/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.1908467]

Where did they go wrong?

[Anonymous No.1908473]

>>1908467
Icon stuff is a huge rip off.
But honestly their medium grade stuff they have been pushing while getting rid of their ultra cheap stuff isnt a bad move. Its nice to have another option, their ultra cheap shit can be found at a big box store under a house brand anyways.

I just wish they hadnt stolen aesthetics and colors from big companies. It makes me feel like a faggot buying them.
Losing the free coupons and their restrictions on coupons sucks, but thats what happens when tariffs directly hit everything you sell, and tariffs make the raw materials for everything you sell. They got double whammied, which is why they went to selling medium grade taiwanese shit that is not beholden to tariffs.

[Anonymous No.1908504]

>>1908467
China

[Anonymous No.1908511]

>>1908467
Two words Chi Ner.

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1908603]

>>1908467
They were a great place to go for cheap shit that the average joe might need for one specialty job every 10-15 years and for the Mexicans. Now they’re trying to compete with the big name brands and all of the new mid-range stuff costs just as much as the big name brands so I’m not sure why I would pay the same amount for unkown tool from HF as a brand from Home Depot or Amazon that I can trust is good.

>>1908473
The problem is HF was the way to go for the ultra-cheap specialty tools, like the automotive stuff, but now they’re replacing the Pitt Automotive shit with Maddox that is twice the price, and for that money, I would rather go with OTC or Gearwrench. And now if it’s a tool you need that day to do a quick job and don’t have the option of waiting for Amazon, you can’t get the cheap Pitt stuff and have to overpay for the Maddox.

The Icon is overpriced, I think a lot of it will go down, the boxes dropped in price quite a bit since they first came out. If they’re going to keep it priced that high and claim it’s a legit tool truck competitor, they need to roll out a big lineup of stuff too because that’s going to be the market they could grab, mid-depth swivel impact sockets and shit without having to pay $350 for a 10pc set off the tool truck.

[Anonymous No.1908684]

>>1908467
Being jews by moving everything up market into it's own separate brand (often by literally just changing the color of a product, see the old grey pitts pro jacks vs daytona) so you can't use coupons, and getting rid of all the free coupons. Now half the fucking store needs it's own coupon. I don't really care these days since when I went in there aside from the green cheap welder and jack, I just bought the $5 pack of gloves.

[Anonymous No.1908685]

>>1908467
>unironically buying chink shit
Kill yourself spic.

[Anonymous No.1908686]

>>1908685
seethe

[Anonymous No.1908770]

>>1908467

[Anonymous No.1908792]

bought all of my automobile tools from HF, no cumplaints

[Anonymous No.1908801]

Nothing went wrong with it. You faggots think ultra cheap shit sucks, and I am over here getting shit done with it.

[Anonymous No.1908802]

>>1908686
>seethe
>implying being a turd and a hack + shitskin/kike is anything to seethe over
You disgust me rabbi.

[Anonymous No.1908816]

>>1908802
Yes it's the irish-swede mutt's fault that corporations outsourced all of manufacturing to china to save a few dollars, then are shocked with the chinks use all the sensitive patent/technical information they acquired to cut out the US middleman and make cheap knockoffs with all of the technical data and manufacturing experience they acquired.
This makes as much sense as seething at the japs because Western companies went in post war to take advantage of the low labor costs, proceeded to partner with domestic japanese companies to manufacture goods. Who take the technical expertise and continually improve on their products and cut waste out of the manufacturing process, then act surprise when western companies get ass fucked when they were sitting around on the gravy train doing nothing for 30 years.
That's not to say china is as good as japan, because the chinks got there just by stealing shit, subsidizing costs via the government and insanely low labor costs.
How dare I not spend 3 times as much on a product from a company owned by some fucking investment firm like bain capital who buys Chinese components in bulk to ship here so paco and jamal can screw the casters on or spotweld a drawer slide and slap a MADE IN DA USA WITH GLOBAL MATERIALS sticker on it.

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1908834]

>>1908684
The old grey Pitts are worse than the Daytonas. It’s the mid-range stuff where they’re getting you. The Pitt jacks went from grey to red and they’te $20 more for the same thing. I’ll get a damn Husky for the same money now. Compressors, the blue McGraws don’t seem to be much better than the black and red Chicagos, but they cost more and in some cases they’re exactly the same as other brands (8gal Husky and McGraw are the same) and you can catch the other brands on sale with a better warranty for less.

>>1908801
My main complaint, along with a few other anons, is that they’re getting rid of the cheap shit that was good enough to get you through one job and they’re replacing it with mid-range stuff for a lot more money. It’s like they’re targeting the tool trucks and mechanics instead of the average joe. If I were doing a weekend job and needed a puller for some suspension work and I couldn’t rent or borrow one, HF had one for $30 that was plenty good to get me through the job. But now that same tool is slightly upgraded and rebranded as Maddox and costs $80, it’s still a good deal for a mechanic who would have previously paid $300 for the same kit that was only marginally better than the Maddox, but I don’t need that quality at home for a tool that might get used once in 10 years, so now I either have to run around looking for an O’Reilly’s that will loan me one, order the cheap $30 Chinese one HF used to sell from Amazon and wait 2 days, or buy the new $70 HF one and possibly return it when I finish the job.

[Anonymous No.1908839]

>>1908834
They still have $30 power saws, $10 dremmel drills and $20 reciprocating saws. Not sure what you're saying they stopped selling.

[Anonymous No.1908842]

>>1908816
>t.Rabbi Globohomogoldenburgdiamondstein Greenblatt III

We know kikes are disloyal parasites to their hosts, you don't have to go overboard with your anti-goyim hate speech you hook nosed weasel.

>comparing chinks to Japs
>ignoring the fact that you can still buy tools made in the west with western materials and western labor
Let's make it 110. Heil Hitler.

[Anonymous No.1908846]

>>1908842
>>ignoring the fact that you can still buy tools made in the west with western materials and western labor
That isn't relevant to the conversation about how western companies train nations how to manufacture shit cheaply then act shocked when we get fucked by them when they make shit cheaply by ignoring things like international copyright law or worker safety, or pollution.

[Anonymous No.1908848]

>>1908846
>he buys stuff from the Jews of asia because it's cheaper
>he has zero ethnic or national pride and disregards the fact that German, swiss, and American tools are superior to this very day
You know how I know you worship Moloch at Temple every Saturday, kike?

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1908852]

>>1908839
Just wait for it. They recently got rid of the 12V Chicago Electric tools. Bauer will be their new budget cordless tool brand and those cost as much as Ryobi.

The one place you really see it is the consumables. All of the cheap saw blades are getting replaced by newer brands that look nearly the same but a different label and twice the price. A lot of the basic air tools and the fittings and lines as well, they’re clearing out the old brand and replacing it with Merlin for 3x the price. I got an extended blow gun from there a year or two ago, it was like $3 for the Chicago or whatever, and next to it they had the new Merlin which was exactly the same except a couple small pieces were polished metal instead of brushed and the Merlin was like $12.

If I’m going to spend $5 on a single brass fitting, I’ll go buy the Flexzilla high flow shit that I know is worth the money.

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1908853]

>>1908839
>>1908852

[Anonymous No.1909449]

>>1908842
What tools I need to know

[Anonymous No.1909450]

>>1908848
Look everyone, its the pot growing mexican from Cali going on a jew rant again.

[Anonymous No.1909506]

>>1908853
>buying consumables where material quality matters at harbor freight
Why would you do this to yourself? I'll get zip ties and gloves, but abrasives, adhesive and the like I've never had luck with buying cheap.

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1909545]

>>1909506
Yea and I’m most definitely going to buy the Hercules brand consumables from HF when they’re excluded from all the coupons and I can buy Milwaukee or Diablo for the same money.

Just wait for it. The good deal mediocre quality Chinesium crap that is hard to find at local places is going to disappear and get replaced by a version with a new brand name that is basically the same but costs 30%-50% more and can be found on Amazon for cheaper, or there will be a nicer option that is far cheaper than Snap On but has a dogshit 90-day warranty and costs as much as better known brands.

[Anonymous No.1909628]

1. Stiffening competition from “Amazon brands” such as Tekton, Sunex, Ares, Capri, Olsa, etc. All of which offer tools that are good enough for professional use but often undercut the prices of big box brands such as Kobalt and Husky. Not quite as cheap as HF stuff but generally much better value. This pushed HF to attempt to move upmarket since people can buy much better stuff at a marginal premium.

2. Saturation of lithium power tools market. Fucking EVERYONE is making lithium power tools now and HF tried to jump in but they’re way late. Their Bauer stuff is price competitive with Ryobi but with significantly less selection, shitty warranty, and often lower quality. And having Hercules as a sister brand makes zero sense. The price and quality of each brand puts them in the same basic segment. It’s similar to how Lowe’s has all these weekend warrior brands only worse because the overall selection is pathetic in comparison and, again, the warranty sucks. Also all their tools are just rebadges of no-name chink tools that can be found elsewhere for cheaper.

3. Retail chains are struggling in general. Online shopping is just too convenient and promotes impulse buying like nothing before. People can browse tools on Amazon, read/watch reviews, and make purchases in their spare time right from their phones. Going fully online cuts a lot of overhead but an outlet like HF typically ends up forever stuck somewhere in between because their infrastructure investment is too high.

The solution? They should stock the “Amazon Brand” tools and try to work out deals to get slightly better prices than those seen online. HF greatest asset is being able to visit a location and see the tools in person. There are a handful of autoparts stores I’ve been seeing Tekton, Titan, and Sunex at but they’re always 10-30% more expensive than Amazon. If HF could undercut Amazon in a physical location I’d be shopping there a hell of a lot more often.

[Anonymous No.1909632]

>>1908467

they didn't
have a bathroom if you need to take a piss
microfiber rags are great glass cleaners
sell weird shit in that one aisle
don't sell fruitcake around Christmas which saddens me

[Anonymous No.1909662]

>>1908801
Okay jose

I like to know my tools were made in america by a fellow american personally

[Anonymous No.1909676]

>>1908467
>Where did they go wrong?
ACTUALLY
they have been getting better and better over the years. Many of their tools now have a craftsman or snap on like guarantee.

[Anonymous No.1909685]

>>1908816
I only buy made in Taiwan or Japan to make the mainland China seethe.

[Anonymous No.1909702]

They haven’t gone wrong at all, unironically. They just took the old Sears “good-better-best” model and knocked it down a rung - everything is offered in “disposable, usable, good”. Walk into any professional auto shop and you will find HF equipment everywhere: not just in the techs’ toolboxes, but among the shop equipment as well.

Snap-on elitists keep seething...

[Anonymous No.1909727]

>>1909545
>can be found on Amazon for cheaper
Unlikely - those prices are from resellers, who will be paying more and passing on the cost. I mean if you want to wait 2-10 weeks for drop ship from China, sure you can get lower prices. But the places that warehouse in bulk in LA that can deliver to you in a few days - those prices will necessarily rise.

[Anonymous No.1909730]

>>1909662
posting on my made in america computer!

[Anonymous No.1909948]

>>1909727
The cheap stuff from Amazon everyone is talking about on this thread is on Prime and gets delivered in 48 hours.

[Anonymous No.1909973]

came here to post this.
>can never leave

[Anonymous No.1909974]

>>1909973

[Anonymous No.1909975]

>>1909974

[Anonymous No.1909976]

>>1909975
All I have.
And now back to my brain numbing jerb.

[Anonymous No.1909981]

haven't been to horrible freight since the plandemic started, whatever happened to all of the coopins that used to be on the website?

[THe_KvD !ZNBx60Gj/k No.1909994]

>>1909727
Not really. You can get it dirt cheap from Ali, but most of the Pitt Auto stuff at HF like compression testers can be found on Amazon from a random brand for a couple dollars less with one or two days delivery. And some of that stuff is getting replaced by the newer Maddox, and for that money you can get something good like OTC. Or something in the middle on Amazon, like a kit with more fittings than the Pitt for only a couple dollars more but far cheaper than the Maddox.

[Anonymous No.1910000]

>>1909981
They switched it to digital, and now you have to subscribe to their online newsletter to get them.

[Anonymous No.1910067]

Google Harbor Freight coupon database for the latest coupons.

[Anonymous No.1910094]

>>1909981
>calls it a plandemic
>still locked himself into his house

interesting

[Anonymous No.1910118]

>>1908473
>taiwanese shit
I'm finding that some (not all, but more than I expected) Taiwanese stuff is bretty good. I just bought a Taiwan Torque wrench (not HF) and the damn thing came with a certificate of calibration with measurements over six points, and the signature of the guy who did the test. Looks disarmingly legit.

[Anonymous No.1910124]

>>1908848
Of course this thread attracts the rabid anti-globalist race baiter.
Ok, friend, I'll point this out again. Yes, globalism wasn't good for the American factory worker. But this wasn't done to you by (((them))), it was done by these guys (Plus Richard Nixon)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_Conference#Negotiators[12]

[Anonymous No.1910131]

>>1909981
>whatever happened to all of the coopins that used to be on the website?
>>1910000
>now you have to subscribe to their online newsletter to get them.

No, coupons are still there, just not displayed right on the homepage as they were until April or so. Go to HarborFreight.com and click "Coupons" near the top (or under the "three bar" menu if you're on a phone).

Or even better, as others have pointed out, use HFQPDB.com, which has a searchable database, and shows the "best" current general coupons on the homepage (including the latest 20% coupon).

>>1908467
>Where did they go wrong?

They didn't. Only problem is that my closest store (a smaller store) seems to be last on the local distribution restock list.

[Anonymous No.1910180]

>>1910131
Oh, good, the free worklight thingy is back. My goal is to cover my mechanic's rolling tool chest in those, turn them all on at night and film it, because autism. I have 14 already.

[Anonymous No.1910192]

Picked up a 13 piece set of metric impact sockets for $20. Why the fuck would I pay more? They got the job done. Also the 2 ton engine hoist. No issues. Low pro jack, no issues. I don't get the hate.
Lot of time on the Bauer bandsaw as well. Guess what no issues.
Hercules drill bit set including 1/2 bit Paid $20. Home depot wanted $10 just for the 1/2 inch bit. Drilled 24 holes in 1/4 steel...no issues

[Anonymous No.1910209]

Americans don't work with their hands like they used to. They buy POS whatever on Ali Baba instead of building things. Just a change in the times.

[Anonymous No.1910213]

>>1910192
You can buy a 23 piece Metric + SAE Dewalt impact socket set for $40 which includes a very nice 1/2 ratchet, everyday price. Made in Taiwan in a very nice case.
You can buy the 21 piece Dewalt drill bit set (including a 1/2) at Lowes for $19.99 every day price which are the absolute best cheap drill bits. Ive used them for a long time, Project Farm showed them stomping more expensive bits.
Their jacks have shitty hydraulics which is why they get hate, extended use of them and they fail.

Harbor freight is ONLY good for things like their engine hoist.
Everything else thats halfway decent can be found at other stores from better brands at the same price.
Why the fuck would you ever buy any "hercules" shit over real brands.


Also Street Rod is fucking awesome. Its gameplay has surprisingly held up quite well. Complete polar opposite of Harbor Freight tools.

[Anonymous No.1910355]

>>1910209
you have no idea what you're talking about
but yeah this is true in the onions states like NY and CA but completely false in the normal states with actually masculine people

[Anonymous No.1910358]

>>1910209
I use my harbor freight speed square all the time as a commercial electrician to line up holes I’m punching out in panels and cabinets.

The dikes I bought there are still holding up too

[Anonymous No.1910365]

>>1908816
Wow you must be a communist, why do you hate capitalism with such seethe