$40 ratchet cutters

[billdozier]

Hey guys I was in a harbor frieght store the other day and I saw a large set of ratchet cutters up tp 400mcm copper for $40. Thier made by Pittsburg and was wondering if any of you guys own a pair. Or know anyone who might. Im interesrted in picking them up but also concerned that they may be complete junk. Thanks

 

[BryanMD]

your $40 is better spent on some sawzall blades until you can afford the real thing.

 

[220/221]

Harbor freight is ...well....Harbor freight. If you only occaisionally use the tool you may be happy.

I have purchased a few things there. Some are fine, others.....not so much.

I bought some 200' fish tapes for 10 bucks. I cut them up and used them as short fishes. I found a set of about 30 tamperproof driver tips in a nice small rubber case for about 3 bucks each.

I also bought some 5 dollar pipe wrenches that won't grab the pipe for some reason. Every time I fight with them I cuss myself

 

[nakulak]

I've got the klein ratchet cutters, I like em a lot, but they were 160 bucks or so

 

[chris kennedy]

I've got the klein ratchet cutters, I like em a lot, but they were 160 bucks or so

Those say good for 400 also but we cut 500's and 600's with them all the time. I got a pair made by NSI that is good to 600 for around $100. They were good for about a year, pretty dull now.

 

[peter]

America's Favorite Tool Store

America's Favorite Tool Store

I was privileged to receive in the U.S. Mail a colorful flyer from Harbor Freight. They offer a hydraulic punch set for 1/2" to 2", including a hydraulic pump for less than $90 [barely]. My GreenLee kit cost ~$200 and is hand driven.
[Lot # 96718].
This also brings up the question: is this any good? Will it crumple on the first use? Or is GreenLee taking advantage of its [now former] monopolistic position to charge more than is really necessary without this competition?
I do know that the people who make the HF 2' laser "level" have no concept of the idea that there is a certain relationship between the position of the bubble, the long parallel sides of the yellow beam and in which direction the laser points. It disappeared after I left it leaning against a telephone pole at the nearby crossroads.
It is imperative that someone from this forum buy one and please report.
~Peter

 

[cowboyjwc]

Like someone else said HF is HF. I got a 10" compound miter saw from them for $119 or something like that, a Dewalt is about $600. Now I do have to check to make sure the blade is square from time to time, but for the amount of time I use it it's no big deal. If I did finish carpentry for a living I would probably buy the Dewalt.

I also bought a 4' level from them for about $19, I don't know how much a good one cost's, but I'm sure it's more than that, but all I was doing was laying some retaining wall blocks and it worked fine for that, again I only use it about once every couple of months.

Don't forget that they also sell some higher end stuff too.

 

[benaround]

I bought the ratchet cutter from HF for < $40 and so far it's been just fine. I've used it on

500mcm DLO cables right on down to 3/0's all copper, It is just for my personal use but it

beats using them manual ' rabbit ' cutters.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Hey guys I was in a harbor frieght store the other day and I saw a large set of ratchet cutters up tp 400mcm copper for $40. Thier made by Pittsburg and was wondering if any of you guys own a pair. Or know anyone who might. Im interesrted in picking them up but also concerned that they may be complete junk. Thanks

may be complete junk? there exists a possibility?

i've bought one thing there. a $40 chop saw. it's a piece of garbage, as
expected. i've used it one day. i'm not a big fan of chop saws. i needed one
one day, and nothing else would quite do the job.

i bagged it in a trash bag, and it sits on the side of the house,
in case i need to make another cut sometime. or someone needs one for free.

i'm addicted to good tools. always have been. used to be a machinist, and
related stuff. i break out in a rash at harbor freight... there is one half a
mile from my house.... i drive by it on the way to the freeway... i look at
the other side of the street when i drive by.....

 

[ishium 80439]

I would say for $40 there's not much to lose depending on what type of work you do. I have a pair of Kleins that I love but realistically the HF one's would probably work just fine for me as I don't use them frequently. I definately would not buy anything that I rely on often there but for the occaisional use tool it is hard to beat the prices sometimes.

I have seen a Hole Hawg type drill of their's crap out fairly quickly but have also seen a hammer drill perform like a champ. Considering I spent about $600 on my Hilti and the HF drill cost just over $100 it really is a reasonable bargain. It kind of feels dirty to use it, but it gets the job done.

 

[goldstar]

As was previously mentioned, if you're going to use any tool on a regular basis as a tradesman you're probably better off investing in a quality tool. On the other hand, if you purchased say a HF hammer drill for $65.00 it will probably do the job you want it to without having to invest $900.00 into a Hilti. Then, when it's lost or stolen on a job it doesn't hurt as much as if you invested the $$ into the Hilti.

 

[norcal]

As was previously mentioned, if you're going to use any tool on a regular basis as a tradesman you're probably better off investing in a quality tool. On the other hand, if you purchased say a HF hammer drill for $65.00 it will probably do the job you want it to without having to invest $900.00 into a Hilti. Then, when it's lost or stolen on a job it doesn't hurt as much as if you invested the $$ into the Hilti.

Stolen?? Who would steal HF power "tools"? Since they are built to a low price unless someone was very ignorant there is not much resale value.

 

[petersonra]

I have a fair number of HF hand tools. I am quite happy with them. They are cheaply finished, and not as nifty as more expensive tools, but I have yet to have one fail. For the little use I get from my tools, they seem like good choices.

I am less thrilled with their electric tools, especially the battery powered ones. Never bought any, but there is just something about them that turns me off. I bought a Ryobi set at HD a few years ago that I love. I don't use it every day, but they always work when i do use them and I like them.

An acquantiance of mine who was a retired machinist, was outfitting his garage shop for doing metal working projects. He bought a HF floor stand drill press and a HF mini-machining center. He said they had some rough edges but were very solidly built and with a little tweaking would be quite adeqaute for his purposes (he was going to do some contract model and fixture making).

For stuff you use a lot, it may make sense to invest in better quality tools. For stuff you rarely use, cheaper stuff may make some sense. YMMV.

 

[electricguy61]

I wish my green apprentice had used a pair of Harbor Freight ratchet cutters to cut that ASCR wire instead of my Klein ones.

 

[Minuteman]

I wish my green apprentice had used a pair of Harbor Freight ratchet cutters to cut that ASCR wire instead of my Klein ones.

I wish that jw that used to work for us had used a pair of HF ratchet cutter to cut that aerial tri-plex rather than my Klein cutters.

 

[goldstar]

Stolen?? Who would steal HF power "tools"?

That's the whole point. Who would ? But then again, if you're a clepto - you're a clepto.

 

[JohnE]

I've bought some stuff from HF. Wrenches, sockets and stuff were great. $3 linesmen's weren't even worth keeping in the truck for a spare to the spare to the spare. $10 ko set will get you out of a jam for a one time use or something. I'd bet the ratchet cutter falls into this category.

 

[LarryFine]

I bought an automotive tool set from Wally-world a few years ago for $8 on clearance. One night soon after, I had to replace the starter motor in my big truck (Chevy 1-ton) on the side of the road. I used only what was in that kit, and did it in about 30 minutes (once the new starter was brought to me.)

The next day, I went back and bought all the kits they had left. I have one in every vehicle, both work and personal, and have given a few as gifts. I still have two of the kits unopened.

They have full sets of 1/4" and 3/8" SAE and metric sockets, a ratchet handle and extension, multi-bit screwdriver, 24 screwdriver bits, needle-nose and slip-joint pliers, wire-stripper, battery-terminal cleaner, feeler gauges, rubber mallet, electrical tape, crimp terminals, anti-freeze tester, etc.

Now, there was a great bargain in tools.