Harbor Freight - Gems and Junk
The other thread started today gave me the idea of having a thread on which tools are Gems from HFT and which are Junk. If you make a blanket statement that they are all junk, that's just foolish.
It's all junk. Read to the end to find out why.
While I own lots of Craftsman tools, I do own many Harbor Freight tools that have served me well.
Yes, it does bum me out that soooo much stuff is made in China, but my philosophy has become - why not buy a Chinese made tool for less?
Because you're selling out the guy down the street that makes and sells things in this country, and that guy spends money here that supports whatever it is that YOU do for a living.
You're creating a linear cash flow (That heads East...(far East, actually), out of this country) instead of a circular one.
Go check out some of the tools from Milwaukee, Craftsman, etc. Made in China! You may have some you thought were made in USA....
To start - The "Earthquake" 1/2" Drive Impact gun is great! 700 ft lbs of torque, and for $69.99 with their coupon. I also have the 3" cutoff wheel, 4" air grinder, and 3/8" air ratchet - all work flawlessly.
The 3 ton floor jack has served me well for 2 years so far.
How about you?
Floor jack...electric impact driver...socket extensions ....DA sander....4" cut off...die grinder....nitrile gloves...welder...and there are probably some more that I have forgotten
I'll never trust my life to a company with a record as sketchy as Harbor Freight. Using one of their jacks? No way, Jose.
Here's the deal: You're searching through a junk looking for the gems, right? Well, the issue with the Chinese way of life is that the
consistency is nil. There's NO way to say that the recip saw that your buddy bought a year ago is made at the same plant, or even by the same company, as the one you buy today. They have no accountability for quality control, and often times the manufacturer of a given product will make it well to win the contract, and then cheap out after the first production run in the interest of saving money...long after the roundeye QC inspectors have gone home.
You can't say it's
not junk because you have no way of verifying that it's the same product, day after day. Suppose that you say the 100 gallon air compressor you bought there is a gem, and then the next one in line came from a different supplier. It could be a gem...or not...but there's no way to tell.
Does the cheap price
really mean that much to you? Are you willing to risk damaging your car, your body, or your life, for the sake of a few dollars? Is it that much cheaper if the HF tool you're using damages or ruins what you're trying to fix?
As the guy that other people pay to fix their stuff, my answer is NO. I pay more for my tools. I use them correctly, and I only buy them once.
On top of that, I consider it an ethical issue. A large part of the cost of our American made products is that we mandate safe working conditions in factories and manufacturing facilities. By buying Chinese (or elsewhere, natch) products, you're supporting factories that are dangerous and damage the health and well-being of both people and environment. Buy buying American, I am supporting the advancement of humanity through safe working conditions and environmental stewardship (as if driving a '70's-era mopar is environmentally responsible, I guess).
I support my local toolman and if I have a choice between made here and somewhere else, my American brothers and sisters get the money, every time.
If the Chinese want all my money, they are welcome to move here and get green cards and go into business for themselves. Until then, 再见!
