Harbor Freight is cheap, and usually you get just what you pay for.
I swore off buying anything from there years ago after multiple tool failures, but some of that **** sure is tempting, which is why I stay away unless they are having one of their sidewalk blow out sales, then I'll stock up on what I consider disposable tools.

 

i don't mind cheap tools as long as they work good.

cyclo breakaway, finally got the complete name from ya. now i need to go find some.

 

Call around, I think I may have even seen it in Walmart once.

 

Yep, I agree. If something is too cheap, there must be a reason for it. This world is made up of trade offs, there is nothing wrong with getting cheap tools if it's a tool you hardly ever use. No sense getting the best quality tools for projects you will hardly ever do. But I certainly agree, if it's an important tool that will get a lot of use, get a good one.

 

I've had snapped ratchets, busted sockets and power tools that failed within 1 hour from there, thats enough for me.
I'll get grinding wheels and wire ties from there, not much more.

 

Or course the quality is suspect. That's why I just get consumables there. I'd never buy an air compressor or welder from them.

 

i wouldn't buy cheap grinding wheels, my dad had a 12" wheel break on him and it shredded his pants so i only go with name brand on those. and i wouldn't get anything with a motor that is an off brand either, when it comes to welders its miller or none and with air compressors its either dewalt, porter cable, craftsman, or ingersol rand.

as long as you get hand tools that have a lifetime warranty then you can't complain too much if they break. i've broken a couple stanley ratchets and with a phone call and a 2 or 3 day wait i get a replacement in the mail. i found out the other day that task force has a lifetime warranty too, last i knew they were a cheap brand and seeing that warranty surprised me.

 

What do you think about gauges? I was looking at getting some A/C test gauges that they have for $40, while the same gauges at OReilles, or PepBoys run $90. If you know of some other good gauges at a low price I'm open to suggestions.

The only Craftsman products that I will buy are the hand tools because they have a lifetime warranty. I wouldn't buy any electrical tools from them because they only have a 90 day warranty, and also they are made by Ryobi. I can get a Ryobi product at Home Depot cheaper than a Craftsman product at Sears.

 

I bought that set of gauges, the problem is that I don't believe the high side pressure reads high enough to take an accurate reading. The FSM had the exact numbers it should be and I think that high side gauge stops about 30 PSI too low. Don't forget either that the outside ambient temp changes what the pressure readings should be. so if you're in a cooler place, the readings may work.

For what I needed it for, they worked though. It'll still tell you if the orifice tube is shot, read the low side correctly, and tell you if the high side is way too low.

Ingersol Rand make the BEST air tools, but they are damn pricey. +1 on the craftsman comments, and I'm not so sure about the quality of some of their hand tools anymore.

 

To be fair, any grinding/cutoff wheel can fail, depending on the use its put to.
Often times, we do **** thats just too much for them, and they snap.
But yeah, if stats were kept, I would bet harbor freight wheels would have the highest failure rate of anyone.
Hell, their carpenter pencils are junk, I bought a dozen of them and tried to sharpen one with a razor, and it broke in half. Next 3 did the same, so I pitched the whole batch.

They do have some decent diamond grinding wheels, I use these alot in a side venture I have going laying epoxy floors, they are about $30 cheaper than my other sources, and last about as long as the others.