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Old 09-23-2014, 05:23 PM   #1
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Default Free DMM

Well, actually you need a coupon at Harbor Freight. Free with any purchase. I had a coupon for a pair of scissors for $1 so I got the scissors and the meter for a dollar.

Not bad. I put it in a zip lock sandwich bag and dropped it into the tool bin that lives in the basement storage. Perfect for the camper.
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Old 09-23-2014, 05:27 PM   #2
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Yeah I won one at our ARC raffle it's what it is think I'll stick with the Fluke but your right it is pretty good for basic stuff and if you drop it in the water or loose it so what.
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Old 09-23-2014, 06:09 PM   #3
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I just don't want to leave a good meter in the camper. BTW, if you get one, put name brand batteries in it before storing it in the RV.
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Old 09-24-2014, 08:33 AM   #4
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You don't like egg foo young batteries? Good plan I don't think I would trust the batteries either. I have a very nice Amprobe VPC 10 that does AC 24 to 600 V DC 6 to 220 and continuity I bought at a flee market for $5 that lives in the camper my little Cen-Tech is in the drawer in my shack little better than just lights for DC voltage and you can check your transistors too!
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Old 09-24-2014, 02:43 PM   #5
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I try to gather the free Harbor Freight stuff. I've got 3 voltmeters, 3 screwdriver sets, a pair of work gloves, sissors, several tape measures and AA and AAA batteries. Lately the coupons have said "with any purchase" but I have a folder of coupons that say "no purchase required.
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Old 09-24-2014, 08:00 PM   #6
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I like free. At least once a month after Sunday church the wife and I will go in there armed with coupons. She'll have the "no purchase required" and I'll buy some little thing to get the "with any purchase" one.

Two at a time saves a trip!
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Old 09-24-2014, 11:01 PM   #7
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Been doing the same thing for a while now Wade. Everything I don't need and duplicates are put into a box for grab bag gifts at the CERT Christmas get together.



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Old 09-28-2014, 10:16 PM   #8
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Its a shame that no one in my area has thought of building a harbor freight in my neighborhood.
You can walk in the one in Erie PA any day of the week and meet people that lives 120 miles away - from my neighborhood, walking down the isle.
There is two models of that particular meter. I believe that the one with the Red power switch also has the back lit display.
I have both models.

Even though they give the meters away, they will not replace them when they quit working without a sales slip.
I have two of them..

Most of the stuff sold at Harbor Freight is cheap junk.
I took one low profile big roller aluminum jack back three times.
One didn't even make it out of the parking lot - wouldn't jack properly.

I do have two sets of their air conditioning manifolds - the darn air conditioning in the Avalanche went out on the way home from the store.

Most of their electric tools are shoddy at best.

The drill bits are not bad, the grinding wheels are ok, the wire wheels are about the same as a more expensive one sold at a welding shop.

I did however ruin my eye sight with one of their automatic welding helmets.
I was welding stainless steel and had the shade on 9 and burned my eyes.
You live and learn...

The trailering stuff is ok, - I usually buy a set of trailer taillights each time I go there, they are cheaper then trying to buy a new lens every time you break one, which ends up being most of the time when someone borrows the utility trailer.

Their air tools are crap! Especially the drills!

I have one of their engine stands, it has had a small block Chevrolet on it for 6 years and it hasn't drooped or had any issues.

The engine hoist - the jack goes out about every 3 years.

My dad probably has more Harbor Freight tools then anyone else I know..

The best one is the vacuum pump - one man bleeder.
I have used mine dozens of times. I only wish that they had a rubber seal so I wouldn't have to smear grease on the top of the cup to get it to seal so it works.

Don't buy any Solar Panels from HF - they are junk..
The little Battery Tender works great.
I have it connected to 4 car batteries and it has not failed in over a year.
I use it to maintain the batteries in the battery bank, which is used as a back up for my ham radios when the commercial power fails during a storm.
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Old 09-29-2014, 08:31 AM   #9
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Gee, my big bottle jack is from HF and other than needing to be refilled every decade or so it works good (Ok so perhaps 8 years) I'm not sure where I got my smaller (8 ton) jack, but it needed refilling too,, Did that last week, Used a full bottle (Pint) of jack oil and still have room for more in the big jack.. That said.. They work better now.

Also, regardign the comment about "They won't replace it when it breaks if you do not have a reciept" (Re-worded)

If the meter is free.. that is the ultimate money back guarantee.. Your Free is hearby refunded with a
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Old 09-29-2014, 09:07 PM   #10
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I have informed my family members, especially my wife and daughter, NOT to buy anything as a gift for me from Harbor Freight. Most of it is pretty cheap stuff. Sometimes you can get by with cheap. Others not.

Free is good. And you don't return free stuff. You clip another coupon and get another free thing.

I explained to a friend this way: If you are going to build a barn in your back yard, buy your hammer at Harbor Freight. If you are going to build barns for a living, then get your hammer at Home Depot or Lowe's.
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Old 09-30-2014, 07:26 AM   #11
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Re: Hammers.. When I worked as a roofer I used an Estwing Straight Claw (12 oz as I recall) and frankly.... That was on very good hammer. I'd buy another anywhere.

The hammer and the handle were one piece of metal, no joint, thus the head never seperated from the handle.. Handle was leather wrapped steel.
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