Rant Cable ties falling off

[ItsMeBobO]

You told me so! I know I know. All the tool purchases I have made in the past at Harbor Freight turned out to be of inferior quality. Once I bought pliers which turned out to be made of soft metal that I bent when squeezing like superman. Another time I got an air tank which leaked until I got a better fitting from HD. I totally swore off HF until I saw last fall they had cable ties on sale. How can I go wrong with cable ties?

Let me tell you how. Since last fall they have yellowed a little and no longer grip. The ties I had on my cords were just falling off! I had never seen this and would have thought it was impossible if I had not seen it. They are a permanent lock arent they? I went to the bag for a replacement and it also had no grip at all. Not even a little and just slides in and back out. The headpin must have receded as it aged so it no longer locks. So I go look at my 4 arches cabled tied to pvc. I find missing or loose ties all over. 200 ties need to be replaced since I have one between each pixel. Now that I think of it I have ties holding wires back inside of boxes. And holding CCRs to coro which all need to be inspected. Sigh...

[Ron Amedee]

HF is good for special things i don't use much..They have wood clamps for a decient price and sand paper and I've been using a $69.00 portable air compressor for 6 years. I guess I am lucky to use wire tie's and sockets and much more electrical items at work...Seems I always get alittle too many for every job !:shock:

[reitan_family]

I found this website http://www.durapak.net/cable_tie_tie.htm and they have some great ties. You can choose the pound rating, which I have always only purchased the 18 LB wire ties. Freight is priced fair. I've been using them for about four years now. And if you need a wire tie gun, purchase the $21.55 one. HF used to carry this gun and it works.

[Guest guest]

Strange. I have been using some of Harbor Freight cable ties for years, have never had an issue with them at all. Matter of fact there are some still holding a climbing rose at the old house we lived at, we still go back and forth getting stuff out, and those cable ties (white, clear and black) are all stiil intact and holding the plant as well as the "wire cage" surrounding it together, tightly too(cage not the plant) I might add.

I have many audio cords tied up with them and even used them during my 2010 displays for Halloween and Christmas with no issues whatsoever.

I have tools I've bought from them, drill bits, socket sets, pliers, wrenches, etc. No issues at all with them.

I buy a lot of things from HF and will continue to do so, guess I've just been lucky as I have had no problems with anything I've ever purchased there.

[ItsMeBobO]

reitan_family wrote:

I found this website http://www.durapak.net/cable_tie_tie.htm and they have some great ties. You can choose the pound rating, which I have always only purchased the 18 LB wire ties. Freight is priced fair. I've been using them for about four years now. And if you need a wire tie gun, purchase the $21.55 one. HF used to carry this gun and it works.

Thanks for reminding me. The tie gun I bought at HF last fall did not make through one season. Using just on small ties to group three sets of leds together, the cut head snapped off! Did the rest by hand.

[-klb-]

Northern tool for wire ties, and Uline for their $15 wire tie gun. The wire tie guns aren't perfect, but cheap enough that I don't mind wearing them out, or breaking them occasionally.

[caniac]

ItsMeBobO wrote:

You told me so! I know I know. All the tool purchases I have made in the past at Harbor Freight turned out to be of inferior quality. Once I bought pliers which turned out to be made of soft metal that I bent when squeezing like superman. Another time I got an air tank which leaked until I got a better fitting from HD. I totally swore off HF until I saw last fall they had cable ties on sale. How can I go wrong with cable ties?

Let me tell you how. Since last fall they have yellowed a little and no longer grip. The ties I had on my cords were just falling off! I had never seen this and would have thought it was impossible if I had not seen it. They are a permanent lock arent they? I went to the bag for a replacement and it also had no grip at all. Not even a little and just slides in and back out. The headpin must have receded as it aged so it no longer locks. So I go look at my 4 arches cabled tied to pvc. I find missing or loose ties all over. 200 ties need to be replaced since I have one between each pixel. Now that I think of it I have ties holding wires back inside of boxes. And holding CCRs to coro which all need to be inspected. Sigh...

had the same experience buying them from Lowe's. 20% failure rate (would break or were malformed out of the package). and Lowe's ain't cheap, been using my case+ from monoprice and they have worked great. in addition to needing lots of extension cords for this hobby you also need ton's of cable tie's!!

[Greg Young]

ItsMeBobO wrote:

I totally swore off HF until I saw last fall they had cable ties on sale. How can I go wrong with cable ties?

Let me tell you how. Since last fall they have yellowed a little and no longer grip. The ties I had on my cords were just falling off!

Sorry to hear that Bob.

You mentioned the ties yellowed a bit, so can I assume you are using the white cable ties?

If so, that is your issue. They are not UV protected. UV exposure leads to failure, and they either come loose, or more commonly just break.

The black ties are UV resistant and should be OK.

You could also I suppose have a bad batch. Because many are imported, you can never be 100% sure of where the ties come from that are being sold in a given store, unless you order them direct from a manufacturer.

Stick with black for outside use, and you should be good. I have original (black) ties on display items from the late 80's/early 90's and they are still fine.

Greg

[caniac]

Greg Young wrote:

ItsMeBobO wrote:

I totally swore off HF until I saw last fall they had cable ties on sale. How can I go wrong with cable ties?

Let me tell you how. Since last fall they have yellowed a little and no longer grip. The ties I had on my cords were just falling off!

Sorry to hear that Bob.

You mentioned the ties yellowed a bit, so can I assume you are using the white cable ties?

If so, that is your issue. They are not UV protected. UV exposure leads to failure, and they either come loose, or more commonly just break.

The black ties are UV resistant and should be OK.

You could also I suppose have a bad batch. Because many are imported, you can never be 100% sure of where the ties come from that are being sold in a given store, unless you order them direct from a manufacturer.

Stick with black for outside use, and you should be good. I have original (black) ties on display items from the late 80's/early 90's and they are still fine.

Greg

the one's I had issues with were black and purchased from Lowe's, if it wouldn't have cost more in gas I would have returned them.

[Mike Manzara]

Well guys believe it or not but there is a shelf life for wire ties and you will experience pull through, ties breaking etc.The Defence Contractor I used to work for only kept them on the shelf for 6 months. Funny thing is once installed they seem to last forever. I buy mine by the 1000's at a local electrical suppply store that carries mil-spec wire ties.

[scubado]

I have experienced the same problems with HF ties. The only brand I use from now on is GB, Gardner Bender ties. I've had no failures with them, found in most electrical departments and made in the USA!