HF tools that don't suck

[whtbaron]

I thought about making the trek across the line to pick a couple up a few years ago, but I picked up the last Cdn. Tire ones at a good price so I'm pretty well equipped for toolboxes now.

[Mac's Crew]

I known3 or 4 guys who have replaced their boxes with these US General boxes, I would say that fir moat people they are good if not great, but for someone like me who hoards tool steels and heavy crap, they are not worth it. But for 99% of the population they are more than sufficient

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Lis2323]

I thought about making the trek across the line to pick a couple up a few years ago, but I picked up the last Cdn. Tire ones at a good price so I'm pretty well equipped for toolboxes now.

See if Princess Auto still carries International.

I got this side box for my drill bits six years ago. Pretty decent construction.

https://images.platforum.cloud/uploads/202...411b33788b.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[whtbaron]

Their tool boxes disappeared a couple years ago and are slowly coming back. I think they changed suppliers. Between my big box and the small carts I've been putting everything on, I'm not really looking for more right now. There's an old Beach in the Waldo shed with a broken slide from the weight of my 3/4" SK set. Might have to pull it into the heat and put a couple roller slides in it some day.

[BD1]

I have the US General boxes. Only the bottom in the barn, but bottom, top, and two sides in the shop.
Mine are the older matte non glossy finish.
Had these and the 5 drawer carts for over 12 years. They have been amazing.
This was the only finish available back then and they were really inexpensive for a heck of a box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[N2 Welding]

Just looked at my email and noticed the 7mil rubber gloves are down to a reasonable price on sale with a limit of 4.

[Dank]

I have their 80 Gal 7.5 horse 2 stage compressor. Works great Their Dual MIG Welder, seems to work OK no frills. Their 40 Amp Plasma Cutter Works well. Hand tools they seem OK.

[52 Ford]

Not sure if this has been posted before...

HFQPDB.com it's a site specifically for sharing Harbor Freight coupons. (They have an app, too)

I always open the app and check to see if theirs a coupon for anything I buy there. It's saved me a lot of money.

Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[426hemi]

Personally I avoid HF like the plague, but I have to admit the 3 ton floor jacks are not bad I’ve bought a couple over the years.The Predator gensets are great for an environment where any genset is going to get destroyed in a couple weeks. Don’t expect Honda lifespans but HF is a good deal when it’s probably going to get run over with a loader in a week or less! The thickest nitrile gloves are not bad and a great deal. The engine stands are not bad for the price. There new Icon hand tools are actually not bad for the money. I think Mac, Matco, Cornwel, are a better value more expensive but better quality. It looks like they tried to copy Snap-On with this Icon brand. Unfortunately Snap On’s quality isn’t what it used to be and the prices are outrageous. Icon is certainly a much better buy than Snap On is today. Almost everything else I’ve bought there I regret buying. Not always because it’s junk but the lack of parts and service is a killer for me. We used to run a lot of John Deer engines and equipment and I think it was actually better quality than Cat but the service/parts was a dealbreaker at least in our area. You call Cat at midnight they get someone out to the site in an hour or two. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination but absolutely better then having a machine down for days. There’s a saying “a good tool only hurts once a bad one hurts every time you use it” and I find this to be true.

[N2 Welding]

Gloves dropped by a couple dollars back down to pre Covid prices so I stocked up. I’m tempted to try the bench/belt sander for a bill. Got some more magnetic dishes and a flag to replace to one from the last couple of seasons that’s falling apart.

[scsmith42]

Horror Freight’s goat skin gloves have surprisingly exceeded my expectations for use around the sawmill. These 8 dollar gloves are far outlawing the $45.00 lineman’s gloves that I was using, or any of the major brand gloves available at local home centers or industrial supply houses.

[whtbaron]

Horror Freight’s goat skin gloves have surprisingly exceeded my expectations for use around the sawmill. These 8 dollar gloves are far outlawing the $45.00 lineman’s gloves that I was using, or any of the major brand gloves available at local home centers or industrial supply houses.

Sounds great that they worked out for you. I won't buy a set of Chinese gloves unless I can try them on. Sizes are notoriously over-sized and I've run into some that seem to have been better patterned for a duck or a Vulcan. Most uncomfortable gloves I ever put on. As usual... buyer beware so if you found some good ones, it's good to know. More than one way to skin a goat...

[NotaVegetarian]

Can’t buy gloves at hf these paws won’t fit

[N2 Welding]

I went back and got the belt sander today. I’ll give it a shot in a while to see how well it is at putting a bevel on 1/4” thick bar stock

[52 Ford]

I went back and got the belt sander today. I’ll give it a shot in a while to see how well it is at putting a bevel on 1/4” thick bar stock

If it's too slow and/or underpowered, swap in a 2HP motor and get a large pulley for the motor. Mine has a 1-1/8HP motor and runs around 2750SFM on the belt. That's just because I had that motor and pulley combo on hand.

I plug welded a door hinge to the motor and to the base of the sander. I welded a bolt to the casting that the platen is mounted (trunion?) And I have a valve spring from something or other on the bolt pushing on the motor to tension the belt.

Really, I should swap in a 2+ HP motor and change the pulleys out so I can get it up around 6 or 7 thousand SFM.

You can go even faster than that, but you need to make sure you have a guard on it. Just like a bandsaw. With a proper guard, a broken bandsaw blade just "pops". The guard keeps it from leaving the machine.

I have to rewire the motor, so I might take it outside and take a picture for you.

Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[Lis2323]

If it's too slow and/or underpowered, swap in a 2HP motor and get a large pulley for the motor. Mine has a 1-1/8HP motor and runs around 2750SFM on the belt. That's just because I had that motor and pulley combo on hand.

I plug welded a door hinge to the motor and to the base of the sander. I welded a bolt to the casting that the platen is mounted (trunion?) And I have a valve spring from something or other on the bolt pushing on the motor to tension the belt.

Really, I should swap in a 2+ HP motor and change the pulleys out so I can get it up around 6 or 7 thousand SFM.

You can go even faster than that, but you need to make sure you have a guard on it. Just like a bandsaw. With a proper guard, a broken bandsaw blade just "pops". The guard keeps it from leaving the machine.

I have to rewire the motor, so I might take it outside and take a picture for you.

Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

wow. just buy a better one!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[N2 Welding]

wow. just buy a better one!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Are there any belts for this size that can handle the abuse of the speeds and heats heavy metal work can invoke on a little tool beefed up as ford suggests?

[psacustomcreations]

I did most of what 52 Ford is suggesting for an earlier model belt sander.
Bigger 220V motor, pulley changed, etc.
The results were OK on metal, but not worth the effort I put into it.
I later went ahead and bought a real 2x72 belt grinder. Which is what I should have done from the beginning





Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[Lis2323]

Are there any belts for this size that can handle the abuse of the speeds and heats heavy metal work can invoke on a little tool beefed up as ford suggests?

that HF unit uses a common size I think.

no matter how high a quality belt you will wear them out fast.

for instance the bevel you mentioned for 1/4” steel would typically be done on the disc (which at 6” diameter is pretty small ) for doing what you want. imo

[N2 Welding]

So would it be gentler on the belt or disk to have it grind the bevel on the pull side of the belt or disk vs grinding on the push side. Not sure I’m explaining it properly but dig the material in as the belt or disk comes to the material or lay the material on the belt or disk as it moves away from the material?

[N2 Welding]

I tested it out with a drag position on the belt. Seems to work ok as long as I don’t push to hard. I noticed the thicker the bevel the more the belt wants to slow down with pressure.

[52 Ford]

Are there any belts for this size that can handle the abuse of the speeds and heats heavy metal work can invoke on a little tool beefed up as ford suggests?

Oops. My phone died before I posted the link... I bought these and they work pretty well. https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Grindin...NsaWNrPXRydWU=


Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[52 Ford]

Oh, another thing. If you have a way of doing it, variable speed is nice. The higher SFM doesn't work well for plastic or wood. Too much heat (maybe a sharper/newer belt would help)

Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[52 Ford]

So would it be gentler on the belt or disk to have it grind the bevel on the pull side of the belt or disk vs grinding on the push side. Not sure I’m explaining it properly but dig the material in as the belt or disk comes to the material or lay the material on the belt or disk as it moves away from the material?

Shouldn't matter. I have mine on a table turned "sideways" (not turned on it's side) so the belt runs left-to-right.



Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

[N2 Welding]

Oops. My phone died before I posted the link... I bought these and they work pretty well. https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Grindin...NsaWNrPXRydWU=


Sent from my Lincoln Buzzbox using Tapatalk

added to cart for later and then I saw this wen belt sander for a buck twenty. Pretty much the same unit with different colors and name. Good reviews for the most part.


https://www.amazon.com/WEN-6502T-4-3...92344832d&th=1