To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

American Made and Quality Tool Brands

C

calandrod

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2020
Messages
324
Location
Kansas
I try my best to buy my tools once and I buy them for life. I absolutely despise low quality so I always try to find tools that are quality and ideally made in America.

I know there are better quality brands and more expensive ones and cheaper ones. I also know it’s a subjective thing but these are brands that I own and like and are happy with the quality.



Machining
Mill: Bridgeport (USA)
Quick Change Tool Post: Aloris or Dorian (USA)
Block and Clamp Set: TE-CO (USA)


General Tools
Vice: Wilton Bullet (USA)
Arbor Press: Dake or Famco (USA)
Air Compressor: Quincy (mine is 1950’s USA)
Buffers/Grinders/Motors: Baldor (USA)



Hand Tools
Body hammers: Proto (USA)
Body Dollys: Martin (USA)
Body Spoon: Porter Ferguson (USA)
Pliers: Eiffel Plierench (USA)
Pliers: Knipex (Germany)
Pliers: Bernard Schollhorn parallel pliers: (USA)



Painting:
ANI R150 mini gun 1.0 mm (Italy)
Airbrush: Iwata Eclipse (Japan)
Beugler Pinstriping Tool
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Z

Zewnten

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
1,822
That imported garbage (which I’m assuming you just mean poor quality) has allowed almost every person in the developed world and the exporting countries to live better lives they the could afford otherwise. Some of them have come a long ways from when they started such as Japan and some just keep making junk I’ll give you that.

Buying junk will obviously end up in the red one way or another but few people have the cash to buy top of the line equipment even used.

What pisses me off though is buying a decent or quality brand and it’s a POS because the bean counters and share holders became involved in the design process. Looking at you Milwaukee and your “updated” high torque.
 
B

bpwoodworking

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 6, 2023
Messages
254
The best is very subjective, I own and use a J head Bridgeport that is in good shape but it’s not anywhere near as rigid as most anything made by Cincinnati or the German or a Japanese horizontal mills which serve a similar purpose.

My Bridgeport serves me well and fits the needs of making and modifying woodworking machinery.

I did luck into a practically unused Narex boring head for it. Thats arguably the best in its respective category.
 
L

larry_g

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
16,885
Location
oregon
I believe that you have listed the most popular names in the fields but there is a lot of room in qualifying what is best. Then you put in "that aren’t ridiculously expensive". Now you have a popularity contest. You might as well ask what is the best pickup.

lg
no neat sig line
 
B

bpwoodworking

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 6, 2023
Messages
254
VolvoRyan said:
I can't believe I'm going to paraphrase a terrible book, but what is "quality"? What does "quality" even mean.

-Ryan
Click to expand...

I guess everything subjective is now subject to the whims of postmodernist deconstructionism, so I'll quote Justice Potter Stewart:

"I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it".
 
V

VolvoRyan

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Messages
1,339
Location
Kentuckiana, USA
bpwoodworking said:
I guess everything subjective is now subject to the whims of postmodernist deconstructionism, so I'll quote Justice Potter Stewart:

"I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it".
Click to expand...

Well played, sir! :)

-Ryan
 
L

LopezBart

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
2,540
Location
Lopez Island, WA
Sometimes tools are wear items; the stuff I keep on board boats tends to rust, fall overboard :( or otherwise go missing, so adjusting the quality of the tool to the use it will be put is important. Same with the emergency tools I keep handy on the motorcycle. Stuff I'll keep in my new shop (here's to concrete in the New Year!) will be nicer, but certainly not Snap-On; Tekton seems fine. Heck, I'm still using the Craftsman wrenches my dad gave me in the 1970s.

There are plenty of quality tools made all over the world; there's nothing magic about American stuff - we have MBAs to thank for that, I think. "Maximize shareholder value" is not the only metric by which a company should operate.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
W

woody 73

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
11,546
Location
The Great State Up North
A nice story that I did a few years ago that the op might enjoy.

W. Schollhorn Company/ W.A. Bernard

About a month after I joined the GJ someone posted about finding a parallel-jaw pliers from the Schollhorn Company. A company that is rich in History and information but flies under the radar screen. Founded in 1870 in New Haven ,Connecticut and Incorporated in 1891, they were active until...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com
 
D

dutchgray

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
6,468
Location
Dorset. England.
GrantCee said:
A Bridgeport is a decent, versatile machine...but "highest quality" in the category? Not even close.
Click to expand...
It's the jack of all trades machine, master of none.
I own one, if you're only going to have one milling machine and need it to be one you can move yourself and power easily they are a good option. Plus there are so many you can actually find them.
 
F

Framing101

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2024
Messages
54
Location
Rochester Ny
M

MWEric

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
607
Location
Wyoming, MN
Starrett, Brunson, API, Faro. US metrology companies that work well. (Some would argue Leica over API and Faro, that’s fine they are also good)
 
M

mngundog

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
1,211
Location
MN, in the sticks, U.S.A.
Start a thread with Made in the USA then immediately list tools from Germany, Japan and Italy.........

Bessey makes great clamps, I've never read the CO label.
 
M

Marlin

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
1,037
PelicanPines said:
The best tools I got are Made In Germany.
Click to expand...
Or perhaps "Assembled in Germany". Not all countries have the same content requirements as the US in order to label "Made in". Germany allows a product to be labeled Made in Germany if it assembled there. The US is relatively strict with the requirements.
 
P

PelicanPines

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Messages
38,112
Location
New Jersey, USA, Earth, My own reality
Marlin said:
Or perhaps "Assembled in Germany". Not all countries have the same content requirements as the US in order to label "Made in". Germany allows a product to be labeled Made in Germany if it assembled there. The US is relatively strict with the requirements.
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter... they are higher quality...
I'm not going to argue with you about the same rules about globally supplied items... yet stamped USA. Pretty sure Germany still makes steel... doubt tools marked USA is made from US steel anymore.

Now 30 years ago... I'd agree with you.
 
B

Bubba Fett

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
1,516
Location
Eastern NC
Here's some companies that make/sell some/many USA-made tools:

Allen (dead, but you can still find some of their stuff)
Armstrong (dead, but you can still find some of their stuff)
Channellock
Enderes
Estwing
Grace
Ideal (some USA-made, most are now being offshored)
Klein
Lang
Lisle
Malco
Mayhew
Megapro (USA and Canada-made screwdrivers)
Midwest
Montana (Drill bits)
Nicholson (some USA-made files, check)
Norseman (Drill bits)
Olsa (some USA-made tools)
Pratt-Read (Dead, but you can still find old stock USA-made screwdrivers, sold under various brands)
Pro-America (USA made, some available under the Southwire Brand)
Proto (many USA-made hand tools)
SK (still some USA made stuff floating around, and apparently some stuff will still be made here)
Swanson
Tekton (some USA-made screwdrivers, pliers, service wrenches, and a few other things)
Tronex (USA-made precision pliers)
Ullman
Vaughan
Wilde
Williams
Wiss (some snips are still USA-made, but check)
Wright (pretty much all USA-made)
Xcelite (old stock and used, not sure how much of their stuff is still made here, if any)
Xuron
 
M

M6erfan

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2014
Messages
10,170
Location
'Merica!
Bubba Fett said:
Here's some companies that make/sell some/many USA-made tools:

Allen (dead, but you can still find some of their stuff)
Armstrong (dead, but you can still find some of their stuff)
Channellock
Enderes
Estwing
Grace
Ideal (some USA-made, most are now being offshored)
Klein
Lang
Lisle
Malco
Mayhew
Megapro (USA and Canada-made screwdrivers)
Midwest
Montana (Drill bits)
Nicholson (some USA-made files, check)
Norseman (Drill bits)
Olsa (some USA-made tools)
Pratt-Read (Dead, but you can still find old stock USA-made screwdrivers, sold under various brands)
Pro-America (USA made, some available under the Southwire Brand)
Proto (many USA-made hand tools)
SK (still some USA made stuff floating around, and apparently some stuff will still be made here)
Swanson
Tekton (some USA-made screwdrivers, pliers, service wrenches, and a few other things)
Tronex (USA-made precision pliers)
Ullman
Vaughan
Wilde
Williams
Wiss (some snips are still USA-made, but check)
Wright (pretty much all USA-made)
Xcelite (old stock and used, not sure how much of their stuff is still made here, if any)
Xuron
Click to expand...

Bondhus too
 
R

rbgearz

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Messages
2,899
Location
Illinois
LopezBart said:
Sometimes tools are wear items; the stuff I keep on board boats tends to rust, fall overboard :( or otherwise go missing, so adjusting the quality of the tool to the use it will be put is important. Same with the emergency tools I keep handy on the motorcycle. Stuff I'll keep in my new shop (here's to concrete in the New Year!) will be nicer, but certainly not Snap-On; Tekton seems fine. Heck, I'm still using the Craftsman wrenches my dad gave me in the 1970s.

There are plenty of quality tools made all over the world; there's nothing magic about American stuff - we have MBAs to thank for that, I think. "Maximize shareholder value" is not the only metric by which a company should operate.
Click to expand...
I'm still using Craftsman tools that I bought in the early 70s.
 
M

milkovich

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
689
Location
Akron Ohio
Wamsutta said:
I found Wright Tools on Google Maps. :)

1 Wright Pl, Barberton, OH 44203
Click to expand...

Malco products (the paint/body Malco) is in the picture, they are next door to Wright tool. Cornwell is down the road in Wadsworth and Ken-tool is up here in Akron.
 
M

Marlin

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
1,037
PelicanPines said:
Doesn't matter... they are higher quality...
I'm not going to argue with you about the same rules about globally supplied items... yet stamped USA. Pretty sure Germany still makes steel... doubt tools marked USA is made from US steel anymore.

Now 30 years ago... I'd agree with you.
Click to expand...
No attempt on my part to argue, I am just aware of the labelling laws. If you use pliers as an example, in Germany the two halves could be forged and machined in China and be imported with the pivot nut/bolt then assembled in country and labeled as "Made in Germany". In the USA that would be labelled "Assembled in USA"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom