HF Tools That Suck

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Lots of comments on the HF Tools That Don't Suck thread.  In fact, I've posted quite a few comments.However, I see the need for a thead with tools to avoid.I'll start with this:  # 35121 36 piece 1/4" Steel Stamping Set.  This is a lettering set used to 'write' on metal.  The problem is that the tools are soft.  I was trying to stamp some info on some non-hardened steel and the nice, sharp letters flattened after one or two uses.  It comes with a lifetime warranty, for whatever that's worth...America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:Oh, yea, forgot to include the #94029 1 HP Mini Dust Colllector.  This thing is very noisy.  The impeller is plastic and doesn't seem to be balanced very well.  The vibration makes it walk all over the place.I ended up giving this one away and replacing it with a #31810 Dust Collector.  This unit runs quietly, and it has a metal impeller.  It doesn't shake like the # 94029 does.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:10$ tap and die set.  How many ways can we spell  JUNK!!!!!DennisThermal Arc 185-TSWMillermatic Challenger 172VictorO/AAtlas Craftsman 12 by 24 LatheEsab PCM-875Wholesalem Tool Mill-Drill
Reply:1/2" 'central pneumatic' impact wrench. Wouldn't loosen my lugnuts which had been torqued on by hand. A total piece of crap if you ask me.- John
Reply:The 14" chopsaw blades suck. I picked one up on sale, and i see why. They are not truly round, causing the chopsaw to vibrate uncontrollably.Miller Syncrowave 200Hobart Handler 140Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38E-Z Tube BenderPlasma Cam DHC2
Reply:Don't get me started....For the most part, you get what you pay for.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:If you do happen to buy HF tools atleast stick with name brand consumables. especially with something like a grinding disk or chop saw blade or any iof the sort as these products usually wear very fast and are not as accurate as most name brand stuff.
Reply:If possible would you please include a part number in your future posts since for some items they have 2 or 3 different items that could fit the description plus old and new models of the same tool. Thank you!
Reply:I bought the High Speed Pneumatic body saw.  It functions great but the blades are like a butter knife.Anyone know where I could get a good quality blade to fit this saw?http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...Itemnumber=113
Reply:wow... we dont have HF junk but have ACEHARDWARE chinese stuff and its almost make me brain dead...Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:You get what you pay for I guess.. I bought a Air Disc Cutter.. It wouldnt cut a plastic tote $10.00 and a waste of 3 weeks of shipment Oh well
Reply:Originally Posted by ltkleinI bought the High Speed Pneumatic body saw.  It functions great but the blades are like a butter knife.Anyone know where I could get a good quality blade to fit this saw?http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...Itemnumber=113
Reply:I'm not sure of the part number, but there's a large set of screwdrivers with semi clear orange plastic handles and a black grip that either break the tip or strip inside the handle with only moderate torque being applied.
Reply:32351 - diamond coated bits.  Got them do drill a few small projects and won't even make it halfway through one hole.  I got them to do what I wanted them to do, but it was frustrating.  Tried drilling wet, dry, different RPMs on my drill press, still got nothing.It's the only real loser item I've had from HF tools, although most of their stuff is definitely iffy for extended use, like their timing light (they only sell one that I'm aware of), and their hand stitching awl (it's a bit crude, but effective).  The single speed jigsaw is also of dubious quality and their metal cutting jigsaw blades (I think I've tried all of them) don't work all that well with the single speed saw.  Bosch blades work only marginally better though so I'm reserving judgment on the HF blades for when I get a metal job to do with one of my higher end jigsaws.  Their wood blades seem to be acceptable for reasonably light hobby use.
Reply:Tried one of the blue Drill Master sanders. I try to stay away from el cheapo drill master but I think I paid $4.99 on sale. It was good for about 3 sheets of paper, then it suddenly quit. Waste of money ? Not this time, it worked long enough to finish the job. Made my money back on it, and it will make good landfill. I would not recommend spending much for it, its like a disposable razor.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40070Last edited by ramblerx15; 08-11-2008 at 06:18 PM.
Reply:Nail puller.  The metal is soft, and the puller is so thick, it's hard to get under any nails.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=5247I also concur that their tap and die sets suck.
Reply:Well, I tried HF's 40 piece hose clamp assortment today, and what a joke! Half of them strip out before they even tighten down. O well, I guess you can't expect too much for $2.99, ha ha!
Reply:Bolt cutters 41149 are junk cutting bolts flattened out the jaws
Reply:Originally Posted by ahoronBolt cutters 41149 are junk cutting bolts flattened out the jaws
Reply:I got them with a coupon for $7.99 so I'm not to upset
Reply:is there any way to make a list or log that users can put the tools that suck or are good rather than read all the posts? just a sugestion..
Reply:The Butane Pencil Torch (item # 41169) sucks.  At least it sucks for soldering.  I've got a couple of Weller Pyropens that don't work very well anymore.  I thought I'd try the Pencil Torch (with soldering tips) for a replacement.  It lights & gets hot OK, the problem is that when you touch the tip to the work, it changes the valve setting and changes the heat output.There is another version of this tool, item # 66050.  I don't know if it suffers from the same problem or not.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:I have a butane pencil torch that I inherited from my dad. I don't know where he got it from but it is pure junk. The flame only lasts for about 30 seconds until the gas runs out. I fill it up and try again, and the same thing all over, 30 seconds of flame and it goes out.
Reply:The $2 plastic and steel clamps, the first one broke and the second only gets a little tight then stops working.  I warned a guy with a basket full of these clamps that they were useless and he said it's only $2.  They really know how to push your buttons when you read the adds.  You get what you pay for.
Reply:Yeah, I bought their slide hammer and the first time I used it, it broke. The axle pulling attachment broke in two. The good news is that i've made several other attachments to fit on the end of the bar so it still is useable for me.249 Piece Rotary Bit Set, Item No 93243Figured I'd see how these compare to authentic Dremel bits--and there is NO comparison. Metal cutting bits and stone grinding wheels crack/break/wear out in such a short time that it's actually quite laughable--sometimes mere seconds.
Reply:Originally Posted by roadkillbobbis there any way to make a list or log that users can put the tools that suck or are good rather than read all the posts? just a sugestion..
Reply:I was unable to find my Weller soldering gun, so I pickup up a HF soldering gun (# 4328).  It works fine, until I had to replace the top.  I unscrewed the nuts that lock the tips in place and the entire tip holder assembly twisted and fell out of the gun.It appeared that there really wasn't anything holding it in place,and there were bare wires inside.  I pushed the tip holder back in and intalled the new tip.  The soldering iron works, but I'm really surprised that the tip holder isn't secured somehow.  Surely the wire contact isn't very good, either.I picked up a Weller in great condition for a couple of bucks at an estate sale to replace the HF unit.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:Picked up a 7" Heavy Duty grinder from HF on Saturday for 39.99 on sale/clearance.Used a 15% off coupon, got it home...Looked pretty great, felt very solid.ground with it for about 5 minutes, not very much vibration, bogs down VERY easy though, so after I realized that I didnt do any pushing down on it, and let it use its own weight to grind.Another 5 minutes passed, and the garage I was bevelig pipe in started to smell AWFUL.My father came in to say hi to me, and said that the garage smells horrid.So I opened a door, went back to go grinding.. and no go.checked the breaker, ext cord, all was fine (even the radio was still on playing, so i def didnt trip one)plugged it directly in to an outlet... and still no go.So I got about 10 minutes of use before it bit the dust.Debating just returning it or exchanging it.guess I got what i paid for at least -.-
Reply:I've got a 7" Angle Grinder that I've used quite a bit.  The only problem I've had was I had to replace the plug on the end of the cord.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:I recently got a multi tool  from them to do some woodwork on restoring my house built in 1795. Wow!! Great tool is all I can say other than I got it for $29.95 using a coupon out of the NRA's American Rifleman magazine.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=67256Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:I've been curious about that tool.  There is a thread for HF tools that don't suck.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:I recently bought the Electric Cutout Tool, (# 42831) and I'm not impressed with it.  I've never used a RotoZip-type tool, so perhaps I was expecting too much.  The box gives no indication of it's capabilities.  The HF website says that it will cut through wood up to 1" thick.  I needed to install soffit vents in my house, and was planning to use this tool to cut holes in the soffit.  The paneling was 1/2" exterior paneling (some sort of fiberboard).  Well, the darn thing was hard to control and went all over the place.  The bit would grab and wallow out the hole, makig a mess rather than a straight line cut.  I was using the 1/4" bits when this happened.  I tried a 1/8" bit, and it worked a lot better, but it broke after going all of 3 inches.  Went back to the 1/4" bit and fought it for a while, then gave up and used a cordless saw.The instruction sheet for this says it is designed for use on drywall or thin wood paneling.  This one is going back for a refund.America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:Originally Posted by steve45I recently bought the Electric Cutout Tool, (# 42831) and I'm not impressed with it.  I've never used a RotoZip-type tool, so perhaps I was expecting too much.  The box gives no indication of it's capabilities.  The HF website says that it will cut through wood up to 1" thick.  I needed to install soffit vents in my house, and was planning to use this tool to cut holes in the soffit.  The paneling was 1/2" exterior paneling (some sort of fiberboard).  Well, the darn thing was hard to control and went all over the place.  The bit would grab and wallow out the hole, makig a mess rather than a straight line cut.  I was using the 1/4" bits when this happened.  I tried a 1/8" bit, and it worked a lot better, but it broke after going all of 3 inches.  Went back to the 1/4" bit and fought it for a while, then gave up and used a cordless saw.The instruction sheet for this says it is designed for use on drywall or thin wood paneling.  This one is going back for a refund.
Reply:Yeah, I got one of those.  It really does SUCK!  As stated, the smaller bits do tend to break easy, even the name brand ones I bought at the depot.  Hard to make straight cuts with it unless using a straight edge guide and even still its difficult.  Right now I am using it as a dust collector in the shop.  Dont know of any better use for it.A few of my toys !LinuxMintManjaroMiller Roughneck 2E Lincoln WeldPak 100HTP MTS 160 Chicago Electric 80amp Inverter   Victor O/A
Reply:Originally Posted by milwironI've got a brand name Rotozip, it pretty much sucks for anything other than drywall.And... a steak knife would cut drywall faster.
Reply:I have a dewalt roto-zip and it's really good for cutting drywall covered in FRP.  A drywall saw would pull the frp off the wall with the backstroke, but the rotozip doesn't have a backstroke, so no problem.  Operation generally takes two people, one person with the roto-zip and the other person holding a 2x4 as a guide.  I'd imagine it would be good for drywall covered in paneling where a drywall saw would make a mess of the paneling.There's no way I'd use it for cutting wood any thicker than 1/8".Got the dewalt for around 50$ off ebay, used it to make a few openings for plumbing / electrical, but haven't used it much since.  It's great when you need it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Tailshaft5610$ tap and die set.  How many ways can we spell  JUNK!!!!!
Reply:Greetings, I bought their big tile saw, $200 at the time, worked good. Never did a tile job with but cut a couple small things. It had maybe an hour or less time on it. I turned it on to cut the girl's geodes, small golf ball sized rocks, I turned it off after cutting one, when I tried to turn it on to cut the next, it would not start. Maybe its just a condensor, when I get time I'll try to fix it. I wonder if there is a trouble shooting schedule, what to check first, how each item should be checked. Just a pain in the neck.   I have my uncle's valve grinder made in the US about before WWII. It has been used full time in the shop for years never a problem.
Reply:After about 5-10 whacks knocking out a roll pin with a punch and the 3 lb hammer head busted off. Inside it looked like particle board for the wood handle. The small ballpein set at least has real wood handles. The wood is light & cheap, but it isn't particle wood.3 Lb. Sledge HammerItem # 6748Only:$9.99
Reply:Only the stuff made from metal, plastic, wood, leather and certain fabrics. City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Reptile, I see your confusion re HF tools...  let me help you with the part #s and model descriptions that are unuseable and a total waste of your hard earned $ from HF due to poor quality in design, materials or fabrication.ALL part #s ALL modelsjunk, junque, joenque, frickinjunk, Chinesecrapola, @#$%%brokealreadyjunk,  @#$%doesn'tworkorfit, and synonyms for junk more to be named in the future after a 2nd cup of coffee.  Buy American from that place called USA it'll do U proud.  hope that helps.Last edited by PapaLion; 06-10-2010 at 07:24 AM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Good luck finding anything made here any more.  It seems the best you can do is get an American brand with "made in China" on the label.  I do a little happy dance if I even find anything made in India or Taiwan.
Reply:One of the ideas I think someone younger might pursue as a career... find a product, something well made in the U.S.A. with a good rep which went to China to get cheaper and then... went broke because nobody wanted the crap, OR would sell U the rights to the old USA models.  Then go find the tooling... in Nebraska or Michigan or Ohio, buy it or repro it, scale the company so you can make a go of it and make the product the right> U.S.A. way.  Don't worry about how many widgets get sold at first, just make the best damn widget anywhere... I think? U would come ahead.Note: That is pretty much what Fender Guitars did in the late 70's-early 80's, build a U.S.A. model exactly like the best ones they ever made. It was/is called the V series.  It worked aok.  (U might get to do them, if the morons keep selling mostly Chinese crap guitarsopinions? a better ex: there used to be a great brand of hose reels (I was looking at water hose reels for home use,  but I think they made several models). They were made in Nebraska... they went Chinese a few years ago, price went down,  quality went to hell totally. What was metal and tough became plastic breakable crud. ... wonder if they are still doing biz?  if not, there is one to research.  There are hundreds like that at least.  Can't recall the name I just recall the change.hecho en Mexico is a pretty darned good product usually... way better than the Asian stuff because WE are still involved in  design and quality control usually.  For ex: electrical switches, many are Hecho en Mexico.Last edited by PapaLion; 06-10-2010 at 10:01 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Originally Posted by PapaLionhecho en Mexico is a pretty darned good product usually...  For ex: electrical switches, many are Hecho en Mexico.
Reply:Black rubber air compressor hose 50' 3/8" failed in less than one year.Miller 250 30A Spoolgun     Dynasty 200 DXHF oxy-acetylene       Pakmaster 38 XL plasmaPeddinghaus/HF Anvils   Forgemaster propane
Reply:The Chinese apparently invented casting etc... but for folks with so many years experiece I think they need the basic refresher course... ALL metal is not just melted together and cast into  whatever shape and then named... for example: a pipe wrench or an anvil require very different temper and steel types... but to the HF folks it is all just metal painted with lead paint.  I  think they don't get it? Didn't we admit all their engineering students in the 70-80s when they asked? Yes... well why then do they persist in building junk.  My biggest beef is NOT the quality of the tool but the sheer blatant WASTE of resources... U cannot get parts, or repair... it gets thrown in a USA  garbage dump... and that is the real crime.   Resist buying what "looks" ok... search rather for what U know will work for a long time regardless of country of origin.  AND, we have put our best techs out of a job in the process. I personally am willing, and do, spend up to 2x as much for an item IF it is USA and well made.  And it lasts and I get to use a good toolMade in U.S.A  ( I long to see it again)  for ex: Buy your last Irwin US made Vice Grips 11R etc if u can find them)Hecho en Mexico  is above the averageGermany is great,  $$$ but their stuff is good. China and Taiwan... a total waste of your hard earned $. and it destroys your environment and increases the Nat'l debt and puts your buddy out of work.Well that was a full dollars worth of  "2 cents", but I feel better alreadyLast edited by PapaLion; 06-19-2010 at 07:58 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Moderators: Is there some kind of IGNORE feature to keep from having every attempt at providing real information regarding HF tools hijacked by PapaLion?  Talk about drifting way, way off track and into stupid RANTS.
Reply:I stand corrected, it is my error Pilot>  Please feel free to add any and  all  tools you have found which HF sells that suck... U R right it is way too long a list for me to interupt with WHY they suck, or the repercussions on your generation for buying piles of useless crap, or even suggest to you actions which might redeem this lunacy.  Let's sort those tools out one by one until we get the good stuff from the bad. You will need a lot of room here>>>this is the list of tools that suck.Last edited by PapaLion; 06-19-2010 at 11:44 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:How sad that your life is so miserable.My condolences!