Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**truckster** · 06-07-2017, 06:55 PM

Harbor Freight is always a roll of the dice. I have a 20-ton shop press I've had over 20 years and it works great. But this week I needed to build some racks out of 1 1/4 inch .120 wall steel tube. I went to HF after dutifully reading the reviews, and true to most of them, I had to shim the clamp to get the hole saw centered - that was no big deal. It wasn't quite square at 90 degrees, but again not a big deal. But then, on the third piece of tubing, the top bushing came out and would not stay in. That made the notcher totally useless. I can't recommend this to anyone, just in case you're thinking about it.

Marv D · 06-08-2017, 09:37 PM

Yeah H.f used to be cheaper, and low quality stuff, But for the hobbist,, it seemed to last for the 10-12 uses we put it through over a 10 year span. Now,, not a thing they make I can say is worth buying. I'm sure others have had luck with some of their junk. But my luck with them has ALL been bad for quite a few years now.

**mongocanfly** · 06-09-2017, 12:15 AM

I got mine from eastwood..decent quality but I also had to shim the clamp out to get the tube centered..

BR3W CITY · 06-12-2017, 09:34 PM

IMO there are a list of Do's and Don't with HF stuff. For the most part stuff like clamps, straps, blocks, chains, tarps etc are all fine for the money. Its for "I need it now" stuff, not "I need it every day" stuff.

I always try to keep stuff like an HF set of wrenches, breaker bars, clamps etc...so I can cut and weld them into oddball special use tools.

Stuff like benders, presses, jigs, I look at Northern Tool or Eastwood. They have the "prosumer" and "hobbyist" grade stuff IMO. Eastwood has a great setup for auto specific tools, but you do pay a little more than you might from an HF (if the tool exists at both).

toolboxchev · 06-13-2017, 01:01 AM

Its a free market. So buyer beware, been down that road with them. Pipe expander snapped first time using it.

So now I love their 9 mil gloves on sale with the 20% off coupon.

Other than that, Its only on Halloween at Midnight you will find me at Harbor Fright!

Sheez I wont even buy their wrenches to cut up. I get 40 year old Craftsmen at the local tool reseller at a buck a peice for that! Ha take that China!

**truckster** · 06-13-2017, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

Its a free market. So buyer beware, been down that road with them. Pipe expander snapped first time using it.

So now I love their 9 mil gloves on sale with the 20% off coupon.

Other than that, Its only on Halloween at Midnight you will find me at Harbor Fright!

Sheez I wont even buy their wrenches to cut up. I get 40 year old Craftsmen at the local tool reseller at a buck a peice for that! Ha take that China!

I wish I knew of a place I could buy old Craftsman tools for cheap. They used to actually make some decent tools.

**mongocanfly** · 06-13-2017, 03:44 AM

There's a local trade day here that has a seller that has tons of old wrenchs and sockets..might try a trade day if you have one local to you

**GR8-68** · 06-18-2017, 07:02 AM

Imo harbor freight, northern tool and eastwood are selling the same crap, they just paint it a different color and put their own labels on it. If you truly compare you can tell there is not a difference in quality just one can charge more than the other because their name has been in the automotive industry longer.

**DPowers** · 06-18-2017, 10:32 AM

Words from my dad:
"If you are only going to use it once or twice, buy cheap. If you are going to use it more than that, buy quality."

Domer · 07-21-2017, 12:07 AM

The best motto i ever learned for Harbor Freight tools, "Harbor Freight makes it, You make it better." With that in mind, i have modified alot of HF equipment and made them work pretty damn good.

**truckster** · 07-21-2017, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domer

The best motto i ever learned for Harbor Freight tools, "Harbor Freight makes it, You make it better." With that in mind, i have modified alot of HF equipment and made them work pretty damn good.

True, but I had already modified this one to be square in 3 axis; it was the material failure that doomed it. Yes, I could have bored it out and installed bearings, but that was more than I was willing to do for a HF notcher.

Domer · 07-21-2017, 10:18 AM

Oh ya, not everything is saveable from them.. pick and choose your battles..

06-07-2017, 06:55 PM	#1
truckster Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 7,791	Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Harbor Freight is always a roll of the dice. I have a 20-ton shop press I've had over 20 years and it works great. But this week I needed to build some racks out of 1 1/4 inch .120 wall steel tube. I went to HF after dutifully reading the reviews, and true to most of them, I had to shim the clamp to get the hole saw centered - that was no big deal. It wasn't quite square at 90 degrees, but again not a big deal. But then, on the third piece of tubing, the top bushing came out and would not stay in. That made the notcher totally useless. I can't recommend this to anyone, just in case you're thinking about it.

06-08-2017, 09:37 PM	#2
Marv D Registered Truck Offender Join Date: May 2008 Location: hells training ground (aka Ariz) Posts: 3,118	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Yeah H.f used to be cheaper, and low quality stuff, But for the hobbist,, it seemed to last for the 10-12 uses we put it through over a 10 year span. Now,, not a thing they make I can say is worth buying. I'm sure others have had luck with some of their junk. But my luck with them has ALL been bad for quite a few years now. __________________ Still playin with trucks, even at my age! When you're dead, it's only a problem for the people around you, because you don't know you're dead. .....It's kinda the same when your STUPID. I just did my taxes and reviewed my SS statement. Thanks to the current administration it looks like I will only have to work till noon on the day of my funeral.

06-09-2017, 12:15 AM	#3
mongocanfly Post Whore Join Date: May 2015 Location: Alabama Posts: 14,579	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher I got mine from eastwood..decent quality but I also had to shim the clamp out to get the tube centered..

06-12-2017, 09:34 PM	#4
BR3W CITY meowMEOWmeowMEOW Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MKE WI Posts: 7,128	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher IMO there are a list of Do's and Don't with HF stuff. For the most part stuff like clamps, straps, blocks, chains, tarps etc are all fine for the money. Its for "I need it now" stuff, not "I need it every day" stuff. I always try to keep stuff like an HF set of wrenches, breaker bars, clamps etc...so I can cut and weld them into oddball special use tools. Stuff like benders, presses, jigs, I look at Northern Tool or Eastwood. They have the "prosumer" and "hobbyist" grade stuff IMO. Eastwood has a great setup for auto specific tools, but you do pay a little more than you might from an HF (if the tool exists at both). __________________ *'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING* MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD

06-13-2017, 01:01 AM	#5
toolboxchev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: 2nd left past the stump on a dirt road. Posts: 2,629	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Its a free market. So buyer beware, been down that road with them. Pipe expander snapped first time using it. So now I love their 9 mil gloves on sale with the 20% off coupon. Other than that, Its only on Halloween at Midnight you will find me at Harbor Fright! Sheez I wont even buy their wrenches to cut up. I get 40 year old Craftsmen at the local tool reseller at a buck a peice for that! Ha take that China!

06-13-2017, 03:44 AM	#7
mongocanfly Post Whore Join Date: May 2015 Location: Alabama Posts: 14,579	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher There's a local trade day here that has a seller that has tons of old wrenchs and sockets..might try a trade day if you have one local to you

06-18-2017, 07:02 AM	#8
GR8-68 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Belews Creek , NC Posts: 4,220	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Imo harbor freight, northern tool and eastwood are selling the same crap, they just paint it a different color and put their own labels on it. If you truly compare you can tell there is not a difference in quality just one can charge more than the other because their name has been in the automotive industry longer. __________________ Larry It is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new. "Project 68" paypal.me/ldgrant

06-18-2017, 10:32 AM	#9
DPowers One foot in front of the other Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Parrottsville, TN Posts: 5,423	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Words from my dad: "If you are only going to use it once or twice, buy cheap. If you are going to use it more than that, buy quality." __________________ DP's 66 Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=361556

07-21-2017, 12:07 AM	#10
Domer Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lakeside, Ca. Posts: 320	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher The best motto i ever learned for Harbor Freight tools, "Harbor Freight makes it, You make it better." With that in mind, i have modified alot of HF equipment and made them work pretty damn good. __________________ Project Roxy... Shes Bad, Low, and Blown... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=673333

07-21-2017, 10:18 AM	#12
Domer Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lakeside, Ca. Posts: 320	Re: Harbor Freight Tubing Notcher Oh ya, not everything is saveable from them.. pick and choose your battles.. __________________ Project Roxy... Shes Bad, Low, and Blown... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=673333



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