# Anyone tried out the Harbor Freight wood stove?



## Red5 (Jan 27, 2011)

Looks like many of the more expensive models but this one comes with the Harbor Freight price tag.   Anyone tried one?


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## Big Al (Jan 27, 2011)

The only wood stove I ever saw at Harbor Freight was the Voglezang box wood death trap. They have others???? Work is a little slow right now so I don't go to Harbor Freight. Going there with out money is a big tease.


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## Danno77 (Jan 27, 2011)

website is currently down? what is the name of the stove?


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## madrone (Jan 27, 2011)

I'd add some extra bricks, cut a hole in the side, and insert a Harbor Freight propane weed burner. Budget forge!


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## nate379 (Jan 27, 2011)

My Dad has one in his garage, bought it I would guess 5-6 years ago and no complaints.


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## Eaglecraft (Jan 27, 2011)

Red5 said:
			
		

> Looks like many of the more expensive models but this one comes with the Harbor Freight price tag.   Anyone tried one?



Red5:

Without having seen the stove, my guess is that it was manufactured in China.  Of course I could be wrong - been wrong many times before.

In our town a Harbor Freight store opened up about a year ago.  Being a tool affectionado, I strolled in to have a look around. All the tools and equipment seemed to have been manufactured in China. Unfortunately, products made in China don't have the inherent quality that US made products have. Quality systems in China are primative compared to US standards. Yes, there are some exceptions for specific products. So if it were me, I'd rather buy a used stove made in the US rather than a new stove made in China.

By the way, I just purchased a new Milwakee drill - made with pride in the US.  To paraphrase Joe Namath,"It's a heckaof drill."


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## Danno77 (Jan 27, 2011)

volemister said:
			
		

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ya can't mention HF here without someone pulling out the "made in china" card and then not giving any real response directed at the specific product mentioned. BTW, I am sure you already checked this, but you know the difference between the Made in China and the Made in US Milwaukee drills, right? cause some people assume they are all made here...


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## SteveKG (Jan 27, 2011)

Danno77 said:
			
		

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I was just checking into Milwaukee drills last week as my old drill is almost done for. It seems at least one or two of the lower-priced Milwaukees [$50-$60] are made in China. The others are still made here.


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## Battenkiller (Jan 27, 2011)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> BTW, I am sure you already checked this, but you know the difference between the Made in China and the Made in US Milwaukee drills, right? cause some people assume they are all made here...



I was set to finally get a 1/2" Milwaukee drill, but when I went to HD the Chinese one they had looked and felt like a total POS.  Can't even change the brushes when they wear.  Got a like-new 1/2" Magnum Hole-Shooter on e-Bay for $49 bucks, "Buy it now".  Couldn't hit the "Buy Now" button fast enough.  With a 1" spade bit, it will nearly lift me off my feet when it binds in the hole.  Same with the Sawzalls.  My old 8 amp saw almost knocked me off the ladder this spring when I was building my shed, and I weighed 275 at the time.  Rugged, rebuildable tools - a lifetime investment... even for many pros using them daily.


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## jimbom (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm shocked!  It is revolting.  It hertz to even think of the competition for our own home grown Ampish.  There will be resistance from me.  I don't think anyone will get a charge out of this.  I think America will go against the current on this.

I am ashamed of myself.  I didn't think I had the capacitance for this.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 28, 2011)

JimboM said:
			
		

> I'm shocked!  It is revolting.  It hertz to even think of the competition for our own home grown Ampish.  There will be resistance from me.  I don't think anyone will get a charge out of this.  I think America will go against the current on this.
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> I am ashamed of myself.  I didn't think I had the capacitance for this.



Watt are you talking about?


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## jimbom (Jan 28, 2011)

The only "wood" stove I could find on Harbor was electric.  It was inductive on my part.


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## boatboy63 (Jan 28, 2011)

I understand everyone's concern about buying Chinese products. Truth of the matter is, many of the items sold here in the US are made in China and simply have a US brand name on them. Look at Craftsman. Many of their tools are made in China and just have a Craftsman nameplate on them. Does this make it right...or wrong?


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## BrotherBart (Jan 28, 2011)

Just look at the computer you are using right now.


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## madrone (Jan 28, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

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Go easy, it's not his fault.


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## Danno77 (Jan 28, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> Just look at the computer you are using right now.


you mean this cell phone that was made in Taiwan? lol. I have a US made phone, it's about 80 years old.


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## agartner (Jan 28, 2011)

I did a quick search and found some pdf manuals on the HF site for a couple of vozelgangs - defender and durango.  Not familiar with either one.

As to the rest of the discussion - they just opened up a retail location in my neck of the woods.  They may be selling "Made in China" but they're paying a bunch of people in that store with "Made in USA" money, not to mention the folks that truck and ship the goods, run the home office, etc etc.  Unlike most computer geeks, which I freely admit I am, I prefer to procure my goods from local brick and mortar shops vs online because I know that some percentage of my purchase is going to help employ my neighbor.  

I bought a bunch of home improvement tools there - knowing full well that you get what you pay for.  I certainly wouldn't depend on those tools if I was a tradesman and depended on them for my income.  But for occasional home repair use, I'm sure they'll do just fine.  Also a good source for various sundry items - tie wraps, fasteners, tie-down straps, and crap like that.

As to the stove, I'm sure you get what you pay for.  If that's "good enough", then I can't find fault in that.


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## rbrown (Jan 28, 2011)

We sold the farm!


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## DanCorcoran (Jan 28, 2011)

I think it's called evolution...England probably said the same thing in the 1800s.


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## Eaglecraft (Jan 29, 2011)

agartner said:
			
		

> I did a quick search and found some pdf manuals on the HF site for a couple of vozelgangs - defender and durango.  Not familiar with either one.
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> As to the rest of the discussion - they just opened up a retail location in my neck of the woods.  They may be selling "Made in China" but they're paying a bunch of people in that store with "Made in USA" money, not to mention the folks that truck and ship the goods, run the home office, etc etc.  Unlike most computer geeks, which I freely admit I am, I prefer to procure my goods from local brick and mortar shops vs online because I know that some percentage of my purchase is going to help employ my neighbor.
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Agartner:

Chinese made hand tools and similar products are one thing, but a Chinese made wood-burning stove is something all together different. One aspect that's a big positive about this forum is the concern for safety - that's a good thing. The contributors and discussions are often concerned with safety - and doing things right. That's a good thing.

A wood-burning appliance is what we would call a "critical" safety item.  Because of it's inherent danger if not properly installed and operated correctly, a wood-stove can kill somebody - burn a house down.  Because it's a critical safety item, extra care and caution must be exercised in its selection to ensure that it will meet current safety standards. That's my point. 

What do we know about how a Chinese stove was made, if in fact it was a Chines stove.  My point is that there are legitimate places to save money, and there are places where second grade will not do.  We know, or can learn out alot about US made stove by visiting manufacturing facilities, or "inspecting" US made stoves on dealers showroom floors.  But what do we know about a Chinese made stove? The quality of the steel- the quality of design, the quality of manufacturing? Would a Chinese stove be a UL listed product? Who knows?  My point is that "getting what you pay for" in a wood-buring appliance may not be good enough. It just might kill you.


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## begreen (Jan 29, 2011)

There are tools that are crap and tools that are good, regardless of country of origin. A lot of the Harbor Freight stuff is on the low end of the spectrum. They fit the buy once and use occasionally mindset. Is this how the stove will be used too? Just remember that it's a lot different having a dull drill bit in your house than having a steel box with a raging inferno inside of it.


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## DanCorcoran (Jan 29, 2011)

Stoves and people: judge them on their individual merits.


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## SnapCracklePop (Jan 29, 2011)

Red5,

I don't see a stove on Harbor Freight website, but Tractor Supply Co. has one for $499, and you're on a tight budget...

Nancy


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## DBoon (Feb 5, 2011)

> Got a like-new 1/2â€ Magnum Hole-Shooter on e-Bay for $49 bucks, â€œBuy it nowâ€.  Couldnâ€™t hit the â€œBuy Nowâ€ button fast enough.  With a 1â€ spade bit, it will nearly lift me off my feet when it binds in the hole.



Off topic, but funny story...

I do have the 1/2" Milwaukee drill and when I was buying a 4-1/8" (I think) hole saw for a dryer vent pipe for a remodeling project, the guy at the hardware store said "be careful, if that catches it will throw you off the ladder".  Ha ha, yeah right.  Sure enough, it bound in the hole and it basically threw all 145 pounds of me off of the ladder.  Wasn't hurt, that's why it is a funny story. 

That's the difference between 275 pounds and 145 pounds....


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## begreen (Feb 6, 2011)

May I ask what stove we are talking about? Can someone provide a link? I am only coming up with an electric stove on HF's website.


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## nate379 (Feb 6, 2011)

145lbs... I weighed that when I was in middle school



			
				DBoon said:
			
		

> > Got a like-new 1/2â€ Magnum Hole-Shooter on e-Bay for $49 bucks, â€œBuy it nowâ€.  Couldnâ€™t hit the â€œBuy Nowâ€ button fast enough.  With a 1â€ spade bit, it will nearly lift me off my feet when it binds in the hole.
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