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On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:36:21 GMT, ender (Jeffrey
J. Kosowsky) wrote:
Harbor Freight seems to have some very attractively priced power
tools, particularly those under the "Chicago Electric Power".
What has been your experience with Harbor Freight in general and with
the Chicago Electric brand in particular?
- How does the quality and value stack up?
- If one is a serious hobbyist who doesn't have unlimited money to
spend on tools, is it better to buy fewer name-brand, high-priced
tools or go for a broader range of Chicago Electric brand tools to
fill out my home shop?
Presumably you never get something for nothing so I imagine the
quality of a 29.95 sawzall type tool can't be as good as a $200
Milwaukee version... but that being said, is it worth buying this
stuff?
Please share your experiences and advice from a hobbyist perspective
(I know that if you use your tools professionally 8+ hours/day then it
pays to buy the best).
Thanks
I can give you my input on a few of their tools...
I bought their "recip" saw on sale for $19.99 and it's a great deal at
that price... but it is a piece of crap..lol
I've agonized over buying a Sawzall for years.. or to be exact, once
every 2 or 3 years, when I get in a spot where on is the tool to use
or the only one that will reach.. for me, $20 is a great investment
for this purpose, but if I was using it a lot, I'd go name brand..
I bought their $60 biscuit jointer on sale for $40, knowing that it
was going to be a piece of crap compared to the dewalt or craftsman,
but it was something to learn on without worrying about ruining it,
and a way to get into biscuits NOW instead of 6 months later when my
wife got the good one for me.. After using the HF one, I REALLY
appreciate the craftsman and especially the fence..
I bought their 2hp 8 gallon compressor about 4 years ago for $100...
It's great for the money, but I keep hoping it dies so I can get
something QUIETR...
OTOH, I bought their 6x48" belt sander with 9" disk on sale for about
$140 (with stand) about 3 years ago and hope it never dies.. great
tool..
oh.. I've tried 2 or 3 or their combination squares and both of the 6"
ones slide around no matter how much you torque the nut.. Even a cheap
Stanley is a much better deal there..
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