[Joeaksa]

Thats the reason for forums like this. We have bought and used tools and such from various sources in our career and are now passing along our experiences.

In this thread you have two very experienced aircraft mechanics (and inspectors too boot) who use selected HF products and stand by them. Sorry kids but the HF jack stand is one of the best I have ever seen and I have worked with jack stands for around 40 years now.

After working on airplanes for the last 28 years, and flying them the last 34 years hopefully some knowledge of what a good tool is might have rubbed off on this poor soul.

I buy Snap On tools when I can get a descent price for it, or its something that no other tool will do in this application. I have an HF compression gauge, jack stands, bead blast cabinet, angle grinder, die grinder, various air tools and so on. Their vinyl work gloves are in each one of my cars and airplanes and I used them on a daily basis.

What you are forgetting is that many of the tools sold under various brand names these days here in America are made in China at the same factories that HF uses, then labeled with a different name. Same tool, quality (or lack thereof) and so on, so if you want to call it "Drop in the harbor freight" go for it but you are also painting many tools sold by companies other than HF in this country with the same wide brush.

Now, what is terrible at HF? Consumables like hack saw blades, grinding wheels, some cutters and so on are worthless or have been for me. Bought a sawzall at HF a year ago and an extra pack of blades. Wasted money on the blades, and went down to Home Depot and got some good blades, threw them in the HF tool and went to town.

There is good and bad everywhere. Open your eyes and you will figure it out. Making blanket statements that "HF is no good" helps no one, yourself included.