I'll agree with some,, that when HF first started,,,they did carry some low quality tools but still for the most part,,,the prices were where you could save money, use the tool and throw it away and still save money,,,,,UMmmmm,,,did I say all that right,,???

   Anyway,,,they now carry some very good quality tools with very good prices,,, and since Sears closed the only store in a 300 mile radius,,,,not much choice for me,,,,

  One thing you gotta watch, tho,,,in their mail out circular,,,they will have the same item in different parts of the circular with different pricing,,,I'm thinkin they be doing this to see if I am payin attention,,,,,but I fool em all the time,,,,

Even if it were it would still not draw the clientele that ole Shameless likes to hang out with.

   

 Hey Thad,,I have one of their better "cheap" ones that is comparable to a Craftsman I got from Sears and I can vouch for it being every bit as good and powerful as the Craftsman. Fact is,,the Craftsman lost an inboard bearing last year so I replaced both bearings and is  still a powerful tool. I also bought one of HF's new line of Hercules 4 1/2" grinders and at 7 amps,,,it is a work hog,,,!!! It is half the price of a Dewalt and same output. 

  Chit,,I think I got ,,,,,,,at least 6 of the 4 1/2" grinders,,,never know when you gonna need one at different part of garage,,,,,

shameless dude wrote: what was wrong with the impact wrench Les?

 

It was that ring on the square shaft where you put the sockets on that was giving me the grief.  I didn't like using the 2 pound hammer to get the sockets on and off.
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nders but cant find them anymore. I have a Bosch that I bought at a junk store in the late 90's. its getting slow and weak but still going. I leave a wire brush on it. I keep one of the Skills in my work truck. it cuts brick rock rebar concrete metal and has skinned several huge metal buildings.

one of the skills recently let the smoke out. I havent looked in to fixing it yet. I'd like to buy a couple more 4.5's for the shop. I have a 4' and the old Bosch in the shop only. I keep a wire wheel on one cut off wheels on one a grinder disk on one and a flap disk.

which ever one gets put on wire brush detail may spend days running constantly stripping rust and paint. it needs to be a good one.

when I worked the Joplin tornado I bought a HF 1/2" drill to finish one job. Its still going strong and has had a very rough life mixing thin set , grout and all sorts of flooring epoxies at work. It has also served as an electric starter for a couple of my welder projects.

its blue and says Chicago.

Some of the Dewalts used a spring loaded pin instead of a ring to retain the socket. If the socket has a small hole in the side and it get aligned with the retaining pin you have to use a small pin punch or similar to depress the pin to release the socket and it can be a pita. I try to rotate my sockets so the hole doesn't go over the pin.

 Yeah,,10-4 for CHIT on thet dang metal ring,,A fellar traded me an almost new 1/2" NAPA impact that is a freaking horse,,,you best be ready when you pull the trigger or it gonna try to break your wrist,,,,,finally got tired of beating the sockets off it so,,I took my grinder and cut the friggin ring off,,,like ole Hubert says,if you ever put the socket on with the pin aligned on the socket hole ,,,Good Luck getting the socket off,,!! I don't have that problem any more,,,

A person cant hardly get out of sight of a HF around here. 3 in Columbus, one in every town that has more than 10-15 stop lights. I agree that  quality has made leaps over the last few years.  

Their coupon policy is really starting to tick me off! You get a LOOK WOW!!!!!! 20% off coupon in the mail and and it isn't good for anything that costs any money to begin with.  I was in the Marion OH store in the spring and had a $200 item among a cart full of other items.  I made sure the big item was not on the not good list in the fine print.  Total cart was close to $500 but Cashier denied the coupon "because it is a large item"and thus no good. I asked where it said it could not be used on a large item and she said store policy. I said call the manager and would not get out of line while he got unbusy. Manager said didn't matter what the coupon said, they would not accept it.  I told them that was their choice and my choice is to leave with nothing,, and I  did.

 Hey Butch,,,I guess I don't understand what their "large Item" policy is,,but would sure like to know before I go and get into that BS,,,,I like to watch their "clearance coupons" cause they do tend to have the same item in different parts of the circular at way different prices and if you ain't got the coupon when you go check out,,you get charged the higher price,,,,

 A couple of months ago, I had been looking out for a small electric winch that I am going to use to pull my well pump and the cheapest one,(chit, ole Shameless gonna be pokin me on this one!!) cheapest 2500# one I had found was a Badlands model for $69 ON SALE,,,

 Out of the blue I get a circular that has the same model winch for,,,,,,,,$49,,so on one of my trips to go visit the wife in Hospital,,,,I went in and got one for the $49,,the clerk never batted an eye but did tell me "you are getting this for a heck of a price",,,I kissed her on the cheek and walked out a happy camper,,,,,  

Not saying your wrong,but did you have your cheaters on. Because HF has had 10,000 brands all meant to confuse you into thinking it is the BIG NAME BRAND.

Craftsmen  ...........................  Craftmaster and the9,9999 more.

And my off topic rant against Craftsmen

I have broke 3/8 drive ratchet they looked the same for 30 years. Now every halfa$$ hardware store selling Craftsman tools, NOBODY has one that looks like what I have will not order in a replacement. The closest Sears store is now 2 hours away. Sears as of last year will not deal with warranty by internet, bring it to the store. So a HF ratchet probably get you as far as what us to be a OK brand.  So they got you,unless you forget the dollars and cents and go after them.

 

 Naw,,,,I'm kinda ole Tom with all them nubile young,,,,,,ladies,,,I spend a lot of time chewin on my palms,,,but,,,,but,,, I try to not let em see me doin that,,,,

You can download the HF app from the Play Store or the store for the IPhone.

And if you can't do that, sign up on their email list and open your email on your phone to the email from them and get your coupons that way. 

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  hee, hee, hee, 

   OK, OK,,,well,,,shoot Thad it may as well be ME,,,cause I bought one of them 7 amp ones for thet sale price and I'll tell you,,,it is a work hog,,,!! It has  done all I've thrown at it,,!!! 

   Have you tried their new Hercules brand of 4 1/2" metal cutting blades?  I got a 10 pack for try out on sale  for $8 and they are great,,!!  They outlast BY A BUNCH,, the "Cheapy" HF brand of cutting wheels I been buying for 10 pack for $5.99. I like em better than the Makita or theDewalt discs. I like to use the cutting discs instead of the cutting torch cause of no cleanup grinding,  welds easier and,,,and,,did I mention "Cheeper" than acytelene,,,,???