Dollar Stores

[Pony]

These are clearly places I should not go. I went to one with my girlfriend for the first time this afternoon.........I bought sooooo much stuff I don't need its ridiculous. We are having a Christmas party so I will prolly go back to get some snack foods.<br /><br />I spend the rest of the day figuring out what to do with a 4ft stocking and 12ft of garland.

 

[DJ]

Re: Dollar Stores

I've been in those and gone nuts.<br /><br />Most of the stuff you buy is just what it is.<br /><br />But, I got a bad case of Windex one time. It made my windows dirtier!

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Dollar Stores

I'm not allowed in the dollar store anymore. I always come out with $40 worth of crap I don't really want. "It's only a dollar!" "One more dollar won't hurt!" "I already spent $19, I might as well round up to $20!" <br /><br />I have the same problem with Harbor Freight. Last time I went there for a $10 grinder I came out with a shopping cart full of stuff I don't need. Thank god their store is 30 miles away...

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Dollar Stores

Holy crap you have a harbor freight store?<br /><br />I only get the catalogs and that's bad enough. Sometimes I just browse through the small engine section and imagine what I can build with each one. Some of those overhead cam twins are sweeeeeeeeeeeeet.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Dollar Stores

Harbor Freight carries too much junk. You get what you pay for with tools.

 

[Link]

Re: Dollar Stores

Originally posted by Stiff Nibbles:<br /> Holy crap you have a harbor freight store?<br /><br />I only get the catalogs and that's bad enough. Sometimes I just browse through the small engine section and imagine what I can build with each one. Some of those overhead cam twins are sweeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Holy Crap... I thought it was just me.. I even dream of what I could do! <br />A over head cam vert?? Connected to a 1989 lower unit! Hmmm

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Dollar Stores

Most of Dollar Store stuff is junk however, its just fine for wrapping paper, ribbon and party accessories.<br /><br />I will admit that when I first had Bunco at my house and I had to serve 12, I bought 12 matching dinner and plates and matching salad bowls. My dishes are in a set of 8 and I wanted them all to match. Most serve on paper plates but after all the work I did on dinner, I didn't care to do that.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Dollar Stores

LOts of deals there we also have a dollar tree here,ther cleaning stuff is awsome its called the works,and thay have mean green,purple stuff,greased lighting and go-jo all for a dollar.

 

[ZooMbr]

Re: Dollar Stores

ZmOz have the same problem with Harbor Freight when visiting family in US I usually exceed the allowable allowence coming across the border (have to bay the taxes).<br /><br />My two sons are construction managers for the company building Family Dollar stores in the west. They are going up like crazy! And will be moving into MT, ID, WA and OR soon.

 

[EZLoader]

Re: Dollar Stores

Dollar Stores just built a huge 100,000+ sf distribution warehouse here in Vancouver, Washington (15 miles north of Portland, Oregon)to receive and distribute all of the imported products they sell. I think most of the stuff comes from Asian countries (China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, etc.) with very little American made product. <br /><br />The Harbor Freight store in north Portland, Oregon is always busy with folks looking for bargains. Most of the products they sell are cheap, imported junk as well. <br /><br />I agree, you get what you pay for.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Dollar Stores

My local dollar tree has them stackable parts bins.... Love them things... <br /><br />I get gallon and two gallon buckets there too... I took a few of those buckets and filled em' with water, stuck em' in the deep frezer to make block ice... Lasts much longer in a cooler than bag ice...<br /><br /><br />Harbor freight... Got a stote here.. ah, I could do without em'.... Have found a few good items there, but most of the tools are junk... I do like the boxes of cotter pins, washers, hitch pins, nuts & bolts, C clips, ect...

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Dollar Stores

Sometimes chinese crap is all you need. I'd rather buy a cheap tool at HF and expect it to last through one or two jobs than to rent one. I bought 5 $9.99 angle grinders instead of one $80+ brand name grinder. Now I can have one with a grinding wheel, a cutting wheel, and a wire brush so I don't have to keep changing them throughout a job. And I've got two spares. And none of them have broken yet...

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Dollar Stores

LoL i'm a Habor Freight Junkie. Blew up one of their grinders already ZmOz. They smoke a lot and since they are soo cheap you just keep going expecting it to die soon... then it blows blue flame out the air vents and the cord heats up really fast and you throw it out into the driveway so it unplugs itself. I admit the tools can be junk but they carry more than just hand tools. The paint brushes are great for epoxy. cheap use them once and their done. I like the lil wheels for casters etc etc

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Dollar Stores

I bought an Impact hammer from HF for $5.99 to remove the tile in my bathroom. it worked flawless and was the perfect tool for the job at the right price. Junk or not you can't go wrong with that..

 

[jtexas]

Re: Dollar Stores

check the expiration date before you buy batteries there. Some have a year or so left, but some are way past due.

 

[ZooMbr]

Re: Dollar Stores

Yup; check what you buy at HF and expect it to fail under heavy use. But, most of their power tools are good enough for the hobbyist and others last long enough to pay for themselves. Plus, if your like me I now have 8 rechargeable 18v drill batteries! And, in my shop I have 8 drill presses. jig on all but one, I have 2 Delta, 1 Sears, both quite $$$'s, and the rest are from HF at half the price of the others -- know why. I needed a 1PH drill press fast and picked one at HF, the spindle ran truer than the others -- have not had a problem with them and they have got heavy use -- replaced one delta motor with FH 2hp (3.5 carbide bit). And, the rubberized gloves that every one wants $5 - $7 for HF $1.50. Wish I could get them to build up here.

 

[Pony]

Re: Dollar Stores

I agree you get what you pay for in many cases, but stuff like a bag of chips. $3.50 at the supermarket, or things for a party like plates and knives and little decorations......Cant go wrong with that.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Dollar Stores

Originally posted by EZLoader:<br /> I think most of the stuff comes from Asian countries (China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, etc.) with very little American made product. <br /><br /> <br /><br />

Here on Long Island there is a large distributor named "Pride".They make a ton of the stuff found in dollar stores.When I go to a dollar store I try to get the stuff made by them.There is some red ,white and blue on the packaging.Cant beat the dollar stores for the paint roller and paint tray combo for bottom painting.They make a small combo roller tray also.For 2 bucks I throw it all away when done.Most of the degreasers/cleaners and window cleaners are crap.One degreaser/cleaner I found works great.The name is "simply awesome".One of the best cleaners for white cockpit seat vinyl I have ever used.Also makes a great bilge cleaner.Charlie

 

[cpj]

Re: Dollar Stores

harbor freight rocks! Their tools are cheap, and as long as you know that when you buy them then its ok.I buy their airbrushes when they go on sale for about 5 bucks. I use them for my leather work,and can have a different air brush for every color of dye that I use.Beats paying 150-200$ for an airbrush. Plus they have alot of stupid stuff that you cant live without.Kinda like the electric flyswatters.