Is it "safe" to buy Harbor Freight saw blades?

[rbattelle]

I generally consider Harbor Freight a good place to buy consumables like drill bits, sandpaper, latex gloves, etc. Now I need a finishing blade for my 12" miter saw. These blades are very expensive, but HF has a carbide-tipped blade for $20. Am I setting myself up for disappointment buy getting one?



-Ryan

 

[Van Blom]

Yes you are. Cheap blades are good for cutting firewood. If you're going to be doing finish work, buy a decent blade. The freud Diablo blade does a good job and is sort of middle of the road, price-wise.



What brand is your miter saw? Just curious

 

[rbattelle]

I've got a Delta 36-322L TwinLaser single-bevel. I like it.



-Ryan

 

[Van Blom]

nice saw

 

[viper700]

When it comes to something that has teeth or drill bits for that matter buy American made at least if you do not buy the top of the line. Made in China does not cut it on cutting tools. I buy some tools from Harbor Freight here in Yuma. I sold Hardware for Lawson Products for 20 years and used to demonstrate drilling and tapping a valve stem from a cat engine with their taps,drills and cutting oil. That sold a lot of products.

 

[bmoeller]

If the miter saw blades are the same quality as their hacksaw blades, don't waste your money.

 

[ramtifosi]

Harbor Freight's stuff is like tissues, use it once then throw it away. They don't want to hurt yourself, so they keep all sharp things away from you.

 

[Grizzly]

Harbor Freight is mostly junk. You get what you pay for. I will not buy there power tools or blades. I have had very good luck with Rigid 12" blades for my DeWalt compound/sliding Miter saw from HomeDepot.

 

[RDHamill]

you might check this out as well

www.exchangeablade.com

Good quality products , if you can get them where you live !!!!!

 

[rbattelle]

I ended up with a Freud Diablo 96-tooth finishing blade, based on Van Blom's advice (thank you very much!). $64 at Home Depot. It's made in Italy, and as were the Rigid finishing blades that were available. I didn't check the Dewalt finishing blade's origin.



I actually have had good success with Harbor Freight's TiN-coated twist drills. Granted, I'm not doing any high-precision machining (I'm happy to be within 0. 01" most times), but the bits I have from them are still very sharp (after a couple years' use), and I only ever cut steel or aluminum with them. I take meticulous care of them and always use massive amounts of cutting oil.



-Ryan

 

[SGibson]

I lent my gas chopsaw to an uncle to cut a cast iron stack out of a house, he went to the local chinese tool outlet to buy some blades, upon cutting the stack the blade flew apart, sending a piece of it through his cheek, thru his gum and knocked a tooth out. He spit the tooth and blade piece out on the basement floor, turned the saw off,went out to his truck and fixed his wound w/duct tape and came in and worked the rest of the day. We all know what sits on top of the stack. the saw was probably at half speed when the blade flew apart, I told him not to buy that cheap crap but who am I to argue, He's tougher than me.