Harbor Freight 6L ultrasonic any good?

[tightgroup tiger]

I paid $108.00 for mine from Amazon, and they sent me two by mistake. Mine is also before Vevor started putting their name on them.
I went to return the second one and the owner of the store that sold it to me told me that if I kept it he would sell it to me for 1/2 price. So I did.
That's one of the nice things about dealing with Amazon, they police their venders. More pleasurable dealing with them.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Amazon.com

This is the one I bought from Amazon.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I had a H/F recip saw. It conked out before the warranty ran out. They gave me another. It broke then. I bought a Skill after that. This was in the early 2000's. I still have the skill.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

I had a H/F recip saw. It conked out before the warranty ran out. They gave me another. It broke then. I bought a Skill after that. This was in the early 2000's. I still have the skill.

Their stuff from 5+ years ago was pretty crappy. I’ve ended up with some of their newer Hercules brand and they have been very good.

 

[EricBu]

Last couple years they have really upped their quality levels.

Meh, I think it's more that we've become accustomed to a lower quality of products in general...and when you compare HF to some of the "bargains" one might get on Amazon or elsewhere...it may seem that their quality has improved...when in reality it's just that everything else has gotten so bad that now HF looks better. As far as electrical products go...pull some of the HF stuff apart, and look where they've cut corners. Undersized wire, incorrect wire types, poor solder connections, inferior connectors...some of it's downright scary, and it's a wonder some of it doesn't catch on fire. I also have noticed that many things you buy there aren't UL listed, and when you pull something apart and see 20 AWG wire on an appliance that is pulling 15 amps...you should be concerned. Alas though, that's the bar we've set for ourselves now. Personally, I will not even allow any electrical HF product into my loading room or shop. I have no problem buying their hand tools...knowing that I can take them back without question, and surprisingly their Predator line of generators is solid which seems to be counter to my opinion of their other electrical items. But at the end of the day, I won't use any of their tumblers, ultrasonic cleaners, power tools (air tools are ok IMHO), light systems, etc. We have a HF close by, and Iv'e bought a few things there in a hurry, or because I hadn't learned my lesson, but at this point...nothing HF that plugs in is going to be anywhere near gunpowder, or elsewhere in my shop where there might be solvents, or transfer tanks, or anything like that.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

H/F walnut media is a good bargain.

 

[irishlad]

I bought the small awhile back with a coupon. Works great.

2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner

Amazing deals on this 2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[dartor]

H/F walnut media is a good bargain.

Make sure to buy the "fine". The coarse will stick in primer pockets if you tumble with primers removed.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I use the coarse. I didn't like the fine. I bought it one time when they didn't have the course in stock. Yes it does get stuck. I keep a paper clip handy to remove it.

 

[sparkyv]

My apologies. I spoke in error when I mentioned the 6L HF unit. I have this 2.5L unit.

I bought the small awhile back with a coupon. Works great.

2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner

Amazing deals on this 2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

This post is the revised version.

TTv2​

I've had the 6L 2.5L HF unit for nearly 5 years now, and it works nominally. I clean mostly brass, but also a few gun parts and other items from time to time. However, I paid HALF of this "sale" price; lemme tell you Brother, it ain't that good.




I've used units like this in laboratories, and for the $140, I'd choose this over the HF version in a noo yawk minute.

 

[Down Range Dan]

I have the Hornady 2L ultrasonic, got years ago when I first got into reloading. I moved away from using it for brass because it wasn't leaving the brass in a condition I liked and eventually I moved to wet tumbling.

Things have changed, I live in a different place now and can't run the wet tumbler at night. I could early in the morning, but don't have the time to deal with it after, so I'm looking at going back to the ultrasonic, but not the Hornady because it's a disappointment.

Harbor Freight has a sale on their 6L for $140. Given it's larger I assume it's more powerful and also it will accommodate larger gun parts that the Hornady can't fit. The immediate focus is for doing brass and if it takes and hour to clean the brass well enough, that's fine, I'm accepting that the brass will never be as clean as with a wet tumbler, but I just want usable brass, not perfect brass.

Would like to hear from others, if good I will get one this week before sale is over and it just so happens I have a $100 gift card for HF I should spend anyway

Had mine for years now. I pack the heck out of it.