RetroMower 349 #1 Posted September 30, 2019 I dont generally shop for hard used items at HF but some of their items cant be beat. I recently bought the large sandblasting cabinet they carry to aid a restoration Im in the middle of and couldn't be happier but thats not why I started this thread. The cabinet is great but it demands simple modifications. One had need of small 10/24 hardware so i grabbed a box of assorted fasteners for maybe $4. I just realized these bolts have a recess in them just like some of the bolts on a wheel horse. Ive never seen this feature on anything at home depot or lowes and thought anyone wanting new hardware for a resto might appreciate this tid bit 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,177 #2 Posted September 30, 2019 Harbor Freight (horror frt??) catches flak for sure --- but, dang just like wally world, I usually dread going there but I SURE dont them to going away!! Like you I bought the blast cabinet and lordy, I probably wouldnt even attempt a resto without it! By the way, go to youtube and ck out the MANY posts on modifying the cabinet, well worth doing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #3 Posted September 30, 2019 I seen many of the you tube videos on the many mods the HF cabinet requires. The lights have been upgraded. I added a baffle over the vacuum port and I made my own metering suction tube from 1/2 copper pipe. Even with these upgrades the total spent is still under $200 compared to an Eastwood cabinet costing $500+. Thanks to this cabinet, it makes the generally labor intensive prep phase to paint a breeze. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 210 #4 Posted September 30, 2019 My apologies if this has been posted before. http://www.meyette.us/hf_tool_sale.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 3,143 #5 Posted October 1, 2019 I buy some stuff there, but it is either things that will be lightly used, or it is really hard to make them so cheap that they can't be modified to work. My press for example, may be HF, but the main structure of it is solid steel, the only thing to really go horribly wrong is the jack. I can use almost any 20T bottle jack in it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHNJ701 4,165 #6 Posted October 1, 2019 one thing I liked from HF was the small 30" metal brake. It comes in handy. the mini tire changer is cheap enough. I bought alot of their hard ware kits the plastic boxes suck on them though, most now have rubber bands. I rarely go to the store even though it's close enough, easier to just click online Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howie 899 #7 Posted October 1, 2019 Hey, those are indented hex heads formed in a die instead of being trimmed. Removes a step from the opeeration. Thats what I did for 45 1/2 years of my life! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy N. 2,354 #8 Posted October 1, 2019 (edited) HF hand tools have been steadily stepping up their game over the past few years. I was in there the other day and the new ICON wrenches look and feel identical to the Blue Point (sold by Snap-On) wrenches that are in my work toolbox. And probably 1/3 less cost. I also recently purchased the Quinn 66 pc. socket set for use at home. Can't beat the quality for the price. U.S. General tool boxes are also good quality for price. Edited October 1, 2019 by Andy N. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #9 Posted October 1, 2019 5 hours ago, Andy N. said: HF hand tools have been steadily stepping up their game over the past few years. I was in there the other day and the new ICON wrenches look and feel identical to the Blue Point (sold by Snap-On) wrenches that are in my work toolbox. And probably 1/3 less. I also recently purchased the Quinn 66 pc. socket set for use at home. Can't beat the quality for the price. U.S. General tool boxes are also good quality for price. I agree their quality has come a loooong way. When i first started wrenching way back when, harbor freight didn't have stores. They traveled around renting hotel assembly rooms and reception halls. They displayed one of everything they had and you wrote the numbers down of the things you wanted and a guy dug them out of a semi for you. Back then, even in my nickel and dime days, i couldn't bring myself to purchase any power tools no matter how cheap they were. The quality was laughable. I usually limited myself to pry bars and bungee cords. Even then the pry bars bent and the bungee cords snapped after a few uses. The sandblasting cabinet at $160 will probably always be my largest purchase there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lagersolut 734 #10 Posted October 1, 2019 2 hours ago, RetroMower said: I agree their quality has come a loooong way. When i first started wrenching way back when, harbor freight didn't have stores. They traveled around renting hotel assembly rooms and reception halls. They displayed one of everything they had and you wrote the numbers down of the things you wanted and a guy dug them out of a semi for you. Back then, even in my nickel and dime days, i couldn't bring myself to purchase any power tools no matter how cheap they were. The quality was laughable. I usually limited myself to pry bars and bungee cords. Even then the pry bars bent and the bungee cords snapped after a few uses. The sandblasting cabinet at $160 will probably always be my largest purchase there They used to set up at different places ( churches/fire halls etc ) on weekends with stuff on tables here years ago . I bought a pack of CFL bulbs for a buck or two, this is before the bulbs were mainstream . My bench grinder was constantly blowing the incandescent bulbs , to this day that CFL is still burning . Also bought a small pneumatic cut off tool and a pack of wheels for around 5 bucks ......that little $5 cut off tool sure got me out of a lot of rusty bolts over the years . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBlackston 298 #11 Posted October 2, 2019 Alnost all of my work tools and tool box are Harbor Freight. Very inexpensive so I can afford more variety! I have never broken any of their tools that I was using correctly. Any tool that did break I would have expected a failure from any other brand as well. This weekend I went out on a limb and purchased some left hand drill bits from them. They made short work of a broken head bolt in my K181. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBlackston 298 #12 Posted October 2, 2019 Heres my end result. I also love Harbor Freights return policy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 59,748 #13 Posted October 2, 2019 One thing you want to avoid at HF is the electrical terminal sets, they have cheap metal and the crimps won't hold. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandyLittrell 3,903 #14 Posted October 2, 2019 5 hours ago, 953 nut said: One thing you want to avoid at HF is the electrical terminal sets, they have cheap metal and the crimps won't hold. Yes, they are awful! That's one thing, I got what I paid for! Randy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
