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myheaven · #1 03/01/14, 09:34 AM

Harbor freight has opened a store in the old good will store, next to shopco in that plaza. Wanted to let everyone close enough know there is now a store open! Dh and I could spend some serious coin in there if we had it. I'm a power tool junkie.
Excellent prices. That's the place to get hay tarps. Over $100 less then Blains and tractor supply.
It was so hard on dh and I not to buy what we wanted. I have purchased from them in the past and have been very happy. I'm so happy there is a store a little over an hour away from me now.

arabian knight · #2 03/01/14, 09:43 AM

I am only 20 minutes away form a Harbor Freight that is in Eau Claire. Cool

homstdr74 · #3 03/01/14, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arabian knight

I am only 20 minutes away form a Harbor Freight that is in Eau Claire. Cool

We have to drive over 60 miles to the Harbor Freight in Springfield, and I'm glad there isn't one any closer! I spend enough in there as it is....

myheaven · #4 03/01/14, 11:44 AM

Dh and I were going threw the store pointing saying "want it, want it, gotta have it". I can see much money will be spent there. I seen my new chipper I want.

Shawn · #5 03/01/14, 07:22 PM

Sounds great. Wished they had one when I lived on French Island.

I stopped at the one that is in Crystal Lake Illinois today. I was picking up moving blankets, a tarp and new ratchet straps. Then went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Elgin and picked up a beautiful dining table they had in from a high end showroom that was donated.

logbuilder · #6 03/01/14, 08:29 PM

I'm a regular shopper at HF. Get on their email list and they will send you lots of offers that will save you some money.

That said, I am pretty careful about what I buy there. For any tool that I will likely use more than just a few times, I pass on HF. Their tools are priced right but the prices tend to match the long term quality. If it is a tool that has any sort of precision adjustment, I've always tended to be disappointed with HF. Their adjustments are just plain sloppy and I can seldom get a precision adjustment. Their wrenches, screwdrivers and other hand tools are not made of the best metal. They either break or bend eventually.

What I do sometimes do is that when it is a new tool that I need and the quality one is too expensive, every once in a while I will get a HF freight one and use it till it is no longer adequate. By that time, I have learned what I want in that sort of tool and I can be informed when I buy a higher quality one. My first sliding miter saw I did that way. I built too decks with it and then I new how bad it was at adjusting. Eventually I got a nice Hitachi that I love. I still have the old HF one that I can use on jobs where quality is not that much of an issue.

MushCreek · #7 03/02/14, 06:42 AM

I'm picky about what I buy there. Their big tool boxes are great- I have two of them, one used daily at my job. I, too buy some tools there that are just used once in a while; otherwise, I buy professional stuff. I bought a hammer drill and got the extended warrantee. Good thing- it only made it through 4 holes! They gave me another (different model) and it seems to be doing well. When I'm done building the house, I'll probably just sell it.

Shawn · #8 03/02/14, 03:08 PM

I will agree that you have to watch what you buy there. I have had to return a few things that don't work when I get them.

I have gotten some items there, but if I know that it will get a lot of repeated use, I stick with name brands as the quality is better. I have things from there that are just fine for the use. Like yesterday it was some quilted moving blankets, more tie down straps and a tarp (9mil, not the cheaper 4mil). I do get the free things that come with there coupons and know that in time they will get tossed.

I did get a SDS hammer drill with warranty. Replaced it in the first year, but my Milwaukee (non SDS) Hammer Drill is still going strong after 15 years and I use it often for work. Again it comes down to you get what you pay for.

logbuilder · #9 03/02/14, 04:14 PM

There are some things that I always buy there. As far as woodworking clamps from 12" to 36", you can't beat their price and I use a lot of them. I buy their little chip brushes for glue ups. I just toss them rather than clean. I get them on sale for real cheap. I buy my bungee cords there. I use them on the ATV racks and tend to loose one every once in a while. I've found their cloth buffing wheels to be pretty good as well as their buffing compounds. I use white and green and they do the job. Less cost than big box stores.

Generally, I only buy things when on good sale. They send out so many flyers that most things I need will be in there about every quarter. When I see it, I stock up. Sometimes there are discount coupons on single items or a large transaction that are pretty good. I think the current one is 20% off $100 order. And every once in a while you see a perfectly free item.