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What They Don't Want You to Know! Insider Secrets and Tips to Shopping at Harbor Freight

#1

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

This is pretty interesting. Maybe it'll save some folks some money.



#2

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Part 2



#3

StarTech

StarTech

Not real secret if you been dealing HFT as long as I have. Besides Amazon has some better deals at times and now Temu is up and running they also have good deals. But kinda have research whatever you looking for to get the best price and quality.

But of course I don't jump for everything HFT either as my tool needs have out grown HFT now. So a lot of my tools are now coming Amazon. Now that I have found Temu
who knows where I order from now.


#4

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
Not real secret if you been dealing HFT as long as I have. Besides Amazon has some better deals at times and now Temu is up and running they also have good deals. But kinda have research whatever you looking for to get the best price and quality.

But of course I don't jump for everything HFT either as my tool needs have out grown HFT now. So a lot of my tools are now coming Amazon. Now that I have found Temu
who knows where I order from now.
Click to expand...

I've not heard anything good about Temu yet. I've got Walmart+ & Amazon. And sometimes Ebay. I don't need any more.


#5

StarTech

StarTech

I don't have a Tramlaw plus account but I do have a tax exempt account with them.

As for Temu it is a new service so only time will tell if it proves to be of any value. As far somethings appear to lower in cost and others are high; just depend on what you looking for. Delivery times are a little slow however.

But either one of the three you must do your homework before ordering. Right now Tramlaw has the motor just as cheap as the local store with free shipping so that saves me having to drive 60+ miles round trip to local store and I can focus on the shop repairs.


#6

G

gregboggess

What is Tramlaw?


#7

4getgto

4getgto

gregboggess said:
What is Tramlaw?
Click to expand...
I don't know either but like with Temu they're a little suspicious. Jmo.
Neither like Amazon or Wal-Mart and are trying high and mightily to compete with them..


#8

X

X580

PTmowerMech said:
This is pretty interesting. Maybe it'll save some folks some money.

Click to expand...

@PTmowerMech , thanks for sharing / posting this up!

Always interesting to see some reactions when members attempt to share helpful info … I buy as many tools as the next guy but, only one guy out of all of us tool gurus took the time to make a 2-part video on and share some worthwhile tips and tricks.

So, Thanks .., again! 👍


#9

StarTech

StarTech

gregboggess said:
What is Tramlaw?
Click to expand...
It is another name for Wally World aka Walmart. It is what I have been calling them for years.

Every the Walton family quit Sam Walton's policy of selling American products whenever he could. Now it is over ran with Chinese products.


#10

P

Peva

PTmowerMech said:
This is pretty interesting. Maybe it'll save some folks some money.

Click to expand...

One precaution:

The coupon site given in the video, HFQDPDB.com, is not a secure site. (He says it right, but the text he displays in the video is incorrect.)

The correct url is HFQPDB.com

Fortunately my browser warned me and blocked it, and I never override those blocks. Then I went back and listened to him say the different-but-correct URL - and that worked.

👍


#11

G

gregboggess

StarTech said:
It is another name for Wally World aka Walmart. It is what I have been calling them for years.

Every the Walton family quit Sam Walton's policy of selling American products whenever he could. Now it is over ran with Chinese products.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the clarification.


#12

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
I don't have a Tramlaw plus account but I do have a tax exempt account with them.

As for Temu it is a new service so only time will tell if it proves to be of any value. As far somethings appear to lower in cost and others are high; just depend on what you looking for. Delivery times are a little slow however.

But either one of the three you must do your homework before ordering. Right now Tramlaw has the motor just as cheap as the local store with free shipping so that saves me having to drive 60+ miles round trip to local store and I can focus on the shop repairs.
Click to expand...

I signed up for "Wish" when it first came out. They gave me a couple of trinkets just for signing up. It took like 2 or 3 weeks to get them in. So, I never bought anything else.
The ex bought quite a bit of stuff from Wish. She said it took so long to get the stuff she bought, that by the time they came in, she'd forgotten she even bought it. LMAO.


#13

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

Peva said:
One precaution:

The coupon site given in the video, HFQDPDB.com, is not a secure site. (He says it right, but the text he displays in the video is incorrect.)

The correct url is HFQPDB.com

Fortunately my browser warned me and blocked it, and I never override those blocks. Then I went back and listened to him say the different-but-correct URL - and that worked.

👍
Click to expand...

Ah, that "D" in between the Q & P.

HFQPDB
Harbor
Freight
Quality
Pretty
Darn
Bad


#14

1

1madmouse

I would be careful of Temu they have a habit of loading you up with all kinds of emails. I had a heck of a time cleaning their stuff from my email accounts. Amazon is constantly getting into more fields of stuff, you just have to do like said here, do your research. I was told when Sam died , his kids sold out to china, but that is hearsay. The guy who posted the video has some good info, I am an Inside track member and have saved a bit that way. I used to consider HFT stuff as throwaway, use for a job expecting it to break or wear out quick. I am starting to change that thinking as some of the tools I bought have yet to break, and I have saved a bit buying HFT and not expensive name brand.


#15

StarTech

StarTech

Yes Inside Track Club member here too.

First purchase took three tries to get one that worked 800lbs transmission. First one would not hold a 30 lb concrete block, and the second one that hydraulic jack failed before I could the transmission out. Third one is still a maybe but at it held until I got my transmission back in. Currently awaiting replacement bearing separator set that came in damage in January. Don't know if buying from them is worth the trouble.


#16

1

1madmouse

I can see where you would think too much trouble for what might save. My first was a floorjack and it still works, someone stole the transmission jack adapter so i can't say. Some stuff went sky high when Covid hit like the Nitril gloves, makes them look bad claiming transportation and delivery problems like all the other places that jacked up prices. Quit passing all the costs to us customers. Covid was a shame to see how it went everywhere and all the companies that used it to raise prices on almost everything you can buy. I think I should do that check to see if i saved enough to warrant being an Inside Track member. Got tool to pull Pitman Arms it lasted 5 minutes, I don't buy their sockets or wrenches. Do get polishing supplies there and grinding discs for metal work. Towing stuff is decent price and their winch stuff is OK. There is more but mostly consumables. Didn't know they had lifetime warranties.


#17

E

eagle86801

PTmowerMech said:
This is pretty interesting. Maybe it'll save some folks some money.

Click to expand...
Thanks for the video it was interesting . I'd like to see a part II


#18

packy51

packy51

I'd stay away from Temu. They are a Chinese company and all Chinese companies are directly controlled by the CCP


#19

StarTech

StarTech

packy51 said:
I'd stay away from Temu. They are a Chinese company and all Chinese companies are directly controlled by the CCP
Click to expand...
That part of the problem but the biggest part of what you buy come from Chinese companies via middle men. Why not try to take a few of the middle men out the picture and deal direct.
Walmart is one the worst companies for buying Chinese products. Sure miss Sam Walton and his buy American philosophy. And Amazon is right in there too.

So many of OEM now have factories in the Far East because Americans are unwilling to work for lower wages which help lower prices of the goods they produce. No wonder so much automation is taking the jobs now as the machines are cheaper to maintain than the human workers and they don't require health insurance. There is even factories that no human hand touches the products once the raw materials enters the factory until it is on the shipping dock.

BTW the current wage increases are already having a negative on all across the board as their products are becoming out reach of the common man. The inflation it is causing it the reason it is beyond me to go to the fast food restaurants and why steaks are over $16 per pound but the grower of the beef still not seeing the price increases except for his costs. Personally I just had to switch lower cost items and just leave things on the shelves to rot. I refuse to pay $16 per pound for steaks as I am a below minimum wage earner. I have learn to live within my means.

Here is an example of what middle men can cause. A customer needed a new pressure washer pump as he ran his into the scrape pile. Simpson wanted nearly $400 + shipping for the replacement but thru research I was able to eliminate a few of the middle men and got the pump for $199 including shipping. And I didn't even check Temu as I needed quicker delivery. I making decent profit and the customer is saving quite a bit at the same time.


#20

I

iowaztr

About dumpster diving- I believe around where I live the dumpster and contents are considered private property of the refuse company. It is considered trespassing and theft if you are caught dumpster diving and removing items.


#21

S

StumpyOrson

Peva said:
One precaution:

The coupon site given in the video, HFQDPDB.com, is not a secure site. (He says it right, but the text he displays in the video is incorrect.)

The correct url is HFQPDB.com

Fortunately my browser warned me and blocked it, and I never override those blocks. Then I went back and listened to him say the different-but-correct URL - and that worked.

👍
Click to expand...
Being a "secure site" only matters if you're putting credit card info into the website. This is just looking at coupons and not needed to be secure.

But either way the first url is a dead url so for this place it's a moot point. Or a moo point, depending on if you're Italian.


#22

1

1madmouse

I have seen companies throw brand new products in the dumpster to avoid paying taxes on physical stock on the shelves. Companies can write of everything but labor. Hard to believe people think higher minimum wage will help without thinking whee the employer will get the extra money to pay it. Americans aren't willing to take a lower paying job to make ends meet sometimes. Many are lazy and fat from having it too easy. Most of us here know what it is like to work hard just to eat and pay the bills, plus do the best job you can because that is just how you are. It is screwed up and there doesn't look to be any fix anytime soon.


#23

P

Peva

eagle86801 said:
Thanks for the video it was interesting . I'd like to see a part II
Click to expand...
Part 2 is PT mowerMech's 2nd post. 👍


#24

P

Peva

StumpyOrson said:
Being a "secure site" only matters if you're putting credit card info into the website. This is just looking at coupons and not needed to be secure.

But either way the first url is a dead url so for this place it's a moot point. Or a moo point, depending on if you're Italian.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info on sites that aren't secure and credit cards.

Of course my purpose in posting was to let people know that the problem was the mistake in the URL that was displayed and not that the intended site was dead. I'm probably the only one that re-listened to that part of the video where the incorrect URL was just to see if by chance he *said* it *correctly* - and, in fact, he did. (I had remembered that he had said the URL from when I watched it the first time - I just didn't know if he also had said it wrong until I played it again.)

You're welcome. 😄IMG_1091.jpeg


#25

R

rhkraft

I don't trust the Chinese to anything for our benefit. Temu stuff looks like junk and the extraordinary low price implies it really is. Temu is just another example of Tik Tok. Sometimes you have to buy a Chinese product, if I can find it made somewhere else, I'll pay the extra money.


#26

StarTech

StarTech

Well that sorta like buying a AAA AX300 pump (540001) that Simpson want over $400 for or buying the same pump for only $199. Both comes from the same factory in the ROC. Just got to know what you are buying.

Or like accepting that new pressure washer is actually producing that 3100-3500 advertise pressure. Most don't according to my gauges.


#27

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

iowaztr said:
About dumpster diving- I believe around where I live the dumpster and contents are considered private property of the refuse company. It is considered trespassing and theft if you are caught dumpster diving and removing items.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, me and some friends went looking for some boxes to build a fort. We started at the "Unclaimed Freight" dumpsters. HOLY MOLY, this thing was FULL of great stuff, still in their original boxes. I got all excited because there was some stuff I knew my mom would really like. So I started taking things out of the dumpster, when the manager just happened to walk out and stop me.
Apparently, one of the employee's was stuffing things in the dumpster and coming to get it after dark. For all I know, it could've been him. But he genuinely looked shocked at all the stuff that was in there. And was picking up boxes to see what was under the others.


#28

B

bertsmobile1

StarTech said:
That part of the problem but the biggest part of what you buy come from Chinese companies via middle men. Why not try to take a few of the middle men out the picture and deal direct.
Walmart is one the worst companies for buying Chinese products. Sure miss Sam Walton and his buy American philosophy. And Amazon is right in there too.

So many of OEM now have factories in the Far East because Americans are unwilling to work for lower wages which help lower prices of the goods they produce. No wonder so much automation is taking the jobs now as the machines are cheaper to maintain than the human workers and they don't require health insurance. There is even factories that no human hand touches the products once the raw materials enters the factory until it is on the shipping dock.

BTW the current wage increases are already having a negative on all across the board as their products are becoming out reach of the common man. The inflation it is causing it the reason it is beyond me to go to the fast food restaurants and why steaks are over $16 per pound but the grower of the beef still not seeing the price increases except for his costs. Personally I just had to switch lower cost items and just leave things on the shelves to rot. I refuse to pay $16 per pound for steaks as I am a below minimum wage earner. I have learn to live within my means.

Here is an example of what middle men can cause. A customer needed a new pressure washer pump as he ran his into the scrape pile. Simpson wanted nearly $400 + shipping for the replacement but thru research I was able to eliminate a few of the middle men and got the pump for $199 including shipping. And I didn't even check Temu as I needed quicker delivery. I making decent profit and the customer is saving quite a bit at the same time.
Click to expand...
It is not the workers wanting too much money, it is the managers & shareholders wanting too much profits without spending any money
When you stand in front of a machine that is making 100 carburettor gaskets per minute, the hourly rate of the worker is insignificant .
But when you are working with a kick press trying to manoeuvre a piece of scrap gasket material to squeeze 101 caskets out of a sheet that would normally make 99 and take 10 minutes doing it, the hourly rate of the operator does make a difference.
And there in lies the problem.
US companies ( and Australian ones ) do not want to spend the $ 2,000,000 on the machine that will cut 60,000 gaskets an hour .
They would rather just spend that $ 2,000,000 buying Chinese products and wholesaling them at a 5000% mark up ( 50 x if you like )
I did not notice it being mentioned here but a mob called Carter Carburettor who apparently closed shop in 1986 have just bought Walbro carburettor Div ( what else do Walbro make ?)
Along with the sale was a price rise of 100% to 300%
So a D10 WAT kit goes from $ 8 to $ 26 ( Aust ) and this is wholesale price + 10 % GST
The same Kit from CTS is $ 2.20 via Ali-Baba or $ 1.00 from DC ( when he was trading ) or 24 ¢ direct from CTS ( min order 100 kits , min sale $ 500 )
Why are they so cheap, well it is not because they pay the workers 1/2 bowl of rice / day
It is because they have bought machines that can stamp out 10,000 gaskets hr from rolls of paper or mylar and the diaphragm machine can do 5,000 /hr


#29

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

bertsmobile1 said:
It is not the workers wanting too much money, it is the managers & shareholders wanting too much profits without spending any money
When you stand in front of a machine that is making 100 carburettor gaskets per minute, the hourly rate of the worker is insignificant .
But when you are working with a kick press trying to manoeuvre a piece of scrap gasket material to squeeze 101 caskets out of a sheet that would normally make 99 and take 10 minutes doing it, the hourly rate of the operator does make a difference.
And there in lies the problem.
US companies ( and Australian ones ) do not want to spend the $ 2,000,000 on the machine that will cut 60,000 gaskets an hour .
They would rather just spend that $ 2,000,000 buying Chinese products and wholesaling them at a 5000% mark up ( 50 x if you like )
I did not notice it being mentioned here but a mob called Carter Carburettor who apparently closed shop in 1986 have just bought Walbro carburettor Div ( what else do Walbro make ?)
Along with the sale was a price rise of 100% to 300%
So a D10 WAT kit goes from $ 8 to $ 26 ( Aust ) and this is wholesale price + 10 % GST
The same Kit from CTS is $ 2.20 via Ali-Baba or $ 1.00 from DC ( when he was trading ) or 24 ¢ direct from CTS ( min order 100 kits , min sale $ 500 )
Why are they so cheap, well it is not because they pay the workers 1/2 bowl of rice / day
It is because they have bought machines that can stamp out 10,000 gaskets hr from rolls of paper or mylar and the diaphragm machine can do 5,000 /hr
Click to expand...


It would seem that Walbro has been selling off for some time now. The Carlyle group was in the news pretty heavily a few years back. I don't remember why though. Note the date. 2012

The Carlyle Group Acquires Walbro Engine Management​


Sep 24, 2012 — Tucson, AZ – The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that it has acquired 100% of the outstanding shares of Walbro Engine Management ...


#30

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

A little ditty about Carter Carburetor. Short, but interesting read.


#31

1

1madmouse

We find the same story for so many companies, employees want more pay And benefits, employer has to get that money from somewhere. Share holders want more profit per share, preferred stock has to get more, money has to come from somewhere. Business has to sell off to make ends meet, or a hostile takeover, it's always something. Wages or product everything makes a circle and ends up here. Really no way to make it stop. Best we can hope for is to retire without starving to death.


#32

StarTech

StarTech

bertsmobile1 said:
So a D10 WAT kit goes from $ 8 to $ 26 ( Aust ) and this is wholesale price + 10 % GST
The same Kit from CTS is $ 2.20 via Ali-Baba or $ 1.00 from DC ( when he was trading ) or 24 ¢ direct from CTS ( min order 100 kits , min sale $ 500 )
Why are they so cheap, well it is not because they pay the workers 1/2 bowl of rice / day
It is because they have bought machines that can stamp out 10,000 gaskets hr from rolls of paper or mylar and the diaphragm machine can do 5,000 /hr
Click to expand...
And here what a couple of my distributors wants for the Walbro K10-WAT.

Distributor One
1710805443084.png

Distributor Two
1710805469827.png

Now you know why I am also use CTS kits. I was also using DC Spares until the main land China cracked down on Hong Kong.

It is also why I have two distributors as I play them against each other. Both sell some the same OEM parts but one better prices than other on one OEM while that other has better on another OEM.


#33

B

bertsmobile1

I am looking at shutting the workshop down
The past 4 years have not been kind to me health wise and chopping up a couple of fingers is probably the last straw
Looking at retailing CTS down here shortly and just selling parts as they have no local distributor
$ 16 US will be close to $ 26 ( Aus ) by the time freight & oppertunity costs are taken into account as RGS have to buy in very large quantities .
Why one of the locals has not done a deal with CTS for local distribution is beyond me .
All Mowers Spares was distributing the Prime Line products that RGS decided not to carry and for some silly reason they are dropping most aftermarket lines in favour of genuine or house brand ( Chains saw & Line trimers mainly ) .
Some B & S magnetos are now over $ 100 or $ 25 from Farmer Tech and I know B & S did not make them so probably the same factory .


#34

StarTech

StarTech

I am getting the same way Bert about shutting down. It seems every company is screwing the customers now.

I when place telephone order yesterday for parts. When I look online this morning at the order, over half is not there. One item that online system they had 14 of but the shipping order only has one even though I ordered 8. I am needing 4 for the current project. Calling this morning to raise some question that needing answering. Like why in the heck Microsoft needs full access to my complete internal data systems. And I also want as why such ridiculous shipping on an order that they split up and charge $20 shipping on a $4 item.

As for CTS kits I been getting them thru Amazon.

Edit: Well just got the phone with Gardner over half my order didn't even get placed and the most needed item was one of the items left off. They cancel the whole order because I complained and was trying to get it straighten out. What a bunch of F ups they have become.


#35

1

1madmouse

What happened to caring about the customer and making sure he is happy? No one seems to give a rat's arse. I always had it pounded in me to do the best job and keep the guy who pays your salary in good mood. Did we not instill that in our next generation? I remember squeaky wheel gets the grease, now if you complain they hang up and you get screwed. Dealing with orders and shipping has to be a nightmare, I deal with it, but on a small base. I can't imagine going through what you get StarTech. Trying to depend on the computer inventory system is a bad thing.


#36

StarTech

StarTech

Asa last resort I emailed my salesperson and she finally called. I explained what was going on and when she looked the order it had not even been cancelled. We got that ordered cancel because she could not edit it to correct the incorrect amount of items and to add the missing items. It took her about an hour to get things straighten out with the order so at least I think we got the order placed but neither of us are sure until it gets shipped.

You think why I did just order parts from someone else. That would been at least a two fold problem. One was the order was from four different oems which would order from OEM supplier separately. And second would all the extra shipping charges. Just one part would had been an extra $30. So if I not wrong the $70 order would have been closer to $145 by the time extra part costs and shipping costs were all added up if not more.

OEMs were MTD, Husqvarna, Gates, and Tuff Torq.


#37

1

1madmouse

Glad you got results, sometimes you will and sometimes you don't. I can see the amount of hassle with all of it, hope it turns out good.


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