Harbor Freight woodworking tools

Anybody use any HF tools for small woodcutting jobs? With my Rocksim Christmas present, Im wanting to begin learning to cut my own fins, centering rings, etc. Id imagine 1/4 inch thick at the most. I was looking at a small 8in drill press and 9inch band saw. I know HF doesnt have the best tools, but if not being used daily and the occassional scratch build, would these work ok? All my expensive tools are in the garage for the race cars.

Edit: Also considering a circle cutting tool for my Dremel.

I use a HF circle hole cutter for centering rings. Works well enough. I've got one of their drill presses and I've beat the heck out of it. Runs well.

School me, the circle hole cutter can go in the drill press to cut the centering rings, correct?

@Tonimus, I should update my sig. Im in El Mirage, AZ and a member of SSS. My name is Aaron.

That's what I often use. HF hole cutters in a HF press. The press has worked well for me but I don't use it all that often.

Best I can tell from my photos history, I've had a HF lathe a little over 7 years now. Used mostly for turning nose cones. Been running like a champ since day one.

I used to have a big HF woodlathe. Had it for many years, never let me down. I also used to have an HF benchtop drill press. It was fine, except it came with a keyless chuck which I didn't like.

Thats cool making that nosecone. Glad to hear the tools will work for what I need.

ascastil said:

School me, the circle hole cutter can go in the drill press to cut the centering rings, correct?

@Tonimus, I should update my sig. Im in El Mirage, AZ and a member of SSS. My name is Aaron.

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Yeah, that's how I do it. I'm Tony. The really big guy if you were at the GHS launch this year.

ascastil said:

Thats cool making that nosecone. Glad to hear the tools will work for what I need.

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That was the biggest nose cone I've ever turned. It was four basswood blocks glued together. I made it for 5.5" LOC tubing.

If you have to cut metal bar/tubing with any frequency, you might consider the 4x6" metalcutting band saw instead. Downside: significantly smaller capacity than the woodworking band saw. But man, I can't tell you how happy I am not to have to hacksaw a piece of 1" steel bar ever again. The saw can be stood up vertically to use like a woodworking band saw. A bonus is that there is a ton of help---modifications, improvements, caveats---available on the web; the 4x6 is pretty much the same saw no matter who sells it.

My benchtop drill press is from Horrible Fright, and it's worked very well for years. I wanted a bit more vertical capacity so I turned a piece of pipe about 36" long to replace the stock column.

Best,
Terry

I have the $59 bench top drill press and the $59 bench top 4x36 belt sander. They are not precision tools, but for building rockets and other household chores, seem to do the job.

Making centering rings with the fly cutter is great, but make sure to have the press on its slowest speed (It threw a cutter across my garage, once). Also, don't get in a hurry and stick your booger pickers in there until the machine has come to a complete stop! (yes, experience there as well, and it hurts, a LOT).

I have heard of some folks getting a bad press. If you get a bad one, take it back and exchange it. Don't try to live with it, them come in here saying how crappy they are. They are Horror Freight tools, not Jet, or Grizzly or Craftsman.

I use there belt/disc sander a lot. And I also have there bigger floor drill press that is really smooth. I did buy the protection plan for them. Just in case. As an aircraft mechanic I use a lot of high priced/big name tool. But there is some good value in Harbor Freight tools for the weekend warrior. A hammer... Is pretty much a hammer.... Ask me if I feel a difference in my $62 snap-on hammer sitting next to the $6 one.

We have a lot of Harbor Freight tools, mostly for automotive work. Some of them are better than others. Their precision measurement gages aren't going to compete with a Starrett or B&S. Their air tools are usually alright. HF specialty tools are ok for light work. They stand up to the few times a year I use them. I wouldn't trust them to use a few times a day in a commercial setting. We picked up a Central Machinery 12x36 lathe off Craigslist last spring that we're very happy with. I think I can trust it to hold +/- .001 or better.

I've got a HF benchtop drill press, band saw, disk/belt sander combo... all great for rocketry work. Probably spent less than $200 for everything. I wait until they go on sale and use a 25% off coupon.

I agree that there are a lot of HF tools that work fine for limited use. Currently using one of those vibrating/oscillating flush cutter saws in our Aunt’s house we’re renovating. It’s half as much as the name brand and works fine. That said, a few years back the charger for my trusty HF 14V cordless drill died. Naturally, by this time HF is selling an 18V drill and replacement parts are not available. So for $20 I bought a new one. It wouldn’t hold a charge and I took it back... twice. The second time I bought a Dewalt drill instead and have been VERY happy with it. As much as I liked my old HF drill, there really is no comparison.


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Any tool you will use regularly is worth buying once so make it a pro grade tool like Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Hitachi, Bosch. If you are a regular home user then porter Cable, Ryobi, Rigid, Kobalt etc. If you use it occasionally and dont mind replacing it every 10-20 uses then HF is cheap. HFs larger power tools like their lathes and bench top sanders seem to be of fair quality. I would consider Grizzly any day before HF. My experience and opinions come from years of professional construction and hobby woodworking, as well as having done power tool repair as part of my job years ago. The capabilities of the tools have gotten better but quality is still representative of price and brand. Example Dewalt>Porter Cable>Black and Decker usually their prices and quality are in the order listed with Dewalt being the best quality of the threes brands owned by Stanley Works (or were owned by them), Delta is owned by the same group but its tools vary in quality from the Delta Unisaw pro grade to the homeowner grade drill presses and combo disc belt sanders ( of which I own both), my combo belt disc sander after 15 years is in need of a new bushing or bearing for which parts are readily available. Parts availablity is commonly a function of quality and manufacturer/supplier, better tools are expected to last years and be easily repaired rather than scrapped.

Ive got enough money in Matco, Craftsman, and Dewalt hand, electric, and air tools with a chest in the garage. I realize the importance of quality tools for some of the car projects Ive had going on in my garage over the years. However, if Im occasionally going to cut a few centering rings and some fins, I really dont want to sink a bunch of money into something that doesnt get beat on a bunch.

Ive also been thinking about the cost of the press and wood vs buying centering rings. I was on Locs site looking at parts and centering rings are a few bucks. Maybe I should just order rings at the same time Im buying body tubes? I am going to get that band saw though. Id like to cut me some fins.

For HF stuff in general, this is the best deal in a tool cart I've ever seen. It is very solidly built, with smooth drawers and good casters. It's better than a Craftsman box I have that easily cost twice as much. Usually sells for $99.

https://www.harborfreight.com/580-lb-capacity-four-drawer-tool-cart-95659.html

Are you talking about a spiral cutter for your Dremel? If so...i dont recommend for rings and fins. That spiral bit tends to wander and making smooth curves is a big headache.

I got a HF woodlathe that I spun a 5.5 x 26 in long Nike Smoke nosecone on also a small drill press that I did break the table ( we really over used it making High Power launch pads ) and the product I use the most is Diamond Rotary Cutting Discs 5 Pc
Item #69657 they fit in my dremel and I use them to cut fin slots in all types of body tubes ( paper. fiberglass, Phenolic, G-10 and Quantum Tubes )