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Shop equipment score

4K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  mmhotrod 
#1 ·
Every once in a great while even I get lucky. Yep, that way too Lash; but I digress. I got a call from a buddy about a friend of his that wanted to sell some tools and equipment. Seems he had a shop some years ago that he closed down due to health issues and put everything into storage. After years of paying $475 a month for a storage unit and realizing that he was never going to use his stuff again he decided to unload what he could. I went over to his storage unit and ended up buying some equipment that I'll probably never use but I wanted it. A barely used 10 ton shop press (Harbor Freight), a new manual tubing bender (Harbor Freight), a really cool like new air operated (also manual) 4 ton floor jack and a couple other miscellaneous pieces all for $180. He had all kinds of hand tools but I've already got just about every hand tool I'd ever want. I'm not normally a Harbor Freight Tools fan but for the amount these tools will get used I couldn't pass them up.
 
#3 ·
I love my HF press, and although I rarely use it, it is worth it to have it here when I do need it. The HF tubing benders are crap. Even when they are reworked like guys have shown all over the internet, they still kink pipes. Have one I bought used for $40 just sitting in my shed. I keep forgetting to put it on Criagslist to see if I can recoup some funds.
 
#4 ·
Thanks Vall, now you tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL. Maybe I'll just go ahead and put it on Craigs List for a super cheap price. I'm still hundreds ahead with the the air operated floor jack, press and the other things I got. One of the other items is an aluminum motorcycle ramp, pictured with the floor jack. I'm going to make a fold down support piece for the center just for a bit more strength to prevent flexing when loading a heavier bike onto my trailer.
Wood Composite material Gas Building material Machine
Wood Tool Garden tool Brickwork Flooring
 
#6 ·
The small fuel and brake line benders from HF work fantastic, but I see the large tubing or pipe type bender in the picture. Just like mine. But that floor jack is worth way more than you paid for everything, so you did great! Whatever you get out of the bender is a bonus!
 
#7 ·
I went on the HF web site and the reviews for their tube bender are all over the map. I love it, can't live without it. I hate it, if I had a foundry I'd melt it. Sorry I ever bought it. The best thing I've ever bought. It's kind of like the difference between Fox News and CNBC; you can only believe about 5% of what either station says. One reviewer did include some photos of brush guards he'd made for his truck that didn't look half bad.
 
#8 ·
I have the Pipe bender and it always kinks at the highest point in the bend. I use it to put a slight arc in a tube now and then. It has its uses but for bending pipe there is nothing like a bender with die setup like Jegs sells. I did my roll cage with that bender. Was a little tricky at times but it got me thru and I still have the bender for the price of someone putting the cage in for me. I used it for the mg roll bar. Will I use it again? Probably not.
 
#9 ·
Having been spoiled all my life with great benders at work, I was pissed at how poorly the HF bender worked. I did use it to make my ladder bars, but the bend was less than 45 degrees. I used it on my firewall frame braces and it ruined the tubing. I finally went back to my old workplace and borrowed a hydraulic with back shoe and did the usual fantastic bends.
I think if the HF bender had a clamp shaped to the pipe diameter in the middle of the bend it would hold the tubing against the shoe and work. The way it is it allows the tubing to pull away from the shoe as more pressure is added, until it finally kinks when enough bend is applied. Just a poor design.
 
#12 ·
I thought I got a good round bend on one side and when I took it out the inside was all wrinkled and ugly. Its a kinker in my book. LOL
 
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