Harbor freight sale

[Terry, NJ]

I don't know about the rest of the country, but our local Harbor Freight is having a pretty good sale righty now. Yes, I know it's crap quality, but it's only for 1 or 2 jobs and some things that come from HF really are not too bad, especially for small jobs. I know I brought this up before, but the new HF in Quakertown, Pa is always having sales. Could it be that the Chinese are anticipating some kind or a Tariff or "Border Adjustment Charge"and are just emptying out their warehouses beforehand? Get as much stuff sold and repack the ware houses before Trump's Tariff. What ever! So I bought a small steel sand blasting set up $59. which has got to be an improvement over the plastic bucket (Talk about crap?) for $79, 18 years ago, from Central Tractor. Well It worked (Sorta) for these many years until the plastic deteriorated from the sunlight. as you may have guessed, I don't do much sand blasting.
Terry

[California Travieso]

Terry,

It's just a sales gimmick. Macy's and J.C. Penny had sales every day! They got caught because they never sold anything for the original price. Macy's still uses that strategy but J.C. Penny went back to offering low list prices. I doubt HF sells much at the listed price unless someone forgot the sales brochure.

I do agree for most of us shade tree mechanics, HF stuff is adequate for the prices.

By the way, I don't think the corporations will allow a Tariff Tax to pass any time soon, at least not on China where HF stuff is made.

David Serrano

[holdover]

many HF items work fine, and some of them are not worth having. I buy the 4" grinders on sale for 9.99 and they last for years used almost daily, also have an air board sander that works well. Their Nitrile gloves are used here all the time, also a set of impact sockets that I purchased many years ago before the stores opened. The alum 1 1/2 ton racing jack is used daily and it is about 5 years old without a problem. One other item that is a real value is their torque wrench, 9.95 with coupon, Hot Rod or Car-craft did a test a few years ago it ranked near the top for accuracy, equal to some brands that cost 20X more, I believe it was within 2% accuracy (actually I have one in every vehicle in case i have to change a flat). I have a friend that works in instrumentation and he checks it every year and it is always better than 2%. Also have a vacuum brake bleeder that works well, and saves a-lot of time. I do not have any of their hand tools other than their impact sockets and have no experience with them. One last tool that is a real value with a coupon is their digital caliber for about 10.00, it sits next to the one I paid nearly 100.00 for years ago. And no I do not own any stock in the company...... your mileage might vary

[trulyvintage]

Harbor Freight 3 ton aluminum racing jacks - I carry (2) to change trailer flats.

Harbor Freight Badlands 12VDC electric winch w/ wireless remote control - my winch of choice for at least (6) years now.



JIm

[michael a]

3rdion

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

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I believe this is a hf wrench. I bent it with my bare hands tightening to nuts together on a stuck head bolt.
I agree however certain items are a good deal: caveat emptor.

[Flathead]

Their regular guaranteed wrenches say Pittsburgh on them. They have a lot of useful stuff but you absolutely have to play the "coupon game" to get the best deals.

[Art Newland]

Someone here on the Barn made me aware of the $99 engine hoist. It works great for this light duty work.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Art Newland

Someone here on the Barn made me aware of the $99 engine hoist. It works great for this light duty work.

Yep, mine works great, and I couldn't build it myself for that price.

[Bruce Adams]

Many HF items have performed satisfactorily for me but NOT DRILL BITS which appear to melt when drilling steel at low RPM's with cutting oil. I went to my older Craftsman bits and they cut like drill bits should.

[smittykid]

If you get their catalogs in the mail, check them out closely. More than once I have received a HF catalog with the same item listed twice and different prices.

[marty in Ohio]

Yep, Harbor Freight must be watched carefully. I was in the store several weeks ago and added a free LED flashlight to my order. The coupon stated that the light sold for $4.97 and I got it for free. When I checked out I asked the clerk about the price of $4.97 when the price on the rack was always just $1.99. She said "the price in the advertisement was what you would pay elsewhere, or something like that." Her words, not mine.
Marty

[1928Mik]

I never thought we would have a HF in our town, but I was happy when they located here. It's definitely buyer beware, but I have found quite a few things that worked for my applications. Yes, everything seems like it's 'on sale' all the time so watch pricing. Heaven forbid you ask someone any technical questions because they are just in there to sell and restock, not to service.

[Jim M]

I said I would never buy another Chinese product again, but when I needed a hammer drill to drill about 20 holes for shelf supports in a concrete wall I bought one for under $20 at HF. May never use it again but it sure worked fine that afternoon. But ANYTHING I plan on keeping for a while I still try to buy USA! Gettin harder and harder to do.

[john in illinois]

I have mixed feelings about Harbor Freight , but they definitely are good for hobby tools. I bought a floor mounted sheet metal brake for about 125. With some adjustment works well. Only seldom use it, but nice to have. Their engine stands are good.
John

[Terry, NJ]

I've been watching HF for awhile now and their prices are genuinely lower. Example, About two years ago, a friend bought a small engine for a mini bike for something like $129. + $20 guarantee. That same engine is now $99. I have no illusions that the Chinese Govt is heavily subsidising the company, to ruin US companies and since the Chinese army controls all industry, to buy a product from them, is to subsidise them. And I hope that Trump does put a tariff on Chinese goods.
Terry

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Jim M

I said I would never buy another Chinese product again, but when I needed a hammer drill to drill about 20 holes for shelf supports in a concrete wall I bought one for under $20 at HF. May never use it again but it sure worked fine that afternoon. But ANYTHING I plan on keeping for a while I still try to buy USA! Gettin harder and harder to do.

I dunno I've bought and use some made in usa stuff and its crap. We have 2 hand dollies at work and both have a big ol usa flag and says made in usa in like 26 font on them and they are the most crooked welded goober welded things I've ever had to use (brand new...) they still use the Chinese harbor freight tires so I really wonder what one part they attached to claim made in USA....maybe they painted it here and slid the wheel and cotter pins on??? Its a big marketing scam as very little is made here and what is is usually prison labor working for $0.71/hr. (alot of your call centers are)

But yes I love HF tools for those maybe twice in a lifetime jobs.

[Benson]

Rumor has it that China renamed a city to "USA" so that they can say that items are "made in USA" "winky winky".

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Terry,

FWIW: I like our local "Dollar Tree" Store.

There are 13,600 of them across the U.S., where they employ 145,000 employees, and as a Fortune 500 Group, they take in over 8.6 billion dollars a year.

"Everything" is $1.00 or less ..... "nothing" over $1.00.

I don't go often, but 16 ft. measuring tapes are $1.00, as well as plastic levels, large shop thermometers, all sorts of cleaning shop supplies, liquid soap & cleansers, small calculators, soft car cleaning cloths, plastic containers, large packs of pens, pencils, and markers, labels, office supplies galore, small screw drivers, and one never knows what they will offer off and on.

Usually these "Dollar Tree" Stores are full of rich, medium income, and poor people where all are going broke .......... saving money. LOL

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Art Newland

Someone here on the Barn made me aware of the $99 engine hoist. It works great for this light duty work.

Same here also. Worked great and their engine stand is OK.