Semester's End is Near... Let's go play with Harbor Freight tools

 Classes over, with only a week of exams to go, I am thrilled that I can now look to testing tools again. My first test, however, is not just about tool testing. It's about testing tool manufacturers, their products, their customer service, and their memberships/deals. For my first go? Harbor Freight. Now, I've see  ads and coupon pages for Harbor Freight since I was a kid. Now, in my 50s, I figured it was time to give them a go. My initial thought? Why did I wait so long?

Having taken down a number of coniferous trees last summer, I amassed a pile of limbs that need cutting and splitting. As you may recall, my cardiologist is not a fan of over-exertion (dumb aortic valve). Anywhoo... I decided to try out a manual Hydraulic log splitter. Sun Joe has offers one as do a number of other companies. Looking for the best deal to test, I came across a log splitter that Harbor Freight was selling, built by Central Machinery. Normally priced at $149, compared to other brand equivalents being priced twice that amount, I was intrigued to see that if you joined Harbor Freight's 'Inside Track' Club, you would get $30 off the normal price. Since membership was less than $30, I figured I would give it a try.

The thing I have long noticed about Harbor Freight's ads is that they often give away free tools (or even buckets) along with their prices seeming much cheaper than those at other hardware stores. We are talking True Value, Value Home Centers, Lowes, Home Depot, and many neighborhood stores. Harbor Freight's 'Inside Track Club' gives amazing deals on a LARGE number of tools. So, that $30 membership should pay off nicely. The question is, do their tools work AND last.

As for lasting, time will tell as I just purchased the log splitter today. As for the functionality of the log splitter, I did look for reviews, both written and on Youtube. Reviews for Central Machinery's log splitter were overwhelmingly positive/good. So, off to the store I went. Now, unlike Amazon, Target, and many other stores, Harbor Freight does not provide free shipping from what I saw, even for expensive items. On their website they make note of that and offer the viewpoint that stores with free shipping are at times raising prices to compensate for free shipping. Given how inexpensive Harbor Freight is for their actual tools, I'd say the lack of free shipping is a minor issue. For the record, this log splitter was $149 BEFORE the membership discount, which is about 100% off of the price of most equivalent products from other companies. Shipping would have only been $21 - $22 if I had paid for shipping. As a consequence, I'd say Harbor Freight's lack of free shipping is not really an issue.

I tried out the log splitter on one small log before the rain started. It worked as expected. The manual is quite clear in instructions. I will try the device on seasoned hardwood tomorrow. As for the pine log I tried, the splitter did well. I can give a rating until I try out hardwood. Why this post then? The customer service.

The employees I encountered were all friendly, and no one tried to see me on any junk when I entered the store. Bonus points right there. Then, when having difficulty finding the log splitter, an employee immediately approached me and offered to help me. Things went incredibly well from there. I didn't feel rushed, the employee seemed very knowledgeable about the store and its products, and he helped me with getting the log splitter to the cash register. He then waited as the cashier cashed me out, and then the employee helped me get the log splitter into my car. I've faced a mixed bag when it comes to customer service in stores to the point that I would prefer to be left alone. Harbor Freight's store personnel made the shopping experience comfortable and pressure-free.

I have high hopes for the log splitter, and I will write a new post after testing the log splitter more. As for Harbor Freight, signing up for their membership or not, they are definitely a storeI will look to for tool purchases in the future.

Wood Chipper - Not So Satisfied

I truly, truly wanted this device to work out. I have a wooded lot with a huge amount of branches to take care of. What's more... I need a lot of mulch for my planned path through my woods. 

***Mulch, for our routine archaeology/history lesson, the earliest use of mulch was in 18th century France (1). There, straw was found to help reduce weeds and reduce "slugs, snails and insect pests." (1). The use of 'mulch' spread from there though the material mulch is generally made of now is wood products and even synthetic materials. For me, weed control is the key, making a wood chipper a needed tool. Did I mention I got a lot of sticks?

So, to make mulch and deal with the endless branches that fall from my trees, I purchased an electric/corded wood chipper. I looked into options, and I found through my research that Sun Joe appeared to have the best ratings. All the other wood chippers were rated at around 3.5 stars (Sun Joe averaged at 4 stars from what I saw via reviews). The Sun Joe was more expensive than the others, for the most part, but not by an extreme amount. Then the DEAL popped up at Amazon. I love Amazon! A sale on the Landworks wood chipper was amazing - $109, which was $40 off their already reduced price. Well, since I buy almost everything a review (no set sponsors), such deals are hard to pass up. What's more, I like to try out the lesser known brands to see how they stand up to the well-known companies. Anyway, I purchased the Landworks chipper, which arrived rapidly from Amazon. Buffalo had just been hit with a snowstorm, so there was over 4  feet of snow burying all the branches. I wanted to test the device though so I hunted and found a few sticks that were not buried and even dried out. The photo here is of that test. My initial impression was good; the device created good mulch for my needs. Relatively easy to use, though the assembly was a little tough due to the holes for the base were rather tight. Moving on.

After I cleared the driveway of snow, I started a pile of dead and dried out branches, which grew quickly. Then, I tested the chipper with a good amount of branched. For between 10-15 minutes, the device worked great. Then, it quit working. I followed protocols in the manual. I tried to reset it using the circuit breaker the device included, and I even let the chipper rest/cool off as instructed in the manual. Nothing. Many reviewers seem to have had similar experiences. One reviewer was impressed with customer service so I reached out to the company. After an initial response to my email in 24 hours, I was hopeful. Maybe my chipper had a production flaw. It happens. I sent the information the company requested; it seemed like they would be sending a replacement. Then crickets. I didn't hear back as immediately as before. When I did hear back, the company indicated they didn't know what was wrong and advised me to return it to the seller I purchased it from. HELLO? You built the thing! Warranty? Standing behind your product? What puzzles me most here is that the device included a card urging customers to contact the company to deal with issues INSTEAD OF returning the items. Fortunately, I had already contacted Amazon, who arranged for UPS to mail the device back to them (and I will receive a full refund). Let's hear it for Amazon!

I still need a chipper, so I ordered a Sun Joe chipper. I will review that after testing it out. While I probably should have gone with Sun Joe to begin with, at least my experimenting with other brands (and their customer service) can hopefully provide insight for others. I am holding out hope that it was a minor glitch and that the device can be reset/refurbished. In the meantime, I need a new chipper to test out. Let's face it... I'm an archaeologist... a scientist. I love testing out tools. Cheers.

Landworks Chipper Rating: 2 out of 5 Trowels  (the majority of people who purchased this item rated it higher and had a better experience with this brand).

REFERENCES CITED

(1) https://laidbackgardener.blog/2020/07/21/the-story-of-mulch/?subscribe=success#subscribe-blog-1

The Shop-Vac saves the day... again

Buffalo is now on the other side of a snow storm that dumped over 4 feet of snow (and upwards of 6 or more feet in other areas of the Buffalo region. Now, as the great thaw starts, flooding ensues. Now, for
anyone with a basement, this means some flooding. For most of us, especially those of us with a sump pump, this means a few areas of the basement where we get puddles or even a quarter inch of water flooding part of the basement. For others, especially those at the bottom of hills or living near creeks, their entire basements get flooded. For those in the former situation, the ShopVac or any similar wet/dry vac is a key tool in keeping the house reasonably safe.

The first potable, true vacuum cleaner was invented and sold by Walter Griffiths circa 1905. After several decades, mechanical engineer Martin Miller created the ShopVac company as an offshoot of the Craft Tool Corporation (1) - this occurred in 1953. Miller's efforts then led to the creation of the ShopVac cannister vacuum, circa 1969. Located in Williamsport, PA, the ShopVac company is today rebuilding after the Miller's sold the company; it almost closing during the Pandemic (1). 

Now, other companies have developed their own brand of wet/dry vacs, but ShopVac is the brand best
known for these shop staples/miracles. From my research, it appears that several "brand names" are actually ShopVacs with the other brand name printed on the vacuum's exterior. Still investigating this further. That said, as the water continues to build in Buffalo, NY, the wet/dry vacs I own are helping me manage the water/melting snow. I have an actual "ShopVac"(2) in my garage, but it is a larger unit, making it difficult to maneuver around the different rooms in my basement. So, last year, I purchased a smaller wet/dry vac made by 'Hyper Tough', which appears to be a brand developed by Walmart (3). I'm looking into this further. Let me tell you, this little, 1.5 gallon, vacuum is a nice vac for sucking up water in basements. The one drawback is the connectors that secure the top of the vac to the bottom. If filled with water, the connectors tend to disconnect if not careful (so hold the device from the base when transporting it or you may find all the water you sucked up back on the basement floor). For that connection issue, I give this vacuum 4 out of 5 Trowels. 

REFERENCEs

(1) https://www.sungazette.com/news/top-news/2022/02/company-with-about-200-workers-looks-to-employ-more/

(2) https://shopvacint.com/pages/about-us

(3) https://whomakehub.com/who-makes-hyper-tough-tools/#google_vignette

Batteries - Good Expectations

Between the watches I repair and the battery-powered devices and machines I use around my house, I go through a lot of batteries. As I give the watches away for free, I buy generic batteries (I can't afford brand name batteries for the watches). As for the machines, I have a brand name Green Works battery along with two generic. While neither generic lasts as long or seems as powerful as the Green Works' OEM battery (in my experience), the costs of the generic batteries is significantly cheaper than the Green Works battery. As I am someone who works for a non-profit entity, money is tight. That's not a complaint. I love what I do, I just realize I have to be mindful that I do not pull in six figures a year. Far from it. That is why I went for backup batteries that were generic.

Now, this past week, the nation got slammed with a lot of snow. Me? I live in Buffalo, but in the suburbs where snow falls a lot more than the city, mainly due to lake effect snow bands. Welp, gosh darn it, my main gas-powered snow blower froze up leaving me with my GreenWorks snow blower to handle the bulk of the 4 feet of snow we got. Oh, by the way, one of the generic batteries gave out early in the storm. It was the first generic battery I bought

over a year ago. The 2nd generic battery I purchased this past fall as I wanted to make sure I had a backup battery in case one failed. Thank God! You see, generic batteries have a habit of not lasting long so I figured at some point my generic battery would give out. Of course it had to be during the first storm of the season. All those words you just read come to this point. The generic battery brand that gave out actually lasted longer than most generic 40v batteries seem to last (based on my research). It lasted close to 1.5 years. So, I big shout out to the Powilling company for their generic battery - it served well during the 1.5 years I had it. Also, many thanks to the customer service rep who responded to my recent inquiries regarding the battery and options moving forward. I would say Powilling is very considerate of its customers.

All that said, when buying generic, my goal is to find one that lasts 2 years. That's my benchmark. Moving forward I will try out a variety of 40v generic batteries to try and find one that lasts at least 2 years. At this time, I recommend Powilling batteries. We will see if I find a better option in the years to come. Cheers.

*** P.S. My recommendation is to buy a GreenWorks OEM battery and a generic as backup. Of course, if you are flush with cash, get GreenWorks brand name batteries all the time.

*** I also used my trusted Snow Joe corded-electric to help me while recharging the batteries. Thank you Snow Joe! That's my Buffalo snow removal arsenal: Troy-Bilt 2840, Greenworks 40v, and Snow Joe 620.

Tool Shopping - What I expect when shopping

I am now an affiliate for the Tractor Supply Company. That said, I will review products available at other stores as well. For everyone, I suggest you research every product you look to purchase and then find which company has the best price. As for my wants/needs from products, here are the important factors (check reviews for guidance, but look for consistency amongst reviews):

1) Products should have a warranty available (factory production errors happen even with the best companies - expect issues)

2) I expect batteries (generic or OEM) to last a minimum of 2 years. If a battery can't last 2 years, I will find a different brand.

3) There are a number of brands that pop up and last for a year or two. Be careful with those brands. Some of them produce really good products and services but fail to compete with more established brands. That said, some companies, in my experience, create substandard products. If money is tight, buying a cheaper generic is a risk worth taking. That said, a brand name you recognize may be the better option and worth the higher price.

4) Keep an electric (corded) or manual backup - just in case. For the more critical tools that may be most useful during a crisis, keep a corded-electric backup or manual backup. You can run out of gas while batteries can fail (no longer rechargeable). For this reason, a backup is a must. My primary backups: a manual drill, a corded-electric snow blower, a corded-electric reciprocating saw, a corded-electric snow blower, and a manual or corded-electric lawn mower. The hand drill and corded-electric snow blower are a must as far as I am concerned.

5) We all make mistakes. We all buy a product from a company that turns out to be crap. Learn from your mistakes in choices and move on.

6) Look for sales/discounts. There are a lot of deals out there, many in the form of coupon codes you can use when shopping online. I recommend finding who has the best price while also having an actual 'physical' store somewhere. It's harder to hold completely online stores/brands accountable from my experience.

Cheers!

It's the BATTERIES, People!!!!!!! From Snow Blowers and Lawn Mowers to Watches and... well pretty much everything else

 

Of course this blog post was born from my using a snow blower, my Greenworks40v Snow Blower. With just under 2 inches of snow, I decided to use the Greenworks machine as the Troy-Bilt gas-fueled monster seemed like overkill (and for my wife's and neighbors' sakes, the Greenworks machine is a LOT quietee. Initially, I was going to just give an updated review of its functionality, but my thougts expanded after most of the driveway was finished.

For the record, the Greenworks 40v still works very well. Like all machines, it clogs up when you try to power through very wet snow, and it also clogs and shuts off if you try to power through well-packed so. What snow blower doesn't. As for throwing distance, it's decent. Just remember to open the chute up higher (more fully?). If the chute for the machine is near parallel to the ground, the machine's throwing distance gets a lot shorter. I did have an issue with the chute coming off twice, each time precipitated by me trying to power through heavier/wet snow or ice chunks. Since being mindful of this, I haven't had an issue. Now, for the epiphany. 

As I got close to finishing, piles of heavier snow all that remained, the battery gave out. Now, I purchased a generic batter as a backup as it was really inexpensive versus the Greenworks brand battery I had. Welp, the next battery I pulled from the garage was the Greenworks battery. The difference in machine performance was incredible. When the machine was running on generic battery power, it had it's struggles with heavier snow, which required my slowing my walking speed. After putting in the Greenworks battery, the machine definitely had more pep and had an easier time with the heavier snow. Those snow piles I'd left untouched were easy to deal with with the Greenworks battery.

Lithium-ion battery technology has been in the works for decades, Nasa of course being one of the earliest in entities interested in the need for powerful, long-lasting batteries. Dr. M. Stanley Whittingham (currently a chemist at Binghamton University in NY) led the pivotal research and testing in the 1970s that truly led to Lithium-ion batteries as we know them. For the record, he now works at the university where I completed my Master's, which I learned this morning. Moving on. Since Dr. Whittingham's achievements, lithium-ion batteries have become a major part of our daily lives powering everyday devices including snow blowers, lawn mowers, automobiles, chainsaws, tractors, and so much more. From my experience, brand name batteries generally stand up better strength-wise and in length of time a battery holds a charge. Be mindful of this when powering devices.

*** As for watches, I buy generic batteries to power watches I repair, and in the last year, brand name batteries lasted longer (some generics I purchased lasted only 6 months). As I give away watches for free, I unfortunately can't afford brand name batteries. For those getting their own batteries, I recommend brand name choices such as Duracell and Energizer. Just sayin.

The Not-So-Smart Watches

In 2022, I started to learn a trade: watch repair. It's a long story I will get to in later posts. I will be uploading pictures of watches I repair as well as providing historical updates. That said, I wanted to talk about something real quick: Smart Watches. I buy batches (lots) of watches on Ebay, repair them and then give them to those who want or need a watch. Some of those lots I get include 'smart watches'. 

Yesterday I decided to investigate one of the smart watches I collected. After my research/examination, I am convinced it's not the kind of watch I want to have. Moving on. Upon opening the Smart watch, I found it contained a memory card. For those of you who do have smart watches, do me a favor. If or when you dispose of your smart watch, erase/destroy the memory card that is inside the watch. Be smart with smart watches.

FYI - For whomever tosses a Smart watch and it ends up in one of the watch lots I purchase on Ebay, I will be deleting any files on cards and then destroying the disk to make sure your info and files are safe.