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They are great for 1 time use tools.
If they last longer, then even better, but I don’t trust them to last long.
I am in the boonies, about 100 miles from the nearest Northern Tool or Harbor Freight. Sure would be nice if they were a quick drive away. If so, I would be doing a quick trip over there relatively often. As a result, I am too dependent on the tool truck. When I go to the Dallas area I try to remember what I might need, but it’s almost always at Northern Tool. The Harbor Freight stores are not nearly as conveniently located.
Nothing wrong with cheap stuff for certain purposes. Most all of my mainstream stuff is Mac or SnapOn, but I would have no trouble at all buying Harbor Freight stuff when I needed it, if they were just up the street. They are always there instead of outside the door only once a week.
I see it the same way, it’s great when you are in a jam and need something now. Given I’m a DIYer, they have got me out of some pickles in the past.
I do have HF sets of wrenches and sockets that I keep in my garage for 2 reasons. One is to do something quick and the second is I call them my decoy tools. I figure if someone breaks in and takes them I won’t be too upset. However for big jobs, I pull the good tools (I’ve got some snap-on and older craftsman tools I’ve picked up through various places) out from the basement.
In Canada, we have Princess Auto, pretty much the same thing. Lots of house branded, made by slave labour stuff. Although a couple of years ago they launched a “premium” brand that’s actually decent. I have a couple of their impact socket sets, unlike the cheap stuff, the sets actually come with every size. Although they carry a decent premium over store brands, they are complete, warranted (the store guarantees everything for life pretty much) and nice to use. Not as nice as my Snap-On ones, but also not $400 a set.
I made the mistake of buying a noname power steering pump puller from there though. Used it once and ordered one off the tool truck. Not worth the pain it caused me.
I think everyone at some point ends up with a few tools from there. I have a few like the 3/8 earthquake impact gun that I bought while my Snap on gun was being rebuilt. The plastic rivet pin puller is also good. I bought one of their service carts the red one with five drawers is also very good. I have been beating on it for the last three years. I ended up buying a new set of castors for it so that I could put 4 that swivel on it instead of 2 swivel and 2 fixed for better mobility around the shop. Oh yeah I almost forgot their 12 dollar 24″ 1/2″ drive breaker bar is very good as well.
The most important thing is to know what you are buying and if you use professional tools every day your hands will tell you if it is a good tool or not.
It seems theres a time and a place for Harbor Freight, or stores like it, for all of us at some point.
I have bought quite a few things there, and for some things, they are great, especially things you don’t need that often.
I’m going to have to say the US General Professional series, the 56″ is about the best bang for the buck tool box on the market, would be even better if I could get slides for it because overloading the slides damaged a few of them. It is a lot beefier than craftsman or any of those, just kind of primitive. It holds tools, right?
[quote=”Jasonw1178″ post=164517]I have bought quite a few things there, and for some things, they are great, especially things you don’t need that often.
I’m going to have to say the US General Professional series, the 56″ is about the best bang for the buck tool box on the market, would be even better if I could get slides for it because overloading the slides damaged a few of them. It is a lot beefier than craftsman or any of those, just kind of primitive. It holds tools, right?[/quote]
It will hold tools yes, but from someone who’s been working out of a used $400 tool boxy for years can attest, that’s not always the best requirement. Roller drawers that hold up over time are also nice. For home use, the US General should be just fine.
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