Driz said:
The Chinese build castings about as good as anyone these days and anything else that can be easily changed out or repaired might be . worth it as well. Expect stuff like Hydraulic lines that crack from sun exposure and the like as well as switches that wear out and electric motors that even the Wizzard Of Oz would have a hard time justifying the power rating on. Figure Chinese electric motors at about half the power they say they are. You might expect the same from a splitter of theirs. Northen tools sells mostly the same stuff as HF so dont' think their stuff is better either, its all oriental. Another thing is how cheap can you get it and maby replace with a good motor and or hoses if and as needed?
Long story short. HF way cheaper often free shipping which is a big savings and no tax often either. On the other hand you are taking your chances with something that will be expensive to ship back. For me personally, I would stay away till I got to see one or hear from someone who has one for a while. Clear now? Just like mud right........................................
I think this is a sad commentary on what we are willing to accept. I use a lot of cast iron and precision machinery. I won't buy a new saw, lathe or drill press today. To get the quality of a USA made machine from twenty years ago, you'd have to buy European at 5-6 times the cost of even USA labelled machines. A friend of mine helped one of his old buddies set up a Central Machinery (Harbor Freight) milling machine. He's a master machinist. They had about 100 hours into it, but Jon said they wouldn't be able to do precise machining, it's not solid enough. They replace the motor and several bearings and bushings to get an average machine that will only do small work. Looks good though. I restore woodworking machines for resale (4-5 per year) I'm working on a sixty year old table saw right now. I have already had offers at 80% of new retail for the current model version. I was offerred full retail for a new motor for the 50's version I/R motor.
A carpenter friend swears by HF. He claims he buys one tool at a time, and with the warranty replaces it four or five times a year when it breaks down. I've had my PC driver/drill for three years and it runs strong, he's had at least a dozen and all have failed in two months. That's not quality in my book.
I'm not saying made in USA is the only way to go. I have Metabo, Elu, Fein, Bosch and other tools, but I plan to have them for years not months.
Northern Tool sells many of the same tools as HF. They have a standard they impose on the manufacturer the same as Delta, PowerMatic, PC and others do. But they also sell lines of equipment that are made in America and have proven reliable for years. They sell a lot of equipment that they can supply parts for, or you can get locally. Both have a bottom feeder line, but unlike HF, they have a better and best line in many areas. If you are in an area where their stores are it's worth taking a look. We have an HF here. I do buy somethings from them, such as disposable brushes, wire brushes, plastic tarps. I look at their equipment and am not even tempted. For awhile they carried Marathon motors and I was temped to buy one until a local machine dealer said they were Taiwan made and had a thirty day warranty, just the Marathon name.
All that said, if you check with members who depend on their equipment for a living I think you will find they don't spend a lot of time at the discounters. They may buy from Lumber/Hardware, Farm/Ranch, or other regional or national chains. Some will even buy from the Big Box stores, but remember even Lowes and HD are second tier tool sellers.
Sorry about the rant, but I have thrown my share of defective and broken tools across the shop and cursed the day I bought them. Looking good and working good are not necessarily synonymous.
