Harbor Freight Tools

[DanDanPumperMan]

Latest harbor freight ad has them selling Spotter scopes and knock off Gunvaults. Anyone bought either? I love this place and their disposable tools, just not sure about locking up a firearm in something they sell.

[Shere Khan]

I usually buy their stuff by the pound. If I can barely pick it up, it's probably good....

[WDE91]

sounds like you found yourself a nice paper weight and boat anchor

for certain thing Harbor Freight is good

[vintagearms]

I have heard the spotting scopes are junk from several people although I dont have any first hand knowledge of them. I was just there today picking up a torque wrench. For cheap tools they are good.

[Group 4]

Their red hearing protectors (I think they cost $3.99) are better than the one's I've used at the range.

[MP301]

[Rob454]

Ive purchased HF tools. usually drill bits rope cart wheels sand paper. Just basic stuff. Spend a few more bucks and get better tools. By the time you buy a harbor freight tool twice you could of bought a better tool once for the price or a few bucks more. As for the safe if its the one I am thinking of it will be ok but i would worry more about the crappy locking mechanism.
A friend of mine once said good ain't cheap and cheap ain't good. i have never heard truer words. Too bad it took me 10 years to figure it out. I told myself I will not buy cheap china made tools anymore. i actually have a while list of tools that are gonna go in the next garage sale.

[MaHoTex]

Except the gunvault is NOT a knock off... It is made by Gun Vault.

http://www.harborfreight.com/gun-safe-vault-93473.html

[IrishPirate]

the scopes aren't Leupold, but they make things look closer than they are. good for taking places you don't want to take your expensive stuff. The safes are better than a closet, not as good as a bank vault.

Vague? well so is the quality of HF tools. The thing is, if you break them, you're not out a ton of money. I have some things i've bought from HF that have out lasted and out performed stuff i've gotten from Home Depot.I've also had things break the first time i used them. Difference is, when i get it from HF and it breaks, I go back and get another. When it comes from HD, i b!tch until i get my money back then go buy the cheap things at HF...

So the worst that's going to happen is your scope isn't super clear. Cuz if someone breaks into your house and steals stuff...it's not gonna matter too much what safe you have unless you drop a few grand on it. Anything less is still going to get opened.

[Los]

Im not sure about all HF's, but the new one in SD has a 25% off sale on Easter sunday. The only tools I buy quality of are ones I use often. The "every few months" stuff comes from HF

[magsnubby]

Spend a few more bucks and get better tools. By the time you buy a harbor freight tool twice you could of bought a better tool once for the price or a few bucks more.

Those cheap HF hand tools do have a couple of good uses. I can't count the times i've needed a "one time use" special tool that I made from a HF tool. Buy a cheapie HF tool, take it home, cut one end off, heat, bend and grind the crap out of the rest of it just to do one job. That way i don't have to chop up my good tools.

When i owned my jeep i bought a bunch of HF tools (end wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, socket sets and assorted odds and ends) to carry in the tool box. When i went wheelin' i replaced them with my good tools. I learned that lesson the hard way after my jeep was stolen and stripped. I lost several hundred dollars worth of tools. By using cheapie HF stuff, if i lost those i was only out about $100.

[bhaworth]

Their tools are cheaper than most one day rentals and they often last a long time. HF also stands behind their products so if they break on the first use, take them back. I would not buy them for professional use but for a hobbyist like me, they are great, inexpensive tools.

[Shere Khan]

Their red hearing protectors (I think they cost $3.99) are better than the one's I've used at the range.

Wow, seriously? Cuz I need to buy 3 more pairs of these next week...

[DaveFJ80]

Certain things, like gloves, ropes, hearing protection, eye protection, packs of electrical tape and boxes of cutting razor blades.... they have great deals on that sort of stuff.

When you get into their tools and machinery, like their Chicago or Pittsburg brand tools, they are complete garbage compared to some good USA brand tools. Garbage as in they may break or bend on you after using them. Same with their tools, and their metal trays or machinery (cement mixer, engine hoist) are made of some cheap metal with crappy welds. They'll get the job done, but I don't know how long they'll last for before they break down.

[Cokebottle]

$500 worth of Harbor Freight tools and a caveman can build an AK47!


Seriously... I don't buy anything from HF that I don't expect to break.
I'll get stuff for home use that I only expect to use a few times and don't want to pay someone to do it for me, but I won't get anything from there for work except angle grinders... they're cheap enough and I use them so rarely that they're a deal.