HF isn't all junk.

[Marmotjr]

As we have to bring most of our own tools to work, I had to make a quick swing by Harbor Freight to pick up a couple things I needed that I didn't have, and could easily replace with higher quality pieces if needed when they eventually break.

So I picked up this piece of crap for $3:

The handle is complete junk.  Feels chintzy in the hand, hollow plastic.  If you squeeze too hard, the handle will shift and bend.  But the ruler is etched and painted, and dead nuts accurate per my other measuring devices (checked on a few).  Pretty solid ruler IMO.  The knurled nut is pretty nice, except it turns out it is a M6, and my upgrade required a M6x24 - 1.0 Carriage bolt.  That turned out to be a hunt to find one locally, mainly because my work schedule is pretty much the same as my hardware treasure store's hours.   Eventually found one there.  With a piece of scrap cherry, I end up with this:

Little tricky to get the interior angled kerf on the bandsaw, as the ruler is about two bandsaw kerfs, and about 2/3 of a TS kerf. 

So for $3.50, and very little work, I ended up with what I hope turns into one of those heirloom tools that my grandkids will end up with in their tool bag some day. 

Don't ignore HF, there are some diamonds in that huge field of rough. 

[Brendon_t]

5 minutes ago, Marmotjr said:

 

Don't ignore HF, there are some diamonds in that huge field of rough. 

     Hold On, your saying don't ignore them, but the tool you bought was not even serviceable enough to carry without being rebuilt.

I get the point but You made that a decent tool, they didn't sell you one and in the cost of your time, spent way more that $3.50. nice job but I don't know how they get the pat on the back here.

[Marmotjr]

Eh, I guess you're right there.  Time wasn't that much though and the reward for making such nice little simple tool offset any costs there. 

I guess I should start attending local meetings of HFA.

[Marmotjr]

-duplicate-

[Miles11we]

Although $3 is significantly cheaper, at $25 or so, the shinwa bevel gauge is a really good deal, the tightening mechanism is rock solid (you can drop it on the floor from 6' and it wont move, and thats without really cranking down on it.) and its top quality.

 

[Brendon_t]

2 hours ago, Marmotjr said:

Eh, I guess you're right there.  Time wasn't that much though and the reward for making such nice little simple tool offset any costs there. 

I guess I should start attending local meetings of HFA.

I get it, an upcycle gone right. I just didn't get why the dog gets credit if you actually manage to polish a turd so to speak

[Chet]

Well, I would guess that it would be pretty hard to find just the ruler part, from anywhere, at that price and that's the part you can't make in the shop, so I think it is as important to give the source for useful tool "parts" as much sources for good tools.