Total win. I've used these so much that I got two sets of them. Makes life a million times easier when replacing water lines.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece...set-65116.html




Also, another win. Not really useful for miatas unless you're replacing your subframe. But if you own a car with FWD/transverse engine, buy it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...bar-96524.html

 

Works great, one of the few tools I bought at Harbor Freight that I'm 100% satisfied with.

 

I've got one of these and use it all the time. Works great. Very sturdy.

How on earth did you break it? It's just a venturi that draws a vacuum. ???

 

WIN - got a drill press? You want this.
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-inch-...amp-36221.html

 

I wish i knew exactly why/how it broke. It didn't even fully bleed one car. I do know that some brake fluid got sucked through, and melted the little plastic ***** that were in the exit chamber for the air, although im pretty sure those were just to muffle the sound- so i doubt that was the issue. It kept clogging the little hole for whatever reason, and instead of flowing out of it and creating a vacuum it pressurized it and flowed backwards pushing bubbles up into the brake line.

As for why exactly it started pressurizing the line instead of creating a vacuum on it, i'm not really sure. I'll ---- with it some more later and update if i can get it to work again - although i tried to fix it for about 10 mins before saying ---- it and doing it the old fashioned way.

 

Do they have a bead roller for intercooler pipes? I can't seem to find anything with the search terms I'm trying.

 

I've seen one but can't find it. Keep this in mind as well. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cust...bead-tool.html

 

Yeah, I was looking for a bead roller too. They have a general panel-type roller. It didn't look like it would work well on tubes.

 

I think you answered your own question. If you clog the outlet (melted ***** -- hmmmm . . .) and apply pressurized air, that air has to go somewhere.

Thanks for the heads up on this. I've done several cars with mine (brakes and clutch lines). So far so good. But I didn't realize that the outlet was succeptible to clogging. Definitely keep an eye on that.

 

HF 6 inch Digital Calipers

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-...per-47257.html

FULL OF GLORIOUS WIN!!!!!!!


As a mechanic, my co-workers give me crap about my harbor freight purchases. But, with this item I turned the tables on them. Upon closer inspection of my coworkers matco, cornwall, and snap-on calipers, I realized the computerized screen that does the actual measurements, is the same on all the calipers.

$9.99 with coupon HF calipers = $119.99 matco calipers.

 

Years ago, I bought a set of those Harbor Freight calipers, Centech or whatever, and they have been fine. I also bought a Harbor Freight knockoff of a Fluke digital multimeter (DMM); the HF DMM has also been great for years.

The DMM is similar to this one, but looks more like a Fluke.
http://www.harborfreight.com/ac-dc-d...ter-37772.html

 

That's because real machinists use dial calipers or vernier calipers. Digital calipers are a joke no matter the brand. Jokes on you buddy.

edit: actually, jokes still on your coworkers, for spending so much and thinking they're worth a damn.

 

Then I suppose the machinists where I work that build ridiculously amazing parts out of very expensive materials for very tricky NASA space instruments, and could machine circles around anyone here I'll bet, are not 'real' machinists then. I'll be sure to tell them they all suck when I see them again on Monday. And to think they had me fooled all these years.

Phuulleeeeeeeease. I do not want to jack my own thread, but I cannot let this one slide.

 

Where did you get the coupon? I need to buy this to measure teeth.

 

If they use them and can use them that well then great, I honestly don't mind using digital calipers myself for the imprecise projects I do.

The fact is I've NEVER seen anyone beyond a machinist with 1-2 years experience use them. I made a statement from my personal experience, please excuse my mistake. Are they using these digital calipers for <.001 tolerances or are they using mics? Ask them what they think of digital micrometers.

 

Look in the back of various car mags. HF usually has a coupon page in every month. Even if you do pay the full $19.99, that's still a great deal.



BTW Curly: We use them for measuring rotors, etc. not machine work.

 

That's just silly. A calibrated micrometer is a calibrated micrometer. If they are designed to be accurate to 5 hundred thousandths, then they are designed to be accurate to 5 hundred thousandths.

If they aren't getting them calibrated annually, it's not the micrometer's fault. That goes for digital, analog-vernier, or a yardstick.

Maybe it has more to do with the quality digital version being 4-10x the cost of the vernier one...


Are these same guys that eschew digital micrometers also using non-digital mills and maching centers?

 

Exactly.

 

Yeah their cnc mills and manual mills are all digital readouts to .0001 or better. Of course for sub mi work they will use micrometers or the like, or the CMM (digital) which is really accurate.
Right tool for the right job. Digital calipers do not suck by default. For most of DIY types they are fine.

Let's get back on topic.

 

Just had the 8 drawer wooden chest delivered. Got it for just under 70 bucks shipped to my door, and that was after NYS tax (the bastards).

http://www.harborfreight.com/eight-d...est-94538.html

Lighter than I expected, but looks fairly well made. Certainly not a Gerstner, but at less than a quarter the price, it's decent enough. It's going to be used to hold my calipers, spare lathe and mill bits, and other associated tooling. The lathe and mill have a large, dedicated bench, and this will sit between them and never be moved. Drawers are kinda shallow for mechanics tools, but it's not really made for that. For the small tools I use on the lathe and mill, it should do just fine.