HF tool pass/fail

This thing has been a tank, at least one trip out of a truck bed at freeway speeds, many many track days, junkyard trips, and lots of gravel action. 

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

RevRico said:

In reply to A 401 CJ :

There are battery adapters. I've seen them on Amazon, and in use on YouTube, but have never seen them mentioned here or anywhere else. There are enough to connect any battery to any tool, and I've been very interested, but have been waiting until someone or somewhere I know and respect uses them before I bite the bullet and buy them

Could you post a link to some of these? I did a quick look but couldn't find them.

Battery adapters

Just plug in the X to Y parameters.

12" disc sander

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-direct-drive-bench-top-disc-sander-43468.html

Pass - smooth and quiet with plenty of power. Weighs a ton so it doesn't walk around the workbench. Great for cleaning up angle grinder cuts and rounding off corners on brackets and stuff.

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

RevRico said:

In reply to A 401 CJ :

There are battery adapters. I've seen them on Amazon, and in use on YouTube, but have never seen them mentioned here or anywhere else. There are enough to connect any battery to any tool, and I've been very interested, but have been waiting until someone or somewhere I know and respect uses them before I bite the bullet and buy them

Could you post a link to some of these? I did a quick look but couldn't find them.

Sorry I didn't catch this when the thread came up again. 

I'm not big on YouTube personalities, but this guy was recommended several times for other videos by someone I trust so I want to trust the creator on it. This was where I first saw them. 

There are links to all of them individually in the description if you find this on YouTube's website. 

In reply to Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) :

I had this same jack for 15 years or so. It finally kicked the bucket recently and I replaced it with the HF Snap-on special jack

In reply to Kingkong :

I like this one because it's light. 

Ingot a hf/snappy special and love it, had it for 3 years and it's bomb proof. 

Racingsnake said:

12" disc sander

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-direct-drive-bench-top-disc-sander-43468.html

Pass - smooth and quiet with plenty of power. Weighs a ton so it doesn't walk around the workbench. Great for cleaning up angle grinder cuts and rounding off corners on brackets and stuff.

I might have to pick one of those up soon. I've user the 6" disk/4'belt from them that my dad got. It did pretty decent, but I feel like the bigger disk and more HP would make this one worth it. 

this thing continues to be a champion, it look a tumble down the road today and still works. I believe I have had it 2-3 years. Gets used 4-5 days at a minimum. 

Pittsburgh 02 sensor/diesel injector/strut nut tool kit: 

good quality, seems to be plenty strong (5 years old) Just used it to take out a 260k/15 year old Ohio 02 sensor. 

In reply to RevRico :

Those adapters are neat, but I wouldn’t use them on any Milwaukee tools or batteries. Those extra pins on most batteries are fake- not so on Milwaukee. There is communication between the tool and battery that protects them that doesn’t take place on other brands. You may damage a Milwaukee battery if you use it in another brand’s tool. 

I enjoy HF for some things, and will go their route on a part that I wont hardly ever use.

Like the 1/2 air impact I picked up yesterday for 23 bucks. I'll use it to do the suspension on my MKII MR2 Turbo.

Also got a 10$ ball joint...thing.

Love getting their cheap sandpaper and random things

Have been using their jack for a while, as well as creeper and rolling stool. Great stuff.

Just added the latest product released under the "Yukon" brand, I already have the 9 drawer worktop chest and cabinet versions (extremely happy with both)

Just as the 2 Yukon boxes beforehand, the 2 drawer cart is very well built and sturdy, includes drawer liners, legs are very stout, it has two locking casters and 2 fixed wheels. plenty of space. Drawers lock when lid is closed and the lid doesn't have struts but some very heavy duty locking hinges. 

I'll give this one a very happy pass.

Ironsides said:

Just added the latest product released under the "Yukon" brand, I already have the 9 drawer worktop chest and cabinet versions (extremely happy with both)

Just as the 2 Yukon boxes beforehand, the 2 drawer cart is very well built and sturdy, includes drawer liners, legs are very stout, it has two locking casters and 2 fixed wheels. plenty of space. Drawers lock when lid is closed and the lid doesn't have struts but some very heavy duty locking hinges. 

I'll give this one a very happy pass.

 

I got one of thoes I used to drop motor/trans onto when I worked at the dealer.

I picked up this $5 socket driver set a few weeks ago and have used it multiple times since. I can't believe I didn't buy this before -- it's a revelation to be able to pop my sockets on my cordless impact driver to assemble furniture, hang tvs, and work on mechanical projects.

In reply to Ironsides :

I have the 5 drawer version in my trailer.  I chopped ~3 1/2" out of the legs and put swiveling casters on all four corners for my use, but have no complaints with it.  If I had room, I'd likely have a second one in my garage... they're super handy to roll over to what you're working on.

Pass pass pass, still sharp a year later even after cutting hunks of fender out of a car even. 

​​​​​​

Anyone have a recent take on their 12" sliding compound miter saws?

I need something to replace my rarely used class action lawsuit destroyed radial arm saw. 
 

It looks like I can do something between $160 and $350 depending on whether I go with the Chicago Electric, Admiral or Hercules brands

In reply to Karacticus :

The Chicago electric is garbage, but the admiral and Hercules are supposed to be pretty good. 

I've been looking at them recently myself because my miter saw doesn't slide and I sold my radial for space. 

The Pitsburg 60335 Universal Overhead Valve Spring Compressor gets a fail.

It's more of a valve spring jumper-offer than a valve spring compressor. Note how the "fingers" are mostly flat; they don't hook to the spring very well. I spent about half an hour working on my Dart's cylinder head, only got one valve spring off.

I'm very happy with my Bauer hand-held bandsaw so far. Well made and powerful. A tad heavier than Milwaukee, but I can live with that. Also happy with the bar clamps that I got there recently. It used to be that HF tools were like a dirty secret. They ranged from adequate to embarrassing.  They still make some crap, but an increasing percentage of their stuff needs no excuses.

In reply to Karacticus :

I bought the Chicago Electric version of the 12" sliding compound miter saw, I am somewhat disappointed in it. The motor and electronic brake are horrendously loud, despite the motor seeming way small and underpowered for a 12" saw. It takes a good 3 to 4 seconds to even spin up the blade when you try to start a cut. I expected better, considering my previous miter saw was a 10" Task Force bought at Home Depot for something like $79 almost 15 years ago, and that thing has served me well since then and still runs great.

my 4 1/2 inch grinder lasted 4 hours , probably 60-90 minutes of work , 

it caught on something and started smoking !  

But at least I bought 2 of them that day at $9.99 each so I could finish my job and return the dead one , 

they have 90 days return ,  

I have my list of dead cheap stuff I pick up every time , magnet bowl , screwdriver with the 2 double tips ,  and a few other things , 

Just bring the coupon code.......

Got one of the rolling stools - dang seat broke two of four welds and now it sits wonky

Going to Home Depot today to return a fitting and will pick up some JB weld or something

Also, if you watch any of the Donut videos, there was one where that guy's did the same as mine, might be a common issue. Either way, it shouldnt be hard to fix, just a bummer that I have to after 6 months of use (light use, like 10 times total)

californiamilleghia said:

my 4 1/2 inch grinder lasted 4 hours , probably 60-90 minutes of work , 

it caught on something and started smoking !  

 ...at $9.99 each...

The cheapo 4.5" doesn't last. I've got the $20 grinder and it's been a gem. It's seen many a hot lunch in 5 years of ownership. I did repack the grease when I got it though, and I added a longer cord.

12V 100 PSI High Volume Air Inflator - PASS, works fast, works good, super cheap, been using it at the track, nice long cable and airhose that screws on so no leaks, gague is accurate and it pumps pretty fast, better than my pancake compressor and more convenient than pulling out the big boy.