Ken Nowicki on mon 2 may 05
Here's my take on Harbor Freight...
It is what it is.
Yes, most of what they sell is cheaply made, overseas... usually made in
China, etc.
Yes, if you want quality, long lasting tools, look elsewhere.
But... on some rare occasions... a tool from Harbor Freight might come in
handy.
Case in point.
Recently, I needed a die-grinder to clean up some holes that were cut in
some fairly thick aluminized sheet metal... 18 gauge I think. These were 3 1/2 "
diameter holes that were cut in the "hinge support frame" that stretches
across the top of the L&L hybrid kiln I'm working on. The diameter of the holes
was such that with the tools at hand, it was hard to cut a clean, smooth
diameter in the metal without having to do a lot of filing later. I needed a nice
clean hole for the purpose intended. So, rather than investing in a lot of
money for a really nice quality die-grinder that I'd probably use less than
10 times in my life... I opted for a $40 one from Harbor Freight. It would've
probably cost me $90 or more (minimum shop labor prices) to take this thing
to a metal shop and have them do it. The tool arrived a few days after I
ordered it, and worked like a charm. In my mind, it's already paid for itself.
So yes, you get what you pay for. However, occasionally... opting to pay
the "cheaper price" pays for itself. Depends on your situation. I could be
sitting here with a $200 die-grinder I'll rarely use sitting in my tool chest
right now, but why should I spend that kind of money on something I'll barely
use. Now, drill motors?... that is something else entirely!
- Ken
Ken Nowicki
Port Washington, NY
RakuArtist@aol.com
Potters Council - Charter Member
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