Northern Tool

[Zembonez]

The quality of tools there is a large notch above what you'll find at Harbor Freight. HF has a lot of variety, but much of what they sell is inexpensive Chinese stuff.

"Inexpensive Chinese stuff" doesn't always equal "junk" though. I've had some very good Chinese made tools over the years.

My experience with general hand tools produced in China is that they aren't worth the knuckles you are going to lose when they break. I've had good luck with Chinese made specialty tools.

 

[Bernie]

Obviously not every Chinese made tool is going to be good, but I've lost skin to cheap American made tools as well. It comes down to really taking a good look at what you're buying and not stressing it beyond what it's designed for.

Yeah, you can put a big ass cheater on a Chinese wrench and twist it into a pretzel, but you can do that with almost any wrench.

There's an old saying that a poor workman blames his tools, and there's a surprising amount of truth to that.

On the other hand, yeah, there's a lot of real crap tools out there that aren't worth 2 cents, but you usually can see that right when you buy 'em.

 

[Zembonez]

Obviously not every Chinese made tool is going to be good, but I've lost skin to cheap American made tools as well. It comes down to really taking a good look at what you're buying and not stressing it beyond what it's designed for.

Yeah, you can put a big ass cheater on a Chinese wrench and twist it into a pretzel, but you can do that with almost any wrench.

There's an old saying that a poor workman blames his tools, and there's a surprising amount of truth to that.

On the other hand, yeah, there's a lot of real crap tools out there that aren't worth 2 cents, but you usually can see that right when you buy 'em.

I agree that poorly made tools can be made anywhere. I do find that the major brand American made stuff trumps most any Chinese made tool in quality. The Chinese of course, also have brands that are of better quality than the flea market junk.

 

[Nick The Great]

The quality of tools there is a large notch above what you'll find at Harbor Freight. HF has a lot of variety, but much of what they sell is inexpensive Chinese stuff.

We have on about halfway between work and home. It has some halftway decent stuff. FAR better than HF, for the most part.

I think it's fairly good on the "bang for your buck" department.

 

[buckshot85]

I like them, i bought a go cart motor about 4 years back from them.

 

[La Bestia]

Maybe it's a convenience thing, we don't have one anywhere near here so there's no convenience for me to just stop in if I need something in a hurry. If I'm ordering online I can usually find a similar or better product for the same or close to the same price. I have a HF locally so that's why I shop there, have never cared to order online from them.

 

[Zembonez]

Here's the latest 3 day Northern sale.

http://www.northerntool.com/[email protected]&state=TX&hotline=&market=SAN

 

[Trent]

I find them just a bigger Harbor Freight with name-brand stuff. I just go to HF, its closer and normally cheaper. Have yet to break anything from there either