Harbor Freight 'forum'?

[Black wallnut]

Herb,

I think you have a good point. While I agree with Loring that the information is out there, being able to organize some of the more searched for threads into a more logical structure would help us all and especially new members.

Question for Sam and/or moderators....

Currently there is only one level under "forums" does the software allow for sub levels? For example under Tool Talk we could organize by either type or brand.

Here is my personal opinion on the matter: I am not one that likes multiple forums! More is not merrier it is just more opportunity for folks to incorrectly place topics. At one time I was a creature that read each and every new post. I'd start with the Getting started, then move to BT3x discussions, then projects, etc and lastly Around the Coffee pot. Coffee pot was usually the most entertaining reading and in the early days was somewhat like a tabloid snapshot of our small group members lives. Then there was chat. Now-a-days I only click on "Forums" when I wish to start a new topic. I normally open in "Home" refresh a bunch of times daily and navigate where I want or need to go depending on my particular mission of the day hour or minute. Adding other forums or sub forums will not help IMHO the search feature any. It could just muddy the waters more. I would be dead set against giving HF any more free advertising than they already get based on member content. If they were looking to pay for the priviledge as Lee and T-nuts have then it might be different. I do like all the good posts where members share thier happy score gloats for pennies compared to PC pnumatics. Hey PC does not pay ad space either.

Hey folks I'm a self professed tool snob! 97 times out of 100 when I open my SAE wrench drawer I'll pick up a Snap-on. When I reach for a ratchet I'll grab a Mac even though I have way more Craftsmen. However I also believe that sometimes you get more than your monies worth from a lower priced brand tool hence my love additction and faithfulness to my trusty Ryobi BT3K '99 build. HF sells some tools that also are in this same class. They simply work for their intended purpose for a whole bunch less money that a premium brand.

For what it is worth I really like when new members ask fresh questions or post their latest discoveries even if most of us already know about it. It keeps our forum content fresh. This is part of the reason I do not even really like sticky topics. It is traffic that keeps us comming back.

I just set up a "Social Group" for HF Stuff. Click on quick links at the top of the page and click on social groups.

This is a perfect solution to what has been suggested. A good use of the forums software.

[leehljp]

I just set up a "Social Group" for HF Stuff. Click on "Quick Links" at the top of the page and click on social groups.

(Red and Caps added by me - HL)

While this is a good idea in theory, it is hidden and has to be deliberately sought out, and it has to be known by all - that there is a hidden forum.

What makes things go on a forum is its combination of "visibility" AND "interest". Take either of these away and it will remain dormant or die beyond its initial thrust - unless critical mass in _numbers_ of participants is achieved.

I would venture to say that HF occupies enough discussion in KB space on this forum to be in the 5 subjects or KB space outside of the "Coffee Pot". If anyone wants to check on this for facts and it happens to be so, then a forum for one of the top five topics over the past 1 to 2 years merit consideration for its own individual forum, IMO. It is a part of what our forum is about since my beloved BT3 has been discontinued.

[LCHIEN]

While I don't mind discussing the merits or dis-merits of HF tools, it's not something I want to be known for, as in "a charter member of the Harbor Freight Cheap tools Forum"

[leehljp]

While I don't mind discussing the merits or dis-merits of HF tools, it's not something I want to be known for, as in "a charter member of the Harbor Freight Cheap tools Forum"

Great Point! . . . and on the other side of the coin, I have enough self-confidence that I am not intimidated by labels or need for "image". Shucks, I had a Unisaw given to me and sold it. My BT will cut just as nice and smoothly. The BT isn't as tough and sturdy, but I don't need tough and sturdy. I need accuracy. The point is - will the tool do a great job or even decent job, or are we worried about image? I do realize that "image" is a weighty item for many and can have tremendous outside influences, both positive and negatively.

If it were me, I wouldn't have a problem with it - I can mix with red necks or emperors! But back to Loren's point, what would the effect be on the forum and intended directions be?

[messmaker]

Perhaps you could go at it as a bargain tool type format rather than only Harbor Freight. sometimes you need a tool for just a small or infrequent job for which the very best is overkill. It might mesh well with Bargain Alerts and the Tool Reviews.

[jhgrady]

I'm with messmaker on a bargain tool forum.

John

[Hoover]

The original post was to inquire about Harbor Freight gems. Yes there are some gems from Harbor Freight to be had. Much of what I have purchased there do the tasks I need to complete a project.
A friend of mine, no longer with us, gave me some sound advice. Buy the best tool you can afford for repetitive tasks, and for occasional use a lesser priced tool for those tasks. Harbor Freight helps me out often, it is not my chief source of tools, but it is nice to know it is there if needed.

[rcp612]

While I don't mind discussing the merits or dis-merits of HF tools, it's not something I want to be known for, as in "a charter member of the Harbor Freight Cheap tools Forum"

I may be looking at this from a different point than the rest but.......
This forum started with a bunch of people that bought a "cheap" table saw. A lot of those same people have since gone to "the dark side" in search of better equipment.
I, for monetary reasons, feel stuck in place with my BT3100, with the additional $$$$'s spent for specialty equipment and jigs to make it work like the "expensive" saws that, in the long run would have been less costly.
I agree that Harbor Freight mostly has junk but, I have found some very good items there that will suffice for a hobbyiest, not a production shop.
I personally feel that Harbor Freight has its place, just as Ryobi has its place.
This is just MHO.

[Black wallnut]

(Red and Caps added by me - HL)

While this is a good idea in theory, it is hidden and has to be deliberately sought out, and it has to be known by all - that there is a hidden forum.

What makes things go on a forum is its combination of "visibility" AND "interest". Take either of these away and it will remain dormant or die beyond its initial thrust - unless critical mass in _numbers_ of participants is achieved.

I would venture to say that HF occupies enough discussion in KB space on this forum to be in the 5 subjects or KB space outside of the "Coffee Pot". If anyone wants to check on this for facts and it happens to be so, then a forum for one of the top five topics over the past 1 to 2 years merit consideration for its own individual forum, IMO. It is a part of what our forum is about since my beloved BT3 has been discontinued.

Hank makes some great points and adds some perspective that I seem to have missed! I've submitted the idea to the boss. If Sam concurs we will have a "HF Fan Club" forum.

[Black wallnut]

I may be looking at this from a different point than the rest but.......
This forum started with a bunch of people that bought a "cheap" table saw. A lot of those same people have since gone to "the dark side" in search of better equipment.
I, for monetary reasons, feel stuck in place with my BT3100, with the additional $$$$'s spent for specialty equipment and jigs to make it work like the "expensive" saws that, in the long run would have been less costly.
I agree that Harbor Freight mostly has junk but, I have found some very good items there that will suffice for a hobbyiest, not a production shop.
I personally feel that Harbor Freight has its place, just as Ryobi has its place.
This is just MHO.

Well not exactly. In the early days pre BT3100 the saw BT3K was priced at $400 or higher. Not exactly cheap. At the time a good contractor saw could be had for about $600 IIRC since I was also looking at a Jet when I decided to go Ryobi. The BT3K although a little less money was just way different than the norm. It garnered an almost cult like following but since it was so different folks had to be creative to adapt jigs to work. Most folks made do without the add-on miter slots. This forum grew out of that. Sam started amassing pdf files of jigs that worked specifically with the saw. That early site morphed into this site. There were of course some twists and turns and motivations behind all this but we'll save that for a different day.

Suffice it to say it was the creative required nature of BT3K owners that led to the founding and growth in the early days of this forum not really the by then lower price.

[LarryG]

I've submitted the idea to the boss. If Sam concurs we will have a "HF Fan Club" forum.

Is that, or something similar, going to be the name of this proposed new section? What the proponents of this idea are asking for, I think, is to have a readily accessible source of information about HF's various offerings, good AND bad, with frank discussion and hard-nosed, caveat-emptor criticism where such is warranted. That's not exactly what springs to mind when someone says "fan club."

[Mr__Bill]

Ah, but if it's called a Fan Club perhaps HF can be talked into buying advertising space, or at least offer BT3HF 20 0/0 off coupons.


Bill, who actually got to see the sun yesterday

[JR]

How about "HF Hits and Hisses"?

Just to get the alliterative juices flowing.

JR

[Schleeper]

Ah, but if it's called a Fan Club perhaps HF can be talked into buying advertising space, or at least offer BT3HF 20 0/0 off coupons.


Bill, who actually got to see the sun yesterday

Then I suppose we can expect to see Woodcraft and Amazon Fan Club forums, also? Can Rockler, Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, MLCS, etc. be far behind? Maybe we can sell exclusive "Fan Club" distinction to the highest bidder!

I'm probably as willing to buy cheap knock-offs as anyone, and I do my share of shopping at the HF 2 miles away. But I can't believe this is even under serious consideration.

[LarryG]

I'm probably as willing to buy cheap knock-offs as anyone, and I do my share of shopping at the HF 2 miles away. But I can't believe this is even under serious consideration.

Same here on the former (except my "local" HF store is 65 miles away), and I concur on the latter. Right now, most of the HF threads are either in Bargain Alerts or Tool Talk. If a forum search fails to turn up the desired info now, splitting the various HF threads off into their own section isn't going to change anything.

It WOULD theoretically make scanning the thread titles easier; but unless folks are a lot more descriptive with the wording of their titles than they have historically been, the benefits of that will be minimal, too. And if a thread title tells you what it should tell you, a forum search will find it, no matter where it is.

Not that I'm a big fan of telling a member, especially a newbie, to do a forum search. I have participated on forums on which the regulars apparently don't want to revisit an old subject, ever, and they tend to be cold and lifeless places. "This question has been asked and answered a million times. Please try a forum search." Bah. That's some welcome for a newbie. Sure, it sometimes gets tiresome answering the same old questions again and again; but the same person doesn't have to answer every time. Besides, if we don't answer each other's questions, what are we going to talk about?