First time at a harbor freight store!!!!!!!

[nelson84]

I was impressed with the harbor freight store, I bought the blue flame welding helmet and extra lenses and a pair of welding gloves and a red creeper that was on sale. I wanted to spend more time in the store but the wife didn't like the smell of the oil and other lubes. So I left the store and there was this bum outside the store and he asked for some money, I gave him $5 is that enough to give to a bum or should I give a bum more than $5?

Anyways overall I like harbor freight.

[jworman]

Originally Posted by nelson84

I was impressed with the harbor freight store, I bought the blue flame welding helmet and extra lenses and a pair of welding gloves and a red creeper that was on sale. I wanted to spend more time in the store but the wife didn't like the smell of the oil and other lubes. So I left the store and there was this bum outside the store and he asked for some money, I gave him $5 is that enough to give to a bum or should I give a bum more than $5?

Anyways overall I like harbor freight.

I understand your problem with the wife and the smell. My wife will not accompany me into a Harbor Freight or the San Francisco Cable Car Museum when I'm lucky enough to go. They just don't smell good!

I like some Harbor Freight products. Some don't look like they will do the job. It's usually better to go to the store and look and see if they will perform.

I can't help much with the bum. You gave him about $5 more than I usually do.

[joefitz]

That $5 you gave the bum is what the Chinese workers who manufacture the tools sold at harbor freight make in a week.

Everyone says, "Crappy Chinese products." -You get what you pay for. I prefer not to pay for slave labor. I'd rather pay 2x for something that works that was built in a factory where kids dont have to loose limbs, work unhealthy hours and breathe in noxious chemicals for less than what I'd pay for a dinner at a 99 or an Applebees.

If you go into a factory where the products of Walmart are built you'd cry.

[rlitman]

The smell is from Chinese plastics. First time I ordered some stainless magnetic trays, the black rubbery plastic around the magnet smell was so awful that I've learned to open the box, and leave them in the shed for a few months before I put them to use. God only knows what it is, but I'm sure it's not healthy.
My deadblow hammers had the same smell, but for $4 a piece and a few month's wait, it was still worth it to me.

[SuperNinja]

Originally Posted by nelson84

there was this bum outside the store and he asked for some money, I gave him $5 is that enough to give to a bum or should I give a bum more than $5?

Don't give the bums any money.


There was one idiot in front of Harbor Freight, with a gas can, with some sob story about being out of gas.
He approached me, and I told him "No, I remember you. You were at the Big Lots store a couple weeks ago, doing the same thing."
He didn't say anything, and just turned around and walked away towards some other potential victim.

Another time, some other loser was pulling the same "outta gas" sob story in front of Harbor Freight, on every person that walked in.
I ignored his begging, and he repeated his beg 1 or 2 more times as I was walking. When he realized I wasn't going to answer him, he got pissed off and said "what an a55hole", while I walked in.

A couple other times, were young women asking for gas money. They did not look homeless at all, they looked like average girls. Sometimes they were even carrying cell phones while begging.
They did not get money from me either.
If they have enough money to have a cell phone, they don't need to beg.
And if they have a cell phone, then they must know somebody they can call to come help them.

If a person looks like they are capable to work, you shouldn't just give them money.

[papaof2]

Had one approach me in a Home Depot parking lot with a story about needing a radiator hose for his car. He had money for the hose but needed get to the auto parts store. The store is open on Sunday and the bus runs between HD and the auto parts store. As the local bus service does NOT run on Sunday, he got what his story was worth...

[AndyA]

Offer the bum a small job for some money (help me load my harbor freight stuff in my truck for $5). If he's a decent guy who just happens to be down on his luck, he'll take it. If he's just looking for a handout, he won't.

[nelson84]

I always give people money, maybe thats why I have to shop at harbor freight. I give money to bums that stand there on an offramp, they usually say god bless or thank you have a nice evening. those bums are good people, a little lazy with no ambition but good people. They have to eat too.

[BTD]

Originally Posted by rlitman

The smell is from Chinese plastics. First time I ordered some stainless magnetic trays, the black rubbery plastic around the magnet smell was so awful that I've learned to open the box, and leave them in the shed for a few months before I put them to use. God only knows what it is, but I'm sure it's not healthy.
My deadblow hammers had the same smell, but for $4 a piece and a few month's wait, it was still worth it to me.

I bought some toolbox drawer liners from HF. Sort of a spongy black waffle weave material. They smell like crap...I mean literally crap...really awful.

Went to Home Depot and bought some ribbed black vinyl sheeting. 3 ft wide x 1/16" (?) thick and $3.50 per foot. Works great for the toolbox drawers.

Not to sound too much like an old coot but I remember growing up here in Houston (late 50's, 60's, 70's) you didn't see bums anywhere. We had (and enforced!) what were called vagrancy laws. Now the bums and beggars are everywhere. What happened?!?!?

[GBM]

Those vagrancy laws were vague and often misused ... and then generally declared unconstitutional...

[nelson84]

Originally Posted by BTD

I bought some toolbox drawer liners from HF. Sort of a spongy black waffle weave material. They smell like crap...I mean literally crap...really awful.

Went to Home Depot and bought some ribbed black vinyl sheeting. 3 ft wide x 1/16" (?) thick and $3.50 per foot. Works great for the toolbox drawers.

Not to sound too much like an old coot but I remember growing up here in Houston (late 50's, 60's, 70's) you didn't see bums anywhere. We had (and enforced!) what were called vagrancy laws. Now the bums and beggars are everywhere. What happened?!?!?

I went to the dollar store and bought shelf liner for you guest it $1 and I just used 2 sheets instead of one in my tool box, it worked great and didn't smell. Believe it or not the dollar store has bums too. But being at the dollar store I gave him $1 instead of $5.