Ironsled77
XS650 GRAND HACK
Yup thats the one. Mine doesnt even make noise. I did the same thing with the solvent as in price and level! Funny thing is I still reach for a can of carb and choke cleaner!
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Collective Harbor Freight Tools Thread: The Good, The Bad
- Thread starter gixxsta04
- Start date
Patches
XS650 Junkie
What solvents are you guys using? I have one of these tanks and I was just going to fill it with mineral spirits, but now I'm having second thoughts.....
griinder
XS650 Addict
i used to date a girl that worked at h.f. got anything in the store for lowest ever listed sale price plus 20% off. ridiculous how much of that crap i have gone through.
i think the only the thing that still works (aside from a few wrenches and wire brushes, basically things with no moving parts) is a skil wormdrive that they had in stock for some reason. i think i paid 70 bucks for it new.
i think the only the thing that still works (aside from a few wrenches and wire brushes, basically things with no moving parts) is a skil wormdrive that they had in stock for some reason. i think i paid 70 bucks for it new.
I buy it at Northern Tool. It comes in a 5 gallon steel container and says something generic like "Parts Cleaning Solvent" on the outside. It's not the eco friendly stuff and costs about $50.
Shovelheadsd
XS650 Enthusiast
They do make a great little rolling motor stand!
I just picked up one of their little mover's dollies for $7.99 with a coupon. You can't even buy just the wheels for that, lol. This thing is great and makes the perfect little rolling motor stand. I have a Virago motor on it now and it fit perfectly. A 650 motor will go on it when I get it back from that Virago job. I'm tempted to buy another one, lol.
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I've had good luck with their small air die grinders. I use the shit out of them. Just keep them oiled and they seem to last. Picked up a planishing hammer couple years ago and the air hammer broke within a few weeks. I have the MC lift and it serves its purpose. That small sandblasting pot is a huge POS. I bought some wrenches and pliers way back, and they're the crappiest things on the planet. It is fun going into those stores though......just so many tools.
Redd
HUH?
For cut off wheels go to northern tool.. cheaper and better...
I never step foor in a harborFreight store since they put a Northern tool in
I never step foor in a harborFreight store since they put a Northern tool in
Tomterrific
XS650 Junkie
We used stoddard solvent back in the 70's. The solvent was hell on grease but was not as flamable compared to other solvents. At least that is what I was told. This stuff isn't a carb cleaner but a strong degreaser. I think it is also used as dry cleaning fluid.
Tom Graham
Tom Graham
uebe
XS Goober
Gixx - I was just checking a thread about harbor Freight tools and saw you bought a welder there. Would you tell me your opinion of it? Do you use it for material thickness up to 1/4"
Thanks
Thanks
I bought one of these so my son could do some cool shaping on his Boy Scouts Pine Wood Derby car. Last month I got a bunch of 1/8 cutters and ported a head with it. Worked Great.
I've done a ton of cutting and polishing with one of these. Had one die on me after 2 years of some pretty heavy abuse, but for $15 (at the time) it was worth it. I bought an other one and it's still going.
Everyone should have one of these, I've used it countless times getting old screws out.
I got this bench grinder a while back. Works pretty good if you don't push too hard on what your grinding.
I've done a ton of cutting and polishing with one of these. Had one die on me after 2 years of some pretty heavy abuse, but for $15 (at the time) it was worth it. I bought an other one and it's still going.
Everyone should have one of these, I've used it countless times getting old screws out.
I got this bench grinder a while back. Works pretty good if you don't push too hard on what your grinding.
Capt_Zoom
Raider Rider/xs newbie
Its kind of funny but I've heard that HF tools and some of the other low end tool brands simply buy the right to long discontinued products from craftsman, skill, dewalt and other companies and then re-manufacture them in different colors and labels. Not sure if this is completely true for all products but I've run in to a couple of items like my angle grinder that was identical to my father in laws 15-20 year old craftsman one. We even opened them up and everything inside was identical.
That may very well be the case. I think that's true with a lot of things. There's only a few companies that make LCD Screens for TVs and computer monitors. They are just in different cases. A couple of years ago I bought my first high-def LCD TV. I did my research and found a good deal on a Sceptre, I found out that it was a Sony with different case.
Every wonder why there are only a couple of sizes for pad devices? There's only a couple of companies out there who make touch screens.
As for HF Tools. If I ran a professional garage or was a contractor, I'd buy the good stuff. But since I'm just a regular guy, wrenching on the weekends, HF tools are just fine.
Capt_Zoom
Raider Rider/xs newbie
Ditto. If you got the cash or industrial needs go for the good stuff. If not, Harbor freight is a welcome alternative. Being just a normal guy building a bike in his garage I've probably bought a good 40 or so items and can honestly say that only a couple have been bad purchases (ratchet size adaptors, tap and die kit, etc.). Most everything has held up pretty well...especially my grinder. Praying the new $99 welder can be as good. So far I like the welds I'm making with it.
uebe
XS Goober
Capt - What kind of welding jobs have you done with it? I'm looking for a good welder for up to 1/4" thick stock.
I bought one of these so my son could do some cool shaping on his Boy Scouts Pine Wood Derby car. Last month I got a bunch of 1/8 cutters and ported a head with it. Worked Great.
I have one of these as well, worked great until I decide it was time to see how hard I could push it and cut through a tire with it.
Don't worry it still works, just doesn't hold tools anymore, cause I cranked on it so much.
But for the price, I'll use the motor in something else, and buy a new one.
Capt_Zoom
Raider Rider/xs newbie
So far I've only done work with 16 and 22 guage. While the directions say it'll do 3/8 I'm not so sure. I'm running on a 15amp breaker while they suggest I should be using a 20amp so I'm not sure that matters. But so far I've been able to make nice battery boxes and tabs. I'd like to try some 1/4 but all I have is 1/2 at the moment for thicker stuff.
If you want to weld 1/4", you're going to need a welder than runs on a 240v circuit. Don't most of those cheap ones at HF run on 120v?
Capt_Zoom
Raider Rider/xs newbie
only a couple run on 120. I agree with Travis...you'll probably want the 240 one if your welding something that thick.
uebe
XS Goober
I went through a thread here recently entitled "Welder Advice" and there seems to be a difference of opinion regarding the cutoff between 120v and 240v. PetesPonies, with his experience speaks highly of the 120v models. For me, I want to be able to weld frame tubing. I won't use it much outside of my build, so I'm reluctant to spend alot. Another option is to have a welder do my bidding.
Capt_Zoom
Raider Rider/xs newbie
I look at it this way. I've got access to a professional very skilled welder but he lives like an hour away. If I have to weld a frame its going to him. But there's all the other little parts that I can do at home like battery boxes, tabs, brackets, etc.
