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Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
There are still two 'decent' 20% off, and 10% off coupons that work today at HF:

20TOOL and SPRING10, respectively.

I ended up with the cheaper charger (6/6, 2/12, 6/12) just because it was in stock last year, and it works well enough to trickle charge anything that's just sitting ignored. Meter reading is a little funky - but it works.

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Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

RapeWhistle posted:

if anyone ever needs a wire wheel attachment for an angle grinder, I would not recommend the HF stuff... they throw the bristles out at speed and they will stick into you if you have skin exposed :)

Thanks for reminding me. :gonk: Nearly 20 years later, and I still have a flat index fingernail from becoming a conduit for shed bristles.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Motronic posted:

Why? Just bring them back to Sears and get new ones.

Stores are also wise to this, and all of my local stores for the last decade want proof of purchase.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
Having only two ears legs, and two arms, it's hard to drive more than one vehicle at a time. That said, everything modern has at least a slight drain when not being driven.

I'm a bit strange, and I refuse to drive one of my cars (the NICE car) during the winter. I've had it on a random 2A trickle charge, but I somehow still managed to let the battery get under 10v, and hence, it's not trustworthy anymore. Well, that was an expensive 'thought I was on top of it' - turns out I accidentally left the drat XM radio for a few hours turned down when I went to grab the phone. :suicide:

So, after doing a bit of research, I picked up some float chargers, which work amazingly well - they don't overcharge (they cut off at about 12.35v), wont charge a dead battery (until it has at least 9v - even if I'd consider that DoC (dead on crank)) and they'll feed it 850mA up to that point of 12.35v.

What's better is I have a $5 off coupon that's good through July, so they're only $4.99. The coupon code is: 33253543.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

BrokenKnucklez posted:

This has been very very useful for me. I used it to run my sump pump during a weather outage, run random stuff while I am out at my parents house doing stuff in the field (no literally, I am in a field).

If anyone is looking at this exact model - wait until August 26th, it's going to be on special for $89.99 (According to a 'future insert' from my last shipped order).


v- Nope. They specifically exclude 'percentage off' deals with this 'Tent Event Sale'

Viggen fucked around with this message at 17:28 on Aug 11, 2011

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

The Cubelodyte posted:

Oh poo poo.

Harbor Freight just opened a store where I live. They used to be a 45-minute drive.

I'm afraid for my wallet. :ohdear:

The gas for that to return poo poo that came broken does tend to add up, after all.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

The Cubelodyte posted:

Yeah, true enough. Too bad they weren't closer when my HF compressor turned out lovely. I also like their consumables like nitrile gloves; they're much cheaper than anyplace else in town.

About the only loving product you don't need to pre-test before you buy..

I got a $20 paint sprayer to fix up the fence (HOA nazis say its time even if it is all red and not rotting), and it came seized, and they would not let me give it a blast in the store, even with water.

E: My HF is 50 miles away, for what it's (not) worth.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

meatpimp posted:

I was just looking and even the i3 is $1k used. I'm just looking for hobby and around-the-house stuff. When I can pick one up for about $4-500 used, I'll jump. I imagine that it'd be like infrared thermometers -- I got one of those about 6 years ago and it's been extremely useful, my wife even uses it for baking. I can only imagine the uses we'd come up with for a flir.

Harbor freight has them for $199.99, but all you ever get is a black image. :haw:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

grover posted:

My jack broke. Sunk a wheel in soft asphalt and the frame twisted :( Portability is important to me, so I don't want a 50lb hoss, but it needs to be safe and reliable. Seems to be rather slim picking among compact jacks, though. How's the Torin 2 ton jack Wal-Mart sells? How's it compare to Harbor Freight's?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Torin-Jack-2-Ton-360-Degree-Jack-Handle/14560041

I have owned this one, and I gave it away. It's an OK jack (each pump lifts maybe 2mm, I swear), but it's not really any smaller than any other jack I've owned. I would suggest the HF jack I currently own, but evidently they've gone from $40 to $90, so, screw that.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
My local Harbor Freight has an interesting policy.

They've got on the receipts that all defective items must be returned within 90 days. Hand tools have a lifetime warranty.

I was polite, and got an exchange for my 16 piece metric set (off the website) that I bought in 2011, but the manager told the employee to not do it in the future for anything dated over 90 days.

I pulled the manager aside and politely inquired what 'lifetime' meant. He said I'd have to ship it back to corporate. I suggested that the expense, if bought in the store, should then be incurred by that store, and he mentioned that there were already litigations regarding this.

Take this $4 socket set and replace it, or I'll make you eat it. :colbert:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

PitViper posted:

My rule of thumb is if I've used it enough to break it, I should buy a better quality piece anyway. That said, I don't think I've broken hardly anything from HF that wasn't "disposable" anyway (sacrificial screwdrivers and such), so maybe I'm just really careful about picking what I can get cheap, versus what I should buy quality.

So lifetime warranty means '30 ft-lbs', or '500 ft-lbs'? FWIW the bolt that broke it was a slightly rusty bolt that held a switch onto a transmission on a 15 year old car. None of the rust was beneath the surface.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

PitViper posted:

Sorry, stuff like sockets and the like I'd definitely take back, no excuse for something simple like that to break. Anything more complex than a breaker bar, maybe a ratchet, and I consider most of what HF sells to be "good enough". Power tools, air tools, electrical stuff, etc. is where The cheapness starts to become evident, and the closest HF to me is at least an hour and a half away. I'll spend the extra cash on a better built, major manufacturer warrantied piece if it's something important enough to replace.

..which brings us back to, do we need to force feed them what they warranted, or blow up their phone and demand a replacement? If they start making us ship it back and doing a free/at-cost cross ship, those 40 piece sets under every sub-$3,000 drivers' seat is no longer worth it. Neither is anything else that we pray we don't need to use. That's the majority of their business, if I'm not mistaken.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

veedubfreak posted:

Anyone have any experience with this?

I have one. It's worked the 8 times I've used it. :effort:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Rhyno posted:

I think my feelings are hurt by this.

..because the nose picking unit is only $8.99 most of the time, right?

I used mine to clean minor stains off of the toilets this last weekend. They were here when I moved in, and they're gone now.. all without doing (noticeable) damage to the porcelain.

:toot:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Motronic posted:

The only place I've found them recently are on some rocker covers. Why one would choose to use them there is beyond me.

That's the easiest place to get to when they're rounded off by an airgun, of course!

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

grover posted:

That's not really a battery charger so much as a battery maintainer to keep your battery from slowly draining while garaged; would take forever to recharge a drained battery with that and you're likely to burn it up if you try. If you can't get something like this, you might as well just save your $5 and get a jump-start.

It's not designed to. It doesn't trickle if the battery is under 10v, and stops at about 13.2v. It's designed to keep those new fangled cars that draw a few mA in storage to keep from draining the battery to a state of death while they sit neglected, it is not intended to be a 'charger'.

I will fight you to the death if you talk poo poo about these. I own six, and have given them as gifts to people who leave their cars (undriven) outside for the winter. Saved at least two batteries so far. :colbert:


I bought one of these, and used it extensively during the NG900 rebuild for superficial and non-rusted stuff.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
gently caress y'all. Just braid both sides of the wires together and make it look like a ponytail. Then wrap it in masking or painters tape.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
This thread has turned into the aftermarket audio complaint thread?

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Phone posted:

I thought UL was pretty much bullshit. :confused:

Only if it's on bullshit grey-market merchandise.

Ask me about how many devices I had catch fire during my two years in Latin America.. including fans, phones, and routers. From "reputable" Wal-Mart owned companies.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

MiniFoo posted:

Obviously it's a tool for circumcisions.

The best part of being a mohel is - the tips are free!

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

soap. posted:

He works almost exclusively on older Toyota trucks and SUVs, if that makes a difference (more clearance?).

Cardboard boxes are cheap as hell..

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Sir Cornelius posted:

If it's a tool you're talking about, you're pretty much the best girlfriend ever.

What you want is actually this.

Sir Cornelius posted:

What you're looking for is probably a crimping tool. A creeper is something like forum poster "Viggen".

:drac:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Drunk Pledge Driver posted:

Do you guys know where I can get exhaust clamps for dirt cheap? I paid $11 for a temporary flex pipe + 1 clamp and it seems silly to pay more than half that for just a single clamp.

..wire hanger? But really, that isn't too out-of-sorts. Check with your local automotive store.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Sir Cornelius posted:

Thanks a lot for this. You actually got me thinking. Small wheels aren't necessarily a problem if they're wide enough and have good bearings. Hmm, I've got at least 4 skateboard trucks and some good wheels, bearing and plywood in my workshop.


Make sure the wheels are MOBILE. The smaller they are and the more they can pivot - the better off you will be. The most broken creepers are the best that I've used, because you don't have to fight (and sometimes bang your knees),

I use a big oil stained cardboard box.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

kastein posted:

The bigger the wheels are and the stronger their swivels are, the better. Also, you definitely want 6.

Wait until they get dirt in them. In the winter. They're not very mobile. I like the smaller wheels for a reason.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Black88GTA posted:

e: Cheap rear end foam mats from HF are where it's at. I use these for everything.

Hasn't anybody heard of cardboard? You slide on it, you spill on it, whatever, just toss it and use another box?

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

General_Failure posted:

Everyone's a sinner in one way or another.

What also confuses me, is everyone I know in Oz is scared shitless of the police, even if.. they've NEVER, EVER done anything wrong.

:australia:

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

IOwnCalculus posted:

So my Craftsman 3.5 ton jack from about seven years back seems to have failed. It also seems to be cheap Chinese made poo poo at a not cheap price. I'm going to try replacing the fluid tomorrow to see if that helps, but if not, any reason not to get the Harbor Freight 2.5 low profile?

Depending on what you have for coupons..

I've seen both the aluminum one, and the steel one rated for 2.5. I assume you're going to get the 80 pound behemoth? I got the 2 ton aluminum one.. in spades. Gave them out as gifts over the last couple of years. They've worked fine for my meager auto requirements. Buddy has a 2.5 and has used it with this 4.0 Jeep. Several times.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

IOwnCalculus posted:

The other option is this at Costco - I haven't actually looked at it there yet but the reviews everywhere are positive, plus Costco's return policies are nice.

That looks just like the black beast I bought at Wal-Mart when I was stranded, only with red paint. It was heavy as hell, worked great, but didn't have low clearance (which you don't care about). It also took like 20 pumps to get anything into the air. I'd swear it's the same drat thing, but I can't check the model/specs as I gave it to my buddy with the 4.0.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Rhyno posted:

Throw a piece of packing tape over the receipt. It's like laminating it.

Set the box by the stove. Most thermal print fades quickly. When exposed to nearby heat, it gets pretty dark all over. "I was just making some soup to feed my poor father who was CRUSHED UNDER ONE OF YOUR DEVICES AND CAN'T MOVE MORE THAN A SINGLE FINGER SIX TIMES A DAY."

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Motronic posted:

All in all, not a terrible experience.....but remember to fight for what you want. And even if the tool you are returning is newer than the lifetime warranty......it was already warrantied once from a lifetime tool.....right?

Last time I did this, I was offered a "Limited Lifetime" ratchet on exchange after wasting 15 minutes arguing with the checker about getting management to contend, and it had less teeth than my $4 Harbor Freight kit. I was less than impressed.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Motronic posted:

never buy Craftsman again.

It's sad, but that's where I'm at as well. They're virtually just rebranded Stanley products at this point. I don't like throwing my money away at HF, but if I get the same amount of being put out for an inferior product - why would I buy the more expensive one?

..still got like 7 shrinkwrapped HF 40 piece 3/8" kits. The spanners are garbage, but break two, exchange when in town, rinse, repeat..

I do like their (discontinued?) 16 piece Metric 1/2" set. I've used that on virtually every car by now, and the breaker bar is actually fairly rigid. $30 and I've got from 12mm to 30mm (most of them).

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Rhyno posted:

Yeah the local Sears wouldn't give me a new part and I kissed the managers rear end. Meanwhile HF employees still let me use more than one coupon at a time.

You're gonna need a ton of those to work on a rusted out land locked G Body.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

kastein posted:

HF ratchets just die on me, on like the third use, maximum. If I wanted a tool to hold it and look at it that would be one thing but I occasionally need to use them, so tools I have to keep a stock of that might break and leave me halfway through something are really not acceptable. So HF and husky ratchets are right out.

If you know you can depend on not depending on them for awful work, they're just fine. The wrenches I have bought are OK to beat to crap, just not the ratchets. That's why I have several (and a couple Craftsman, still)..

chem42 posted:

I bought a tool cart from Harbor Freight the other day, and the cashier was telling everyone to copy your receipt since it's needed for returns and they fade quickly. So I guess it depends on the store.

If you buy it online and do 'ship to store', they can look it up. I made them do that with the last exchange. You can't stack coupons, though.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

daslog posted:

Sears is run by a Hedge Fund now. I wouldn't buy anything there.

All the more reason to buy the guaranteed cheaply produced Chinese counterpart, right? :haw:

I can't remember which model 2.5 I got from Wal-Mart, but it was all black, and I swear the name was something like 'Husky', it sure wasn't the Pro-Tools, or Torin. :sigh: Guess that info is of use to you IoC, sorry.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

mod sassinator posted:

So this 12v portable (but not cordless) 1/2 inch impact wrench is only 40 bucks today: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00544EZQ2/?tag=dealnewscom&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Anyone ever use a tool like this? It sounds decently powerful from the specs with up to 280lb/ft of torque. Could definitely speed up taking off and putting on (with torque limiting sticks) wheels. Not having to have a 120v outlet or compressor around is nice. Seems handy to have if going offroad too.

I bought one for myself at Christmas. I went to use it for the first time on Monday. Dead as a doornail. Just shipped back to Amazon, yesterday, when the replacement arrived. Haven't been arsed to test it since it's snowing and needs 12v/10A so I'm not going to get it to work with a wall-wart adaptor I use for precharging the GPS.

It seemed like rather cheap construction, and although it came with 2 SAE standard size adaptors, I'm not horribly impressed being that it wouldn't work out of the box the first time.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

nmfree posted:

The fuse on that multimeter is 10A; AFAIK the only thing that's going to be too much is the starter, although I'm sure I'll get a dozen other things on an auto that routinely draw more.

Usually the 10A is unfused. Kick it too hard and it's dead. I grabbed one of these when it was $9. It works for tracking down parasitic draw just as easily, and if I pop the fuse, I just need to replace the fuse.

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Deceptor101 posted:

That being said I may also pick up this fuse tester at my local HF tonight...

Make sure you get the right one. They were selling the ATM as the ATC for a long time (its a smaller fuse).

E: They're now offering a 30A ATC one as well for the same price, guess they never got their staff to figure out the difference between the two 20s. :v:

Viggen fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Jan 23, 2013

Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW
It's only 2 ton, and $200. Max lift: 19 1/4".

It's your money. Go ahead and blow it.

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Viggen
Sep 10, 2010

by XyloJW

Luminous Cow posted:

Edit: Also, I'm on a bit of a budget.

It'd help to know what you expect to use them on. I have the $60 Harbor Freight 1.5ton SUPAR SPEED SPESHIAL, and it works better for me than the 2.5 ton 'pump till it hurts' that I replaced.. and a pair of $15 3 ton stands (currently $13)..

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