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Old 11-17-2011, 08:54 PM   #1
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Harbor Freight Tools--

I'm a nut for tools, kinda like Imelda Marcos for shoes-

I love going into tool supply stores to see what's new. Nobody beats Harbor Freight for price on tools. Some are good and some are not so good. I remember a high speed steel drill set I bought one time and I was drilling a piece of steel, and the drill bit "bent". I had to laugh because High Speed Steel drill bits don't bend- They just "Break" like, "Snap off"!!

I always look for complete sets of combination open end, box wrench, sets. In the metric sizes the sets always miss a couple of "key" sizes.

Well I decided to do someting about it. You might enjoy reading my comments to Harbor Freight on their web site and their response to my comments-

It tickles me that I got prompt and honest replies---


Please start at the BOTTOM of this page and read the threads going towards the top--I don't know how to "invert" this process.


My pleasure, Max. I will definitely suggest that, and hopefully the idea will be implemented (although please don’t hold your breath). Thank you so much for your feedback. Keep an eye out at www.harborfreight.com for new items coming in regularly.

Please attach all previous e-mail when replying back to us.
Thank you,

Mich
Customer Service Dept.
HFT Tech Support
888-866-5797
tech@harborfreight.com

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipients and may contain information protected from disclosure by applicable laws and regulations. If you are not an intended recipient, do not view, use, copy, disclose, or distribute this message or any of the information contained in this message to anyone.... please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. Unintended transmission shall not constitute waiver of any applicable legal protection afforded to this e-mail and any attached documents

From: MAXHUBRICH@aol.com [mailto:MAXHUBRICH@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 5:45 AM
To: Tech Support (Customer Service)
Subject: Re: Howdy--



Hi Mich-



Thanks for your reply- I appreciate it.

Just some thoughts of mine follow about this subject-



It sounds to me like the "tail is wagging the dog". I was in "Process engineering" in industry (GM), Our vendors made what we "specked out" for them- exactly!



Why couldn't you make two sets of these common wrench sizes- Lets say 7 mm thru 13 mm and a second set of 14 mm thru 19 mm, or some such combination. Sell two sets instead of one. Then, at least folks would have a complete set.





Just a thought--



Thanks again,



Max H







In a message dated 11/16/2011 5:05:35 P.M. Central Standard Time, tech@harborfreight.com writes:
These are provided to us with those certain sizes missing, by design of the manufacturer. I realize how frustrating this can be, as my own sockets are from HF and are also missing certain sizes. At the ridiculous prices these kits are offered for, when I need a size that is not included in the kit I have, I purchase a single socket that will do the job at hand. I understand how little sense this makes, but it is how we have offered these kits for years. Please let me know if I can assist further and thank you for bringing this to our attention. I hope you have a good day.

Please attach all previous e-mail when replying back to us.
Thank you,

Mich
Customer Service Dept.
HFT Tech Support
888-866-5797
tech@harborfreight.com

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipients and may contain information protected from disclosure by applicable laws and regulations. If you are not an intended recipient, do not view, use, copy, disclose, or distribute this message or any of the information contained in this message to anyone.... please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. Unintended transmission shall not constitute waiver of any applicable legal protection afforded to this e-mail and any attached documents

From: MAXHUBRICH@aol.com [mailto:MAXHUBRICH@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 4:51 PM
To: Tech Support (Customer Service)
Subject: Re: Howdy--



Mich-



Thanks for responding--



I am more than happy to provide you with some item (set) numbers--



I am addressing Metric sizes in this posting-



Here we go:



- #38036

missing 15, 16, and 18 mm



- #32647

missing 16 and 18 mm



- #541

missing 7, 16, 18, 20, 23, etc mm



- #47467

missing 9, 16, 18 mm



It took me all of 4 minutes to dig these up on your web site. Many more sets are involved.



Call any of your stores and ask this question- "Do you get requests for complete metric sets??"



Good luck, just don't listen to these folks you have making up your "set packages"- They don't know what they are doing-



Max H















In a message dated 11/15/2011 3:54:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, tech@harborfreight.com writes:
In order to provide you with better service, please give us the Item / SKU number of your product.

Please attach all previous e-mail when replying back to us.
Thank you,

Mich
Customer Service Dept.
HFT Tech Support
888-866-5797
tech@harborfreight.com

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipients and may contain information protected from disclosure by applicable laws and regulations. If you are not an intended recipient, do not view, use, copy, disclose, or distribute this message or any of the information contained in this message to anyone.... please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. Unintended transmission shall not constitute waiver of any applicable legal protection afforded to this e-mail and any attached documents

From: MAXHUBRICH@aol.com [mailto:MAXHUBRICH@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 1:38 PM
To: Tech Support (Customer Service)
Subject: Howdy--



I've been waiting patiently for years now for you guys/gals to make your combination wrench sets complete.



Your design engineers apparently have never worked in the field using these wrenches on equipment.



For instance in your metric combination open/box wrench sets you skip the 9mm, 15mm, 16mm & 18mm sizes. If you work on John Deere lawn tractor equipment you must have these 15 & 18mm sizes available to you.



Please don't insult my intelligence by saying "use the SAE equivalent". That's the dumbest argument you can make and it must be coming from a "NON-Hands" on person because they just don't fit correctly!!



Kobalt makes complete sets and I guess I'm going to have to go to Lowe's and get me some.



When I ask the folks in your stores about this they just shrug their shoulders and say "I don't understand it either".



Huh??



Max H



maxhubrich@aol.com


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Old 11-17-2011, 09:17 PM   #2
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I don't buy from them. On a new set of box/open end wrenches, I was using a 3/4" box end and one side broke off. A pipe die lasted just long enough to round off the end of a 1/2" galvinized pipe----didn't even start to cut a thread. That was enough for me
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Old 11-17-2011, 09:19 PM   #3
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I try to avoid made in China whenever possible
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Old 11-17-2011, 09:25 PM   #4
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I will buy a cheap tool on occasion if I need to butcher it for a special job where excess stress is not an issue. Otherwise, no. Now that I am no longer making my living with my tools I don't buy Snap On or Mac but otoh will not use cheap poorly fitting products. I tend to get real cranky when a tool does not perform it's intended job.
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Old 11-17-2011, 09:37 PM   #5
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When a "cheap" tool breaks it can sling broken metal fragments...where those go?? who knows..but not good if they hit you or someone nearby and cause bodily harm...think it won't happen? Keep using them....
I also prefer not to damage a fastener or bust a knuckle due to a flexing tool....

While considering cost...quality over rides cost when it comes to tools.

A tool box full of useless tools is useless and of NO value

QUALITY made for me...no cut rate cheapies here!!!
A mechanic is only as good as his/her tools!

OP you bought cheap tools that were advertised as such with quantity and sizes listed in the descriptions. Those descriptions then based on your "feedback" were not up to you liking. Why buy them in the 1st place, if they didn't ft your liking, then give feedback about your purchase thereafter?
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Old 11-17-2011, 09:43 PM   #6
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Years ago, my wife bought me something called Metwrench. They work on both SAE and Metric, and while I wouldn't use them with my impact wrench, they do work for general automotive use. Anyway, I have not broke any of them...yet.

When it come to tools, almost everything in my box is either sears, snap-on or colbalt. I did buy some tools from Geno's garage for my Dodge diesel.
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Old 11-18-2011, 02:12 AM   #7
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Some HF stuff is good, some of it worse than bad. If you have been around tools, you can tell what from HF is going to be worth it, and what won't be.

I have two 42" roll aways packed full of to many tools. Most of them are Craftsman, some cobalt, getting to be more and more, and some random stuff from HF. Lots of motorcycle and ATV specialty tools as well. Craftsman's professional line is worth owning, sockets are nice, the regular wrenches and screw drivers have gone to pot, or my standards are higher now. Craftsman ratchets should be given to small boys to smash stuff with.
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Old 11-18-2011, 05:32 AM   #8
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You get what you pay for, buy American because the job you save might just be yours.
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Old 11-18-2011, 05:52 AM   #9
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Thanks for sharing the story and feedback from HF cust service, Max.

(I'll admit to being a terrible un-american sort who bought a $20 HF portable grinder, made in China, that works just fine for the once a year use. But I do drive and tow expensive american made RV and SUV.)

safe travels
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Old 11-18-2011, 05:57 AM   #10
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I must admit to having some HF stuff. Harbor Freight is like a man's candy store. But you have to enter understanding the quality is questionable. As for missing sizes, I have the solution. I usually reach for my "universal metric". It's commonly called a crescent wrench.
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Old 11-18-2011, 06:16 AM   #11
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Back in the late 80's I owned my very own Fire Engine, of course it was an antique and one item I needed for working on this thing was a 1" drive socket set. I don't believe Craftsman carried one, Snap On wanted $1200. for a set and then I found "HARBOR FREIGHT"! Low and behold they had exactly what I needed and yes it came from China, but it was only $129. dollars. For $129. dollars it served my purpose and served me well, still have it and it's still in good shape, never split a socket or broke the ratchet.
As with anything else you have to watch what you buy from them, I also now feel the same towards Sears / Craftsman.

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Old 11-18-2011, 07:09 AM   #12
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I'm also a tool collector. I have several sets of tools and keep some in the boat, each car and the RV. That's because I would forget to move them every time I switch vehicles. HF tools fill the bill when I want something I don't use very often...especially their deep impact sockets. For what I would spend on one socket at Sears, I can buy an entire set from HF. While I don't like a lot of the stuff HF makes, I am also seeing a decrease in quality at Sears. Their hand tools still carry a lifetime warranty, but the power tools seem to be getting more poorly made all the time...more plastic parts, more shortcuts. I think they are buying their tools from other suppliers now and putting their name on them.
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Old 11-18-2011, 07:26 AM   #13
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My dad, an avid backyard gardener, once took me along to the hardware store to buy some gardening tools. He was looking at one that he liked, and I said 'Look dad, this one is cheaper!' When I showed it to him he said: "Son, you never waste your money on a $2 hoe." Words to live by.
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Old 11-18-2011, 07:34 AM   #14
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I met someone who was a retro engineer. His job was to take a good tool and see how to make it cheaper but still function for a while.
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