Subforum suggestion.

Ok. Sounds like Princess Auto that we have here. Actually have some good stuff there.

 

I stopped buying snap on an mac. I cry less when I accidently leave a $5 powerfist wrench on the back of my service truck.

 

that would be me, i am still around have not logged on much in a while. still pulling side dump belly dump and hopper bottom. take it pretty easy in the winter try to get away from the truck for a while but i am still around.

 

Seems like good tool investment for a mechanic is a must. At least for the shop. But I sure know what you're talkin' about when it comes to losing tools.
We just had a HF open up here about a year ago. There are some things I'll buy there. Like shop towels, trouble lights etc. But nothing in the way of tools. (I'm not a mechanic, just an old fart with a garage out back that I don't even use that much anymore...)

 

I've found that most of the "cheap" hand tools last just as long as the "premium" brands. I have a snap on ratchet that is ready for a 4th rebuild and I've only got about 3 years of use on it. My craftsman ratchets have been going flawlessly for 10 years. And the warranty is just as good with the cheap stuff now anyways.

 

there is a fair bit of stuff from harbor freight that is pretty good for casual to moderate use. there impact sockets are pretty darn good. i buy there big packs of screw drivers cause i am bad about misusing and loosing screw drivers. i have put a lot of heavy use threw there 1/2 inch earthquake impacts they hold up to pretty heavy use running 150 psi shop air threw them. i have had one die but that was after 3 years of moderate to heavy use. but at the price point who cares if you have to replace it every 3 years. i have 2 of there big 1 inch impact guns, the first one i bought several years ago is still working great but i moved it from the shop to the service pickup. the new one i bought last year stays in the shop. i have there big 10 inch variable speed rotary polishers. witch has cut and buffed several cars and polished a lot of aluminum had it at least 4 years now still going strong. i also have there 20 ton shop press, its a little light for a 20 ton but its always worked flawlessly. there hammers are also pretty good. and all there hand tools carry a lifetime guarantee. you break one of there hand tools carry it in they normally give you a whole new set if it was bought as a set. my tool kit i carry in my jockey box is all harbor freight stuff. i have a couple of there air over bottle jacks as well always worked flawlessly.

i would stay away from harbor freights specialty tools if they are going to be used frequently, but if its something that is likely only going to be used once or maybe once every few years its probably fine. and when it breaks buying multipul ones is still cheaper than buying from the tool truck.

another item i might recommend staying away from is there flex head ratchet wrenches. if you do buy them use a regular box end wrench to break tq on the bolt/nut and then use it also the tiny Allen bolt in the flex joint likes to back itself out.

 

i don't have there engine hoist i have my engine hoist from long before we had a harbor freight here it was bought from a auto parts store.

i do however have one of there engine stands and i must say although it works, i am not a fan. its pretty light duty compared to its weight rating, a v8 that is more than just a bear block its difficult to roll the thing around. also when you spin the engine around on the stand the center tube on the rotation point slides backwards and the pin to lock it in place wont line back up.

 

And @Ezrider_48501 as well...
Well, things do change, and so do companies. It's my understanding that Craftsman tools is undergoing some major policy changes, maybe even a change of ownership. From what I've been told, Sears is going to be getting away from the Craftsman brand, and the lifetime warranty on hand tools is going to be phased out.
Of course, all my hand tools are Craftsman.
Now as far as Harbor Freight is concerned, it sounds like their quality has improved over the years. My big gripes are about a drill press, (bench mount,) that is of very poor quality, and a port a power ram that only lasted through the second use.
I bought both of these in the early 2000sns and at a city I happened to be in that was several hundred miles away. Their so called warranty had expired of course. So I had some really mixed feelings when I saw them come in here.

 

I was wondering why I haven't seen much for Craftsman at Sears lately.