Why I absolutly hate Harbor Freight

[day_trippr]

I bet someone with a mig welder could sneak in a tack weld to a bolt and let you run the whole screw out...

Cheers!

 

[S-Met]

A tiny dab of Gorilla glue an an overnight cure while the other side of the hex wrench bonds. Pull straight out.

 

[kh54s10]

While Harbor Freight sells very cheap and possibly inferior products, you should know this and beware.... I have had great luck with their products. For strength tools I look elsewhere. For a drill for my roller mill I have one that has milled a couple hundred pounds of grain better than a couple other drills that I have. You just need to use judgement and buy for the project on deck.

You made a bad choice. You should have used a more quality product for the application. That doesn't really reflect badly on Harbor Freight, IMO.

 

[ba-brewer]

maybe one of those rare earth magnets will pull it out.

If it swedged in when it broke maybe try remating the two pieces to wiggle it back into alignment and it might just fall out.

 

[IslandLizard]

As a few others already said, it's jammed inside the hex, you just need to unjam it. The hex bolt may or may not survive the operation.
Bobby's idea, cutting a slit in the broken off hex stub with a small diameter dremel wheel sounds like the best method to try first.

Oh, and use some WD-40. That may actually all that's needed to unjam it. Then tap-tap between the hex head and the broken stub with a small chisel or screwdriver.

 

[applescrap]

Hubba bubba, maybe some gum could grab it and pull it out if you get it loose. Like the dremel idea and also epoxy it back togeher and try to pull it out. Or just leave it, if it aint hurting anything maybe just live with it. Drive a screw into it a little and pull it out? Would that work?

I feel you, I dont like cheap tools either. Sometimes it fits the job often, not. They do have varying levels in there and my impact sockets have been reliable. But what happened to you or a poor job usually ends up happening.

 

[Soulshine2]

The following is not strictly brewing equipment, but equipment related to and used with brewing. If I've posted to the wrong forum, please move this post to the correct forum.

I have separate tools used on brewing equipment than for general household work. These include screw drivers, wrenches, etc. Maybe an "overkill", but I've used all my regular household tools for many things over the years including working on cars, fixing lawn mowers, working on bicycles, household repair, garage repair, etc... etc... etc... Just doesn't feel right to me using these tools anywhere near by brewing equipment.

Recently I needed a 2.5 mm hex wrench to tighten the coupler between the mill moter and the mill. Used a Kobalt household hex key set I purchased from Lowes a few years ago. Yes, I've used the Kobalt set for bike repairs/tweaks, but I didn't have the metric size needed for the coupler so I used the Kobalt hex key. Never had an issue. Also, never had an issue using the Kobalt hex keys to tighten the crap out of things.

Was recently near a Harbor Freight and, against my better judgement, purchased a set of standard and hex keys.

Used the Harbor Freight 2.5mm hex key for the first time today. Barely turned it in the coupler screw and it snaps off. A piece of the 2.5mm hex key is stuck in the coupler screw. Luckily, the coupler screw is tight and I was able to mill as planned. Nothing similar ever happened with the Kobalt set.

Now, of course, I can't remove the coupler from the shaft as part of the 2.5mm hex key shaft is in the top of the coupler screw.

Harbor Freight, IMO, equals junk, junk, junk. Doesn't matter if there is a 20% off coupon, a 40% off coupon or even a 100% off coupon, Harbor Freight is junk. Harbor Freight items are just inferior quality. Probably Chinese junk.

Now, my second problem. How to remove the bit of 2.5mm hex shaft in the screw of the coupler? I tried to reverse drill the 2.5mm kex key shaft stuck in the coupler screw using the smallest drill bit available. No luck.

I was hoping to be able to turn the 2.5mm hex shaft with needle nose pliers, but the break is flush with the top of the coupler screw.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I hear ya on HF being junk. 2.5 mm is a tiny hex/allen . I dont care who makes it , its a crap shoot to turn one that small and not break it off. I needed a set of ball-end allens and my 3 mm broke first use too. Im a Millwright and I do buy tools from HF because most of the time , their tools are fine for what I need to do. I just buy their impact grade allens and sockets and so far ,so good. Their issue is their return policy, if it came in a set , the entire set it came with has to be returned . They wont just exchange the broken one for another. A couple ideas on how to extract the broken piece....possibly, find a rare earth magnet and put it up close to it and then take a small hammer and tap the sides , maybe the vibration and jiggling will coax it out.
another thought that should work...take a dremel with a small cut off wheel and make that allen head into a straight head, then just turn it out with a standard flat screwdriver.
Its like that grade 8 bolt or tap that snaps off, then the ez out you try to back it out with snaps off too...it just gets worse as you go. Lots of luck.

 

[IslandLizard]

2.5 mm is a tiny hex/allen

Yup, that's probably too small for the job. But there's not much choice in flush/snagless bolt heads that size either. Although should one expect the allen wrench to snap off a tad higher up?

 

[IslandLizard]

I won't go into details, but it took around 3 days over 2 weeks, off and on, trying to remove the speedometer sensor from the transmission case on my Mercury Villager, using a sharpened stubby screwdriver (of Sears fame), a wooden wedge, hammer, etc. I still think it was liberal use of WD-40 that ultimately allowed it to ease up. Aluminum inside aluminum for 16 years.

 

[Jayjay1976]

The HF hex key material should be soft enough to drill seeing as how it snapped off in the first place. I'd just drill a hole down the center large enough to remove most of the material. Then slip the other end of the drill bit into the hole and wiggle it, just a little bit. Hit it with a few drops of WD-40, PB Blaster, or Kroil before you drill; the heat generated by drilling will draw the oil in and help free it.

 

[brewingmeister]

It's not that it broke off because it's soft, it broke because it is brittle. So it will be a real pain to drill. Also it's tiny @2 mm. If you can get a drill bit smaller than 2 mm to actually do this I would love to see it. That is not a joke, please film it. Bits that small walk, wiggle and bend like a noodle.

The idea of heat isn't a bad one but given the op already stated he is super anal the discoloration from the torch might drive him insane.

If waiting for the coupler to eventually loosen over time isn't in the cards, which it may or may not. I'd just cut the coupler off and get a new one. Less than a minute and the problem coupler is gone.

The HF hex key material should be soft enough to drill seeing as how it snapped off in the first place. I'd just drill a hole down the center large enough to remove most of the material. Then slip the other end of the drill bit into the hole and wiggle it, just a little bit. Hit it with a few drops of WD-40, PB Blaster, or Kroil before you drill; the heat generated by drilling will draw the oil in and help free it.

 

[tellyho]

I'd probably drill a hole in the hex wrench piece with a small bit and then use an appropriately sized extractor.

Getting the hole and extractor size to match up is a little finicky - I've had mixed success.

Either way, I think you're looking at destructive removal.

 

[SoulToast]

 

[schematix]

Thou shalt not buy tools less than Dewalt lest thee shall regret.

 

[kh54s10]

Thou shalt not buy tools less than Dewalt lest thee shall regret.

Totally depends on what the tools are used for.. Low stress, low impact = Harbor Freight every day!!!!!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Returned the broken hex set to HF over the weekend for a refund. Person asks, "Why returning?". I reply, "These are sh*t". Surprised look and "Oh". Refund received.

 

[matt_m]

I've broken off the ball of a Bonhus set so no one is perfect. I was able to get it out by picking at it with a dental pick but it was also a little bigger. I'm surprised the screw wasn't so soft that it just rounded off. If you need to remove the coupler for replacement you can cut the screw through the slot in the side of the coupler and might be able to use a screw extractor to get out the part that's left. Drilling the hole might even just walk it right out the back. Genuine LoveJoy couplers in these sizes are pretty inexpensive at McMaster Carr and their shipping will be dirt cheap (but you won't know what it will be until after it ships.) If you aren't sure what sizes you need, the digital caliper from Harbor Freight is a great deal.

Some of the lines of HF tools, starting with some things in the Pittsburgh Pro line and definitely in the newer "premium" brands are getting pretty darn good for seriouis weekend warrior use. I've got a number of hand tools, a jack, and a tool box that are all very good tools. I usually stay clear from power tools but bought a "Bauer" sander for some drywall work several weeks ago so I wouldn't ruin my Dewalt and wouldn't you know, it seems to be a nicer sander than my Dewalt and survived the drywall dust nicely.

 

[S-Met]

Returned the broken hex set to HF over the weekend for a refund. Person asks, "Why returning?". I reply, "These are sh*t". Surprised look and "Oh". Refund received.

I understand your frustration when your tool broke, but it was a 2.5mm hex. It flexes with finger pressure. You can't get too surprised with shearing when you overnighted. Furthermore, given this site and what we do here and what you were doing... was beer involved? I've used beer-superpowers to break things more than once.

But my real question... did the minimum wage worker at harbor freight make the tool?
Did they have anything whatsoever to do with its production design?
Or was the worker checking the boxes and doing their job when you returned the item?
Do you really feel that the minimum wage worker deserves the treatment you gave them?

 

[GrogNerd]

Harbor Freight...

Unless your job or your life depends on it

 

[verboten]

A 2.5 socket head is an M3. Which should take about 20 inch pounds of torque. I’m guessing this was over tightened?

The ball end is not meant for breaking loose or final tightening either.

I’ve actually had some pretty good luck with HF Allen keys over the last 8 years.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Was my original post even read? Barely turned the hex tool in the mill/motor coupler. No beer involved. For me, while brewing, getting ready to brew, cleaning up after brewing no beer is ever involved.

Also, as I originally wrote, my Kobalt hex set was used on my road bike many times. Tightened the cr*p out of things with the Kobalt set. Never a break.

IMO, HF = Chinese junk

 

[kh54s10]

It appears that at least some of the Kobalt tools are made in the US. But beware! Most of what is in the box stores is Chinese made...... Probably many come from the same factory that made your Harbor Freight hex keys.

 

[passedpawn]

I have bought exactly one thing from harbor freight - a large 60psi water pump. It rusted and froze up (and the seals leaked like a sieve after a few months). C'mon.

Lesson learned. I can live with "made in China", but I can't live with "Crap from China", and that seems to be what HF specializes in.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Interesting, as, when I was young junk was made in Japan. Now days junk is made in China. Now, for the most part, Japanese made items are considered as "good stuff".

 

[kh54s10]

I have several of those "Crap From China" items. My drill is far better than one that I bought at a box store costing twice as much. You just need to know that you are not getting the best. In fact most of the things I have bought from Harbor Freight are still going strong years later.

Obviously YMMV. It is something of a crap shoot.

 

[grampamark]

Over the years I’ve belonged to message boards devoted to agriculture, auto/diesel repair, aviation, carpentry/woodworking, and homebrewing. Threads involving Harbor Freight have been a regular feature of all of them.

It’s always easy to tell the serious tool users from the from the amateurs in these discussions. People who use tools on a regular basis tend to be frequent HF customers. There are certain categories of tools which can be considered consumables rather than investments. Harbor Freight is the vendor of choice for those kinds of tools. The tiny hex wrench which is the subject of this thread is a prime example. I consider those things single use items, regardless of who made them. Same goes for tiny drill bits. There’s a reason that bits smaller than 3/16” are sold in packages of 10 or 20. Utility knives are another good example. Why pay $20 for a name brand utility knife when you can buy a package of three of them at HF, or any big box store, for $7.95 and they use the same blades as the expensive one.

In many years of buying stuff from HF I’ve only had two items fail, that I can think of. One was a pneumatic grease gun whch cost <$20 and never worked. I returned that one. The other was a brand new 5/16” combination wrench, part of a set I kept around to replace tools which get lost around the farm. That one broke the first time I used it (disconnecting a cable from a side terminal battery). I didn’t cry or start a thread on a message board to bash HF. It was a tool intended to last as long as it lasted and was just one of many that I keep on hand.

My experience probably isn’t typical of the average homebrewer who considers this board time well wasted, but it’s quite typical of the folks who use a wide variety of tools under a wide variety of circumstances.

 

[bleme]

I've been very happy with my HF air compressor and pneumatic staple gun. I have a shake roof and they make the yearly repairs bearable. However, I was warned about using HF staples as they tend to jam the gun, so I have always bought Porter Cable staples. I did buy a water hose there that burst as soon as I turned the water on. HF was quick to replace it with a new one that has been problem-free for a couple years now.

I am still looking for a tarp that can last more than 10 months in the California sun though.

 

[501irishred]

It is something of a crap shoot.

I see what you did there

 

[kh54s10]

I am still looking for a tarp that can last more than 10 months in the California sun though.

Good luck with that.... It is a product that doesn't exist. At least not that doesn't cost a fortune....

 

[Bassman2003]

So let us know how it turns out! Solving problems is a strong point of this message board.