Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?

[rsting]

Has anyone tried the quick change tool post set for mini lathes? I'mthinking of trying one, but ddon'twant to waste my money if tthey're just awful.

 

[kvt]

well 4 1/2 inch angle grinder FAIL Twice, NOt sure what happened this time but it started smoking and slowing down, shut it off and put it on the floor. Guess I need to find me a good 4 1/2 inch angle grinder that will hold up. First one was bearings seized up and died. If anyone knows of a decent one at a decent price let me know.

 

[pebbleworm]

Last time I needed an angle grinder, I checked Amazon and they had a Bosch for less than $30.00US. It has worked well, and arrived 2 days later. Always worthwhile to check Amazon since their algorithm occasionally prices things very, very low.

 

[kvt]

Thanks, I got about 3/4 of the way through cutting up a axel so I could heat the pieces in my little forge, when it smoked. Put a kink in my plans.

 

[Billh50]

I have had good luck with the 4 1/2 " angle grinder with the paddle switch. I have 2 that lasted me about 5yrs with a lot of use. I also have had the ones with the slide switch ut they don't seem to last as long for some reason.

 

[kvt]

This was one with the switch on the side, THe prior one was one that had the switch on the back, It at least lasted a few years, but not that many, The new one lasted just past the warranty only because I did not use it much for a long time.

 

[Charles Spencer]

Sort of off topic. I ordered a revolving four tray bin online:

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/part-storage/12-inch-revolving-four-tray-bin-94050.html

It arrived yesterday - minus the little plastic bag that contained the hardware. So I called them and asked if they could send it to me. After being put on hold twice, they said that they couldn't as they didn't stock the hardware separately. So they said they'd send me a new unit.

Now I have most of the items I need to assemble it except for 72 small nuts and screws. I'll buy some that fit today. I guess that means I'll get two for the price of one plus some screws.

So I'd give them a pass on customer service.

A follow up:

I had also sent a complaint via the web. This was the response:


"Dear Charles,

Thank you for your recent inquiry.

We do apologize, but the part that you need is not available as a replacement part from Harbor Freight Tools. Would you like us to issue a prepaid shipping label to have the item returned and replaced?

We look forward to hearing from you."


So apparently it's better to call than to use their web site.

I did decline their offer.

I also received an email today telling me my new one had shipped.

 

[mcostello]

Was in the store and looked at tapered sanding rolls, They disassembled themselves in the package. Their timing was off as They did not wait until they were being used, fuse must have been too short.

 

[roadie33]

I just bought one of these Threaded Insert Riveter Kits, http://www.harborfreight.com/45-piece-threaded-insert-riveter-kit-1210.html and am using it to do some mods on the HF Sand Blast Cabinet I bought earlier this summer. Just got around to putting it together.
The problem is I bought some of the Metric insert Nuts on Amazon and the tool only has the SAE Mandrels. I've found some metric Mandrelss on Amazon and Ebay that look to be the right size, but am not sure if they would fit this gun. I want to know if anyone else has one of these and if they found the correct Metric Mandrels that fit.

 

[juiceclone]

Have to add this re: HF 4 ½” angle grinder. I never can leave something alone when it fails. Been thru 3 HF angle grinders in prob 15 years now…haven’t picked up a hacksaw since I discovered them.. Couple of days ago, my current one started to shake/wobble the cutoff disk so bad, I went out and bought another HF $14.99 one. Now I have two bad ones so, ….. took them apart to make one good from the bits. When I got to the main bearing that supports the shaft at the wheel (output) end I pulled the clip holding it (the “bearing” ) in and pulled in out of it’s bore. What I found was it was not a bearing at all. Literally made to appear like one, but it’is just a disk of steel the size and shape that you would expect a ball or roller bearing to be. The steel shaft rode in this steel …thing… and of course wore out till the shaft clearance got too great to ignore. Being steel, I wouldn’t even call it a bushing..The only lube available to it would be the thick Chinese grease that came in the housing,. Now this is the most heavily loaded rotating piece in this thing. I have to wonder if this is one plant somewhere in China just making crap and getting away with it, or if this is actually to specs from Harbor Fright. Or can something like this actually be an accepted “bushing” ???