# Harbor Freight/ Central machinery????



## LGC KX5 TC

Ok so i have never really been impressed with harbor freight tools. I have never bought any personally but some friends of mine have i didn't like them. The tools they bought weren't the central machinery brand though they were random welders and stuff like that. They do however have good prices

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93380

Like this table saw for example. Is it worth my time or money to invest in one of these saws or should i just save up and buy a jet or something with a known name?

I Basicly would like to know if anyone has any of there woodworking tools and if so are you pleased or dissatisfied. Any info would be awesome.

Thanks
Jeron


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## BHOFM

I buy a lot of stuff at HF. I have not bought any thing
with a motor.

Router bits, very happy with them, a friend has a cabinet
shop and uses them as well, no problems.

Drill bits, work fine.

Japanese saw, works fine.

Bar clamps, work fine.

Chip brushes. same as Lowes, about 1/4 the price.

Counter sink set, very nice.

Air hose, US made Goodyear.

Plug cutter set, works fine.

Drill stop set. works fine.

Bench vice, bought two, work great.

Along with a bunch of little things, never had
a problem with any of it.

On power tools, just look it over good.

We have a store here so if there ever is a problem
it is not far away.

Also bought my boat trailer there. Have not put it
together yet, but everything looks good in the boxes.

One other thing, there is a real nice bunch of people
working there, make you feel welcome when you go
in the store. They are always helpful and cheerful.
They must be over paid??


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## Kudzupatch

I agree. I buy some things there. The only power tools are ones that I need for a job and may not use again for year or more. So far good luck with them. 

BTW, I love the HVLP spray gun. Does a wonderful job and very cheap to boot.

Two schools of though on that tablesaw. 


It might be made by the same people that make the other imports and might be a good saw. Problem is who knows? I would think where it was manufactured would be important.
A table saw is the heart of the shop and even though that price is attractive, if it turns out to be junk that's a lot money to risk at my house. $300 more or so you could buy a better know saw.
If it were me and trust me I am a bargain shopper, I would have to pass till it proves itself to be one of the Harbor Freight gems. And there are several with excellent reputations.

For the same money you could find a used Unisaw (given enough time) and I would rather have that any day. Even if it needed restoring, they are pretty simple machines inside. So I would either buy a proven name or shop for some used old iron and fix it if I woke up in your shoes.

Jeff


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## Terry Beeson

I have quite a bit of HF stuff and a few small CM tools. I'm happy with the sanders I have including a 6 inch belt/disk sander, and the other stuff I have. But they are what they are. I have shyed away from CM bigger stuff like saws, lathes, etc. I've looked at their lathe and other bigger tools and feel they, again, are what they are and are not for me. The price is right, but I feel you are going to spend a few extra bucks for a more reliable product. Then again, the few times I've had to take something back to HF, I've been met with great customer service and very few questions asked.

I think it depends on what you really want from a saw. If you just need something that will cut pretty straight and square every once in a while, go with a cheap saw. If you are building fancy staircases, cabinets, and fine furniture, you're better off with a higher end saw. Everything else comes in between...

I'll tell you a story about my cousin who is a major "pinch penny." He was outside putting together a riding lawn mower he purchased at something like a "Sam's Club" or similar store. His neighbor came out riding his new John Deere riding mower. They began comparing things about the two mowers and found that one "major" difference was the price. The JD had cost three times what Tommy gave for the generic brand. His neighbor said, "Yeah, but my mower will last twice as long as that one will."

To which Tommy replied, "Yeah, but I can buy two more of these mowers for the same money you gave for that one. Do the math..."


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## steve mackay

Sorry, just my two cents. HF for snot blocks, sanding belts, wire DP brushes, clamps, etc. Expendables. BIL and his Dad get 'lectron burners there and I've NEVER seen a tool last more than one project. They're expendable for the price. Thats how they think. For me (just me !) I save the pennies and get a good one. (cue broken record) You get what ya' pay for.


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## LGC KX5 TC

Hey guys thanks for all the replies. It just kinda confirmed my opinion on the whole thing.


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## AZ Termite

I would be real careful with spending that kind of money on that saw. As the others have said HF is good for the small stuff, but if a cabinet saw is what you want, a hybrid or even a used saw may be the better way to go. You might want to look at craigslist for your area. There have been some good deals on there in my area. In the end the choice is all yours. Go with your gut it usually won't let you down.


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## knotscott

I've been happy with my HF mortiser and DP, but I'd really hesitate to put that much faith in my primary shop tool. It might be a great deal, but I've yet to read of someone who's tried it.

There are alot of good used saws that should serve you well.

It wouldn't hurt to post your general geographic location in case someone spots something used for you.


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## Admiral

There's a lot of used tablesaws out there on Craigs List, quality stuff for what you would pay for a HF version; take a look and keep looking and you'll find something in your budget. Otherwise, consider Grizzly for the value proposition and of course Jet.


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## mmtools

Believe me---- HF is NOT the place to buy Power Tools or machinery!!! They are OK for tarps. Have never had good experience...


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## dbhost

I have a Central Machinery 32208 14" bandsaw, and it works every bit as well as my neighbors Delta. I know guys with HF jointers (6") lathes (various, the cast iron Jet clone seems best), more than a few guys use the HF dust collectors etc...

I have seen the HF table saws and I wouldn't bother, the fence is lousy, and the tables are not well machined at all... 

Buy used and you'll get much more for your money...


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## RichL

I've seen used Delta cabinet saws for sale on Graig's list for around $900-1200. I think you would be better off buying a known good quality saw in my opinion.


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## wim

*HF 93380 cabinet saw*

Hi Guys,

I have done a lot of research of what kind of saw to get for the shop, have had HD's Rigid brand, which worked well but did not have the right "feel" I bought an old Grizzly 1022 which worked well, but used to much space(motor),thought that the grizzly 1023 cabinet saw would be a great replacement, then I saw the HF 93380 which is identical to the grizzly!, I downloaded the PDF manuals for both saws and found the same pictures in each manual, I just ordered the HF saw today and will keep you posted after I received it & set up on how it's running.

Does anybody else have this saw?

Wim.


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## John in Tennessee

*I had a compressor from them and...*

It did fine. I did buy the extened warranty and needed it a week before the warranty expired.
I gave my friend a new in the box compressor with no warranty. I don't believe in oil free anything. Checl out Work Shop Tools. Kind of like HF on steroids. Look on craigslist. You do find a real deal every now and then.


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## dodgeboy77

Like a lot of you, I buy _some_ stuff from them. I've had mixed results. If it's a tool I think I will only use occasionally, then I night go with HF. For instance, I got a right angle drill for about $28. I don't use it that much but when I do it's been great. Same with a 1/2" hammer drill.

If I was a pro and used these tools all the time I'd buy a pro brand. But for occasional homeowner use they are fine.

I bought one of those automatically darkening welding helmets for $50 and it works great (or at least it did before I went blind - just kidding!!). On the other hand, I bought some of their 'titanium' drill bits and they were lousy. The were too brittle and would break easily. I also have some of their air tools which are generally okay.

When I need to buy a serious power tool like a table saw, I look elsewhere. All my good power tools are mostly Ridgid, Grizzly, Dewalt, Hitachi, Craftsman, etc. 

I also do a lot of auto work. My main hand tools such as socket sets are also Craftsman or those of similar quality. The tools that get thrown in the trunk for emergencies may be from HF.

Bill


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## oldgoat49

Since I live about 2 miles from a HF store I have a different outlook on it. Since I know that I can buy and if it isn't worth anything I can take it back. I did get burned once on their router and table. It didn't last all that long, but I had waited too long to use it and it was out of the store warranty. You can buy a extended warranty fairly cheap though. I got a 10 compound miter saw and it rolled like it was on rocks. Took it back and looked at the other ones and they felt the same way so I checked out the 12" and it was nice and smooth. Since I had been thinking about a12" I bought it and have been happy with it. I also have a floor drill press that has done good and a couple of air compressors. If I had to buy on line I probably wouldn't though. HF is kind of hit and miss. Some of the stuf is pretty decent and the same as others sold under a different name. Some of the stuff is just plain junk. I am glad to hear that the band saw is a decnt one though, because I've wanting to buy one.


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## rrbrown

I have the 20" production drill press from HF which I paid $300 on sale including the 3 yr warranty and I'm very happy with it. That said there stuff is made in China just like Grizzley, Shop Fox Some Delta and Jet models as well. Most electric motors today are made in China and the better ones are made in Taiwan. Hardly any single phase motors are made in the USA anymore due to cost. The saw looks good and resembles allot of other good saws, however HF has a 90 day warranty and unless that saw was considerably cheaper I would look at a Grizzley. The HF saw is $800.00 plus $100.00 shipping and probably another $100.00 to get there extended warranty for a total of $1000.00 or you can get the Grizzley better customer service and already has a 1 yr warranty for $1075.00 with free shipping. Just my .02


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## BHOFM

I have had several Skil cordless drills and the batteries
are terrilbe.

I purchased two HF 18v cordless drills, they were on
sale less than a replacement battery cost is the reason
I got two. Drill, flashlite, set of bit and set of drivers
included. $19.95. 

I recently built a cover for my deck, 16'x16'. The entire
project was completed in three days and the drills did
the entire project without being recharged. There were
only a few nails used, mostly 3 1/2" epoxy costed
screws. Several hundred were used.

They out run the Skil's but 1000% at 1/3 the cost.

I have only had a problem with one HF product. The
plastic bar clamps! The handle broke on every one
I had.

For the part time hobby wood worker, HF is hard
to beat.

Two of the best product I have bought are the router
bits and the 8" dado blade set.

Also, the 6/12V automatic battery charger works
just as it said it would. It cuts completely off when
the battery is fully charged. Some just cut back.

I just got an 18 gauge brad nailer, I have not used
it much, but it seems to be a very nice tool.


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## dbhost

While I have a good deal of HF equipment in my shop, 14" band saw, 12x36 lathe, 2HP dust collector, huge clamp collection, and soon to be SCMS and Compressor. Each and every one of these items came with excellent reviews by other woodworkers, including what to watch out for on them. Even with the add ons that I have had to do to make the items fit the way I wanted them set up, they still represented an EXCELLENT bang for the buck. Now mind you I am a HOBBYIST woodworker, and with the amount of use I am likely to put these tools through, I honestly expect to be able to hand these except for the compressor, and even the big names I wouldn't expect...) down to my kids when I am gone... And I am 40 now... But then again, I take care of my stuff...

When you add up what the HF table saws cost to get, get shipped, and get a reasonable warranty on them, you are FAR better off with the Ridgid R4511, Craftsman 22114 (not sure I have that model right, hope folks recognize the one I mean), any number of various Grizzly models, Shop Fox etc...

Honestly, unless the HF saw was price dropped by about 50% from where it is, I wouldn't even consider it...


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## clarionflyer

I was trying not to chime in, because I don't know anything about the HF saw. It does look nice, but pictures can be deceiving (I can't even tell the fence? etc). I was wondering if you're able to get the #'s from it? If you could trace the manufacturing, it could help. The HF could be a good saw for a nice price.

I understand your dilemma. I've been on the fence with HF machinery, too. I slowly backed away (jointer) for the same reason's mentioned by the others. $750 with all the add-on's, puts you even with (or over) several known and well reviewed saws.

If you're planning on a production shop or running a lot of hardwood, hp could be a player. If not, I surely wouldn't let the 3 hp influence your decision, especially with your 240v (required for the HF saw). 

A good (or bad) tablesaw can have a big influence on your love of woodworking.
Hope it helps,
Dave


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## dodgeboy77

And if nothing else, if you are near a HF store, it's fun just to walk around and look at all the stuff. It's like a toy store for big boys.

Bill


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## wim

I do agree with several comments about the quality of HF products, like the sliding rock filled compound not so smooth sliding saw, but the case with the table saw, which I ordered in the store and had a 20% discount coupon for which made the saw $599. and like I said before it is identical to the Grizzly 1023, so when I get it(it is not a store stocked item) and have it set up, I will know if I got a deal or not, but until than I will enjoy the five hundred bucks I did not spend on the 1023.


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## dbhost

wim said:


> I do agree with several comments about the quality of HF products, like the sliding rock filled compound not so smooth sliding saw, but the case with the table saw, which I ordered in the store and had a 20% discount coupon for which made the saw $599. and like I said before it is identical to the Grizzly 1023, so when I get it(it is not a store stocked item) and have it set up, I will know if I got a deal or not, but until than I will enjoy the five hundred bucks I did not spend on the 1023.


If that saw matches up to the Grizz 1023 even close in quality or performance, at that price, you got a STEAL. Like I said, about half price. The price tag I had seen on it before was about a grand...


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## jcaddyer

I have purchased 3 things at harbor freight. One suction cup for picking up glass that promptly failed destroying glass. One antifreeze tester would suck antifreeze and when you got some up there leaked horribly. 1 car jack that works awesome! Good luck


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## billw

I bought quite a few tools from HF. The only one I didn't like was their 18.00 screw gun. The battery lasted less than 1/2 hour until it needed charging again. I think I paid 15.00 to much for it. The rest have been reliable tools for an amateur.


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## Gorp

[ 1 car jack that works awesome! Good luck[/quote]

I have one of these and it has been under water from a flood and still works today.:smile:


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## iamwelty2

*Great Tools... Terrible Tools*

It's a love/hate relationship with me... I've had a HF trim nailer for over 10 years and love it... it works better than the any other name brand nailers that I have seen... I also have a HF roofing nailer that went craps after one roof, a HF trim nailer that has been nothing but problems... I've got HF drill bits that work great and stay sharp... several other low to mid price tools have been good to great. BUT... there is no way I'd risk it on a major tool like a table saw. I just bought a Ridgid R4511 table saw from Home Depot. It's a fairly new saw with good reviews. The bad news is it's being discontinued. I was told do to the high shipping cost... the sucker ways 477 pounds!! I got it for $499 and had an additional 10% coupon that I got off the internet. The same saw was being sold for $699 recently. It comes with a lifetime warranty, but I don't know what that means if it is discontinued... The granite top causes me concern as does the fence. It's all in a box on the back of my truck... we'll see.


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## wow-thats-a-cool-car

harbor freight has some great entry level tools! but what ever power tool you buy get the warranty for sure!! I have several of there grinders or nail guns and a hammer drill and they work fine. that table saw is probably legit!!


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## wim

I did pick up the table saw from HF on the 5th and start putting it together the next day, first of all this thing is HEAVY, very solid build, with the help of the manuals(HF & Grizzly) I did get the table aligned and the extension pieces on and it is flat, the only problem up 'till now is that the holes in the rail for the fence do not line up with the holes in the table, I have been on the phone with HF Technical Department and it has been a slow going, I did go back to the store and they ordered another fence, which should be in this Wednesday.
The power has been connected and I cut a few pieces with a temp. fence on it and it runs very nice. I need to get some wheels under it, since it behaves like the 800 lbs gorilla, once it sits in a spot , there it is!( the fence is an shopfox and very heavy duty, just the holes in the wrong place)
overal I am still happy with the saw (and a bit more once the fence is on) I did get a 20% discount (coupon) and pick it up from the store, so it still feels that I am ahead of the game.


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## wim

iamwelty2 said:


> It's a love/hate relationship with me... I've had a HF trim nailer for over 10 years and love it... it works better than the any other name brand nailers that I have seen... I also have a HF roofing nailer that went craps after one roof, a HF trim nailer that has been nothing but problems... I've got HF drill bits that work great and stay sharp... several other low to mid price tools have been good to great. BUT... there is no way I'd risk it on a major tool like a table saw. I just bought a Ridgid R4511 table saw from Home Depot. It's a fairly new saw with good reviews. The bad news is it's being discontinued. I was told do to the high shipping cost... the sucker ways 477 pounds!! I got it for $499 and had an additional 10% coupon that I got off the internet. The same saw was being sold for $699 recently. It comes with a lifetime warranty, but I don't know what that means if it is discontinued... The granite top causes me concern as does the fence. It's all in a box on the back of my truck... we'll see.


You did get the saw for a good price, did look at that one too, but the granite top scared me, did not know that it is already off the shelves wonder why.


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## Colt W. Knight

I own a HF CM 14" bandsaw, a HF CM 6x48 Belt Sander, an 8" grinder/buffer and a HF 1" belt sander. All perform very well. I have made numerous knives, jewelry boxes, and electric guitar using those tools. The bandsaw blades available from harbor freight aren't the best, I had to make a new blad insert for the table from steel, and I am going to be investing in some upgrage bearing guides to improve my resaw capabillities. When I bought the saw it was a mere 150$ where as everyone elses were at least 350$.


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## Colt W. Knight

I think you have to accept HF for what it is, not what you wish it was. You pretty much have to sort through everything and discern whether or not it will meet your quality needs.


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## iamwelty2

I've had HF tools that have amazed me in the quality and have far outlasted my expectations.... and I've had HF tools that went belly up after the first use. One air finishing nailer is heavily used and has lasted over 15 years with great service, One air finishing nailer misfires, won't fire, sticks... you name it... has done it since it was new. One roofing nailer quit 3/4 way through one roof... 

BUT... I wouldn't risk it on a "feature" tool like the table saw. I just bought the Ridgid R4511 Granite Top Saw. I anticipate it to last for decades... (saw is being discontinued due to shipping weight) it was marked down to $450!! There are still some left in Home Depot's. I'd "invest" in a better tool, better name brand, for less money...:yes:


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## rrbrown

What people don't get is Harbor Freight is made in china just like Grizzley and Shop Fox. I had a Grizzley 1023 lost it in Katrina got the Shop fox version but with 7' rails and it's the same saw and fence just painted different colors and the 7' rails are available on the Grizzley also. I have the Harbor freight 20" production drill press which I got for $300 and its identical to the Shop Fox and almost the same as the Grizzley just a different stop mechanism. So to say the Harbor freight table saw is the same as either one of these is not that far fetched. (I just looked and HF changed the handle on their DP now but Mine looks just like the others, mine is 3 years old now.

That said Shop fox gives a 2 year warranty, Grizzley gives a 1 year warranty but excellent customer service and Harbor freight gives 30 days with a cheap multi year replacement warranty which is a must in my opinion. There is nothing worth getting just a 30 day warranty on it. They are all made in China.

One last thought on this matter almost all single phase electric motors are made in China and the better ones are made in Taiwan. That includes Grizzley, Shop Fox, Harbor Freight, Jet, Delta, Craftsman etc. The same thing goes for the cast Iron tops the better ones are made in Taiwan over China. Your lucky to find a top and blessed if you find a motor made in the US. It's just the way it is regardless of brand.

A note to anyone in Canada, Europe etc although I'm only familiar with whats available here in the US, I'm sure it's a similar situation in your countries also. It's the effect of a global economy.

I forget this is the world wide web sometimes nothing personal guys.


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## G CLARK

I do use some of the HF tools, however most of them are ideal for the home hobbyist, or weekend warrior, I will never buy any of there band saws, buy for the home hobbyist, its Ok. Need a set of drill bits for a weekend project, no problem, but for everyday use in the shop, no way........ I purchased a hand grinder this week for grinding some angle welds, went out the same day. They did give me the money back ...no problem. Perfect for Grand Dad's bird house shop.


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## missileer

I have purchased quite a few pieces of equipment from Harbor Freight. I bought their 14" bandsaw which I detested. The unit looks great, but you cannot adjust the wobble in the motor. I remounted it four times, and spoke to the experts at Harbor Freight and they said "it does tend to wobble, but just ignore it". The wobble on the motor leads to a wobble in the drive band, which in turn creates intense wobbling in the blade itself.

I bought their woodworking table, which fell apart within six months. The table top is okay, the drawers are useless.
I also own their 1/2" corded drill which is actually very good. Their taps sets are worthless and WILL NOT tap hardened steel.

Most of the stuff I buy now from them are little things that I need such as clamps. Their hardware stuff is good, not great, but you can't beat their prices. 

I gave the bandsaw away as I just got too disgusted with it. I wouldn't recommend anything from Central Machinery larger than a handdrill.


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## cocheseuga

I have the bandsaw, and have not had these issues you speak of using a link belt. Just put a Powermatic riser on it and expect many years of good use out of it.


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## rrbrown

Well 2 1/2 year old revived thread.:thumbsup:

Actually this makes more sense then the one that the guy was selling all his equipment.

I have the 20" drill press and several nail guns that I'm very happy with.


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## dbhost

missileer said:


> I have purchased quite a few pieces of equipment from Harbor Freight. I bought their 14" bandsaw which I detested. The unit looks great, but you cannot adjust the wobble in the motor. I remounted it four times, and spoke to the experts at Harbor Freight and they said "it does tend to wobble, but just ignore it". The wobble on the motor leads to a wobble in the drive band, which in turn creates intense wobbling in the blade itself.
> 
> I bought their woodworking table, which fell apart within six months. The table top is okay, the drawers are useless.
> I also own their 1/2" corded drill which is actually very good. Their taps sets are worthless and WILL NOT tap hardened steel.
> 
> Most of the stuff I buy now from them are little things that I need such as clamps. Their hardware stuff is good, not great, but you can't beat their prices.
> 
> I gave the bandsaw away as I just got too disgusted with it. I wouldn't recommend anything from Central Machinery larger than a handdrill.


What wobble in the motor? Mine is smooth as glass...


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## Rwelch

Well for my two cents (or whatever it's worth) I detest HF. I live about 10 miles from one and would rather spend a Saturday at the mall shopping for girls shoes than have to go in HF. I have heard great stories about some of their tools (the DC in particular) but, I can't bring myself to give them any more of my money. Buying tools should never be a crap-shoot in regards to quality and I wouldn't want to risk my hard earned money on something that has a 50% chance of being a POS especially a tablesaw. I say save your money and buy something with proven reliability from a reputable manufacturer you will be glad you did.


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## BassBlaster

Just be selective with what you buy there and do your research before you buy it.

Many say not to buy anything with a motor from there but those same guys will go buy the same machine with the name Rikon or some other brand and be completely happy with it. What I'm getting at is 90% of the power tools that HF sells is sold elsewhere for more money with another name on it and guys will buy them and not think twice.

A fine example is thier mini lathe. I own it. I love it. Its the EXACT same lathe that Grizzly sells and Rockler sells and many others sell. I see those lathes reccomended at times but no one ever reccomends the one from HF. I saved 100 bucks with mine and the difference is, it has a central machinery sticker on it. Thats it. Parts for it are readily available at Grizzly if I ever need any. I was also able to buy a no questions asked replacement warranty for it for 30 bucks. No one else offers that.


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## Rwelch

BassBlaster said:


> Just be selective with what you buy there and do your research before you buy it.
> 
> Many say not to buy anything with a motor from there but those same guys will go buy the same machine with the name Rikon or some other brand and be completely happy with it. What I'm getting at is 90% of the power tools that HF sells is sold elsewhere for more money with another name on it and guys will buy them and not think twice.
> 
> A fine example is thier mini lathe. I own it. I love it. Its the EXACT same lathe that Grizzly sells and Rockler sells and many others sell. I see those lathes reccomended at times but no one ever reccomends the one from HF. I saved 100 bucks with mine and the difference is, it has a central machinery sticker on it. Thats it. Parts for it are readily available at Grizzly if I ever need any. I was also able to buy a no questions asked replacement warranty for it for 30 bucks. No one else offers that.


To state that HF, Rikon, and Grizzly are the same is a misleading statement. The real fact as that many of these tools are made in the same factory and even by the same factory workers the difference is the QA checks and specifications that each individual company places on the machine being produced. This has been he practice of many tool manufacturers in China; machine comes off the production line and must meet much more stringent specifications for grizzly, jet, delta, Rikon than that of HF. therefore, their cost to manufacture is higher. Harbor Freight has less stringent specifications thus, can be manufactured cheaper. That reduction in both quality and cost is passed on to the consumer. I am not saying that you can't find a gem but, the quality even within their own product lines is sporadic at best. The fit and finish of Harbor freight tools will never be that of the other manufacturers. It is not meant to be.


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## cocheseuga

It's my experience that they are either made with the same castings and specs or are closely copied. Yes, with HF the consumer does his own QC for the most part. But I'm okay with that, since the only thing it costs me is time.

I have a 14" bandsaw with 12" resaw capacity for about half of the cost (factoring in shipping) of a Grizzly and about a quarter of a Powermatic. Suits me just fine, and I have two more years of warranty left. Ten minutes down the road gets me a replacement should I need one, not several weeks later. To some that sounds like a bad deal, but don't begrudge the people who don't agree. 

Yeah, I don't have the customer service of the others, but I'm technical enough where it's not necessary. 14 months into it and it's still butter, and some good blades are only going to improve on it.


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## BassBlaster

Rwelch said:


> To state that HF, Rikon, and Grizzly are the same is a misleading statement. The real fact as that many of these tools are made in the same factory and even by the same factory workers the difference is the QA checks and specifications that each individual company places on the machine being produced. This has been he practice of many tool manufacturers in China; machine comes off the production line and must meet much more stringent specifications for grizzly, jet, delta, Rikon than that of HF. therefore, their cost to manufacture is higher. Harbor Freight has less stringent specifications thus, can be manufactured cheaper. That reduction in both quality and cost is passed on to the consumer. I am not saying that you can't find a gem but, the quality even within their own product lines is sporadic at best. The fit and finish of Harbor freight tools will never be that of the other manufacturers. It is not meant to be.


 To take my words out of context is a misleading statement. The real fact is that everything I stated is a fact. I never said all Rikon and Grizly tools are the same as HF tools. What I did say though is that nearly every tool HF sells is also sold by one of these other manufacturers. Just like the lathe I mentioned, I can also show you a bandsaw being sold by Rikon and Craftsman that is the exact same bandsaw being sold at HF for half the price. A sander sold at HD is the same and the list goes on and on. Yeah maybe there is a little less QC from HF than Grizzly and others, that still dosnt change the fact that the tools are the exact same tools which is all I said. Did I take a chance buying a HF lathe rather than a Rockwell? I dunno. Thats a matter of opinion. I saved 100 bucks though and my lathe does the exact same thing as those others and does it just as well. I guess I could have spent the extra 100 bucks and my lathe would have came black instead of green and would have a silver sticker instead of a white one. I'm sure it would work alot better then!!

My point is, QC or not, they are the same tools. Now, since thier QC isnt as strict, maybe they get more returns, I dunno. The way I see it, thats money out of their pocket, not mine. Most of the guys saying, "I would never buy anything from them with a motor" have never bought anything from them to even know if they are junk or not, so their opinions are from threads like this where a bunch of people want to bash the cheaper tools just because their cheaper when in reality they really have no clue.


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## dsm

I am fortunate to live in a relatively small city (Bellingham, WA) that is the corporate headquarters of Grizzly and also has a Harbor Freight store. In my experience, some of the low-end Grizzly stuff is identical or almost identical to that of HF. The dovetail jig is an example. I wouldn’t buy either one of them (I bought a Porter Cable) but if you want to go low end the HF price is much, much lower. The HF trim router also appears to be the same beast as the Grizzly. Neither is a high-quality tool, because if you drop it the plastic parts will break. But at HF you can buy a new one (with a 20% off coupon) for about $22. Half the price of the Grizzly. I dropped mine and bought another one yesterday. On the other hand, the HF full sized router is a piece of s***. The exposed on/off switch make is very dangerous. I use it on my router table, and there it’s okay. I have a HF framing nailer, which works just fine, and I just bought a HF 2.5 HP, 10 gal. compressor which works great, much better than the Campbell Hausfeld compressor that it replaced. I did buy the two year warranty, and I would recommend that everyone buy it for any expensive item with lots of moving parts. I love walking through the store. Lots of stuff to drool over, but I don’t like their clamps. Clunky and hard to use, IMHO. As to a table saw, I just drove over to Grizzly and picked up a G0661. Got it for $750 when it first came out. I would be reluctant to buy a TS from HF.


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## knotscott

missileer said:


> I have purchased quite a few pieces of equipment from Harbor Freight. I bought their 14" bandsaw which I detested. The unit looks great, but you cannot adjust the wobble in the motor. I remounted it four times, and spoke to the experts at Harbor Freight and they said "it does tend to wobble, but just ignore it". The wobble on the motor leads to a wobble in the drive band, which in turn creates intense wobbling in the blade itself....
> 
> 
> ...I gave the bandsaw away as I just got too disgusted with it. I wouldn't recommend anything from Central Machinery larger than a handdrill.


If your budget leads you toward an HF bandsaw, why not return it if defective as opposed to keeping it and giving it away, which is a total 100% waste of the initial cash outlay? :confused1:


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## Motleycode

LGC KX5 TC said:


> Ok so i have never really been impressed with harbor freight tools. I have never bought any personally but some friends of mine have i didn't like them. The tools they bought weren't the central machinery brand though they were random welders and stuff like that. They do however have good prices
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93380
> 
> Like this table saw for example. Is it worth my time or money to invest in one of these saws or should i just save up and buy a jet or something with a known name?
> 
> I Basicly would like to know if anyone has any of there woodworking tools and if so are you pleased or dissatisfied. Any info would be awesome.
> 
> Thanks
> Jeron


 
I purchased several hand tools from HF in the past and they are still functioning like new to this day. I recently bought a Central Machinery 14 x 40 wood lathe from them to replace my Craftsman. So far I am impressed with the machine. It has a 90 day warranty plus the extended 1 year warranty I decided to purchase for $19.99 I'm trying my best to break it by working with heavy stock and using it for long hours. So far though it has performed well.


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## Dave Paine

HF is very hit and miss.

A few days ago I purchased a 6in buffing machine. I was contemplating using it with my Beall buffing wheels. I fell for the $40 sale price.

I got the machine home went to open the box and only then noticed that the box had been opened and re-taped shut. I was suspicious.

I cut the tape opened the box and removed the contents. As I lay down the styrofoam packagaing I saw the bottom of the machine looked like it has splotches of some sort. One of the buffing wheels had the plastic removed.

I removed the styrofoam and saw the machine has vise grip marks on one shaft, likely due to the rust on the shaft having caused the nut to freeze on the shaft. The paint on one end was gone. The machine looked like it was in rough shape.

I immediately took it back to the store. Only about 20 mile drive, but frustrating. I got my money back and asked to see the manager so I could tell him this unit was damaged and should never have been put back into inventory.

This would have been my first powered tool from HF. I think this will be my last.


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## Motleycode

I ALWAYS make them open the package... Even at lowes hardware when I buy machinery to avoid this


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## Steve Neul

I buy a lot of power tools from Harbor Freight and only have gotten one bad one. It was an air compressor and I took it back and got the same model as a replacement and have used it for about four years now. I bought a 3x21 belt sander and a electric power washer on Friday and both are fine. The hose was a bit short on the power washer but I knew that when I bought it.


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## Toolman2

I bought a 14" Central Machinery bandsaw in 1997 that stills works like new today. After a few years it developed a wobble, but it's not detrimental to its use. I also bought the 22" scroll saw (that's the exact same as the higher priced grizzly model) and it's worked like a champ for years as well. I also bought their multi-tool, thinking it'd be for one job, but it has been a beast at cutting pvc, removing concrete, etc.

I love the fact that I can get paint brushes on sale at .49 to .69 depending on size. I've had bad luck with their drill bits and some of their blades, but not their bandsaw blades.

I wouldn't buy an HF table saw or RAS because of quality in those machines, it takes an educated buyer at HF to minimize the hit and miss.


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