their tools a lot ... they need to rest assured that a tool that gets a lot of wear and tear will not unexpectedly break on them.

I just visited a new HF brick and motor store today. Everything I picked up had a Made in Ch#na sticker on it and was unbelievably low in price. However, there were a few tools in the store where "quality" would have made little difference if used how they were intended to be used. I guess in these cases it would have been silly to have spent more money on these type tools made in some other place with known "higher quality".

[hammer21661]

mich800 wrote:

Cloud Dancer wrote:
The wealth is held by 10% of the people.
Hopefully, there will be an actual distibution of wealth (instead of just talking about it).
The 90% group will make out like champs. Are there any 10% members here? Sorry

It must be close to Halloween time. That is one scary post.

Well over half of the voting public feels that way. Even if they do vote more then one time.

[Gale_Hawkins]

Actually there is no way to effectively redistribute wealth. Money will only stay in a home where it is respected. If put in a home where it is not respected it will move to a home where it is respected.

[rexlion]

They just opened a new HF a mile from our house. Looking forward to seeing the new store. I like some of their stuff, but I stay away from the rechargeable power tools because the cordless drill I bought from them (5-6 years ago) had terrible batteries. The manager gave me a bit of grief when I returned it within the allowable time period, but they did take it back.

[moose888]

Who cares what the guy has he made it let him spend it. How many jobs have you created today ? People need to to get over who has what . Remember a poor man goes to the rich man /woman for a job not the other way around. If the 99% keep it up maybe the rich will leave and take all there money with them . I don't care what you have or how much of it just be a good person .

[pitch]

I too had a set of HF jack stands. One of them bent. It bent because I had placed it on soft ground and when it sunk in at an angle the leg collapsed. Previous to that mishap I had used them many times without incident as they were intended to be used, on a hard level surface bearing a vertical load.
One thing I did not like, package claimed they were 4 ton stands, fine print said they were good for 2 tons apiece.

[fj12ryder]

No pent up emotions here. I simply don't understand why people complain about a post not having anything to do with the forum it's posted in, and their post has nothing to do with the thread at all, just a complaint. If someone feels it's not in the right place complain to the mods, not the people enjoying the thread. I mean, what's the point?

If I come across a thread that doesn't seem to belong, I'll probably go WTH, but I just ignore it and move on. However advertizing and scams get a heads-up to a mod immediately.

[Raften]

dave54 wrote:
Neighbor bought a couple of HF car stands a few years ago, and was showing them to me. I commented the metal looked pretty flimsy and I wouldn't trust them. He scoffed and said they were fine.
A few days later I heard yelling coming from outside my house, and I saw my neighbor, pinned under the car in his driveway. Both the HF stands had completely collapsed under the weight of the car.

After I extricated him (no injuries) he threw the HF jack stands away. They were bent and ruined anyway. He was so angry he did not want to even try and get his money back.

Before I accept that I'm going to need more info. Not trying to offend but facts are important.

[Heish]

My contractor SO, bought a HF floor nailer to put down the bamboo in the kitchen, mud room and utility room. Worked great. When he was through.... put it on craigslist.

[Veebyes]

HF is fun for a poke around. Like many here, I'd rather buy quality & pay for it once than buy cheap, have it break in no time, then have to but the quality tool. Still, I think I have a few HF tools. A pry bar & heavy hammer thing for making kindling.

Gotta admire the guy for finding that market. Like Gates, you love to hate him but you have to admire folks like that & we have all contributed to their wealth.

[fj12ryder]

I bought their motorcycle ramp/lift. I looked at one on the floor and it had a bent pump shaft and would only pump about a quarter stroke at a time. I bought the thing for about $200, took it home and straightened the shaft and it works like a champ. I use it rarely but it sure is nice to work on something at eye level rather than all bent over. 🙂 I don't know that I would put a big GoldWing up on one, but it sure works good for my sport bikes.

[OH48Lt]

I for one congrat the guy for creating his own company, building it up into the multi-million $$ business it is, creating jobs for thousands of global (USA and China and all those that get it to the store shelves) workers, paying a bunch of taxes, and helping out our economy. It's The American Way. Or at least it used to be, before The American Way digressed into sitting in their taxpayer built abode waiting on the next taxpayer funded welfare deposit while talking on their taxpayer cellphone.

As far as HF tool quality, I sure have a bunch of them here. Some I won't buy, such as anything I'd stake my life on. Previously mentioned jackstands would be an example of that. Passed on their motorcycle lift when it was only $299, bought a different Chinese-built stand of much better quality instead and had to give over $1K for it. Try to find an American-built one of those of any quality that isn't at least triple $$$. My mantra used to be "don't buy any HF stuff that cuts or has a motor on it". Found out that isn't always true, their Silver & Deming drill bit set is pretty good for HSS. Best bet it to take a good look at it and see how its built, and use your best judgement to determine if it will work for you.

[FlatBroke]

Took Back a name brand air compressor that was a pos. bought an HF that has worked better than expected for a couple of years now and was $60 cheaper. I even use it more than my shop Craftsman. Nice to known the HF owner is happy too.

[Homer1]

HF tools have the same warranty as any other big name highly advertised tool. That is what you are paying for is advertisement, albeit some tools are built for hard use. I have something of nearly every brand. My HF tools have done very well considering the vast difference in price. If I were a contractor, I would probably buy the best, as I could write the cost off.