Harbor Freight Repair Tools (clones)

The main thing I do not buy from Hazard Fraught are power tools due to the risk of failure or serious liabilities on things like the power saws having issues with the blade being against you as well as not being able to find batteries readily. Big yikes.

Measuring tools are a mixed bag; if I just need an L square to mark up a piece of wood but I'm comparing against a proper measuring tape and I bought it for line work, not an issue. The issue comes in when I need it to be accurate since a lot of offshoot tools are as accurate as a fart in the wind per batch in some cases and go off of whatever they like in most cases. Hand tools are hard to mess up but cheap pot metal alloys are a thing.

As a first toolkit I see no issues with it, but it needs to be approached with caution because they changed enough to be barely legal and it may not be a good toolkit long term so a color change is probably warranted. My issue is I work on things like my laser printer so the need for strong tools is not negotiable given how tight some screws can be on things like fusers. The people who will be best with it are semi casual DIYers. I'm not in that group since I will take on things that aren't generally taken on, or make a unaffordable repair affordable with donors. I can't mess with cheap tools, especially when I do things like modify plastic hybird Sony Alpha mounts.

Maybe next time I go to the HF near me I might buy one and try it knowing I'm working on something I may need to go there again, but I won't be using it when quality matters.

@thedesign I was able to get one yesterday to see. Overall not a bad kit but lose anything custom that isn’t readily replaced and you’re done.