American made stuff

[KennyV]

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I think that if you do a little research--you will discover there are far more people who hate China items then would recommend them:smile:
I think most of the problems associated with China tools is material quality:thumbdown:

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You are correct...
But it is not because the stuff is made in China... it's because some unscrupulous importer saw fit to order container loads of junk, that was built, as junk, then distributed it through the country...
Those that order tools made, that Only Look like tools, are the ones to fault...

I have a friend that is an importer, mostly from China... When requested every item can be, and is sent over as a sample, prior to ordering a container... The junk that is flooding the cheep tool outlets, is not representative of Chinese quality... it only is showing the quality that the importer wanted to sell...

my point was, mowers today & many other things, like that vice, are getting into the supply system, because there is someone here in our country that has No regard for quality, and they are ordering substandard goods, made with materials that only Look like the real thing... And in some cases, long standing corporate names are allowing their trade names used to sell known inferior products... :smile:KennyV

 

[KennyV]

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I guess the old cliche about getting what you pay for usually holds true. I just grit my teeth and get decent stuff, hopefully only once!:ashamed::biggrin:

That's still true.
When it comes to tools, I would much rather buy a good well made tool, than a full 'set' of throw away, look like tools ...
Not only will they last longer, but there is less chance that the tool will damage the item I'm working on...or break and damage Me...

Getting back to the posts title "American made stuff"... since more and more sold in America, is Not made in America, I still think we should hold those American companies accountable, that order this stuff and specify junk when it's ordered... The countries that supply this stuff are doing exactly what the order asked for, they are shipping junk.
It has been mentioned before, there was a time that Japan printed on any item equated to Junk... same thing, at that time we were ordering mostly junk from Japan ... :smile:KennyV

 

[Giles]

About two weeks ago, I was at a BB store to purchase a 10" carbide tip 60 tooth saw blade. I saw a Dewalt that was Made in China that was almost double in price of a Vermont American, right next to it, that was made in USA.
How many people will purchase the Dewalt for its name, and not care where it"s made??
I bought the VA:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Sammy the Red]

...............It has been mentioned before, there was a time that Japan printed on any item equated to Junk... same thing, at that time we were ordering mostly junk from Japan ... :smile:KennyV

I remember a bumper sticker that was on my Uncles pickup in the '60's.......
"Made In Japan From Old Beer Cans !" :biggrin:

 

[motorrefurb]

German stuff tends to hold up the best for me, and they have additions to using the product to make it comfortable and bearable to use. :biggrin:

I just bought a set of combo wrenches that were made in India, they were 1/4 the price as Chinese made ones. Both look very sturdy, until I almost snapped it without much weight being on it

Giles, now I am scared, what brand was the vise?!?!?!? :ashamed:

KennyV, yeah that is a good point, but the thing is, the companies want QUANTITY. The working conditions in some overseas countries can be brutal. What worker who works for minimal wage and bad working conditions is going to put out a good product? Also there are many companies that completely copy cars! Counterfeiting to the max :thumbdown: I found a few YouTube links: Fake Rolls Royce Chinese copy Rolls Royce Phantom with Rolls Royce / Geely adverts - YouTube
BMW goes to war against Chinese carmaker - part 1/2 - YouTube

 

[KennyV]

.... the thing is, the companies want QUANTITY.
...The working conditions in some overseas countries can be brutal.

If only that were true...
We want quality... you and me.
The companies that are importing the junk, know exactally what they are importing. They get samples of everything before they order a container load. The importer makes the decision as to what they get.
There are high quality manufacturers in China, the same as anywhere... but right now te bulk of the stuff you will find on the 'bargain" shelves in the retailers is going to be Junk... because the companies ordering it do Not care about quality... When we consumers, Stop buying the junk... they will start importing a better quality.

As for the working conditions,... I'm sure you have read about and possibly heard from friends & family, generations ago, in this country we had a surplus of laborers in the large cities... we had similar sweatshop working 12 & 14 hours a day... If you wanted to have a job, you did what was necessary....That's where the unions got a big boost... and did a lot to improve working conditions...

China & India are now experiencing an industrial revolution of sorts... They will have to eventually get it worked out. Right now they have the largest work force on the planet, and they are just beginning to get that rolling... and they are more than able to provide any quantity and Any Quality that is ordered..

And more In Line with the original Post... "American Made" it's true that much of the consumer goods we have, is either made complete or as components, FOR our American companies... But our American companies dictate the quality... and We get what They order... in some cases it is junk... but that's not because the Original manufacturer is only capable of making junk...

There have been many, trusted brand names that have allowed their reputation to be tarnished, simply because someone in the company felt it was excusable to short quality... Or other companies Bought the rights to the 'Name'... and started distributing inferior stuff that Looked like it might fool someone... There may be a few counterfeit items slip through... but the known junk, that we are exposed to, is not by accident... it's deliberate... and as we buy it, it will be produced , and imported,... when someone complains, they get the same excuse..'it's the other guy that can't make it correct.'.. When the truth is ... the other guy is making it exactly As Ordered... :smile:KennyV

 

[motorrefurb]

I can tell you right now I want QUALITY but they give me QUANTITY......

I am saying, stuff made overseas for me has always been worse than domestic products, might just be me...

Also, my main reason for this thread is to spread importance of jobs here. There is a quote somewhere that went somewhere along the lines of, "A dollar spent in our country is a dollar kept in our country." It probably completely differs from my remembrance of it :tongue: But I think you get the point. If we spend a dollar inside our country, it stays here, instead of us emptying our money into foreign countries hands, and it doesn't come back... :frown: Someone knows the quote right? :confused2:

 

[Giles]

Something I have thought about for many years--
In 1977, I bought a Yamaha 750 triple motorcycle. To the best of my memory, I paid $2,100. I bought the first one my local dealer received (new model). Before buying, he stated that if I didn't buy this one, the price on the next one shipped would be $200.00 more:frown:
I asked why and he stated "import taxes will be higher":thumbdown:
Now--with this being said, How much import tax was there on an automobile that cost many time this price?????
So, what did Japan do????? Over time many foreign manufacturers moved their manufacturing to America.
Was it to eliminate much of the tax money they were paying to our government?????
Of course the bright side is that it created American jobs.
Was that the right thing for our government to allow????????

 

[Mini Motors]

Giles, that was exactly why the Japanese did it. To avoid import taxes. And they did it at a time when individual states were competing for manufacturing plants to come to their state. So they enticed them by giving them a break on taxes even more. Something the Big Three couldn't take advantage of except for one Saturn plant, which was closed by the demise of Saturn. And just because something is made in America doesn't mean that it's all good for America. Toyota and Hyundai are trying to give the impression that they are some sort of saviors by manufacturing here in the U.S.in TV commercials. Right.

But back to the original point. It's been my experience that not all Chinese made stuff is junk. I have a Troybilt split boom with a 4 cycle Chinese motor, and it has run better than anything 2 stroke I've ever owned in it's class. Sure, I'd like nothing better to only buy American. But I'd rather us be in the situation where we didn't need to worry about where something is made. We need stuff from over seas. But we also need to provide stuff to them as well. Balance of trade. Buy and sell. We've only been buying lately. That needs to change.


Rant over.

 

[motorrefurb]

China has the favorable balance of trade over any other country, which is extremely smart of them.

Kia commercials say made in the US, but I guarantee 99% of manufacturing and components are done overseas. They probably have the final badge placed on it here and call it American :ashamed:

Although I am a fan of Chrysler they have been funding car companies overseas. They probably have no other choice because they are pretty much bankrupt... :frown: