sorry to be so off topic but does anybody know of a method to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb lost the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me.
@Xander Alijah I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out now. Takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
My 2 biggest surprises this week: This video is embedded on the Harbor Freight product page, and How much everyone loves my "Pot/Kettle situation" Comment. It's nice to meet you all, thanks for the comments and views. Good luck!
Dude... That line legit cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Like, how you gonna be looking at cheap tool reviews and hate on somebody who just doesn't like wasting money? (me personally, hearing that you kinda had to waste $16 worth of wood made me wince. I'm with ya, bud.)
Cee Jay maybe he hates wasting wood? I’m personally in that camp. Hardwood lumber is expensive, I hate turning usable lumber into sawdust, in fact that’s one of the main reasons I upgraded my bandsaw, for resawing.
Speaking about Harbor Freight... I bought one of their cheap welders at their parking lot sale for 60$ and told my self when it broke I would buy a Lincoln or Miller. 7 years later, the dang thing won't break! It's strong enough for most of my projects and I can usually preheat the stuff at the ends of it capability to make it work (nothing structural of course).
I'm on my second year with this planer, and also no complaints. My strategy with HF is to buy tools I'm learning to use, or not sure how much use it will get. I go to the online reviews to see beforehand if any issues are consistently reported (some users share neat work-arounds) - it really helps to make an informed choice. Many of my "test tools" have lasted many more years of hard use than I imagined at purchase! Very useful video, keep up the good work.
You can simply visually inspect the tool. Some Harbor Freight tools are not good (as he said). The way you can tell is that the metallurgy and the fit and finish is extremely poor, like porous cast iron that isn't milled very smooth, or soft looking metal that might bend easily or snap off. When you look at their ratchets, and their sockets, they are literally the nicest hard metal alloy and their fit and finish is as good as a $200 Snap-On product. Their ratchets are so good, I've purchased about 5 different ones. Their new line of power tools appear to be just as good as Dewalt or Milwaukee, as you can visibly see just by examining the fit and finish. If you can't determine the quality of a tool by looking at it, then you probably should just stick with Dewalt tools. The downside to cheap power tools is the foot plate on saws are more "wiggly" and the motors have less power, and the sliding parts are not as precise. Although, from what I can tell, Harbor Freight has finally decided to step up the quality dramatically, and their circular saws are at least as good as the major brands. On their cordless tools, there is no way the batteries are going to last 10 years like on a Milwaukee. I have some Milwaukee batteries that are going on 8 or 9 years, and show no signs of damage. But for some people, they don't need batteries to last decades.
I have this planer and absolutely love it to be honest. Only thing I would say is to make sure you keep regular maintenance done on it, oil/lubricate clean your blade, make sure you don’t run any wood with nails or anything like that through it and you should be good. I’ve been using this after breaking down pallets and using it to make them (of course) all the same thickness for wood flooring. Saving a lot of money and it’s turning out great so far.
And why would you oil/lubricate your blade? Makes zero sense to me. Oil/lubricate and clean the gears, chains, and other metal to metal moving parts, but the blade?
@@coloradomountainman8659 Yeah I am not sure why she says to apply a heavy coating of blade lubricant to the dry blade? It's not good for the blade to be oiled, because it contaminates and ruins the wood.
I like your attitude. This seems like such an honest, informative video. I don't put much stock into review videos because they are just one-offs of a brand new product. Doing an update after a year of using the product tells me more than any unboxing review ever could. Well done.
Ok...the suspense is killin’ me...you were engraving “Eat My A....” Avocado? Armadillo? Aardvark? Abominable Snowman? Algorithm? Astrophysicist? Algae? Ankle? Acorn? Aioli? Aphid? The board was too short for Anthropocentricities... SHOW US THE COMPLETED SIGN, MAN!! 😂😂😂
Thanks. I’ve been eyeing this planer. I like your nuanced and balanced review; the balance of cost to quality (durability, performance…) is best way to look at purchases. And, excellent presentation.
Thank you for doing a honest straight forward review without all the cinematic bullshit. These types of reviews are exactly what's missing from youtube these days. Earned a sub and a thumbs up from we.
I’m a contractor that focuses on remodels. I don’t plane all that often, usually just making my own shims so I think this might be perfect for me. Thanks for the videos brother.
That looks just like the planer I had many years ago (under a different brand). I built a lot of projects with that thing. The snipe on the ends was tolerable, but still a little frustrating, but otherwise, the power it delivered wasn't bad. Since then, I've upgraded to a 15" grizzly, 3hp, helical cutter head. If you have the space and budget for such a machine, it's fantastic. I can take double the cut at a much faster feed rate than I could before and the finish is fantastic. If you're just starting out, that little 13" planer will get you where you want to go.
@@SmDJeremy Sure. I don't want to build a planer, so buying a cheap planer for basic projects is what I need, so this video was very helpful. It saves me money (GOLD). :)
I was talking about getting a planer with my wife and I am glad I came across your video. I am new to wood working so I don't really want to invest in a high dollar (I know someone will say you get what you pay for or something like that) planer in the beginning and it just sit there. I am definitely going to check this planer out ( I use a DA buffer/polisher from them and I love it, does everything this I need it to do) thanks again!
I wood work as a hobby, I have a CNC, table saw, belt sander, oscillating spindle sander, router table, band saw and a lathe. I don't have a planer I don't really need one either, not yet anyway. The fact that you took the time to review the tool a year later is awesome!
This was helpful, that's a pretty good value! Love the engraving setup too. You're totally right too, $16 is a lot of oak to throw out. I have a hard time chucking the offcuts...
Just bought one today based on this review. Picked it up second hand, but unused new out of box for 200 bucks, so I really can't complain, looking forward to trying it out.
As a carpenter for a couple decades I have used plenty of Ryobi tools with no complaint. In fact I like my palm sander better than my Porter-Cable one. It's all about the tool. And how much you use it. There are certain things I don't skimp on such as saw blades and hand tools, and I'm not a big Harbor Freight fan, but they do have some great prices for tools you might not use a lot
I have need for lots of things like this in my hobbies so thanks for the long term review. Much like you, I'm not a woodworker but I do work with wood often.
It's rare someone takes the time to film, edit, and post a follow-up review of a product. Thanks! As much as I have worked semiprofessionally doing home repair and small renovation, I mostly do any of this work for myself or family working full time in health care. So, adding a planer to my workshop in lieu of the more time intensive nature of flattenening boards with a router flattening jig or hand planing, has been on my list. A planer may not have much use for general home repair and renovation, but it does in woodworking. Watching other but multibrand planer reviews, some of the advantages of the Bauer is, of course, the low price of approx. $270-300(?), the blades are double-sided, and the unit framing is a 2-bar (on top), making it more stable. However, I do not recall whether it is a 2 vs 3 blade unit. If it is a 3-blade unit, this is definitely a steal. It's never going to compare to the durability, precision, and quality of an industrial/commercial Jet or Grizzly...especially those that have spiral, let alone helical blades, but for a small home workshop, those units are completely unrealistic (not to mention well over $1K.
Thx for long term post...anything can work a little while, it's the down the road performance that interests a lot of us. Btw, my buddy has a semi-pro shop and has this for small jobs, told me he uses it far more than his big boy planer because it's much easier to get in and out without a full blown orchestration. Nice video
I try to research before making a purchase. I watched your original review before buying my planer when it went on sale. I'm no professional woodworker and primarily using the Bauer Planer from Harbor Freight on pallet wood. Works great for me. I really appreciate your review and the information shared. Like others, I'd like to see you review other Harbor Freight tools.
I purchased a Bauer impact drill driver, was about $100. Put it through hell for a year. Did remain virgil about keeping clean grease in pivot box. Still runs and works like first day. Thinking the Bauer line of tools is HF hidden gems. Thanks for video Bro.
Appreciate the video. I am going to grab one of these today I think. Personally, I have been pretty fortunate with HF tools. I have built cars, homes, etc with them. I have actually broken more Snap-on and BluePoint than I have HF tools. The thing I like about HF most is I do not have to wait for the truck to come by.
Very glad to see a review on this planer and you did and excellent job! Like you, I am also a home hobbyist and cannot justify laying out a few hundred bucks for a planer. I have a lot of HF stuff and for the most part, I have zero complaints.
I've owned the same one for 2 years. Does great for the money. Prepare for snipe thou. I use a longer "throw-away" sister board on wood that is already cut to length.
I appreciate the update. I have had my eye on it for a while and like you it would not get every day use with me. I am just tired of projects not being as nice cause even so called premium cut wood can be out of square.
A very informative review. Had been wondering about worthiness whereas I am one of those who doesn't have the scratch for the better stuff but this unit seems quite adequate. Being a cautious "grampy", I noticed the little one's box. I respectfully suggest a cabinet lid support for the lid to save little fingers. Lowes has an economical fix. Item # 311978 model# 3890418 $3.97 thanks
Nice little tree, but great video! It's good to see an honest review about something. I've heard and seen so many videos about people whining about the quality of the things they bought for next to nothing and then compare them with products that cost 3-5 times as much. Based on your review, I might actually buy a one of these planers as I'm just getting started in wood working and may move up depending on how far I decide I'm going to pursue this hobby. Look forward to seeing more of your videos!
@@1pcfred have you seen or can you recommend any CZcams videos or plans for building such an outfeed in feed table? I am considering this planer. For our occasional use oh, I'm having trouble justifying the nice DeWalt although I like their tools.
@@rwind656 I made my table before I was on the Internet. There isn't much to it really. I used some 3/4" plywood that I spray glued a piece of sheet metal to. Although I've seen people make theirs out of melamine sheet too. Like a piece of shelving. Anything slippery. The trick how it works is there's a hook made out of wooden blocks on the bottom. It just hooks on the infeed table. So it can't get sucked through the planer. I put some guide rails on the side of mine too. Because there's guides like that in the planer. Keeps pieces on the table. But if you aim pieces they stay on the table anyways. I'm not sure how much the guides on my auxiliary table do. Guides reduce capacity a little. I never max my planer out anyways. Not even close. I've run my planer without the table and with it. I'd never use it without now. It is a pain for me to dig my table out too. Because I always bury it with scrap wood. I still always go through the trouble of digging it out. It lives on a scrap wood pile. Or in.
@@@1pcfred , thank you very very much. I will take a close look at this planer. ( I had only looked at the DeWalt. ). And if we do go for it, or the more expensive one, we will definitely then look around for ideas online and build an infeed and outfeed section. I've not seen the Edge guides to them would have never looked at planer in feet and outfeed. The way you are describing it, makes me think that I might be able to combine the idea of infeed/outfeed wings for a miter saw station we are planning on creating with infeed/ outfeed surfaces for a planer. We were already thinking about making them modular so that they could also be used as an outfeed table on the table saw. ( Getting tired of using the roller bearing type separate little expandable stanchions we've got. So I was thinking let's get everything up to the same height, and make two general use modular table surfaces that could be used for multiple purposes, since in our garage, they will have to be taken down and stored against the wall or hanging on the wall. ). Thanks! In the next few days we will be resawing ( using the table saw ) three quarter inch stock in to half inch stock -- because it's just not available here. But I would also like to avoid borrowing a friend's planer and workshop when we need to do this type thing and I'd like to be able to buy my wood from our local hardwood provider instead of The big box store.
@@rwind656 It is just one board that you pass through the whole machine. I don't know how long mine is. It is as long as the scrap piece of wood I made it out of. Probably 4 feet? It looks about the size of all the other ones I've seen. A few inches longer than the stock wings makes a big difference. The guides in planers are hard to see because they're only on the middle inside section. There's one other feature of my auxiliary table that I don't usually talk about but I kind of like it. Being as I made mine out of scrap wood it had something glued to one side of it at one time and the glue residue is left over. That's on the bottom. And it is kind of a rubberized coating. Gives the board more grip. Whoever sprayed it did a really good job because it is nice and even. Once my table is slipped into the machine it stays there. It fits right inside the machine's guide rails. The other problem I had initially was wood getting caught under my steel cladding. I put a bevel on the leading edge of my auxiliary table and bent the sheet metal onto it. You need a bit of a roll going on there to avoid that happening. So plan on doing something like that when you make your table.
Good accurate vid regarding this planer. I've had mine for 4yrs now and put roughly 100-150 hours on it. It's completely paid for itself ten-fold. Only true problem that has arrised is that the left side will slowly start to plane off slightly more and needs to be re-adjusted. This is most certainly the best product of all my purchases from Harbor freight.
Years ago I would hustle signs and stuff when I needed the money, and those trees were on the menu. Now days I make way more money just working a little OT at my day job. The CNC is really just to make whatever I feel like making now.
Glad you were able to pay it off with the CZcams views, you earned it. Thanks again for the reviews and you put this into perspective very well. You know the quality and you know the expected lifespan, I picked up their pressure washer and got the warranty for the same reason.
You should review the tools that are garbage, or at least have 1 video showing all the junk and why it's junk. I shop at harbor freight and would love to know what to avoid.
@@jasonfryer7002 I didn't even know they had anvils. Now I wonder what it'd take to make that piece of garbage usable.... I have an idea, but not a lot of budget(too much at the house needs to be taken care of first and I doubt I'll have much left after.
$32 for a pc of 6"x6' oak is over $10/bdft. One of the main advantages of owning a planer is buying rough lumber like oak at $1/bdft and planning it to 3/4".
I am considering a planer, so loved this info/insight! I am also a Harbor Freight fan, but was not considering them, until your video. As a "non-professional," cheap is my price, but was still concerned about the quality. I have a few electric and battery powered hand tools from Harbor Freight, purchased at half the price of big box stores and they are still going strong! I agree, some items are low quality, but you have me rethinking my purchase options. Thank you! - Gibbism
Great review, I am a professional carpenter and expect my tools to perform. Now that I am retired I cannot spend the bigger bucks it's nice to see I can get one that will just do the job if need be my Sanders can so clean up.
Same here Jeffrey when they Dewalt send the Makita‘s and Skil saw‘s from 20 years ago broke down now it’s hard to replace that same round some of the harbor freight stuff it’s OK I’ve had pretty good luck with most of it
@@scottward1002 i try to find a few guys that have spent the money on anything that costs over $150.00 just because i don't have the money to waste anymore. I haven't personally bought or used much harbor freight stuff but what i have bought has done the job. I used to always buy Milwaukee first with the exception of the worm drive circular saw Milwaukee worm drive (sidewinder) is just to bulky and heavy have always preferred the Skil sidewinder and these days they are cheap enough to buy besides they last forever my last one was dropped off several roofs before i finally had to just replace it. Nowadays my tools will last me the rest of my life and ny battery drill/impact set with a 6" Milwaukee saw will definitely last the rest of my life. Most Dewalt tools with a few exceptions of course are cheap enough these days to just buy. I bought a brand new 10" Dewalt table saw a year or so ago for a couple hundred bucks the guy used it once then suddenly passed away his daughter sold that to me a fairly new router table with the router 24 bits an electric hand held planer all kinds of tools i walked away spending $345.00 even though i was very honest with her told her the true values and prices she just didn't want to look at the stuff it bothered her i felt bad about how much i paid her anyway i point is if we buy when we don't need the tools we can take our time and find great deals. I love building my own stuff but i have half century experience ans already planned on building new cabinets for my house after that purchase i had everything i needed am starting this spring been taking my time building my new shop its almost done. Thanks for taking your valued time respond to my comment may you and your family always be blessed. Jeff
@Ross McKenzie I bet so as well I am dying from a terminal lung disease I have lots of excellent high quality tools I want them to go to people that will put them to good use and not just let them sit and rot that would break my heart I care about my tools and take great care of them
I've had one of these planers for a couple of years and used it A LOT while rehabbing my last house. I thought it was fantastic for the price. It's still running strong. I don't think I bought the warrant for it (I wish there was a way to look that up on the HF website), but it's been working like a champ, so no reason to take it back.
Thanks for the great information. I’m into wood turning and I need a planner. I purchased a wood lathe from Harbor Freight. Couldn’t be happier. It does everything I need it to do. Got it for $324 with coupon.
The Bald Handyman I wholeheartedly agree. Do I need a planer? Nope. Do I want a planer. You know I do. Why? Because I don’t have one, damn. I’ve found that it does not matter if I really have a need once I buy the tool I use it. Never owned calipers. HF had them for under $10. Bought em and use them all the time now.
I appreciate the video and your conclusion very much. I think it's worth adding that when you get a junky HF tool then your audience would also like to know about it to avoid a similar purchase mistake.
Thank you you made up my mind I'm adding this machine to my work shop . My girlfriend has been trying for a couple of years to comandeer the niche I've been saving for the planer .
6:00 It might be interesting to see the HF tools that you have found to be not that great, so others can avoid them. Maybe condense them into one video?
i'm a professional carpenter....on a job my milwaukee saws all died....HF was a block away...i bought a HF saws all for 20 bucks just to get through the job....if i burned it up no big deal...i had a 30 return or swap....10 yrs later its still used almost daily...and the handle pivots out of the way....no complaints from me
@@tiptip5921 Yeah, some of the stuff at harbor freight is good value for the money. That's how they stay in business. If all of their stuff was trash, they'd be gone. If you go in with low expectations and they're met, you're fine. If they're exceeded, then even better.
@@@tiptip5921 , which recip saw at Harbor Freight was this? I have been looking at the reviews... I'm looking at them for a wedding present (we usually give a toolbox tailored to their needs) and I don't want to give one to this young fellow/couple who are going to remodel their beater home if it's going to fail immediately! But I'd rather include a few other tools as they are really strapped. And if I go out and buy a name brand more expensive recip saw, I won't have the money to include some other goodies. Would appreciate your feedback.I had almost eliminated the current Harbor Freight models although we are big Harbor Freight customers...
@@rwind656 its maroon in color and the handle unlocks and rotates left or right....maybe i got one that was built on a wednesday by 2nd. shift...the abuse this thing has seen should have killed it by now....but still works fine
The Bauer, ICON, and other higher end branded tools in Harbor Freight are usually pretty good quality. Their Chicago or Pittsburgh brand stuff is hit or miss. The cheap air tools work great. The cheap electric tools suck. Hand tools are good. Mechanical tools are good.
Harbor Freight tools are hit and miss, even their hand tools. But it is also the first place I go for project specific tools when I can't rent them. Sometimes you find a gem. Sometimes they end up in the trash. Sometimes you learn that now that you have the tool, it is more useful than you thought and wish that you upgraded to better quality tools but it never breaks.
I recently borrowed my brother Bauer planer for a Christmas project. I’ve used various planers over the years and found no faults with the Bauer. In fact it’s the spitting image of name brand planers on the market. Fact is I may even throw down the money to purchase my own.
Hey thanks for the review. I saw the first one while back. Good to know it held up. I’m just like you with wood working. Not a pro but like to make things around the house.
"If you pay more for the same size planer, what do you get?" Potentially one or more of the following: 1. Better QA with better unit-to-unit consistency, fit and finish. 2. Longer tool life, overall, owing to higher quality materials and workmanship and/or the aforementioned stricter QA process. 3. More readily available accessories and replacement parts. 4. Accessories and replacement parts available for a longer period of time (i.e. lower chance of tool obsolescence). 5. Better customer service and/or a more generous return policy. Budget tools are almost always made overseas and often multiple retailers sell products all made in the same factories. For example, Harbor Freight's numerous store brands are often made by the same factories that make Grizzly, Jet and Porter Cable products. Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Ridgid and Makita (which I believe only represents two actual companies) are sometimes made in the same facilities as one another. The difference between two brands, then, becomes a matter of ancillary or "value added" services. For example, a Harbor Freight tool and a Grizzly tool may be made in the same factory with one getting red paint while the other gets green. One of those brands, however, specifies a higher reject rate in QA testing and backs the product with better customer service. The tools are, for all intents and purposes, the same, but what you got by paying a slightly higher price was a tool that came from the top 70% of the batches (eliminating the bottom 30% of potential trouble-makers) and a more pleasant customer service experience when dealing with any problems that do develop. Mind you I'm not advocating for or against one tool brand over another, nor am I advocating against Harbor Freight specifically. Quite the opposite--to spend money on badges and stickers is foolhardy. But, while I realize the question was asked rhetorically, there IS an answer to the question, and I felt it should be given.
@@yerboyjavi610 Please understand that I didn't say that to indicate budget tools are "bad" because they're made offshore, that other items aren't made offshore, or even that offshore-made items are of de facto lower quality. The point was that many tool brands are all made in the same factory and that the differences between them are not what many people think. In fact, we could list many items not made in the U.S. that are of very high quality, if not best-in-class (think Rolls Royce of England, Rolex of Switzerland, Sony of Japan, the list goes on).
Though several different brand name tools are made in the same factory and by one major name, there is a hugh difference. For instance: Black and Decker makes Dewalt. Which is better? Dewalt is of course. Dewalt has higher specifications in every area of its tool make up from the body to the motor. It IS better in every aspect then Black and Decker. It's that way with other brand tools also. Though a manufacturing company makes tools for different brands, that manufacturer must follow specific guidelines as they pump out tools for their customer base. Cheaper requirements...cheaper parts...lower quality craftsmanship...thus cheaper tools.
Doesn't seem like an answer. Seems more like speculation. Unless of course you have visted each of those factories that build each different machine and analyzed each of thier Q.C. procedures. Otherwise the best you can do is make assumptions based on your own opinions and what you may have heard second hand. So which is it?
@@Trainwheel_Time Actually it's neither. What I'm giving you is information based on my experience, and information I've gotten from other sources, including things that are pretty common knowledge. What you do with it, whether you "believe" it, and whether it's useful to you is a personal matter for you to decide on your own.
Looks similar to the Performax one I bought from Menards 2 years ago. Mine is still working fine, although I do need to replace or flip the knives as I am starting to see "streaks" in the wood. Oh yeah, and at the time of this comment., the Menards one is a little over $80 cheaper than the HF one.
Thank you ! I'm in the hunt for a decent planer. YES I'M CHEAP, I'll do Harbor Freight all day long !! As you know, not everything in the store is great quality and I stay away from the junk. I get a LOT of free lumber and reclaim it into some GREAT projects. I just finished a nice large flower box for the guys wife that gives me all my wood. I'm bringing it to him tomorrow morning. I'm sure he'll appreciate it and it let's him know I appreciate him !! Used lumber is already dried and "is what it is". I'd rather see the twists and turns before I finish a project !! I call it being smart, not cheap !! I'm impressed with my wallet being a little fatter, not someone's "opinion" because I have a "name brand" tool. .... I'm going to check out Menards planer right now ! Thanks again !!
My CNC is homemade, My channel has a CNC build playlist if you want to see how I made it.
czcams.com/video/zmL_njU9u7g/video.html
sorry to be so off topic but does anybody know of a method to log back into an Instagram account?
I was dumb lost the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me.
@Michael Duncan Instablaster :)
@Xander Alijah I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out now.
Takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Xander Alijah it worked and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my account !
@Michael Duncan Happy to help :D
Subbed just for the most polite yet savage comeback "pot kettle situation"
This is my reason also
came to say the same, smashed that like button instead. lmao.
Matt, me too! 😂
Yes!
SAME!
You're not cheap bro. It's your money, you work for it.
Yep. Nothing wrong with that
Not cheap fiscally conservative.
It’s my money and I want it noooow!
My 2 biggest surprises this week: This video is embedded on the Harbor Freight product page, and How much everyone loves my "Pot/Kettle situation" Comment.
It's nice to meet you all, thanks for the comments and views. Good luck!
Dude... That line legit cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Like, how you gonna be looking at cheap tool reviews and hate on somebody who just doesn't like wasting money?
(me personally, hearing that you kinda had to waste $16 worth of wood made me wince. I'm with ya, bud.)
Cee Jay maybe he hates wasting wood? I’m personally in that camp. Hardwood lumber is expensive, I hate turning usable lumber into sawdust, in fact that’s one of the main reasons I upgraded my bandsaw, for resawing.
@@eizzle78 I didn't think of it that way but I mean I'm personally with that too!
Don't feel bad, I would gripe and complain a little about wasting $16 worth of perfectly usable wood as I'm a Cheap Bastard®.
Yeah I hit the like button after that comment...lol
Speaking about Harbor Freight... I bought one of their cheap welders at their parking lot sale for 60$ and told my self when it broke I would buy a Lincoln or Miller. 7 years later, the dang thing won't break! It's strong enough for most of my projects and I can usually preheat the stuff at the ends of it capability to make it work (nothing structural of course).
You did an update, which is lacking with most reviewers. Just subbed.
"Yes I'm complaining about $16, I'm review a harbor freight tool you pricks"😂😂😂 that's awesome!!!
It is not the $16..... it is the oak tree.
Tell me truly, where would you rather $16.00. In your pocket or someone else's. Right on. 🤑✌️
...so you made a pine tree out of oak?
Lol
LoL
That takes skill....
identity crisis there!
You win..
I'm on my second year with this planer, and also no complaints. My strategy with HF is to buy tools I'm learning to use, or not sure how much use it will get. I go to the online reviews to see beforehand if any issues are consistently reported (some users share neat work-arounds) - it really helps to make an informed choice. Many of my "test tools" have lasted many more years of hard use than I imagined at purchase! Very useful video, keep up the good work.
You can simply visually inspect the tool. Some Harbor Freight tools are not good (as he said). The way you can tell is that the metallurgy and the fit and finish is extremely poor, like porous cast iron that isn't milled very smooth, or soft looking metal that might bend easily or snap off.
When you look at their ratchets, and their sockets, they are literally the nicest hard metal alloy and their fit and finish is as good as a $200 Snap-On product.
Their ratchets are so good, I've purchased about 5 different ones. Their new line of power tools appear to be just as good as Dewalt or Milwaukee, as you can visibly see just by examining the fit and finish. If you can't determine the quality of a tool by looking at it, then you probably should just stick with Dewalt tools.
The downside to cheap power tools is the foot plate on saws are more "wiggly" and the motors have less power, and the sliding parts are not as precise. Although, from what I can tell, Harbor Freight has finally decided to step up the quality dramatically, and their circular saws are at least as good as the major brands.
On their cordless tools, there is no way the batteries are going to last 10 years like on a Milwaukee. I have some Milwaukee batteries that are going on 8 or 9 years, and show no signs of damage. But for some people, they don't need batteries to last decades.
I love how down-to-earth this guy is. Bravo man!
I have this planer and absolutely love it to be honest. Only thing I would say is to make sure you keep regular maintenance done on it, oil/lubricate clean your blade, make sure you don’t run any wood with nails or anything like that through it and you should be good. I’ve been using this after breaking down pallets and using it to make them (of course) all the same thickness for wood flooring. Saving a lot of money and it’s turning out great so far.
And why would you oil/lubricate your blade? Makes zero sense to me. Oil/lubricate and clean the gears, chains, and other metal to metal moving parts, but the blade?
@@coloradomountainman8659 Yeah I am not sure why she says to apply a heavy coating of blade lubricant to the dry blade? It's not good for the blade to be oiled, because it contaminates and ruins the wood.
Love mine. Was super impressed with the surface finish.
@@coloradomountainman8659 Obviously she forgot a comma.... geez.
Being called "cheap" isn't an insult. Great review. I'm glad you mentioned expectation management.
Being called cheap is insulting. Being called frugal is a compliment.
@@1pcfred only pussies feel insulted.
@@gorillajoe999 opinions are like assholes and like your asshole I'd appreciate it if your kept yours to yourself.
I like your attitude. This seems like such an honest, informative video. I don't put much stock into review videos because they are just one-offs of a brand new product. Doing an update after a year of using the product tells me more than any unboxing review ever could. Well done.
Love the Honda’s hanging out in the background
First time I see a HF planer. Appears to do a good job. Thank you for the presentation.
That "pot and kettle " comment was the best. Keep up the great work sir and making the internet entertaining
Ok...the suspense is killin’ me...you were engraving “Eat My A....”
Avocado?
Armadillo?
Aardvark?
Abominable Snowman?
Algorithm?
Astrophysicist?
Algae? Ankle? Acorn? Aioli? Aphid?
The board was too short for Anthropocentricities...
SHOW US THE COMPLETED SIGN, MAN!! 😂😂😂
Ass
Anus
Grits
Aunt Betty?
🤣😂
Thanks. I’ve been eyeing this planer. I like your nuanced and balanced review; the balance of cost to quality (durability, performance…) is best way to look at purchases. And, excellent presentation.
Straight, honest and to the point. Thank you.
You are someone that everyone needs to have in their close circle.
Thank you for doing a honest straight forward review without all the cinematic bullshit. These types of reviews are exactly what's missing from youtube these days. Earned a sub and a thumbs up from we.
Love the none biased review. You could not have said it any better. People are gonna hate, just keep on doing you man. Subscribed!
Your approach to tool reviews is excellent ("what can I reasonably expect"). Great video!
I’m a contractor that focuses on remodels. I don’t plane all that often, usually just making my own shims so I think this might be perfect for me. Thanks for the videos brother.
That looks just like the planer I had many years ago (under a different brand). I built a lot of projects with that thing. The snipe on the ends was tolerable, but still a little frustrating, but otherwise, the power it delivered wasn't bad. Since then, I've upgraded to a 15" grizzly, 3hp, helical cutter head. If you have the space and budget for such a machine, it's fantastic. I can take double the cut at a much faster feed rate than I could before and the finish is fantastic. If you're just starting out, that little 13" planer will get you where you want to go.
As someone who was in the market for an inexpensive home shop planer, this video is literally GOLD.
Literally Darivs..? LITERALLY?!
Lol
@@SmDJeremy Sure. I don't want to build a planer, so buying a cheap planer for basic projects is what I need, so this video was very helpful. It saves me money (GOLD). :)
Been looking for a planer to use on simple stuff at home-Here it is! Thank you for your help👍
I was talking about getting a planer with my wife and I am glad I came across your video. I am new to wood working so I don't really want to invest in a high dollar (I know someone will say you get what you pay for or something like that) planer in the beginning and it just sit there. I am definitely going to check this planer out ( I use a DA buffer/polisher from them and I love it, does everything this I need it to do) thanks again!
I wood work as a hobby, I have a CNC, table saw, belt sander, oscillating spindle sander, router table, band saw and a lathe. I don't have a planer I don't really need one either, not yet anyway. The fact that you took the time to review the tool a year later is awesome!
This was helpful, that's a pretty good value! Love the engraving setup too. You're totally right too, $16 is a lot of oak to throw out. I have a hard time chucking the offcuts...
Don't throw away off cuts check out scrap wood challenge channel he does many projects with off cuts and scraps
Pot kettle, perfect reply. Nice review.
Just bought one today based on this review. Picked it up second hand, but unused new out of box for 200 bucks, so I really can't complain, looking forward to trying it out.
Thank you for not bushing anyone, even when they do deserve it! Being honest when it come to product price & purposes of product use
As a carpenter for a couple decades I have used plenty of Ryobi tools with no complaint. In fact I like my palm sander better than my Porter-Cable one. It's all about the tool. And how much you use it.
There are certain things I don't skimp on such as saw blades and hand tools, and I'm not a big Harbor Freight fan, but they do have some great prices for tools you might not use a lot
1:43 I was not prepared to be called out like moments after thinking that 16 dollars in wood wasn't that much.
I have need for lots of things like this in my hobbies so thanks for the long term review. Much like you, I'm not a woodworker but I do work with wood often.
Thank you for keeping to the point and not wavering off the subject. It makes decision making a whole lot easier with a great review.
As a fellow CZcamsr oh, you did a good job here with this review
It's rare someone takes the time to film, edit, and post a follow-up review of a product. Thanks! As much as I have worked semiprofessionally doing home repair and small renovation, I mostly do any of this work for myself or family working full time in health care. So, adding a planer to my workshop in lieu of the more time intensive nature of flattenening boards with a router flattening jig or hand planing, has been on my list. A planer may not have much use for general home repair and renovation, but it does in woodworking.
Watching other but multibrand planer reviews, some of the advantages of the Bauer is, of course, the low price of approx. $270-300(?), the blades are double-sided, and the unit framing is a 2-bar (on top), making it more stable. However, I do not recall whether it is a 2 vs 3 blade unit. If it is a 3-blade unit, this is definitely a steal. It's never going to compare to the durability, precision, and quality of an industrial/commercial Jet or Grizzly...especially those that have spiral, let alone helical blades, but for a small home workshop, those units are completely unrealistic (not to mention well over $1K.
I’ve been wanting a planer for hobby projects and your review just sold me. This vid also made me subscribe. Thanks!
Thanks, I’ve been thinking about picking one up myself. Your pot and kettle reference is spot on! 👍
You're cool, funny young man and make some darn good points, thank you.
Yes I just started looking at these.
Thanks for review. Retired metal machinist, I miss CNC working
Thx for long term post...anything can work a little while, it's the down the road performance that interests a lot of us. Btw, my buddy has a semi-pro shop and has this for small jobs, told me he uses it far more than his big boy planer because it's much easier to get in and out without a full blown orchestration. Nice video
I try to research before making a purchase. I watched your original review before buying my planer when it went on sale. I'm no professional woodworker and primarily using the Bauer Planer from Harbor Freight on pallet wood. Works great for me. I really appreciate your review and the information shared. Like others, I'd like to see you review other Harbor Freight tools.
“pot and kettle situation” lol
Glad the views paid off. These videos really help those of us who struggle to support our woodworking addiction. 😋
Oh yeah, helping me keep my projects going.
@@StrangeGarage Good one😃
Don’t know what kind of reviews are people looking for but as for me these are it. Short straight to the point. Thanks
I purchased a Bauer impact drill driver, was about $100. Put it through hell for a year. Did remain virgil about keeping clean grease in pivot box. Still runs and works like first day. Thinking the Bauer line of tools is HF hidden gems. Thanks for video Bro.
Great followup video!
Appreciate the video. I am going to grab one of these today I think. Personally, I have been pretty fortunate with HF tools. I have built cars, homes, etc with them. I have actually broken more Snap-on and BluePoint than I have HF tools. The thing I like about HF most is I do not have to wait for the truck to come by.
Very glad to see a review on this planer and you did and excellent job! Like you, I am also a home hobbyist and cannot justify laying out a few hundred bucks for a planer. I have a lot of HF stuff and for the most part, I have zero complaints.
I've owned the same one for 2 years. Does great for the money. Prepare for snipe thou. I use a longer "throw-away" sister board on wood that is already cut to length.
I appreciate the update. I have had my eye on it for a while and like you it would not get every day use with me. I am just tired of projects not being as nice cause even so called premium cut wood can be out of square.
A very informative review. Had been wondering about worthiness whereas I am one of those who doesn't have the scratch for the better stuff but this unit seems quite adequate. Being a cautious "grampy", I noticed the little one's box. I respectfully suggest a cabinet lid support for the lid to save little fingers. Lowes has an economical fix. Item # 311978 model# 3890418 $3.97 thanks
I love your pot and kettle analogy! Excellent Video, Thank You!
The most realistic tool review that I have seen on YT yet. Thanks, just subbed Mr. Strange!
Glad to have you, thanks for watching!
fkn fantastic delivery. Yep smart perspective with great delivery. That's your jam! sub'd
Love the honest review, easiest subscribe decision ever lol
Nice little tree, but great video! It's good to see an honest review about something. I've heard and seen so many videos about people whining about the quality of the things they bought for next to nothing and then compare them with products that cost 3-5 times as much. Based on your review, I might actually buy a one of these planers as I'm just getting started in wood working and may move up depending on how far I decide I'm going to pursue this hobby. Look forward to seeing more of your videos!
Just bought one yesterday. On sale, I really love it , always wanted a planer. Very happy with it.
I used mine to plane some purple heart, which is a very hard wood. It did great. Used the wood for the flatbed on my hot rod.
Purple Heart is rad!
I'm impressed with the length of the infeed/outfeed tables. That will go a long way to eliminate snipe.
Making an auxiliary table for this kind of thickness planer makes them work a lot better.
@@1pcfred have you seen or can you recommend any CZcams videos or plans for building such an outfeed in feed table? I am considering this planer. For our occasional use oh, I'm having trouble justifying the nice DeWalt although I like their tools.
@@rwind656 I made my table before I was on the Internet. There isn't much to it really. I used some 3/4" plywood that I spray glued a piece of sheet metal to. Although I've seen people make theirs out of melamine sheet too. Like a piece of shelving. Anything slippery. The trick how it works is there's a hook made out of wooden blocks on the bottom. It just hooks on the infeed table. So it can't get sucked through the planer. I put some guide rails on the side of mine too. Because there's guides like that in the planer. Keeps pieces on the table. But if you aim pieces they stay on the table anyways. I'm not sure how much the guides on my auxiliary table do. Guides reduce capacity a little. I never max my planer out anyways. Not even close. I've run my planer without the table and with it. I'd never use it without now. It is a pain for me to dig my table out too. Because I always bury it with scrap wood. I still always go through the trouble of digging it out. It lives on a scrap wood pile. Or in.
@@@1pcfred , thank you very very much. I will take a close look at this planer. ( I had only looked at the DeWalt. ). And if we do go for it, or the more expensive one, we will definitely then look around for ideas online and build an infeed and outfeed section. I've not seen the Edge guides to them would have never looked at planer in feet and outfeed.
The way you are describing it, makes me think that I might be able to combine the idea of infeed/outfeed wings for a miter saw station we are planning on creating with infeed/ outfeed surfaces for a planer. We were already thinking about making them modular so that they could also be used as an outfeed table on the table saw. ( Getting tired of using the roller bearing type separate little expandable stanchions we've got. So I was thinking let's get everything up to the same height, and make two general use modular table surfaces that could be used for multiple purposes, since in our garage, they will have to be taken down and stored against the wall or hanging on the wall. ).
Thanks!
In the next few days we will be resawing ( using the table saw ) three quarter inch stock in to half inch stock -- because it's just not available here. But I would also like to avoid borrowing a friend's planer and workshop when we need to do this type thing and I'd like to be able to buy my wood from our local hardwood provider instead of The big box store.
@@rwind656 It is just one board that you pass through the whole machine. I don't know how long mine is. It is as long as the scrap piece of wood I made it out of. Probably 4 feet? It looks about the size of all the other ones I've seen. A few inches longer than the stock wings makes a big difference. The guides in planers are hard to see because they're only on the middle inside section. There's one other feature of my auxiliary table that I don't usually talk about but I kind of like it. Being as I made mine out of scrap wood it had something glued to one side of it at one time and the glue residue is left over. That's on the bottom. And it is kind of a rubberized coating. Gives the board more grip. Whoever sprayed it did a really good job because it is nice and even. Once my table is slipped into the machine it stays there. It fits right inside the machine's guide rails. The other problem I had initially was wood getting caught under my steel cladding. I put a bevel on the leading edge of my auxiliary table and bent the sheet metal onto it. You need a bit of a roll going on there to avoid that happening. So plan on doing something like that when you make your table.
Good accurate vid regarding this planer. I've had mine for 4yrs now and put roughly 100-150 hours on it. It's completely paid for itself ten-fold. Only true problem that has arrised is that the left side will slowly start to plane off slightly more and needs to be re-adjusted. This is most certainly the best product of all my purchases from Harbor freight.
Dude I like your straight talk. I appreciate your comments.
Sincerely thanks a lot for the review
Painted, those Christmas trees would sell.
That quality of wood "painted" would be a waste. U probably couldn't sell them for what u got in em.
Years ago I would hustle signs and stuff when I needed the money, and those trees were on the menu. Now days I make way more money just working a little OT at my day job. The CNC is really just to make whatever I feel like making now.
@@StrangeGarage That's pretty much how I work. Lucky enough to have a small business that supports my woodworking addiction.
Instead of straight paint, just add oil paint to mineral spirits and brush it on. Lets the grain show, but gives good colour.
Glad you were able to pay it off with the CZcams views, you earned it. Thanks again for the reviews and you put this into perspective very well. You know the quality and you know the expected lifespan, I picked up their pressure washer and got the warranty for the same reason.
I love the bauer line of tools at HF like you said they do the job and hold up over time
You should review the tools that are garbage, or at least have 1 video showing all the junk and why it's junk. I shop at harbor freight and would love to know what to avoid.
Do not buy an anvil, unless it's for light work....you can dent the surface with a hammer, so no real heavy smithing....light work only
The reviews on the harbor freight website do exactly this
I agree! Would love to see those videos. 👍
@@jasonfryer7002 I didn't even know they had anvils.
Now I wonder what it'd take to make that piece of garbage usable.... I have an idea, but not a lot of budget(too much at the house needs to be taken care of first and I doubt I'll have much left after.
Don't buy anything made from China. 😉
Reasonable expectations...lost concept by most these days
I had a Delta, cheap
It planed locust slats I cut up
Locust is hard and destroy tools
If you can change blades you okay
Looks good to me
Hobby work
@@asmodeusasteroth7137 That was a very nice haiku. Thank you for sharing it.
Hobby work etc still wood working 😎
PMD_in_AZ I wish car reviews would take this into consideration. Gadgets too
Damn, I think I lost this concept. I would always buy high priced to avoid headaches but it hurts the wallet
Excellent review! Great planer, too, it sounds like!!
Txs I have an expensive 18 planer and sometimes I need a smaller hander planer. You convinced me to give the Harbor Freight unit a try. Good Vid
$32 for a pc of 6"x6' oak is over $10/bdft. One of the main advantages of owning a planer is buying rough lumber like oak at $1/bdft and planning it to 3/4".
Love the pre-emptive burns 😂 about being cheap
AGREED! It's a perfect comeback to general idiocy for not thinking through the question being asked.
I am considering a planer, so loved this info/insight! I am also a Harbor Freight fan, but was not considering them, until your video. As a "non-professional," cheap is my price, but was still concerned about the quality. I have a few electric and battery powered hand tools from Harbor Freight, purchased at half the price of big box stores and they are still going strong! I agree, some items are low quality, but you have me rethinking my purchase options. Thank you! - Gibbism
Like your honesty on the review, respect!
Great review, I am a professional carpenter and expect my tools to perform. Now that I am retired I cannot spend the bigger bucks it's nice to see I can get one that will just do the job if need be my Sanders can so clean up.
Same here Jeffrey when they Dewalt send the Makita‘s and Skil saw‘s from 20 years ago broke down now it’s hard to replace that same round some of the harbor freight stuff it’s OK I’ve had pretty good luck with most of it
@@scottward1002 i try to find a few guys that have spent the money on anything that costs over $150.00 just because i don't have the money to waste anymore. I haven't personally bought or used much harbor freight stuff but what i have bought has done the job. I used to always buy Milwaukee first with the exception of the worm drive circular saw Milwaukee worm drive (sidewinder) is just to bulky and heavy have always preferred the Skil sidewinder and these days they are cheap enough to buy besides they last forever my last one was dropped off several roofs before i finally had to just replace it. Nowadays my tools will last me the rest of my life and ny battery drill/impact set with a 6" Milwaukee saw will definitely last the rest of my life.
Most Dewalt tools with a few exceptions of course are cheap enough these days to just buy. I bought a brand new 10" Dewalt table saw a year or so ago for a couple hundred bucks the guy used it once then suddenly passed away his daughter sold that to me a fairly new router table with the router 24 bits an electric hand held planer all kinds of tools i walked away spending $345.00 even though i was very honest with her told her the true values and prices she just didn't want to look at the stuff it bothered her i felt bad about how much i paid her anyway i point is if we buy when we don't need the tools we can take our time and find great deals. I love building my own stuff but i have half century experience ans already planned on building new cabinets for my house after that purchase i had everything i needed am starting this spring been taking my time building my new shop its almost done. Thanks for taking your valued time respond to my comment may you and your family always be blessed. Jeff
@@drymoonproperties I bet she was happy that the tools went to someone who would put them to good use.
@Ross McKenzie I bet so as well
I am dying from a terminal lung disease I have lots of excellent high quality tools I want them to go to people that will put them to good use and not just let them sit and rot that would break my heart I care about my tools and take great care of them
What program are you using to make the signs on the cnc with the v groove bit?
I've had one of these planers for a couple of years and used it A LOT while rehabbing my last house. I thought it was fantastic for the price. It's still running strong. I don't think I bought the warrant for it (I wish there was a way to look that up on the HF website), but it's been working like a champ, so no reason to take it back.
Thanks for the great information. I’m into wood turning and I need a planner. I purchased a wood lathe from Harbor Freight. Couldn’t be happier. It does everything I need it to do. Got it for $324 with coupon.
Thank you so much for this!! How about a jointer? How do you have a flat face to reference from?
Nurse Lucy the boards he’s using don’t really need a jointer. I sold my jointer because I never used it.
Good review...don't even need one but want to buy one regardless😂
The Bald Handyman I wholeheartedly agree. Do I need a planer? Nope. Do I want a planer. You know I do. Why? Because I don’t have one, damn. I’ve found that it does not matter if I really have a need once I buy the tool I use it. Never owned calipers. HF had them for under $10. Bought em and use them all the time now.
I appreciate the video and your conclusion very much. I think it's worth adding that when you get a junky HF tool then your audience would also like to know about it to avoid a similar purchase mistake.
You’re strangely awesome! Thanks for the great and reasoned review, you got my sub. I liked the balance between humor and info.
Liked this video for you calling out the overly demanding CZcams community.
I suspect the majority of these complainers don't actually do anything
Those Honda XL’s, classic goodness!
I love them. For $1400 i bought bikes for my whole family. Can't go wrong!
Strange Garage helluva deal.
Awesome! This video popped up on my feed. I then went to Harbor Freight searching for Planers. They have this review on the product page. Cool.
Thank you you made up my mind I'm adding this machine to my work shop . My girlfriend has been trying for a couple of years to comandeer the niche I've been saving for the planer .
6:00 It might be interesting to see the HF tools that you have found to be not that great, so others can avoid them. Maybe condense them into one video?
i'm a professional carpenter....on a job my milwaukee saws all died....HF was a block away...i bought a HF saws all for 20 bucks just to get through the job....if i burned it up no big deal...i had a 30 return or swap....10 yrs later its still used almost daily...and the handle pivots out of the way....no complaints from me
@@tiptip5921 Yeah, some of the stuff at harbor freight is good value for the money. That's how they stay in business. If all of their stuff was trash, they'd be gone.
If you go in with low expectations and they're met, you're fine. If they're exceeded, then even better.
@@@tiptip5921 , which recip saw at Harbor Freight was this? I have been looking at the reviews... I'm looking at them for a wedding present (we usually give a toolbox tailored to their needs) and I don't want to give one to this young fellow/couple who are going to remodel their beater home if it's going to fail immediately! But I'd rather include a few other tools as they are really strapped. And if I go out and buy a name brand more expensive recip saw, I won't have the money to include some other goodies. Would appreciate your feedback.I had almost eliminated the current Harbor Freight models although we are big Harbor Freight customers...
@@rwind656 its maroon in color and the handle unlocks and rotates left or right....maybe i got one that was built on a wednesday by 2nd. shift...the abuse this thing has seen should have killed it by now....but still works fine
@@tiptip5921 Thanks. I will look at them again. of course I knew when I asked, 10 years ago that might have been built a lot better...
The Bauer, ICON, and other higher end branded tools in Harbor Freight are usually pretty good quality. Their Chicago or Pittsburgh brand stuff is hit or miss. The cheap air tools work great. The cheap electric tools suck. Hand tools are good. Mechanical tools are good.
Harbor Freight tools are hit and miss, even their hand tools. But it is also the first place I go for project specific tools when I can't rent them. Sometimes you find a gem. Sometimes they end up in the trash. Sometimes you learn that now that you have the tool, it is more useful than you thought and wish that you upgraded to better quality tools but it never breaks.
You're correct about their pittsburgh and chicago; its more miss than hit
Both my air compressor and power generator from HF were garbage. I cant afford to be burned again, so I generally stay away from them if I can.
Are the hand planer any good the $55 heavy duty one ?
Agree
I recently borrowed my brother Bauer planer for a Christmas project. I’ve used various planers over the years and found no faults with the Bauer. In fact it’s the spitting image of name brand planers on the market. Fact is I may even throw down the money to purchase my own.
Hey thanks for the review. I saw the first one while back. Good to know it held up. I’m just like you with wood working. Not a pro but like to make things around the house.
It looks almost identical to my Ryobi planer including the blades. Probably made by the same offshore company.
And my performax (Menards house brand)
"If you pay more for the same size planer, what do you get?" Potentially one or more of the following:
1. Better QA with better unit-to-unit consistency, fit and finish.
2. Longer tool life, overall, owing to higher quality materials and workmanship and/or the aforementioned stricter QA process.
3. More readily available accessories and replacement parts.
4. Accessories and replacement parts available for a longer period of time (i.e. lower chance of tool obsolescence).
5. Better customer service and/or a more generous return policy.
Budget tools are almost always made overseas and often multiple retailers sell products all made in the same factories. For example, Harbor Freight's numerous store brands are often made by the same factories that make Grizzly, Jet and Porter Cable products. Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Ridgid and Makita (which I believe only represents two actual companies) are sometimes made in the same facilities as one another.
The difference between two brands, then, becomes a matter of ancillary or "value added" services.
For example, a Harbor Freight tool and a Grizzly tool may be made in the same factory with one getting red paint while the other gets green. One of those brands, however, specifies a higher reject rate in QA testing and backs the product with better customer service. The tools are, for all intents and purposes, the same, but what you got by paying a slightly higher price was a tool that came from the top 70% of the batches (eliminating the bottom 30% of potential trouble-makers) and a more pleasant customer service experience when dealing with any problems that do develop.
Mind you I'm not advocating for or against one tool brand over another, nor am I advocating against Harbor Freight specifically. Quite the opposite--to spend money on badges and stickers is foolhardy. But, while I realize the question was asked rhetorically, there IS an answer to the question, and I felt it should be given.
"Budget tools are almost always made overseas" - Man have I got some bad news for you about pricier tools ...
@@yerboyjavi610 Please understand that I didn't say that to indicate budget tools are "bad" because they're made offshore, that other items aren't made offshore, or even that offshore-made items are of de facto lower quality. The point was that many tool brands are all made in the same factory and that the differences between them are not what many people think. In fact, we could list many items not made in the U.S. that are of very high quality, if not best-in-class (think Rolls Royce of England, Rolex of Switzerland, Sony of Japan, the list goes on).
Though several different brand name tools are made in the same factory and by one major name, there is a hugh difference. For instance: Black and Decker makes Dewalt. Which is better? Dewalt is of course. Dewalt has higher specifications in every area of its tool make up from the body to the motor. It IS better in every aspect then Black and Decker. It's that way with other brand tools also. Though a manufacturing company makes tools for different brands, that manufacturer must follow specific guidelines as they pump out tools for their customer base. Cheaper requirements...cheaper parts...lower quality craftsmanship...thus cheaper tools.
Doesn't seem like an answer. Seems more like speculation. Unless of course you have visted each of those factories that build each different machine and analyzed each of thier Q.C. procedures. Otherwise the best you can do is make assumptions based on your own opinions and what you may have heard second hand. So which is it?
@@Trainwheel_Time Actually it's neither. What I'm giving you is information based on my experience, and information I've gotten from other sources, including things that are pretty common knowledge. What you do with it, whether you "believe" it, and whether it's useful to you is a personal matter for you to decide on your own.
Really appreciate this 1 year review! Nice work! Might have to pick one up.
Pretty cool that this video is o. The HF page! You might have just convinced me to try it, thank you
Looks similar to the Performax one I bought from Menards 2 years ago. Mine is still working fine, although I do need to replace or flip the knives as I am starting to see "streaks" in the wood. Oh yeah, and at the time of this comment., the Menards one is a little over $80 cheaper than the HF one.
Thank you ! I'm in the hunt for a decent planer. YES I'M CHEAP, I'll do Harbor Freight all day long !! As you know, not everything in the store is great quality and I stay away from the junk. I get a LOT of free lumber and reclaim it into some GREAT projects. I just finished a nice large flower box for the guys wife that gives me all my wood. I'm bringing it to him tomorrow morning. I'm sure he'll appreciate it and it let's him know I appreciate him !! Used lumber is already dried and "is what it is". I'd rather see the twists and turns before I finish a project !! I call it being smart, not cheap !! I'm impressed with my wallet being a little fatter, not someone's "opinion" because I have a "name brand" tool. .... I'm going to check out Menards planer right now ! Thanks again !!
This vid definitely payed for the wood. the best of luck to you, your family, and your channel
Looks identical to the Wen planer I purchased at Home Depot 3 years ago. The Wen planer works great. I have never had a problem with it.