Nils O. Ny wrote:
> >Anyone on the list have either one of these low end machines from Enco or
> >Harbor Freight?
I shop at my local Harbor Freight on a monthly basis and have many of thier
products. One is an 8" drill press. This was one of my earlier purchases,
made for price purposes. I wish I'd spent an extra $40 for a better quality
Skill/Craftsman product. The chuck has some wobble to it and comes loose every
couple months. The pulleys for the belt from the motor to the drill shaft were
considerably out of alignment. I've adjusted them to the limit, but now can't
fully shut the top cover without it rubbing one of the pulleys. The depth stop
is held by a cheap piece of plastic.
I had similar problems with a handheld planer. I could definitely tell the
difference between it and a Makita a friend had.
I went through three blow guns trying to get one that didn't leak before giving
up. I had one of their hammer heads fall of on the way to the cash register.
I even bent a prybar taking apart a wooden crate.
Summary - quality control is minimal on many of these made in China specials.
On the other hand, I have been very happy with my 6" dial caliper, dial gauge,
and 3lb sledge hammer.
That said, I still buy products from Harbor Freight, I'm just careful about
what I get. Generally, if I need heavy duty and long lasting durability, I buy
Chraftsman/Stanley/Dewalt type tools. If I need a speciality tool for seldom
use, I get Harbor Freight. Other items are on an individual inspection basis.
These are my experiences - yours may vary.
Brian
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