Why I absolutly hate Harbor Freight

[passedpawn]

That's what I did initially, but I found when cutting some frames that I wasn't getting a perfect 45 angle. By doing test cuts and small adjustments to the stop mechanism I was able to dial it in perfectly (not required if you're only using it for general carpentry, but essential for building fine furniture, etc.).

View attachment 659084

Thanks, I think I might try that. I've got a nifty digital angle gauge, might be a good time to test the accuracy of that thing too.

 

[passedpawn]

HaHa! My wife is quick to point out that my project costs grow tenfold or greater once the "new tool(s)" cost is factored in.

I wish I had bought all my fancy tools when I was young. If you amortize the cost of the tool over a lifetime of home projects, you come out ahead, especially if you compare your costs vs paying somebody else to do it. At least that's the argument I've used with the chief operating officer of my home enterprise.

 

[kh54s10]

Harbor Freight is too far away. I needed a pair of snap ring pliers. I had to go to True Value. $18 I may never need them again the rest of my life.

$4.99 at Harbor Freight......

 

[passedpawn]

Harbor Freight is too far away. I needed a pair of snap ring pliers. I had to go to True Value. $18 I may never need them again the rest of my life.

$4.99 at Harbor Freight......

Do you have kids? If so, your life might not doesn't define the useful life of a tool.

As you get older (I'm doing that these days), you wonder where all your awesome tools will go. That's one of the reasons I buy the best I can find - I imagine my kids using my tools. I suppose in these days of Made In China plastic stuff, that's a pipe dream. I guess we'll see. They will see.

 

[kh54s10]

Do you have kids? If so, your life might not doesn't define the useful life of a tool.

As you get older (I'm doing that these days), you wonder where all your awesome tools will go. That's one of the reasons I buy the best I can find - I imagine my kids using my tools. I suppose in these days of Made In China plastic stuff, that's a pipe dream. I guess we'll see. They will see.

No kids. And the less I spend on things that don't require getting the best, the more I can spend on fermentable stuff. And sausage making and growing peppers and electronics and things like my new Unibrau.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

HaHa! My wife is quick to point out that my project costs grow tenfold or greater once the "new tool(s)" cost is factored in.

Just wait for wifey to look into brewery costs.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I know my OP was about Harbor Freight, but now include Sears on the sh*t list. Recently returned a Craftsman tool for replacement. They didn't have it. Was given a Sears gift card instead (I accepted the POS Sears gift card as it was the gift card or nothing). Spent over 1 hour at the Sears website trying to use the Sears gift card. Total frustration. No wonder Sears has gone down the crapper.

 

[LittleRiver]

... I imagine my kids using my tools...

My granddad bought a Craftsman table saw in the early 1960's. He and my Dad used it doing carpentry work when I was a kid. After granddad died my father used it for the rest of his life. Now I have it in my shop. I upgraded the motor (since I'm mostly cutting hardwoods) and the fence, but everything else is original. It still gets used a lot.

 

[Robert65]

I know my OP was about Harbor Freight, but now include Sears on the sh*t list. Recently returned a Craftsman tool for replacement. They didn't have it. Was given a Sears gift card instead (I accepted the POS Sears gift card as it was the gift card or nothing). Spent over 1 hour at the Sears website trying to use the Sears gift card. Total frustration. No wonder Sears has gone down the crapper.

There's still a Sears?

 

[CodeSection]

I know my OP was about Harbor Freight, but now include Sears on the sh*t list. Recently returned a Craftsman tool for replacement. They didn't have it. Was given a Sears gift card instead (I accepted the POS Sears gift card as it was the gift card or nothing). Spent over 1 hour at the Sears website trying to use the Sears gift card. Total frustration. No wonder Sears has gone down the crapper.

It is a shame and like others, I bought all Craftsman tools. How did they determine the value of the gift card? I wouldn't wait too long before using it...https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/15/business/sears-outlook-bankruptcy-anniversary/index.html

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Guessed at the gift card price. I was happy to actually receive anything. What an absolute shame. When I was a kid Sears was the place to shop. I can still smell the warm cashews, peanuts, etc when we walked into Sears.

 

[Robert65]

Sears hasn't owned the Craftsman brand for many years. They recently sold Die Hard. The brands carry on, and other retailers should honor warranties, etc.

 

[matt_m]

Sears hasn't owned the Craftsman brand for many years. They recently sold Die Hard. The brands carry on, and other retailers should honor warranties, etc.

You have to go direct to Stanley for "assistance". Since Sears is technically still available, as of tonight anyway (seems to be a day-by-day situation) you might be screwed because they certainly aren't know for their customer service these days.

We understand the CRAFTSMAN warranties are important to customers and will honor all warranties offered at the time of the original purchase. To obtain warranty service or replacement, contact the retailer from your original purchase. If that retailer is not longer available, call us for further assistance.

 

[LittleRiver]

... The brands carry on...

Sadly, in many cases the brand lives on in name only. The original intent and character of the company that garnered brand loyalty may be completely gone, lost when the brand was sold and applied to products manufactured under a completely different mind set.

Rigid and Milwaukee are two examples. The original companies developed brand loyalty because they made genuinely good tools. Rights to the Milwaukee brand was sold to Techtronics, who now applies the name to products that come off the same assembly line as Ryobi and and other brands they own. The Rigid brand was sold to Emerson, and applied to tools manufactured by Techtronics for them.