I've used these items from Harbor Freight . .

[dmrrallen]

When the motor on my air compressor fried (about 5 years ago) I picked a new one up from HF for $30...still going strong today.

Thanks for the coupon, now I've got to call the HF down town and see if they have a tire changer in stock. Then wait for the M/C adapter to go on sale...I'm patient...besides, with the savings, I'll spring for a MOJO Lever

[919rider]

Originally Posted by RPD1

Here is the coupon for the changer. The motorcycle tire attachment doesn't seem to be on sale right now.

Thank you!

Kevin

[CMWoody]

I have both the MC/ kit and the changer and don't need them anymore... I know... I'm gonna put them in the F/M for best offer. Have the box and original packaging though it'd be great iffin a local wanted to pop by and snap her up cheap.

[JP4]

Originally Posted by dwm650

BTW what are you using as pads to protect your wheels when using the tire changer ?

Plasti Dip. About three coats on the parts that touch the rim. Seems to be very durable as I've changed many tires and it hasn't worn off.

[ChopperCharles]

I've had good and bad luck with harbor freight tools.

This I love:



It's a 115 volt flux cored wire welder. Works great. Consistant wire feed speed, and it makes a deep penetrating weld even through 1/4" thick plate. It has a high learning curve if you've never welded before, and if you have welded before you'd hate this thing, but it works great for the home hobbyist. I've run 4 or 5 spools through it so far. I really wasn't expecting much in weld quality or longevity, but it has FAR exceeded my expectations.

I also have this 21 gallon oil-filled air compressor:



It works, but the CFM is pretty low. Still, it has never failed me and it powers all my air tools, so no complaints.

I also love my tire changer with motorcycle attachment:



Only dice with this is it really must be bolted to the garage floor to be useful. The clamps must be coated with many coats of tool dip or they'll mar your rims. The overhead arm is always in the way, so I rarely use it.... This really isn't as easy to use as I'd hoped, though. The end of the bar used to install a new tire just doesn't work very well, and keeps popping off the rim. Plus it will easily mar a chrome rim. Still, it is better than using pry bars and hope to get tires changed in the past :)



I've had zero problems with my welding helmet. No issues with the head straps, no issues with my eyes, it works, it works well, and it's extremely convenient.

In addition, I've found the following to be quality:

Deep wall impact sockets (Just check them, mine came with 2 13mm and no 12mm socket!)
1/4" air ratchet
3/8" air ratchet
50' of air hose
Tail pipe expander

1/8" air micro die grinder (comes with inline oiler not shown in pic, and works with standard dremel attachments):

Air die grinder kit (comes with 1/4 and 1/8" collets):

Wobble extensions (THESE ARE AWESOME!)

5" vice (Actually used it to press out u-joints with a cheater bar and 4lb sledge - and it survived!)

"Yellow Bee" RC airplane (flies, survives crashes, but isn't anything special)




These are items I've had BAD luck with:
This one launched the pressure gauge part across my garage.
This one read 20 lbs low!!!

This lasted 15 minutes before the plastic gears inside grenaded.
Any drill bit they sell isn't worth a damn.



Charles.

[DustMeOff]

the bearing separator kit, not very tough, but it does basic pulling tasks. not heavy duty enough for the toyota ring and pinion, fine for mc, car and maybe light truck trannies.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93980

pipe bender also works on thick wall tube. i've done 1" .095 wall welded seam structural tube. i marked every inch, then bent each mark until i had the radius and angle i wanted. slow but possible. also used it on sch 40 to make a sweet winch bumper. great for sch 40.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888

the 12 ton freestanding hydraulic press is great, but i can't find it anymore. good for mc, and fwd car wheel bearings, get something bigger for 4wd and truck stuff.

the quiclamp knock offs are garbage, unless you like being hit in the face with the plastic mechanism and springs inside. if you like that, buy them.

i would stray away from the angle grinder wheels (4.5" type). they lack significant reinforcement, and shatter very easily.

brass drifts and dead blow hammers are good stuff and cheap.

forstner wood drill bits are great for limited use. they will dull faster than the nice brands, but also cost 1/10th as much. make sure to slow down the drill press to the right speed.

sandpaper is garbage in my experience.

Mike

[HowlingMad]

Anyone have any experience with the tool cabinets?

[MJS]

I bought one of the bottom cabinets on sale. Better than the crap Sears is now selling. I'm very happy with it, will probably by another and toss the last chinese Crapsman i bought. My 20 year old Craftsman box is still going strong though.

[ImEazy]

I have a bunch of stuff from H-F. I went to buy a angle die grinder about a month or so
ago. I saw it on there web site for 19.99. When I went to the counter the guy rang it up
at 24.95. I asked why and he said that in order to get the online price I needed to
print out the page and bring it in to the store. I told him I live an hour away and
had called to make sure they had them in stock. Come to find out he was the one I
spoke to on the phone and he never mentioned bringing in the printed page. Fortunately
the manager was standing right there and told him she would go print it out for me.
Thankfully she did, there was no way I was going to drive home and come back. Just
a bit of useful info I hope.

[jkgs]

HF torque wrenches, at least the one I purchased, was inaccurate.

I have the tire changer and it has worked well for me. I agree with the need to bolt it down though.

[Chubber]

I couldn't live without the nitrile gloves that they have in big boxes. Also the grinding disks. The sanding disks and all of the sand paper that they sell is total shite though. I use mostly Craftsman hand tools, but I have a set of HF box wrenches that are 10 years old and still going strong, not even a ding on the heads.

[DC950]

Originally Posted by Chubber

I couldn't live without the nitrile gloves that they have in big boxes.

+1 on that. Good gloves and they pass right out when my stupid dog eats them.

[RPD1]

I got a flyer yesterday that has the motorcyle tire attachment on sale for $39.99 , no coupon needed.

Also, another +1 on the nitrile gloves (haven't tried the dog trick).

[Flash412]

Originally Posted by geezer1

Have any of you used this "welder"? If so, how'd it go?

Yup. It uses hot air, so you hafta have a compressor that can supply the CFM. If you don't know how to plastic weld, you will hafta learn. Dremel a groove over the crack. Heat up the plastic until it looks wet then feed in some of the RIGHT "welding rod." If you prep right and heat right, it'll make a darn good weld that will hold just as if you had welded up a crack in a piece of sheet metal. Like with any type of welder at all, a lot depends on who is using it.

[RedRocket]

I needed a hole saw to mount these vents. Anywhere I looked one piece was over $20.




HF to the rescue. I got a whole set for $ 19.99 and it worked great.