[Boatanchors] Harbor Freight

[Sandy]

Glen,
Glad you mention Lowe's and Home Depot!

They sell their share of junque too.

I used to be a "fan" of "Troy-Bilt" stuff.....mostly the rural things like 
tillers.  I have one that REALLY does the job except for the fact it has a 
Tecumseh engine.....really crap compared with old Briggs & Stratton.

I bought a Tray-Bilt weedwhacker after my old Ryan one I had for 20 years 
crapped out!  I made the mistake of getting the one with the "quick change" 
lower unit that converts into a long reach limb trimmer, etc.

The first one lasted 3 months then you couldn't keep it running.  Came back 
and they took it back and I got another one.  I also bought the tree lib 
trimmer (mini chainsaw) attachment at the same time.  After just an hour's 
use the drive cable wouldn't power the chain saw attachment with the long 
extension....then it wouldn't work at all.  The warranty station here gave 
me no satisfaction at all.  Troy-Bilt online gave me no satisfaction at all 
either.  I discovered the website handles about 6 "name brand" lines all 
made by the same company!  After repeated requests for help, they said they 
couldn't help me at all, even though the ubit was still "in warranty".

This just indicates to me that nearly all the US manufacturers of "garden 
equipment" are coming out of the same factory (here or China?)
I do know that some of the Jap trucks and American trucks are rolling out of 
the same factories with just minor cosmetic changes and different "brand 
names" on them.

Many years back, I heard some chap who had something to do with stoves, said 
that ALL the gas stoves came out of one plan t with different name tags!  A 
stove we bought years ago ( since long sold) had another popular nameplate 
(Magic Chef or something like that) that eventually came unglued and fell 
off.  The name under that was "Tappan"!!  You NEVER know what you are REALLY 
getting these days even so c alled "USA" brands.    I've gotten to where I 
just buy which seems the "best buy" for the money and sort of forget popular 
brand names as they really mean nothing anymore.

A final note:  About 40+ years ago when I married my XYL who had a family 
( a devorcee), she was working with an old "Hamilton Beach" electric mixer 
that was well used.  One she had off around 10 years.  One C hristmas, I 
bought a fancy Sunbeam mixmaster with some nice attachments.  After about 
5-6 years something failed in it and I was told parts were unavailable as 
this was a now discontinued model.  The factory would not repair it either! 
So we went back to old reliable, junky Hamilton Beach mixer.  We STILL have 
it and it's STILL working!  So much for the "better" name brands!

My 2 pennies' worth.

73,

Sandy W5TVW

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Glen Zook" <gzook at yahoo.com>
To: "David Knepper" <collinsradio at comcast.net>; "rbethman" 
<rbethman at comcast.net>; "Boatanchors Mail List" 
<boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; "Jim Brannigan" <jbrannig at optonline.net>
Cc: "jeff" <jeffv at op.net>; "Sandy" <ebjr37 at charter.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Harbor Freight


> In my opinion Harbor Freight sells the gamut of tools.  Many are 
> definitely "home owner" grade but there are some that are definitely 
> better.  I know that at the Richardson store (north side of Dallas, Texas) 
> I see pickup trucks and vans with the names of some of the better 
> contractors painted on the sides in the parking lot whenever my wife and I 
> go over there.
>
> Like purchasing anything, you really need to know what your are buying.  I 
> believe that is just what the "professionals" are doing.  That is they 
> know quality and they know junk.  Therefore, they "pick and choose" buying 
> those things that they know are good and passing up the things that are 
> not.  Frankly, it is the same thing at most stores these days, you have to 
> know what is good and what is not.
>
> Although I have been basically "white collar" since I graduated from 
> college my "background" was definitely "blue collar".  My father installed 
> heating and air conditioning, my maternal grandfather and one of my 
> mother's brothers were plumbers, another uncle was a carpenter and another 
> was an automobile mechanic.  Starting in elementary school all the way 
> through some college vacations I was used first as a "gopher" by all of 
> them and then as a helper.  In fact, in some situations I actually did a 
> good amount of work "on my own".  This was before licensing was in place 
> in many areas for doing the work.  Frankly, I quickly learned how to tell 
> good tools from junk.  Some of my tools that I now have were handed down 
> to me from my father and grandfather.  They are old but they still 
> function fine.
>
> The result is that I do purchase SOME things from Harbor Freight.  There 
> are other things that I don't want to even consider.  It is the same thing 
> with Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears, W. W. Grainger, and other places.  You 
> just have to know what you are purchasing and make your choices 
> accordingly.
>
> Glen, K9STH
>
> Website:  http://k9sth.com
>
>
> --- On Sun, 12/14/08, Jim Brannigan <jbrannig at optonline.net> wrote:
>
>> From: Jim Brannigan <jbrannig at optonline.net>
> HF sells homeowner grade, not contractor grade tools.
>
> Jim
>
>
> We have a Harbor Freight store in our area and it is a wonderful, friendly 
> place to shop.
>
> Thanks to all of you who were positive and supportive and for those who 
> whine and moan, just go away.  You are probably the same ones that want 
> Detroit to go down the drain!
>
>
>


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