My $15 Harbor Freight punch changed my life

Struggled for months punching through 1/4 inch steel with a drift. Hand hurt, holes were ugly. Picked up a cheap center punch at the Harbor Freight in Tulsa. Clean holes now, no sore wrists. Anyone else find a cheap tool that just works better?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery_walker3017d ago

Real talk, that $15 punch is probably made from recycled paper clips and hopes, but hey, if it works it works. My buddy spent $60 on a fancy German one and it slipped on the first hit and left a dent in his workbench. Harbor Freight tools are like a box of chocolates, you never know if you're gonna get a diamond or a bent spoon. Did you at least get the one with the yellow handle, or did you go full chaos with the plain steel version?

avery_walker3017d ago

Got one thing nobody talks about with these cheap punches - they actually train you to be a better mechanic. If you hit it wrong or off center, it just bends or mushrooms instead of sending that shock back through your hand like the fancy ones do. My buddy's expensive one nearly broke his wrist when he swung too hard on a stuck pin. Plus when you finally upgrade to a good one, you appreciate every single hit because you remember the struggle of the cheap ones giving out. Something about learning on garbage tools makes you respect the good stuff way more.