Whats your best buy at Harbor Freight?

[Bryan Morgan]

A big floor standing drill press. Its sturdy, powerful, no runout.... I use it almost daily. I think it was right around 150 bucks on sale. My only "issue" is that the quill stroke is only 3.5"

[Bryan Morgan]

3/8" right angle drill for bowl sanding. I have been trying to kill the first one for a few years and it won't die ! I got 2 and one is still in the box.

I got one of those too, and for the same reason! Works great! A little on the heavy side, but not too bad. Their sanding pads aren't good for this though... they melt apart almost instantly.

[Louie Ballis]

I've had good luck with all their clamps (from f-clamps to paralle, wood screws, to pipe clamps).

Not to mention the 2 hp dc.

Oh wait, I really thought the lathe tools for around 30 bucks was good.

Did I mention the HF version of the fein multimaster. 24 dollars with coupon.

But I think the very best deal was the $179 12 inch sliding compound miter saw (get a better blade-the one it comes with is a real pos).

[Jim McFarland]

Transfer punch set -- great for disassembling kit pens.

[Tony Shea]

I'm shocked that no one in the woodworking trade has said anything about their Toggle Clamps. 200lb toggle clamps for $3.99 and the 500lb ones for $4.99. You will never find them that cheap and they are all of great quality. They are almost identical in construction as the more expensive ones that cost a min of $8 and usually closer to $20. I just can't say enough about these. I can't even make a wooden hold down for less than that.

[David Nelson1]

Hydraulic lift cart. I got the larger one I think it claims 1000 lbs lift to 35 inches. Has saved me quite a bit of lifting. It also casters extremely well. Brakes are hard to set and release but thats not that much of a biggie. !00.00 out the door with an inhouse coupon as well as an advertised reduced price.

[Dave MacArthur]

3 ton engine cherry picker, for $99, use it all the time to lift my PM66 or other equipment up and move it around, you can throw it in your truck bed when going to buy CL items and just lift them up to pickup bed height, roll them around on it's casters, lower into the pickup. Great thing for the woodshop!

[Pete Hay]

Not woodworking, but the Category 1 Quick-Hitch for tractor-pulled implements has been exactly what I needed. 20% of what John Deere wanted and is the same thing

[Joe Shinall]

Oh where do I start?!?!?

Best deal are the pittsburgh clamps to me. Not the greatest but when you can buy a ton of em for cheap that makes them great.

HF DC for 139 was awesome. Works for what I need it for. Small shop so not much room for big cyclone unit anyways.

Before I could afford my new Makita 10" SCMS I had a Chicago Electric 10" SCMS that I paid 89 bucks for and lasted 3.5 years. I still have it and use it for rough cutting so I dont have to change my good blade on my Makita.

I could keep going but I will end with my pneumatic tools. I have a bunch of them which allowed me to expand my shop for a lot less than I could have paid for just a couple of em from a borg.

[Derrell W Sloan]

23 gauge pin nailer for ~ 16 bucks

The big red toolbox top & bottom on sale - these things are great

clamps clamps clamps

[Kevin Gregoire]

about a dozen free LED flashlights

i have them placed all over the house and shop in case
the lights ever go out, also one in each car. super light
weight and very powerful.

[Jeff Mohr]

The old style Pittsburgh bar clamps (chromed bar) for 2, 3 or 4 dollars. The new ones with the black bars are ----.

What makes the black bar ones so bad? Anyone else with this problem? All I have is the chrome and I think they are just fine.

[glenn bradley]

I bought their recip saw to demolish the previous owner's garage fixtures when I bought the house. I figured for $19 it wouldn't make it through the project. Been trying to kill it for almost 5 years.

[Bill White]

The DC, although I did trash the bags that came with it. Replaced 'em with felted bags that REALLY stop the small stuff. Its on sale for $139.00 now (with the chunk filter bags).
Bill

[Mike Harrison]

I first posted this list on another forum about 7 or 8 years ago, modified and reposted a few times, then, it was picked up by some WW folk, again significantly expanded, and posted on their websites. So newer expanded versions of this old list are around, just do a search for HF Gems list.

Most everything on "this" list, except for supply items, I've purchased, and still have. I've been buying from these guys since the 70's and returned very, very few items. They have very good parts support, and never quibble, either replacing the item or returning your money. For the most part, definitely not pretty, but very serviceable, course they sell junk too. Caveat emptor.

No not a Hawk, just a very satisfied customer.


#00623 1" Dial Indicator
#05645 Magnetic Base For Dial Indicator
#36221 9" Drill Press Lock Clamp
6" thru 36" Bar Clamps, have a hundred plus. Only one failure in 7 years.
#31255 ¾" HD Pipe Clamp Set
#03629 7 Piece Forstner Bit Set (Good starter set)
#35837 29 Piece Brad Point Wood Drill Bit Set
#30756 7-Function Multitester
#41558 Magnetic Light
#47257 6" Digital Caliper (A true bargin)
#44566 Stacked Dado Set (A good first set)
#37861 10 Piece T-Handle Hex Key Set
#41796 1LB. Dead Blow Hammer
#42304 9 Piece SAE Wrench Set
#42305 9 Piece Metric Wrench Set
#00621 Spring Loaded Pumch
#42288 Magnetic Pick-Up Tool


#93656 23ga pinner
#42253 18ga brad nailer
#44667 18ga brad/stapler I've put on a couple of shake roofs with this.
#46320 50' auto return hose reel, $80. As good as any over $200.
#46104 25' auto return reel, $40.
#00406 Jitterbug. Used it n used it n used it ......
#43430 great gravity feed gun
#46719 the little brother to the 43430
#00086 Conventional hi pressure touch up gun
#30224 Standard hi pressure 1qt gun
#00282 Die grinder. Had it for 12 yrs or so still works fine.
#52845 Mini die grinder with 1/8" collet
#46524 rev 3/8" drill
#07528 rev 1/2" drill
#00113 Body saw. cut up a whole pickup with this little gem.
#36567 sheet metal shear
#34945 3/8" impact
#53176 1/2" impact

Elect. tools;
#41831 12-1/2" planer. Certainly no equal, but similar to woodmaster planer.
#35570 Mortise machine. Put XY vise on, its just a piece of cake to use.
#42203 4" angle grinder. Just won't die.
#32222 Hand planer. used it for several doors now, works fine.
#44914 1/4" plastic flush trim router. Similar to Ryobi, lots cheaper.
#42596 recip saw. Been beat up some and comes back for more.
#02957 SDS hammer drill. These R cool!! lots better than hammer and chisel
#34706 wood lathe Great tool.
#30289 6" jointer. Used the heck outta this thing.

Misc;
#44768 solar panel. use to keep batteries in mowers up, over the winter.
#35841 Propane torch, quartz elect igniter.
#42396 Clamp on ammeter.
#04486 3 jaw 2" mini lathe chuck.
#37041 Corner chisel for hinge mortises
#37052 Nitril gloves.
#03577 Transfer punches.

Of course there are acid brushes, chip brushes, wrenches, dozuki saws, flush saws turning tools......