Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?

[JimDawson]

That's amazing! I'm glad you posted pictures because I wouldn't believed it otherwise.

 

[silence dogood]

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.

I was tempted to buy this tool until I found out that HF does not sell extra threaded inserts. That makes about as much sense as buying an ink jet printer, but the same store does not carry the ink cartages. I don't mind ordering them, but it would be nice to get the inserts locally.

 

[roadie33]

I checked locally and the prices were outrageous.
I ended up ordering the sizes I needed by the 100 on Amazon, and they were cheaper than buying 20 locally.
The problem I have is finding the right size mandrels in Metric to fit this gun.

 

[BGHansen]

Couldn't resist the 25% discount coupon for Labor Day weekend, bought a 7 x 12 metal cutting band saw. Hard to beat a normally $900 saw for $675. I've only made a few cuts, would rate it a big plus. Packaging, fit/finish are very good. Manual is not up to Grizzly standards, but is very acceptable. I've read that the supplied 6 tpi likely carbon steel blade is garbage so I've got $100 worth of bi-metal blades on order. Using TrimSol for coolant which is great also. My first cut was through a 2" CRS round which took about 45 seconds. Cut was almost perfectly square. Really like the quick acting vise too.

Bruce

 

[roadie33]

Found the Metric mandrels on Amazon sold by AES industries. Exact match for the HF Rivet gun.
I picked up a M4, M5, and M6 for now.
They work great.

https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-...M5+Replacement+Mandrel+for+Hand+Nut+Rivet+Gun

 

[bfd]

I too have a HF close buy. I have some of their tools. 1 ton gantry crane, muffler pipe expander 6" digital calipers, If I was making a living with them I wouldn't have. at best all Chinese tools are a kit and need reworking

 

[bfd]

42" red tool boxes (3) pass 1.5 tom alum floor jack pass jack stands pass. hand grinder fail not due to ability but lack of a deadman switch, Use with a wire wheel and have it jump off the part and into your shirt you can't just let go, you need to find the moving switch. bad, it hurt

 

[Nogoingback]

I bought one of the 44 inch 13 drawer roll cabinets several years ago: Major Pass. I have a couple of the old Craftsman roll cabs (as in 40 years old) and I think it's just as good.
I think I payed about $350.00, which is a lot of tool box for the money.

I also bought a couple of packs of metric and inch Allen wrenches off the sale table one time. They were 5 bucks, so I figured I couldn't lose. They are also a Pass: they've been
fine and they get used regularly.

'Course, tool boxes and Allen wrenches don't fail often, so I guess my chances were good.

 

[george wilson]

I am surprised that HF Allen wrenches would be good. I have found that cheap Allen wrenches are too soft,and VERY soon fail,with their corners getting dubbed off till the wrench just rotates in the hole. I ONLY buy good brands,otherwise they are soon useless.

 

[roadie33]

I found the L shaped ones are good, but the T handle ones are prone to rounding off.
Took care of that issue by cutting the longer end off the L shaped allen keys, use 12" pieces of round stock of various sizes, drilling one end close to the Allen key size and silver soldering the cutoff into it then soldering a cross piece to the other end.
Now I have SAE and Metric size, very strong T handle Allen wrenches that will reach into about anywhere.