Made In China - dont bet your life on it

[Fla._Deadheader]

 I also thought about grinding the jaws on our bolt cutters. Then, what would I use for them BIG bolts??? ;D ;D

[D._Frederick]

Shopteacher,

I agree that during Hoover days a dollar a day  was not a lot of money,  but you could by a Model T for less than 500 of them dollars. I sure wouldn't want to go back to the CCC times, but they build the Great Lodges here in the west. I doubt if it could be done anymore.

[shopteacher]

Mark, it's a good thing your not against buying foreign goods otherwise you'd might have to go around naked and hungry. :D 8) 8) 8)

[Larry]

Used to use something called a sleeve roller to splice telephone wire.  The Nicopress came out and we switched because it was a cheaper and more versatile.  The old sleeve roller made a crimp that would never come loose.

Winch line eye splices were always made by braiding.  Loose ends were wrapped over with something called spinning wire with a little tape on top.  Winch lines would break but I never saw one break at a braided eye splice.  FDH had a good description on how to do it  with pictures a while back but I can't find it.

Dad always told me never buy a tool (or motorcycle) from Japan or Taiwan as they were junk.  Just stick with Delta and Powermatic.  Times are changing fast.  The country with the lowest cost of production is going to end up being the manufacture of choice.  Not going to take China long to figure out if they can improve their quality, they could be the manufacture of choice.  Only one guess as to what country is going to send the experts over their to improve the quality.

[old3dogg]

Larry.
That would be out sorcing our education.
Scary thought.

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Back when "Made in Japan" became a hot label, the quality was bad. The reason, I think, :, was because the IMPORTER, The guys in the US, were flooding the market with cheap goods from Japan, at low quality.

  The Japanese realized that improving quality would make them a LOT of money.  China can do the same thing.  The inporters are to blame for cheap standards, in my book.  Look what Japan did with the AUTO INDUSTRY, AND NOW, TECHNOLOGY. DanG cap lock  >:( >:(

[Larry]

Shopteacher hinted at it when he said the wood products and furniture manufactures are under attack.  China can put up a state of the art furniture plant and selling nice looking stuff at Costco almost at the cost of the raw material before the multi million dollar environmental impact study for a new plant can be completed in the US for a new plant.

Just an observation at what lies ahead.

[SwampDonkey]

rebo:

I've tried those type of clamps also and they always break. Even used hooks and pulleys and they always snap. I think a wooden hook and pulleys would be stronger. I have an old wooden pully hooked to the rafters in the barn with ice hooks that bite into the rafter beam. I've never used them myself for anything but I bet great grand father did loads of times. I know a 75 year old feller that uses wooden pulleys in the woods to yard  and load his wood onto his pickup.  :D

[rebocardo]

Got my new Wearguard catalog. Not one short sleeve shirt made in the USA. Only one pair of demin pants and no boots made in the USA. Nothing in that catalog for me anymore, unless someone can help me find a good USA shirt.

I really need some short sleeve shirts with button down flaps, to keep out the saw dust, 65% poly/35 cotton so they last, and a fairly dark solid color in 3XL. Made in the USA. Anyone?

> "chinesium"

ROTF!

[SwampDonkey]

Makita is also a foreign brand and we always bought that brand of hand tools. They can't be beat, and my father for one is hard on tools. Where ever he drops it, is where it will be next time. I have 2 nice routers, a drill, and belt sander all Makita. He bought 2 drills and a power wrench from Makita and had them for years. The power cords have gotten kinda ratty over the years on his tools because of the abuse, but they always worked. All my machines in the shop are made in Taiwan (which is China really) including Delta. I like them all. As far as steel, Korea has good steel. I see it especially in the cutlary. I've seen Canadian and US made every day cutlary and they bend all to rat crap, but my Korean made silver ware are solid. Basically, what it boils down too is if you shop at the 'Penny a Dozen' stores, don't expect high quality. Don't blame quality on the country. Most times when you buy an Asian product that requires assemby you always have 2 extra bolts or screws included and with domestic stuff you end up short a bolt or nut, so I go to the spare parts jar and use a Chinese made bolt.  ;)

[DanG]

FDH, don't mess up yer good bolt cutters to make a crimper!  Git yerself a cheap Chinese pair fer dat. :D :D

[Patty]

One sure fire way to get shirts or pants or any clothes in the USA is to sew them yourself. It really isn't too hard at all, and the best part is you get to buy a whole room full of new tools!  8)
Seriously though, maybe that is part of the problem, we want someone else to make our stuff. Granted we often don't have the time, skills, nor want to make our own stuff, and we really don't want to mortgage the house to buy the stuff, either. What to do? I don't claim to have any answers here, I just think maybe if we were all more self reliant so much of what we need, or think we need, wouldn't have to be imported. Life would slow down a bit, and maybe we could see more clearly what truley is important.
No offense to anyone intended here, I like to buy new stuff as well as anybody. I just don't think we should resent the folks that are willing to make the stuff we buy no matter where they live. I have the choice whether or not to buy it, and if I can't find the one I want, made where I want it made, then I have the choice to go without, or to make it myself.
This is just my opinion, again,I don't mean to offend anybody.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Hi Patty. Can't possibly see how your post could offend anyone.

  Truth is, it makes a LOT of sense. I believe that the TV set rules most peoples free time, where things like you described, would be taken care of.

[shopteacher]

Patty, I surely don't resent the folks that are making the stuff. Hey, their just like us, trying to make a living the best way they can.  I do resent them being taken advantage of as far as pay & living conditions goes.  I remember watching a news show who were doing a documentary on work overseas or something along that line.  They show a factory and a lathe that a 10 or 12 year old kid ran and a pile of rags next to it where he slept.  I hate to think I was part of that by buying the product that was produced there and some American or Asian or both were getting rich off that kids sweat and toil.  I think that if the products are sold here than a fair and living wage should be paid to their workers.  That doesn't necessarily mean the type of wages paid here as our standards of living are much different, but at a rate that would coincide with the same standard of living on their scale as on ours.  If a factory worker makes middle income by our standards than a factory worker there should be middle income.  I don't think that's the case.
    I've also seen the environmental disasters these companies are creating overseas and in Mexico.  Someday, someone will have to pay to clean it up. Want to take a guess who?

[old3dogg]

I dont resent the people of China either.I also know that it is hard to buy made in the USA products.
I just got back from wal mart.
My t-shirts are made in El Salvador from usa fabric?
My new wash cloths are made in Pakistan.
My toilet paper was made here in the good old USA but with "imported material" :-/
I dont know.I guess it is harder to take when its your job on the line.
Thanks for letting me rant.

[Haytrader]

This goes right back to the "we can't fix all the worlds problems" thing.
That kid runnin the lathe may be glad to have that job. His family probably relies on his meager income to survive.

Patty, I certainly agree that we have become a society of convienience. We want it NOW. No time to make it ourselves. We should do more like you said.
Heck, I had a wife onced that would have bought boiled water if she couda.
 ;D

[shopteacher]

Haytrader, your probably right about that kid and his family. My point is that with what the corporations are making it shouldn't have to be that way.  I think any kid should be allowed to be a kid.

[Bill_B]

When I was using Swingstage scaffolds you could not use the u-bolt clamps. They would crush the cables. We had to use fistgrips. when you are hanging 100 feet in the air it better be safe. This link shows fistgrips.
http://www.aceenergysupply.com/showprod.cfm?CatID=8&ObjectGroup_ID=341

[EZ]

As far as the working man and women outside the USA they are just trying to make a living like the rest of us.
So if all the American workers would hold their ground and go against our goverment, then what, we would be back in the stone age. I for one dont want to go back, so what do we do, try are best in this world and let God sort out the greedy ones.
Has everyone said a prayer for the inicent people over in Spain that needs help. Remember folks, all men are creative equal.
EZ

[Haytrader]

Teach,

I think we are on the same page, just used different words.

 ;)

[Norm]

I don't worry to much about the so called outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. It is just a natural progression of our society. Our people here are better educated so the jobs that are lower level blue collar go to where the cheaper labor is. I remember in elementary school the scare tactics of if we have technology innovations the jobs will disappear. Some have but the vast majority of high tech jobs are still in the US. If the job of putting three bolts on an assembly line can be replaced by a robot then someone will have to build and maintain that robot.

As far as the workers in other countries if you've never been to a third world country you would be surprised. I was flying home from the far east and was sitting next to a guy that had been in Guangzhou setting up a plant for Wrigley. He said one of the problems they had was getting the workers to use the restrooms. They have a different culture in those countries so us sitting here saying what's what about it is really irrelevant. It's a whole different way of life, their society and ours are not comparable.

[SwampDonkey]

I totally agree Norm. There's not much else to be said.  ;)

[EZ]

Your right Norm, I guess I watch TV to much.
EZ

[BW_Williams]

Right here folks,  http://www.bbaileys.com/store/USA.htm, good clothes, delivered to your door, made in the good ol' USA!  Thanks Bill_B for posting the link to Crosby clips.  The problem with the original clip failure was it is a stamped clip, these are only good for hanging pictures!  Crosby clips are forged, heat treated and meet standards.  When you know the facts, the choice is easy, ifn' your the one swingin' from the (wire) rope.  BWW  

[old3dogg]

Thank you very much BWW.
You can still buy good old "MADE IN THE USA" products if your not to lazy to look.
Thanks again man.You made my day! 8)