Thread: The Harbor Freight Debate.

I just remembered that I have bought a few things from HF. My complaints thus far are in line with just about anybody else who buys something there: it comes down to "fit & finish". They usually work, but can be improved post-purchase to do their job better.

Set of small files, of a variety of profiles, for un-pinning razors: so far, so good. Little use.

O-ring hook/pick set. Bought for removing resist media when re-etching razors. See: fit & finish; but we are accustomed to refining tips/edges, so no biggie.

Bench plane. Reviews on HF site were helpful, showing that I'd have to work on it before it would work well for me. I lapped the bottom of the plane, no biggie. The blade, has presented a bit of a headache. I expected to sharpen it, that isn't the issue. The problem I have is the blade edge not being square with the sides of the blade. Though only a minor case of OCD, I cannot abide this discrepancy! So now, I'm gonna need a plane/chisel honing guide in order to hone the blade to square & true.

Also got two padded equipment/tool cases. One is my dopp kit, and one is utilized by SWMBO to store & organize her makeup & such. When looking at these, be sure to handle them thoroughly. They are sometimes cracked at the corners, or the pieces of the frame are loose & separating. It's a lot like picking out produce at the store! Pick it up, flip it all around, shake it a bit, sit it down for a few minutes while you browse some more, then come back to make sure you actually want it .

I hope this was helpful!!!

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

I have bought a few hand tools from HF, one thing I bought that I would not recommend is the 4x36 belt/disc sander combo the belt will not track and I have tried with no luck to get the belt to track and I am not putting anymore time into it. Another tool I will not recommend is the micro torch they sell. I bought one with coupon for $5 and worked great for about two weeks. Lit it one day and it threw a 3foot flame out the end and I could not get it to shut off! I will say I have some of their Pittsburgh hand tools and have had great success with them. I will not replace my Snap on tools with HF tools but they get the job done when I need metric or giant sockets. It is a love hate for me with HF but I also know that I can buy things I use a few times and it will usually do as I need. I love the $25 dollar sawzall I got there and the heat gun. Fun post hope we get more don't buy this opinions nice to have a heads up

I too have the 4x36 belt sander combo.
I LOVE IT!
I use it ALL the time and have had ZERO problems with it.

I just bought a 1 x 30 belt sander and used it for the first time this past weekend. It worked great, but wow does that belt zip along! The belts are not super easy to change but for the price I don't think you can beat it.

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

I just bought a 1 x 30 belt sander and used it for the first time this past weekend. It worked great, but wow does that belt zip along! The belts are not super easy to change but for the price I don't think you can beat it.

I have this also.
Removed the "guard" from the top and it's not that bad to change the belts.
This one does build up static and I get a lil zap every now and then though... Lol

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

I have bought a few hand tools from HF, one thing I bought that I would not recommend is the 4x36 belt/disc sander combo the belt will not track and I have tried with no luck to get the belt to track and I am not putting anymore time into it.
...
It is a love hate for me with HF but I also know that I can buy things I use a few times and it will usually do as I need. I love the $25 dollar sawzall I got there and the heat gun. Fun post hope we get more don't buy this opinions nice to have a heads up

Have you considered the trick I've seen suggested on here, putting some electrical tape around the middle of the drum? It's an old-school technique for making flat belts self-tracking to stay in the middle.

I don't know how that particular engineering detail was lost in the pages of time, but I see flat belts (mostly conveyors) at work all the time which are driven by perfectly cylindrical roller shafts. Most don't require tight tolerances, but there is one that I've considered "taking liberties" with! Despite screws on one roller, to adjust the ends independently, this belt always seems to do whatever the heck it wants! I think I'll bring tape into work tomorrow, and fix this bugger while I do my normal "start-up" duties. Then wait for maintenance to comment on how much better that machine is working... hehehehe!

Originally Posted by Chevhead

I too have the 4x36 belt sander combo.
I LOVE IT!
I use it ALL the time and have had ZERO problems with it.

Im glad yours is working well, my belt never has tracked straight, I actually watched a video on youtube about how to improve it. Followed this gents advice and it is markedly improved but will still shred a 4x36 belt so I have decided I give up on it. That seems to be the HF way of life Chevhead one was made on Monday or Friday and the other was not best of luck

Yea Crawler I actually tried adding electrical tape for quite some time before taking the thing apart and putting the drums in a lathe at work and trueing them then putting like a 1degree crown on one drum and leaving the contact drum flat. Since that did not work I tried flat and flat and still ate belts. I have tried tape after trueing the drums and still eats belts. I have just thrown in the towel, I have tried my best to make a $40 belt sander work and it bested me

Can't say you didn't try! It's like that, sometimes. Buy a cheap item, knowing it will require an investment of time just to get the tool in proper working order. But after a certain amount of effort, you have to weigh whether or not it is worth your time to "soldier on".

Oddly I would have just returned it, I wouldn't have spent 5 minutes trying to fix it

The other thing I actually like about HF is their return policy, they know a certain percentage of their products simply SUCK they don't argue, they just hand ya another one with a smile

I have friends who have a product line and they moved to Taiwan. Reason being that unless you stay on top of a vendor their quality control and bookkeeping will kind of reduce the quality of the product over a short period of time. They happen to love Taiwan. I think I might but anyway without supervision Chinese stuff can get really bad or very good by accident.
~Richard