Harbour Freight Knowledge Base
Does anyone think a harbor freight air compressor is good or stay away? I am looking at buying a air compressor and harbor freight is the cheapest and the best it seams they sale this brand called central pneumatic. The air compressor is 21 gallons and is a 3hp motor. It also has a 7 scfm @ 40 and a 4.9 @ 90 and a 4.3 @ 115 is this a good air compressor from harbor freight. Or should i stay away from the brand.
Can a Harbor Freight solar panel resist hail? I just bought a Harbor Freight solar panel kit and I am concerned about damage it might receive from weather conditions. It appears to have some sort of plastic over the solar cells.
Are harbor freight tools good? What about specialized tools? I am considering buying some tools at Harbor Freight store, what is your opinion of their hand tools/power tools? are their lathes/mills of good quality? Does anyone know if their automobile code readers are worth buying? What about their dial indicators or calipers/micrometers? Drill Presses? I'm eager to use a 20% off coupon.
Harbor Freight Big Top portable garage? I was thinking about purchasing a portable garage for my car. I wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with these. I do not want to spend $200 and it only last a winter. The particular one i want can be purchased at Harbor Freight. Thanks.
Are there problems adding other charging units like wind power to a Harbor Freight Solar Panel ChargeControler? I would like to buy a small wind generator and just add the negative and positive wires to the negative and positive wires in my Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit. The Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit's charge control will still protect the battery from over charging right? Even though the charge controller would be buffering more wattage then what the manufaturer probably intended it to buffer? If so, could there be long term implications on the charge controller or battery?
Harbour freight Tools...any good? I just recently discovered this place. It's like a candystore...great deals. I had tons of tools, all makita and bosch etc...but got robbed and cleaned out, so now i want to replace them but don't want to invest a fortune. How do they measure up? I'm talking power tools and pnumatics. What's worth getting and what sucks? Thx.
how to use the mig fuction on my harbor freight 110 Amp Flux Wire Welder? hi i just bought a fluxcore/mig welder from harbor freight and dont know a thing about welding. would like to know if i need the acedalin gas tank or the argon gas tank what kind of spool of wire do i need if using as a mig and on what else i might need to get the mig fuctionality to work. thanks for any help or advise
Why does harbor freight sell junk tools you can't get repair parts for? Why are not all the greenies protesting this tool store for littering our country with useless junk? I tried to repair my jone year old air compressor (the awesome 30 day warranty expired) which was used about three times to fill tires and found out after calling them that they no longer parts for these but they're still selling the compressors. Disposable tools, but the tree huggers are protesting grocery bags and letting china ruin our country with this trash? Now I must throw it in the landfill because it's useless.
How are Harbor Freight tools? A friend gave me a catalog for Harbor Freight Tools. The prices seem very low compared to Sears, Home Depot, Lowe's etc. Has anyone bought their tools for the house and car? Are they good or are they very cheap?
What brand is this orange floor jack (Not Harbor Freight)? I'm trying to remember the brand of a floor jack I used to use. Orange/white, but NOT Harbor Freight. I thought sears, but the color seems wrong. It looks like this: http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/70461... It's still in use (not by me) and has been for the past 10 or so years. Steel body, fairly well made.
Solar Panel System at Harbor Freight? Harbor Freight sells a 75 watt solar panel, a surge power inverter, and deep charge batteries. But no one there can tell me how to put it all together. I want the end output to be a simple power bar that I can plug my devices into. I live in an apartment so I can not wire it directly into the grid. Please only serious responses. Don't waste your time and mine.
What is your experience with lower-end tile saws purchased at Harbor Freight? I purchased a $79 Chicago wet tile saw (blade included) yesterday, and am now having second thoughts before opening it. This is it: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91511 They also sell a different (plastic) model for $59, $42 on sale next week (without a blade): http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3733 I'm wondering if I should purchase/use one of the above mentioned models, or if I should just pay more and buy the saw elsewhere for the better quality. What are your thoughts? And if I do buy elsewhere, do you have any suggestions for a not-too-expensive saw at a hardware store in the bay-area/north-bay, California? Lastly, I am not choosing to rent because I'm a beginner with tile-cutting, and I don't want to feel rushed. (My projects include: refacing a fireplace with tile, tiling a small bathroom, tiling a small/average sized kitchen floor, and perhaps some misc. mosaic work. Mostly ceramic tile, though I might try a few cuts in granite for accent pieces.)
should a technician invest in harbor freight tools? i just want an opinion i know harbor freight has a bad rap on there tools but i have brought a number of things there they all serve me well and they even have a lifetime warranty on hand tools i recently exchanged a busted torque wrench they took it back without a question or receipt
how to order in harbor freight tool? hi, i want to order a mini lathe (http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-x-10-inch-precision-mini-lathe-93212.html) in harbor freight but the option of shipping only shows US, i tried to call several times but somehow the number is incorrect. any suggestions about how to order it so it ships to other countries or where i can find this item in other websites.
Harbor & Freight 6.5hp Greyhound Engine Throttle Not Fully Closing? I bought an old Harbor & Freight 6.5hp Greyhound Engine and noticed the throttle doesn't fully close and therefore idles too fast. I believe its because of a rusted back spring (going from the governor rod to the throttle arm) but I am not sure. Can someone please verify this and if it is true can you please post a link as to where I can order a new one. Thank you.
Harbor freight welder return question ? I picked up a harbor freight cheap stick welder that lasted all of four rods before it went boom , I have had it less than thirty days got the extra warranty and do not wanna exchange it , What are they odds i can get my money back ?
Cheapest company to freight puppy from Coffs Harbour to Melbourne? And best? Looking for a company to freight my new puppy, and would like to know what people can tell me? Thanks! He's a spaniel pup, 12 wks old, not sure how much he'd weigh, but def. under 10kg... Sometimes people REALLY annoy me. I am actually a big supporter of encouraging people to avoid puppy mills (perhaps read some of my answers to questions?) SO- to the first commenter- please READ my post before attacking me. Do you see anywhere that I said I had not met the breeder, or what the situation is at all? NO! I am not stupid and am not rushing into a puppy mill. I know who I am dealing with personally, have met them several times, and have family up there too. The woman is very reputable and... actually now I am writing this I have no interest in telling you whatsoever, because you have been incredibly rude, lecturing me without any info. Basically, I know where I am getting the pup from- I have even gone to see the pups a few weeks ago, but couldn't take it back with me as he was still only 6wks old. And I'm not going to spend money on a trip up there if I can find a reputable freighting company to bring him to me!! To the second commenter- thankyou very much :)
Harbor Freight Sales? I need to purchase some sandpaper.. and am looking at Harbor Freight's website. There is a bunch on sale for some good deals.. but are these prices online only or could I get the items for the same price at the store?
harbor freight anvil online? Where can you but a harbor freight anvil online for around normal price, 80-100$ and maybe if possible get free shipping, and if not is there any place in north phoenix that sells them?
Harbor Freight Tool Chest? Does anyone have this Harbor Freight Tool Chest? How has it held up? Do you like it? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90320 I've been looking around for a nice reasonably priced tool chest, and can't find anything! It would just be for home use. I tried looking for something used, but everything I've seen is really used! I've looked at this in the store and was pretty impressed with the construction. I know it goes on sale a lot.
Harbor Freight Leak-Down tester for engine - How to use? My friends and I are fixing a car to race low-budget style. Found a used engine today and looked at it, everything looked great but the new leak down tester I bought from Harbor Freight gave strange results. We used 100psi input, but the regulator starts at zero. At about 20psi the right gauge that shows the pressure in the cylinder was at "zero" which on that gauge means "max" and is as far as it goes, but the instructions said to use 100psi. Anyway, heard air coming from various places. Later read a post somewhere where guys were complaining about this tool and indicated that the right gauge instead of being 100psi is only 15psi. Anyway, wondering if our engine is OK internally, the rest of it checked out ok. May have to get a better tester I guess and do like at 100psi like they say and see what the drop is. Any hints? Realize I need to have the crank secured at 100psi.
Can Harbor Freight's trim router be used for actual routing, or only for flush trim jobs? I have a table router in my shop that has a detachable plunge router on the underside of it. However, it's a real pain to remove the plunge router and set it up for freehand use. Can I use Harbor Freight's 1/4" collet trim router (item #44914) for small routing jobs on hardwood? For example, I'd like to use a 1/4" chamfer or roundover bit in it. Will it handle these jobs, or is it strictly for flush trimming, etc?
Are Harbor Freight Bunker Hill Executive Safes good for the price? I am looking at buying a harbor freight bunker hill executive safe that has a digital keypad for $320. I heard you could hit the digital keypad while trying to turn the knob and it will open. Does anyone have one that could give me some feedback? I know it is not the best but come on for the price it seems like a good deal. I don't anticipate any safe busting criminals breaking in. This seems like it would be plenty to stop your average robber. Any input would be great.
How good is the quality of a Harbor freight gas engine? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66014 I bought a gas engine at Harbor Freight for a mere $110 [I get the coupons] for a go kart but I haven't used it enough to make a decision. Mine is an older design which looks exactly like a Honda than what the link shows but I'm wondering how good is the quality [for anyone who uses one on a daily basis] and can I use Honda parts on it?
How do I know if my Harbor Freight TIG is scratch or lift start? though visually everything has impressed me so far in terms of quality, the directions suck. it is a 165 amp DC inverter, digital readout, item 98233. is it lift or scratch? there is no indication. My background- proficient in MIG, flux, arc and gas, only TIG welded a couple times with a super high dollar machine in a class, not good at it, don't know much about it, bought this to learn. if its not obvious i have not tried it yet, waiting for my filler rods to come in the mail, i ask now because i dont want to wreck my tungstens if i dont have to. also, please do not make this a harbor freight bash session, there are plenty of other forums for that.
How good is the quality of a Harbor freight trailer? This one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42709 I found some plans to dating from the 50s to make a kinda portable kitchen and storage space to tow behind your car and this trailer seems like a good price but I'm understandably hesitant of buying a Harbor freight trailer. Not only that if I were to actually do this I might want to sell it and I would not want to put anybody at risk. I don't know what to do since I want to keep this cheap, I can't weld, and the plans originally called for a pre-built trailer anyway.
multimeter question 12volt testing with cheap Cen-tech from harbor freight.? I bought the following multimeter from harbor freight http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90899 when I test a 12v battery expecting to see 12.0+ I see 6.8 The settings I have under DCV are 1000, 200, 20, 2000m 200m. When on 200 is the only reading that give me the 6.8. Is this half the value? Should I just times it by 2? I know decent multimeters have an actually 12v setting. Please let me know whats going on here. actually it was the 20v setting that gave me the 6.8 rating. Whats the math here? times it by two? I tested on a double a battery and got 1.5v so that looks good. then I went to my car and it should have read 12 or so. (definitly is not 6.8, it would start) tested while running as well. I think this is just a bad multimeter or something
Can i use a power inverter in my truck to run a 4 hp air compressor?? I got a 20 gallon 150 psi air compressor, and woundering if i can run it in my van without having to use a gas generator for power. It's supposively 5 hp motor, but it's a cheapy, (harbour freight, mr. seconds), so it's probobly a true 3.5 hp or around there. Will one of those 1200 watt inverters off my van battery work, (or tell me watt needed) and if so, about how much run time will i get before it auto shuts off to save my battery????? Thanks guys.
Brand new harbor freight air compressor won't compress air. Help!!!? My girlfriends tire went flat and I decided to go with the #95498 Harbor Freight 2hp/4gal twin tank air compressor (did I make a mistake?). I get the thing home, unpack, fill the crankcase with the oil they provided me with (theres a dot on the window that I filled the level up to that). Read the entire manual front to back, and when I turn it on it does a small burst of compression and then stops. It's litterally 1 second and then it stops for a few minutes and tries again. This has been going on for 45 minutes now and it does the same thing over and over and over again. I re-checked everything and I cannot figure out why it won't just compress some air so I can fill my girlfriends tire up and be off to bed. Anyone know why?
Are harbor freight air drills any good? Anyone have a 1/2" air drill from harbor freight? Is it any good? Some tools are great from harbor freight and some are not. That is why I am asking. They do have a great warranty tho, ive exchanged a few things with no receipt no questions asked.
What is the way to change oil on a new small engine? I just bought a new 6.5 horsepower, 4 stroke engine from Harbor Freight. After putting the oil in for the first time, how long should you run the engine until you change it again? Or do you only have to put oil in the engine once when its new, and then change it after it has actually gotten old? I am asking this because I heard that metal scraps can go into the oil the first time it is used. Thanks!
Where can I find a qualtiy low priced HPLV system? I have some cabinets that I need to repaint and would like to use an HPLV setup. I found a HPLV system for cheap at Harbor Freight but am a worried that it will crap out in the middle of my project. Can anyone recommend a decent one under $200. Also anyone had any luck with the harbor freight HPLV system?
What are some sellable projects to do with a metal mini-lathe? I really want to buy the 8x12 metalworking lathe that Harbor Freight sells for a couple of projects I want to do. However, I'm having a hard time justifying the initial cost just for some of my personal uses. Does anyone know of, or have experience with, making some metal objects with a lathe that I can sell and make up for the cost? Any websites, books, etc.... where I can get some ideas? Thanks!
What should we do if China wants to be be biggest world power? I hope that they get enough things like referigrators, cars, nice families and homes before our subs have to kill them all over something stupid (like an attack on our friend Tiawan) because this will mean we are all dead or at least targeted when we shoot back . Their military build up is a mess we chose to ignore for the moment. Thank God we can replace satelites quickly with aircraft launched NIRT (need it right now) units. Our smart bombs and gps units wouldn't work otherwise. This is so intergrated into our defence, if they mess with that, we'd have to hit them. What should we do? Hand over the world to the communists or ruin the world and fight back? I think ruin the world will happen out of pride, athough it may not be the best thing for the human race. But we can't allow them to take over the world, can we? (They remember Nanking) Sure I still buy my tools at Harbor freight, but one wonders what they do with the bucks since they are state controlled. Buy Bombs from US!
How big of a generator do I need? I have a small cabin for hunting and need to get a new generator im currently using a 5,000 watt one and thats just too big for a 20x20 cabin. I run a lot of stuff in my house with that one. All I need to run is about 4-5 lights and a radio. Would I be good with a 1,000 watt from like harbor freight.
I'm putting new moulding throughout my house. Is it worth purchasing a miter saw and electric hammer? I want to put in new borders and possibly crown moulding in my 2000 sq. ft. house. I have already tried t putting in borders in my master bedroom using a miter box and hand saw but the cuts for the most part were very uneven even with the best of care. The nailing was also a pain. I'm now considering purchasing a cheap compound miter saw (see Harbor Freight Tools - they have a cheap one for $40) and possibly some kind of electric or air hammer. 1. Is the miter saw worth it, or should I get a table saw which may have more long-term uses? 2. What's a good option for some kind of electric hammer? I prefer not to get into buying an air compressor, mostly due to the lack of storage space, so what options exist? Please let me know of any specific products post links to web sites where I can get these at a low price. Thanks a ton!
where can I find parts for a featherlite weed eater? I have a featherlite fx265 extreme weed eater, last weekend I broke the the throttle trigger, and i need to know were I can get a new one. im going to napa and harbor freight tomorrow seeing how the have parts for small engines but i dont know about weed eaters. any input will be helpfull. thanks!
how do you get the most chrome-like powdercoat? I have a small powdercoating setup from harbour freight and "chrome" powder from Absolute Powder Coating, Also have their clear and candy apple red as well as some red, yellow and black from harbour freight. I'm getting more of a silver color than chrome.
I want to buy an anvil. Where can I buy one? new or used preferebly in or around Riverside county. at very least southern Cali. ps. please don say "harbour freight"!
Water pump PSI - Swimming Pool Heater? OK, here's the deal ( I know it is hokey...) - I have an Above Ground Swimming Pool @ 5500 gallons. I just got an ECCOtemp L-10 Liter Outdoor Tankless Propane Water Heater. - It is supposed to be used for taking showers, etc. I want to use it to help heat my pool. I want to put an electric water pump on the pool to recirculate the water back up to the ECCO. The ECCO needs water pressure of 30-50 PSI to open the ignition circuit for operation. There are alot of types of water pumps to choose from, but they do not list the PSI , just the GPH. I am looking at 1" Clear Water pumps from Harbour Freight - $29 - $49 , 1/2 HP but I don't know if it will generate the PSI. Submersible pump would be easy also, but not sure if they have the PSI I need. I KNOW that the pool chemicals will affect the ECCO. I want a way to heat my pool in the cooler months, and in the evening - not 24/7. Cost is important. I live in Florida and don't want to pursue the solar angle on this brainstorm. The pool heats quite nicely on its own, but the above ground really saps the heat from it. I do have the pool somewhat insulated. Thanks!
Whats the lightest and smallest 12" sliding compound saw?? Time to upgrade, and catch some of these sales at the time of season, I had my mind set on the Ridgid 12 inch sliding compound (it's actually the Ryobi, but sold under the ridgid name here in the states, ryobi in the UK), but last night at HD, they had one setup, I noticed it had 'play' from left to right, which would equate out to up to 1/8 inch difference on a bevel if i push or pull one way, right hand or left hand... ya know. And just looking at it, it looks heavy (fastened down on display ofcourse so I couldnt tell), not to mention the size, looks alot bigger then the off brand (harbour freight) sliding 12 i'm using now, which means more room and a hassle to load and unload. Looking at pics of the makita, it looks alot smaller. But theres lots of names out there, and different stores carry different lines, and not always on display to check em out. So in you guys opinions, whats the smallest lightest pro 12 compound miter available (dual bevel ofcourse)??? I do alot of 8 inch crown, and shelving, so I need a 12 and it has to be dual bevel. Looks heavy means that it looked like it had a cast bottom, instead of say a lightweight aluminum. Dewalt is the same, besides, your just buying the name (i use to have a contract with dewalt, was one thing when the tools were free, but now, different story, and i'd choose bosch or makita anyday over dewalt). I'm looking for what 12 has the smallest footprint, the one i'm already running isnt bad compared to the 2 i was looking at. I"ve already got about 10k in tools in the van, need room for other stuff ya know. I'm looking for opinions from guys that do this for a living, and have ran across various saws on different sites by different crews, not just copy and paste or what you glanced at on the net. Thanks for all the help gents.
What Water Pump should I buy? OK, here's the deal ( I know it is hokey...) - I have an Above Ground Swimming Pool @ 5500 gallons. I just got an ECCOtemp L-10 Liter Outdoor Tankless Propane Water Heater. - It is supposed to be used for taking showers, etc. I want to use it to help heat my pool. I want to put an electric water pump on the pool to recirculate the water back up to the ECCO. The ECCO needs water pressure of 30-50 PSI to open the ignition circuit for operation. There are alot of types of water pumps to choose from, but they do not list the PSI , just the GPH. I am looking at 1" Clear Water pumps from Harbour Freight - $29 - $49 , 1/2 HP but I don't know if it will generate the PSI. Submersible pump would be easy also, but not sure if they have the PSI I need. I KNOW that the pool chemicals will affect the ECCO. I want a way to heat my pool in the cooler months, and in the evening - not 24/7. Cost is important. I live in Florida and don't want to pursue the solar angle on this brainstorm. The pool heats quite nicely on its own, but the above ground really saps the heat from it. I do have the pool somewhat insulated. Thanks! What do you mean by a "shower pump"? I have never heard of one. Please be specific, Thanks!
can someone please help me this poem i am really bad at poetry i need to write a critical analysis.? i just need some hints of how to do it. thnaks Dusk in the Harbour soft as a phantom drawn by heart`s dismay, the dusk appears and folds the harbour in brief twilight trance, embracing every wharf And ship and freight shed with its hazy gloam but just as if the coming night itself had flicked a switch, lights manifest themselves below the rim of this rough-scalloped bowl of mystery:from Amherst to the Riverhead and around its shoreline to the chain rock buoy, the beacons glow just like a swift relay of burning bushes caught up in a race: red and green and yellow, blue and gold, they string out Christmas for us every dark to dawn;and as a compensation for our headland storms and RDF at other times the aureole of evening now is given a second birth, more startling than the fiirst, and weaves its phosphorescent image back from blue-serge depths of water glazed by nights. i am not sure what the poem is about really and i need help well hints of how to start analyzing the poem thnaks
Can you tell me if this text is grammatically correct? i'm italian and for english-homework i had to do a story about a ship...will u tell me if it is grammatically correct??? thank u very much :) The ship left the harbour at sunset. The captain, glaring the sun, was thinking if he would have been able to steer the ship until destination. Night had come, and the great ship, with its great freight of crystals and diamond felt safe and the crew didn’t even remotely suspect of being followed by pirates. It was nearly midnight when they was woken up by strange noises. in fact some brigand had managed to board the ship and they eagerly rush the holds laden with gold. The captain and his shipmates tried to stop them but all efforts were vain and someone even paid with his own life. The captain was the bravest: in order to defend his treasure and carry out his task, he struggled against the pirate commander, but he wasn’t sufficiently skilled and he was stabbed by sword’s pirate.
can u tell me if this text is grammatically correct? i'm italian and for english-homework i had to do a story about a ship...will u tell me if it is grammatically correct??? thank u very much :) The ship left the harbour at sunset. The captain, glaring the sun, was thinking if he would have been able to steer the ship until destination. Night had come, and the great ship, with its great freight of crystals and diamond felt safe and the crew didn’t even remotely suspect of being followed by pirates. It was nearly midnight when they was woken up by strange noises. in fact some brigand had managed to board the ship and they eagerly rush the holds laden with gold. The captain and his shipmates tried to stop them but all efforts were vain and someone even paid with his own life. The captain was the bravest: in order to defend his treasure and carry out his task, he struggled against the pirate commander, but he wasn’t sufficiently skilled and he was stabbed by sword’s pirate.
Top 11 Expesivest Disasters..? 11 Most Expensive Catastrophes in History # 11. Titanic - $150 Million The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10 most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built. Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million in today ' s dollars). # 10. Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany . The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million. # 9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink. # 8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we ' re only #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety. # 7. Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world ' s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship ' s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion. # 6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion The world ' s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world ' s single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world ' s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion. Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Bill ion in damages. # 5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today ' s dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Bill ion in today ' s dollars). # 4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia , Spain . Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea. According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion. # 3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA ' s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Bill ion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Bill ion in
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