HF tools that don't suck

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Instead of the usual 'does this tool actually work' or 'HF tools suck', how about a list of genuinely useful tools they sell. I'll certainly buy quality if I can afford to, but knowing where you can save in order to finance the shiny tools is more than half the battle...Anyway, here's my personal listHF tools I really like============4 1/2" chicago electric grinder heavy duty sawzall (*not* the cheaper one, which won't cut a damn steak)18ga. brad nailer3/4" pipe clampsHF tools I tolerate============8" 3/4hp (yeah right) grinder3 piece 'large' locking C-clamp set auto-darkening helmet8 ton comealongHF tools I promise never to buy============anything with an integrated bladeanything with rechargeable batteriesany of their 2% duty cycle weldersany of their pot-metal vises
Reply:triffid98,welcome.    HF gets a lot of bad press so thanks for the heads up.
Reply:The anvils they sell are referred to by blacksmith's as "anvil-shaped objects" good for a doorstop or a paper weight.  I am amused by that fact.I bought one of the 4-1/2" angle grinders for $15 and it died when it was the only one I had, so I gave up on that.  However, as a backup it might be fine.  I have a chop saw from there I bought at one point which has actually worked pretty well.  It's light on horsepower but has worked ok.  One of the auto-darkening helmets they have is supposed to be pretty good, but I don't recall the model.-Heath
Reply:My simplified gauge for guying HF tools is this, 'if your life or income depends on it, don't buy it ay harbor freight'. I buy their vice grip knock offs. They do oakay.  I bought their chicago angle die grinder. It runs good. I bought their 20 tone press to do four or five bends a year. It's just fine for me.I bought one of their cordless drills. It drills. That's about all I can say about it. I wouldn't put it up in any competition. I've had bought for me a lot of items in the hand tool category like end wrenches, ratchets and such. Those all fall in the total failure group.
Reply:I have great luck with Harbor Freight....- C-clamps- nitrile gloves- impact sockets- auto darken helmet (very specific model)- load leveler (for engine hoist)- 8" npeumatic wheels- 10" npeumatic wheels w/ castors  (awesome price at 10$/ea! )- foam/rubber wheelbarrow wheel (blackberry proof! )- wire brushes- welding magnets- split leather gloves   Thats about it for the happy with list.  I have just as long a list of the negatives.  But I will only give my Worst HF purchase....  that 50$ CRAP chop saw!  It's like trying to cut a knife with butter.   Good luck with your projects!  Brian Lee  Sparkeee24
Reply:I must be the only person that's ever had any luck with the chop saw.  I got it on a whim and have since made hundreds of cuts with it.  The only time I've ever had a problem is with stock that is laying flat and giving a large bearing surface to the wheel.  At that point, it becomes apparent that it's just underpowered.  Unfortunately, it hasn't died yet.  Maybe I'll give it away and get a decent one.I've had the C-clamps explode on me if dropped.  I prefer better quality ones.  Other folks have complained about the pneumatic wheels.  So much so that I'm considering 10" hard rubber wheels for a new welding cart.-Heath
Reply:I've had the C-clamps explode on me if dropped. I prefer better quality ones.
Reply:Originally Posted by halbrittThe anvils they sell are referred to by blacksmith's as "anvil-shaped objects" good for a doorstop or a paper weight.  I am amused by that fact.I bought one of the 4-1/2" angle grinders for $15 and it died when it was the only one I had, so I gave up on that.  However, as a backup it might be fine.  I have a chop saw from there I bought at one point which has actually worked pretty well.  It's light on horsepower but has worked ok.  One of the auto-darkening helmets they have is supposed to be pretty good, but I don't recall the model.
Reply:OK, gotta add another goodie.  I just got the 40 lb "medium" sized pressurized tank sandblaster kit they sell, for a "deal" price of I think around 80 bucks. normally 140 or something silly.  I was skeptical, as always, but WOW!  This thing really works 10 times better then the 20$ siphon unit I was using.  It could still use (as silly as it sounds)  a cordless vibrator throw in the mix to keep the sand from clogging, or moving less then freely.  I think that would be the case with any unit, regardless of model though.  I am using cheep "big orange store" silica sand.  8$ for 100 lbs, and its safe enough to just have the grass grown in around it.  Probably why it clogs every so often.  but not bad.  Uhm, lets see.... what else... oh yeah, the cheezy magnetic welding holders for your stinger and mig gun.  Tried those out today, kinda nice for 3 or 4$.   uhm...  Something about 2 years of being in the sun, for 5$ (there every other week sale price)  for 10" pneumatic tires, isn't bad at all.  You leave bike tires in the sun for 2 years, they crap out too, even 80$ mt bike race tires with kevlar belts, beads and the works!  So say, 700 days +/- divided bye 20$ (for 4 tires lets say) , and your still less then 1$ / mo for 4 wheels with bearings.  I'm not saying there killer awesome, but you get what you pay for.  In this case, you get alot more.  IMHO.   lets see... Oh yeha, the guy threw i an old stock 10" long fence/linesmans pliers that will work just fine for "hot tongs". Gave em to me for 3$.  (I picked them out, it's not like he had 10 boxes of defective ones behind the counter...)  anyway, even more disgusted with my chopsaw, after having such good results from my "foremost brand" taiwan gravity feed metal cutting band saw.  NOT from HF.  same castings, but stiffer stand, mine has bigger motor, and cast steel roller guides, not stamped thin steel.  The table adjustment is alot better on the "formost brand" also.  HF has theirs on sale for around 180$ right now I think, still WAYYYYY better then that chop saw.  There stuff is just luck of the draw I guess.  For my gravel/rough lawn/farm acreage, there lil 10" wheeled garden cart works awesome.  for 50$, wheelin around welder, bandsaw, 80cu ft cylinder, and set of tools, I'm happy.  Free chopsaw in the greater seattle area   less then 20 cuts!  10 pack of HF discs too!  :P  Happy welding folks!  Brian Lee  Sparkeee24
Reply:I've found that chop saw actually useable if you get the nicer norton blades for it and adjust the fence. It's still a piece of junk (the bearing slop is laughable, and so is the cheap base) but it will cut small/medium tubing/angle just fine. It ain't no Milwaukee, but it ain't no $300 either.
Reply:I've never had a problem with any HF air tools and I have quite a few of them. Die grinders(3), cutoff tool, air body saw, nibbler, impact wrench, air ratchets(2), air hammer, air drill, pressure sand blaster all work great. Just oil regularly and no probs. Only one I wouldn't recommend is the mini die grinder  ( air dremel ) not enough umph.
Reply:Bought lots of stuff from HF over the years.  Some items:1. 220 volt spot welder - you gotta be FAST on the trigger, or you'll blow a hole.  Works fine though.2. Corded hand drill $9.95 special - would have worked fine if they had better brush holders rather than the cheap plastic ones that melt.  Chucked it into the garbage after a few meltdowns.3.  Tire changer - saved tons of money changing my own tires, and even MORE money after I bought the motorcycle attachment.  That thing paid for itself on first use.4.  100 amp welder - made in Italy, the thing welded like a charm.  Finally sold it for $50.00 because I upgraded to an Lincoln multi process.5.  Chicage Electric 4.5 inch disk grinder - I keep abusing that thing and it keeps going - amazing for $12.95 on special. 6.   Various air tools - mostly junk except the high speed cutter.  The impact wrenches slip too much.Lot of other stuff on my way to making my first million in my garage.  Have fun.
Reply:Nelson,Do you have the needle scaler?  I have been eyeballing that thing for a while, wondering if it's worthwhile.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:My best HF tool the 1" rotary hammer (41983) also have bender,4-1/2" band saw, 9"angle grinder (46607) a brute,8" drill press, auto dark hood(47277) very good hood, 3.5 cu. ft. cement mixer elect. a concession to a bad back, 20 pound sand blaster,  4" and 5" angle grinders , adjustable degree framing air nailer,2 different models were defective, air impact, air die grinder(just ok) spray gun and a bunch of STUFF. if my foot wern't broke,i'd be tryin'.
Reply:My dad used to sell Proto tools.  It was a looong time before I would even look at a Harbor Freight tool.Well, that has changed.  I've spent far too much there in the last two years.  You have to be careful what you buy, and don't expect commercial quality.  You can usually get something that will work well for light duty stuff, and you might get something that actually lasts, too.Some things that I've had good luck with include:  9" Angle Grinder, 2 HP Dust Collector, Needle Scaler (small), Underwater Video Camera (works great for seeing into tight spots), Twin Tank Air Compressor (first one leaked), Forstner Bits, Nytrile Gloves, Mini Pneumatic Die Grinder, Pipe Threading Set, LED Flashlight, Quick-Release C-Clamps, 'Precision' Tool Grinder, 14" Wood Band Saw, & Rotary Hammer Drill.I bought a Blasting Cabinet this year and I had to add a light & dust collector to it.  I'm still experimenting with it to get it to feed right with glass beads.  I also bought the 20 pound pressurized Sand Blaster, too.  It works, but I have to figure out how to adjust the valves to get the flow working right.I bought their cheap Metal Band Saw.  It had several problems.  It wouldn't go all the way down unless I bent the blade cover.  Doesn't cut stuff very straight.  I think I need to get a good blade for it.
Reply:Every HF tool, I mean EVERYONE I've purchased has needed some modification or tweaking to get it to perform correctly.   I fully expected that walking into HF.   Some that come to mind:Pneumatic Panel Flanger, rebuilt with better o-rings to stop air leaks.Pneumatic 3/8 drive ratchet, dissasembled & cleaned out the metal deposits from ratchet works.Dual Sanding Center, reinforced the base, tweaked the belt sander section to be properly aligned.Adjustable Work Support Roller, removed the loose ball bearings & pressed in a set of 32mm sealed bearings.4.5" Angle grinder, when dropped, the plastic handle shattered beyond repair so I permanently welded the cast housing it to an aluminum frame and use 8" disks to be a "fixed" bench grinder.  It's actually very useful.It's like the old man said, "Buy the best tools you can afford.  If you pay for crap, then you can't complain when you get crap."There are no small projects
Reply:The 2 ton overhead hoist trolley is fine, especially since I never pick up over 1200 lbs. The creepers are OK for the price. I have had good luck with the vices. Steer away from the 3 and 5 HP electric motors. The blue 4 1/2 inch grinders are junk, but the yellow ones are OK for a spare. The big drill press is OK except for the chuck. Paint guns are great.
Reply:I forgot a few items I like in my first post (and it won't let me edit it):I've got several of the Air Hose Reels, wish they steered the hose on better, but they seem to work OK.  I really like my Aluminum Racing Jack.  It will even lift my 4x4 Suburban.  Also, have a bunch of their Jack Stands.  Probably the best item I've bought at H.F. is the Booster Pack, item # 8884.  This portable battery pack also has a small compressor and light.  Make sure you get this model, as it has longer cables than the others.  I've got 3 for myself and I've given a half dozen of them away to family & friends.  Just make sure you bring it in the house once a month and charge it.  This has saved my butt many times.  Great for the lake, where I might arrive to find that my boat trailer has a low tire, or the boat battery is low.  Being portable, it is very easy to jump start a boat that has died in the water.
Reply:HELLO TO ALL,i bought a bandfile sander from HORROR FREIGHT.it is junk, and would not work. most people wouldtake this item back, and get their money back. i hadto rework it, extensively to make it work. but it doeswork now. i think the problem with HF tools is they donot have a proper inspection department to check thetools, or maybe they do not care, and figure someonewill buy them as they are.wlbrown
Reply:The Chinks are smart. They know us "rich" Americans will plop down the money on a cheap knockoff tool to try and "save" a dollar. ....and then cry on a tool forum about how sorry the China tools are.  Im sure they probably log in to these sites just for a good laugh. ....and yeah, Im a Harbor Freight-aholic too.
Reply:I bought an HR 4" Metal Cutting Bandsaw last summer.  It took some work just to use it, and it never cut very well.  I just installed a GOOD blade and what a difference!  It cuts about 4 times faster, and it cuts straight.I've had a 14" Wood Bandsaw for a couple of years.  It was much better with a good blade, too.  When I stopped at HF a week ago, I found that they make a ball bearing guide kit for this saw blade that replaces the original nylon blocks.  Of course, it didn't fit right (They would fit the saw, but one block stuck out so far as to hit the miter gauge.  I shortened it about 1/8" and it works fine).If you buy any kind of saw from HF, plan to buy a better blade for it as soon as you get it home.  I bought my bandsaw blades from Grizzly, and I'm pretty happy with them.
Reply:Well, I can tell you that I had purchased a few tools from HF many years ago when I had to order them from a catalog and experienced mixed results. I had not bought anything from them for a very long time until recently when we got not one, but two HF stores in my area. Since it is now convenient to shop in the store, I am once again trying some of their products. I did purchase one of their drill presses (second from the largest), and I am very pleased with it. Other items I have purchased have for the most part been OK. I tried one of their mig welders, and returned it for a refund after having trouble with it. I also purchased one of their multi-testers for a garage wiring project. It  was on sale for $2.99, and paid for itself on the first job. I have found as others have, that you just need to watch what you buy from them. A forum like this can be a great help when choosing stuff from Harbor Freight.-Vic
Reply:I own a few HF tools. I bought their cheap chop saw for a few projects and didn't have the best of luck with it. I was cutting some heavy stuff, but I was taking my time. 3 saw didn't last a afternoon of cutting. No I wasn't betting the hell out of them either. I upgraded to the $100 chop saw and it's worked great since. Don't use the blades that come with them, they'll burn up the motor fast then anything. I like the welding magnets the best, I watch for them on sale and pick up a few when I need them. The C-clamps for the price are that bad. I get those on sale as well. Most of the stuff is passable and with a little work can be made better. You get what you pay for with them.
Reply:New guy here. I've got a few HF tools, but usually restrict my purchases to items for which I have a one-time use or that will be used infrequently.I've gotten good use out of their Chicago 4.5" angle grinder... it was cheap enough that if it dies on me now I'll likely just go and pick up another one. Bought their $40 rotary hammer when I had a project that required me to bust a few good sized holes in some masonry... worked just fine using SDS bits and chisels. I subsequently needed to use it as a hammer drill (my son had "borrowed back" his nice little Makita) so plugged in the supplied "Jacobs" chuck and started drilling. The chuck promptly "blew apart" into about a dozen pieces. Tool still works fine with SDS bits, though...I'm lucky in that I've got a HF store about three miles from my house, so I can actually set eyes on their stuff before taking it home. Got a real nice rubber air hose there dirt cheap. Not everything they sell is junk...
Reply:I recently picked up an 8" Grinder/Buffer (#92425), which seems OK.  I took the grinding wheel off and installed a wire wheel.  It doesn't have any flats on the shaft to keep it from turning, so I had to use  an impact wrench to loosen/tighten the nut.  I may grind flats in later.Also, picked up a 12" Disk Sander (#43468).  Haven't had a chance to really use it, but it seemed pretty nice just testing it.My wife had been wanting a small air compressor to power her brad nailer and staplers she uses on her furniture projects. So, I suggested she look at the HF compressors and gave her the 20% off coupon I had received a few days earlier. Theres now a new HF addict in the house.   She bought the little 2hp / 8 gallon oil bath compressor and LOVES it so far."I need this parade like I need a hole in the head"~John F.Kennedy
Reply:SPARKEE!!!!! Listen, let me add a little SAFETY here for you. STOP using the silica sand from the orange box. First of all SILICOSIS is a huge health hazard. You should never sandblast with silica sand, I don't care how long some old timer has been doing it. It's bad news. Read the bag it comes in. Really inexpensive blast media is available at my local brick/concrete/rock yard in 60lb bags. I think it's called SharpShot. It is made from copper slag left over from the smelting process. This stuff works awesome! It is approved by OSHA for use without any respiratory precautions other than a dusk mask for "Nuisance" dust control. In laymans terms (and personal experience) you will have a bunch of black boogers if you don't use a dust mask.  I did a ton of blasting and found that my leathers and a leather welding hood (soft) with a clear lens instead of a shade is perfect for blasting a lot of things out of position. Ok, secondly, (I have the same blaster you have), it uses a lot of air and your compressor will run a lot. I have an 80gallon tank. What I have found causes the sand to stop flowing easily is condensation. You gotta dry that air before you plumb it into a sand tank. Vibrating wet sand doesn't really do much good. The best way to do it is really expensive. Which would be a commercial dryer. They use a series of refrigerated cooling, membranes, dessicants. But what I did was cheap. I took the 1/2inch air line coming off my compressor, ran it to a copper T fitting, 1/2inch X 3/8inch X 3/8inch, I sweated two 50ft copper coils onto each end of the T fitting, then put another T on the other end back to a 1/2inch line and into my Filter/Dryer. I took a plastic tub from wally world and put the copper coils in it. Cover it with about 24 inches of ice. Start blasting away. The cooled air will condensate, hit the filter/dryer and drip out the bottom. The dry air will hit your sand and keep flowing.  Works like a freaking champ. I have used plain water and it works, but ice works better. Ok, so I have an ice machine that makes 500lbs a day....so it's easy for me to say use ice. Even water works better to cool than nothing at all! But whatever you do. Stop using silica sandLincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:What I like from HF is my sand blasting cabinet (The large metal cabinet one) But I had to modify it to satisfy my needs. I installed two halogen lights inside. I also grounded the cabinet to the light fixture box. Apparently if you let air run through there a while, the static will build up and zap you pretty good. The ground wire eliminated that for me. I like the 7" X 12" horizontal bandsaw, hydraulic speed control, recirculating coolant pump and enough power so far to cut through 2" X 2" solid draw bar stock. The 40lb sand blasting tank, but had to change out some valves that wore out kind of quickly. A bunch of casters that seem to work pretty well. Never replaced one yet.The pneumatic tires are fine. Just gotta fill em with SLIME. good to go. I also use the flat green garden cart with pneumatic tires. That thing is great for loading the ice chest from the truck to the camping site full of ice and beer!U-joints for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch impact wrench have seen some abuse but never broke. I also used the heck out of the air chisel I bought at HF. I broke it by misusing it (Really was my fault), but they replaced it and it is still going today. Oh, the one tool I had to have and just could not fork over the money to snap-it-on tools, was a u-joint/balljoint tool. It's like a big c clamp that you can press things in and out with. I had to use it several times so far and it really does a good job at a mere fraction of the price the red truck guy wanted for his strap-on tools. If you know what you want and what to look for, you can really make good use of what they sell for the price they sell it for. PLUS HF is open on Sat and Sun.!!! Not that I am a huge fan, but hey, they did give me a free blue HF t-shirt for being so handsome. U can't beat that with a wooden bat and it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Normally I wouldn't consider buying HF drill bits, but I bought some large twist drills a while back because I didn't have any that large (up to 1"), and they were cheap.  They are item #00527, Silver & Deming Twist Drills.I got to try them the other day, drilled some 1" holes in some 3/8" steel plate.  Did just fine!  Money well spent!
Reply:I have a few HF tools, the ones that stand out are:A red paddle switch grinder from their industrial line. I wished they still sold it, it lasted me thru welding classes where it was borrowed by everyone . I wore out the original brushes and the second set is in now. Yes its still working after 3 years!The little 80amp inverter welder I got for Christmas 2 years ago. I've heard some people had problem with theirs, maybe I lucked out because mine been trouble free. Its the size of a lunchbox and used within its 80amp output, its great for small stuff. Being 120v and small Its easy to tote along where you just got a couple of beads to run.I also got a couple of HF's "drillmaster" grinders for $9.99 each. They bog down for grinding but fine with flap disks. I use them for clean up duty with different grit disks. Time will tell if they last. I can't ask alot from 10 dollar grinders
Reply:Just gotta be selective, I have a bandsaw, the large blast cabinet and a few other harbor freight tools that are actually pretty good...their #43430 hvlp spray gun is legendary (it's a sata knock off and the guys on the painting forums swear by them, I have one and it works great).
Reply:I have the following HF tools and they are pretty good with exceptions noted: 1. The large HF blast cabinet, the 36" wide one that opens on the side is good. I had to eventually change the gun to a Snap-on because I got tired of looking around for ceramic tips or machining stainless steel ones. Other than that, it's great. I use it with a large vintage Cyclone dust collector to keep it clean. Oh, I changed form a fluorescent bulb to three incandescents, too. 2. The 3/4 hp double-shaft buffer-grinder is great. It has an 8" grinding wheel on the left and a large buffing wheel on the right. 3/4" shaft and a 3,450 rpm motor. It's a real powerhouse. I sold my 1/4 hp Baldor buffer in eBay for $200 and bought the HF buffer on sale for $69.50. What's not to like?  Oh yeah, you'll be needing one of their grinding pedestals with the water tray on the front, they're good too at $29.95....or you can get the same thing at Sears for $99.00. 3. All of their consumables such as cotter pins, grease fittings, roll pins, O-rings, Internal and External lock clips, 12" sanding disks, 12" cutting wheels, 3", 4", 4-1/2" grinding wheels are OK too. 4. The large Sidewinder grinder (can't remember the exact size) is a winner at $39.95, too. Those things are heavy but for occasional use, it stacks up pretty well with the Sears or DeWalt for five tmes the price. 5. Vises: Somebody above complained about their vises but I haven't had any trouble. I have one of their 5" vises, the one with the black wrinkle finish and it's pretty darn good. I did make a longer handle for it, but I do that on all of my vises since they are typically too short. 6. HF Mill Drill.  People turn their noses up at cheaper Chinese tools but this one is a winner for me. I only had to do a couple of changes to make it work very well. The drive column has a pin in it that's too soft. I removed the column and pressed in a 1/8" roller bearing to contact the tools on the inside. It's still in there and holds the tapered tools very nicely. The 2 hp (rated) motor on this one will run on 110 or 220 but I left it on 110 since it works quite well and it looked like a chore to change the cable and re-arrange the switch. I typically run this on low speed for cutting and drilling so it's got plenty of power. It's been running for ten years now and still going. By the way, these things are probably all made in the same factory, even the "better-finished" ones that are sold by Enco, Grainger and other such companies. So, IMHO, HF ain't all bad. Just stay away from their Welders, gas or electric. If buying welding equipment, just bite the bullet and get Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Victor or other name brand and enjoy!.Last edited by gnm109; 06-18-2006 at 10:51 AM.
Reply:I have owned a Thermal Arc Dragster 80 and I recently asked my boss to try one of the harbor fright 80 amp welders for a few cases in which we need to go do a small job requiring a few short welds or tacks. The harbor freight machine has welded better than the thermal arc EVERY time. Plugging this into a 125v receptacle seems to make it even better. I have yet to tig weld with the HF machine but hope to in the next week or two.I received a HF auto darkening welding hood Friday. I welded with it all day Friday (10 Hours) and 6 hours Saturday. I LIKE IT . ESPECIALLY for $49.00. As a Huntsman hood wearer most of my life I was suprised by how light and comfortable it was. The lens is too sensitive for grinding but I can remedy that with a few modifications.Have a nice dayhttp://www.weldingdata.com/
Reply:only thing i have is an auto-dark helemt from them. chaepest one at 50 bckus on sale (some are over 150) i've uesd it tnos and inm ndot bilnd yet
Reply:I have a lot more to add in a bit, I am working on a list.  I think we all like to have positive things to say- so a few days ago- and OK, I know welders don't use this tool as a rule, but hey- I facetiously bought one of their $9.99 pneumatic brad nailers just to watch it fail, and I was really surprised. So far for light use it is working very well, it even came with a bag of service parts which could be taken either way- but there you are.
Reply:my neighbor has a concrete mixer he got on sale for i think $189 and so far it has worked great. i think when he gets done with the shed he's building ill try to buy it from him if its still together. i could have really used it when i put up a fence for my goats. mixing like 20 bags of quickcrete with a shovel sucks!66% of Americans think George W. is doing a bad job in Iraq. The other 34% think Adam and Eve rode dinosaurs to church.
Reply:I have been buying stuff form HF for years, but ususally for low-use projects.  Any REAL tools you use for making a living should be higher quality.  Some tools I have bought and have had good luck with:4" angle grinder (my favorite HF throw-away)cheapo mutimeter (I seem to keep my Fluke in the box)vise grips & other pliers and stuffsmall band sander (1 1/2"?) gets a lot of usepipe wrenchesair fittings & hoses1/2 HP bench grindera dedicated spare tool kit for my travel trailer that includes screwdrivers, socket set, wrenches, allens, assort. pliers , multimeter and stuffmisc. consumables: tape, gloves, razor knifes, sanding & grinding suppliesMy REAL tools are Snap On, Delta, Dewalt, Makita, Hitachi, Milwakee, Porter Cable and of coarse, some Craftsman.Worst tool was a chop saw moblie base (about $50) that never worked properly and a weld broke the second time I set it up.  Luckily, I knew how to fix that.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:So, would you guys consider the $199.99 HF band saw or just go with the $329 Jet from Northern Tool ? I'm thinking of buying a band saw this week. I saw the posts and post referral to other links on how to fix the small "issues" with the HF unit. Thoughts, opinions???John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:I have the HF band saw and it is fine.  The sheet metal stand is pretty lame, but the saw itself works great.  I doubt the JET is a ton better, it's not like we're comparing HF to Milwaukee, etc.
Reply:About the only difference I saw worth noting was the JET had a UL-Listed motor.  Haven't heard of any motor issues with the basic HF units, though.
Reply:Micro-I wouldn't suggest the HF band saw.  I had one and had to change the motor after about a year and also the blade adjuster is made of pot metal and it cracked.  I had to fab steel ones to sell it.  I know JeET makes preety good equipment.  I'd spring for the JET if I were you.  I ended up getting a Delta.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:Thanks for the replies fellas. From what I've read and gathered, JET is supposed to be a really decent brand in tooling. I may just spring the extra $129.00 for the JET unit. Again, I've read some posts and other various links on "upgrading" the HF unit and the time involved, it's worth it to spring for the other bean and a quarter. My time is worth at least $60 an hour, so I'm thinking it will take me 2 hours or more, to make it right, per the HF band saw correction links. One item to note: the HF unit only allows 4.5" max. round stock, the JET in Northern Tool allows for 5"...I do some large downpipes for turbo systems. So, this is my golden harp for possibly springing for the JET.  Any other comments are still appreciated.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:My buddy and i have had good luck with Harbor Freight Tools.Central Machinery 2hp 10" Bench Grinder: Worked good for over 5years but now the wheels need to be replaced and i am having a hard time finding replacements...Central Machinery  Bench Top Drill Press: This thing is still going strong...Makita 14" Abrasive Chop Saw: This saw has run strong for over 5 years, but i think the brushes are starting to go...20ton A Frame Shop Press: good little press....All thses tools are where all ordered at the same time over 5 years ago and all but the bench grinder are still in use today....Millermatic 175 MIGMiller Spectrum 375 PlasmaLincoln AC/DC 225 BuzzboxM-Tech NE5 Tube bender withcustom CNC machined 3/4" think main arms
Reply:Just an FYI fellas: Northern Tool has a deal on their brand of band saw, it is $159. Link here: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...70_20885_20885This is mighty tempting but I think I will still go with the JET saw.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Since this thread got bumped anyway:Most of my air hoses are Made in the USA by Goodyear, and purchased at Harbor Freight.
Reply:Originally Posted by MicroZoneJust an FYI fellas: Northern Tool has a deal on their brand of band saw, it is $159. Link here: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...70_20885_20885This is mighty tempting but I think I will still go with the JET saw.
Reply:Seems like a great deal for those who want a decent price on a good band saw. I went ahead and ordered a JET. I would have like to save $170 but I hope to be happier in the long run with the JET saw.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Originally Posted by stomper4x4Central Machinery 2hp 10" Bench Grinder: Worked good for over 5years but now the wheels need to be replaced and i am having a hard time finding replacements...
Reply:someone decided they needed my service truck more than i did. so in a pinch, i had to go to HF and replace some tools fast. the company i worked for said there 1 milion dollar insurance policy didn't cover my tools on their truck. i ended up replacing 15grand of tools for about 1200.i had really good use of their 9$ die grinder and the needle scaler. also the 1/2 and 3/4 in sockets and impacts. the 3/8 stuff took an aww shcrap on the first nuts i put em on. the 3/4 torque wrench for 60 was the gem though. i was hanging off it trying to get 600 ft/lbs. cheater pipe and a front end loader to stand in helped that. all their metalworking tools, benders and rollers went to shcrap, but hey i was in a pinch
Reply:Does anyone have one of their drill presses?  Wondering if they are any good.