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Icon tools....

Ironbuilt said:
What do the FBBO members think about the new ICON line of tools from Harbor Freight?

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...saw the Youtube review of all these, and to be honest....whatever get the job done safely and on budget. I have mostly 30-40 year old Craftsman stuff.....but a few torque wrenches from HF that worked fine. ICON is way better than those.....so.
 
HF is selling good, better best on just about everything. Now, they have added the Icon line as their best line with Pittsburgh then Quinn being the good and better, respectively. Only time will tell regarding the quality of Icon. I think they will give the big tool truck brands a run for the money. Craftsman is now made in China but Lowes is heavily invested in the brand since they bought them out. So, they may honor the lifetime warranty.

I highly doubt the guys commenting that Icon is junk since they would never buy a tool from HF in the first place.

I, for one, am happy that there are tools good enough to do most jobs that fit most people's budget.

If you've never heard of The Den of Tools, he's done quite a few tool comparisons like this one:

 
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Hand Tool Lifetime Warranty
We guarantee our Hand Tools to be free from defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product. Limitations apply. Harbor Freight Tools will replace any hand tool that fails to properly work during the lifetime of the original purchaser. In the event an identical item is not available as a replacement: Harbor Freight Tools reserves the right to substitute a substantially similar item in its place. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights that vary from state to state.
 
coronet68mx said:
Heyyy ...I resemble that comment,:drama::lol: i live in the south, and not all of us want stuff for free, I like to bargain thought.:D
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I do too but no one wants to come out to look at whatever it is that I have for sale and try to bargain the price down. They want to dicker over the phone and most offer half the price of what I'm asking. Nowadays, I just hang up on those kind. I've even told several to come out and at least look and then make an offer but they won't show up even if I tell them that I might sell it for what they offered on the phone. I don't get it.
 
snakeoil24 said:
I looked at the newer stuff it still is chinese low priced stuff. The finish does look better. But maybe im jaded toward anything chinese
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I'm jaded too.....and refuse to buy auto parts made in China unless that's the only place I can get them from. I'm so sick of getting burned by Shineese products.
 
I bought a battery powered band saw from them It was the brand they sold just before changing it to ICON. Well, the bandsaw just would not cut it. The blades chattered and the rollers would not keep the blade from chattering. I took it back and found a almost brand new Milwakee band saw at the flea market for 140.00 with a new 3 ah battery and charger. That was a damn good find.

I also have 2 of the 4 inch grinders formerly chicago electric branded. One doesnt work and the other you have to jiggle the cord around until you make a connection. Pretty lame.
 
The ICON tools are made in Taiwan (Republic of China; the island), not communist China (People's Republic of China; the mainland).

IMG_20191116_180317.jpg

IMG_20191116_180417.jpg


Also, Harbor Freight had the QUINN line of tools displayed next to the ICON offerings. THE QUINN are made in Taiwan too.

IMG_20191116_180621.jpg
 
Here's the thing... I own a lot of Craftsman tools with some snap-on mixed in and yes - quite a few HF tools... I looked at it as tools I may use once or twice and didn't want to spend huge $$$ on for a one or two time use thing. I got my angle grinder, DA, engine stand, engine hoist and some other pneumatics from HF and they have worked for years on my Polara, Challenger, and my fiancee's project mustang. I don't have any complaint - could they be better? yep. Would I be willing to pay for better? nope.

I think HF tools do best for a hobbyist and will work for 99% of people out there - the issue comes in a shop setting and production work.

Certain things I won't buy from HF are things like a welder.
 
I agree that the stuff made in Taiwan are better than most of the junk made in mainland China. I have two of those big 6" vises that go around and around and swivel. They both look alike but one is made in China and one is made in Taiwan. I bought the one made in Taiwan in the mid 70's because a buddy broke my Sears 4" vise and their 6" was pretty high in price and the Taiwan vice was 60 bucks. 60 bucks back then wasn't chump change but Sears vice was 3 times that price. I still have it and it still works nice. A buddy gave me the one made in the main land and I had to pull the pipe jaws out of it just so it would close all the way instead of binding on the pipe jaws leaving the upper jaws open 1/4". Also have had plenty of other things from the mainland that are crap too.
 
snakeoil24 said:
Final machining is still second wuality
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As a former professional diesel mechanic, I agree. My entire collection is Snap-on, Matco and Mac, with a few Lisle and OTC mixed in. I have been watching the reviews on YouTube and they seem to be of the same quality, or even better than Kobalt and Craftsman. (Not the USA Craftsman of old) I want to hear from members that use Kobalt and/or Pittsburg to hear their opinion of ICON.
 
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