your pop gives good advice, you get what you pay for.

I agree with ya 'mater.

Hank

Most of my hand tools are Craftsman tools bought about 40 years ago. Very few have broken and they were replaced for free,

All of my air tools are Harbor Freight (Central Pneumatic regular or "Professional" series, whatever that means) that I bought about 10 years ago. They have now seen over 10 years of work on 3 frame-off restorations. I doubt if I will do another frame-off restoration, so those tools have admirably served their purpose.

I have strained them, abused them, and heavily used them: 1/2" impact wrench, 3/8 ratchet wrench, 3* high-speed air cutter, 1/4" air die grinder, and high speed metal saw.

I have not bought many electric-motor tools at Harbor Freight but the 4 1/2" angle grinder will not give up (no what what abuse I put it to).

In all cases, I waited to buy the tools when they were on 1/2 price sale - at that time there was free shipping and no tax.

Yes, I agree that I always hope that I get what I pay for when I buy an expensive tool.

However, I owe those inexpensive tools nothing and I smile every time I consider how much the name-brand expensive tools would have cost.

Tim

I have to agree with tclederman I too have had great luck with their air tools. I can buy them cheap and I have yet to have one fail on me. In fact they have a 3" die grinder that I bought for 7 bucks. (they are no sale often) I have never oiled it I have abused the hell out of it and I have been known to trow it across the floor under a truck or two and the dang thing won't die.
Then again I bought a cheap sawzall for 30 bucks and the thing broke within 30 minutes of use.
I hate their hand tools they are always off on their sizes but then I sit back and remember that some 7 year old kid in China that made that tool really doesn't know what 7/8 is anyhow
Just kidding but seriously I have several of thier cheap air tools that have never given me a bit of trouble, I am just very selective when I buy from them but all in all they have saved me money.
just my .02

I bought one of their nail guns to use when we put up our pole barn/shop. It lasted through the entire project and still works fine. I usually only buy hand tools there when I know I will only need them on rare occasions or a one time project, otherwise I try to buy higher quality tools.

I have had Craftsman tools not work, break, become obsolete; they changed the plug on the replacement charger for my 7.5 volt cordless drill, they gave me a new drill! But that thing quit working for no rreason at all(wouldn't hold a charge) and new batteries were as much as a new drill if they had one so I bought the sexy phasor looking thing that cmes with 2 ion batteries and a charger, and that secret agent case it comes in that no body keeps, well the stand by battery seems to always be dead.

I sold harbor freight customer returns and discontiued stuff for a year or so. Their air tools are not bad (like a air body saw - 60$ napa on sale or 19$ at HF), their consumables, E-clips, woodruff key assortments, O-rings, are great priced. Overall, not terrible stuff, but if you aren't over stocked with tools like my shop is, at least buy crapsman. Most of their electrical tools like drills and saws are 1 good in 6, when something comes with extra brushes, it makes you wonder why they don't just make better armatures for the motors?

I buy gifts at harbor freight and give em to people I don't like much!

Everyone has at least one or two pieces of crap tools in their shop and yet we never seem to throw them out.