AmericanWorkbench.com

[johnnyz53]

In 2006 I posted a thread asking what do y'all think of my new business. I received many positive comments, as well as emails with suggestions. I want to thank everyone for their participation. Since then I have built and sold over 500 benches and received 100% satisfaction! It's forums like these that show a true american spirit and helpfulness. If there are any members who have bought one, please send me a pic of it in action as I am putting them up on the feedback page.
Thank you so very Much.

John

 

[Vinko]

I voted that it's about quality. Though I would try not support a regime I felt didn't have my country's best interest in mind. That's a tough one though.

Though I am involved in American manufacture, and try to support it, I don't know that making _everything_ in this country is the answer to our problems.

Certainly though, I'd rather by a quality American workbench from you then a piece of **** from China.

But I don't always have a choice on every purchase -- because I can't afford to.

 

[PAToyota]

I had to vote for quality. The American auto industry spent at least two decades (70's and 80's) turning out **** and then expecting people to be "patriotic" and buy it. A large part of why they are in the shape they are now in...

But I won't just buy an import because it is cheaper if it is also ****. I'll spend the extra money for something quality.

 

[Stuey]

I think that USA tools should be bought when conveniently available, but the highest quality tool that fits my budget shouldn't be ignored just because it was manufactured elsewhere.

Also, can you please move that cute family out of the way so that I can better see that naval vessel in the background? =P

 

[anewman]

If i want to get something cheap I go to Wal Mart. I don't shop there unless my wife says to get milk or bread. As far as my tools are concerned a good tool that does what its suppose to and doesn't get you all hung up is worth every penny. I don't think you can buy to many things that are even made here in the US. With My own business i can't afford to spend time fixing tools or not having tools work.

 

[RickP330]

Nice site, and nice benches. I must admit you've tempted me to upgrade...
RickP

 

[krooser]

I'm a real "Buy American" guy...

I believe my friends, neighbors and fellow Americans can, and do, build some of the finest products in the world. I would sooner buy a US made product that may not be quite as fancy, flashy or trendy than an imported item that is the current rage.

I will buy products from our GOOD trading partners... I'd buy a Euro car IF it's absolutely what I wanted and no US manufacturer offered a similar car. For instance several years ago I was going to buy a BMW Z-3...neat car. Ultimately I didn't buy ANY new car but now, instead of that Beemer, I'd buy a Solstice or Sky roadster. At first there wasn't a US alternative but now there is. Beside's, the BMW isn't even built in Germany... if I buy a German car I want it built in Germany.

I owned two Toyotas back in the early 70's. Good cars but I won't buy a Japanese car anymore because we don't have FAIR trade with them. US carmakers can't import cars into Japan. So, until it's a 50/50 deal, don't expect me to line the pockets of Japanese automakers. Same goes for the Koreans.

I'll buy some stuff from Taiwan... they are our friends (and we protect then from the Chi-Coms) and a lot of their tools and such have come a long way in quality. But I won't buy much from China... I don't care how cheap it is.. I won't support a country that , not only would love to see us fail, but this is a country that uses slave labor andchild labor. They have no environmental laws and no worker protection laws. Tens of thousands of coal miners die each year in mine accidents not to mention those workers in other walks of life.

If China raises wages, starts cleaning up their act in the areas of the environment, worker safety and starts enforcing child and slave labor laws I'll give their stuff another look.

I've never bought anything from China that works as well as a US made item... nothing. I'll wait until I can afford it or I'll go without.

 

[FNFS2000]

I'm a german product guy, Everything US seems to be going downhill. Take it even to cars. What was considered to be japanese imports are few years back are now more american than most product from the "big 3" who make most of their cars in mexico, and are ironically doing a lot more business in asia. While many old asian companies are coming here to produce cars in the south and are profiting, the big 3 continue to send work offshore and hold their hand out thinking they are entitled to a "bailout" Nobody deserves a free handout, but I'd rather give it to toyota, nissan, acura or a host of others who chose to move to Kentucky and other states and turn out cars and make a profit doing it. But instead our corrupt system rewards those that fail and stir up economies of other countries.

 

[Shocker]

Remember that the Japanese cars are assembled in the US, but their parts content is from overseas.

Also, the UAW has a lot to do with the cost of US automakers doing business. I have read that the average wage/benefit package/etc in whole is about $73/hour for UAW auto workers.

The Japanese companies assembling in the US are paying their workers about $45/hour in whole for the same work.

just a few things...

 

[johnnyz53]

I am so pleased to see that we are trending toward buying "American". I know I obviously have a stake in this as an upstart american company. It's just so ironic how addicted we are to the Third world produced goods! They are cheap! Absolutely, then we adjust our standard of acceptance based on the "Deal".

Walmarts sales are up in a downturn economy. . . oh my....it's all chinese or mexican.....

People are losing Jobs by many companies who import this stuff or have a part of it..... other company services are outsourced to other countiries.... so how do we create Jobs?

Buy American and the boost will require more employees who in turn spend more...simple philosophy...But we're all addicts and will become indentured to our Government for handout because we were addicts of an economic sort!

Buy AMERICAN!

 

[Bo Heck]

I am so pleased to see that we are trending toward buying "American". I know I obviously have a stake in this as an upstart american company. It's just so ironic how addicted we are to the Third world produced goods! They are cheap! Absolutely, then we adjust our standard of acceptance based on the "Deal".

Walmarts sales are up in a downturn economy. . . oh my....it's all chinese or mexican.....

People are losing Jobs by many companies who import this stuff or have a part of it..... other company services are outsourced to other countiries.... so how do we create Jobs?

Buy American and the boost will require more employees who in turn spend more...simple philosophy...But we're all addicts and will become indentured to our Government for handout because we were addicts of an economic sort!

Buy AMERICAN!

This is the exact kind of thinking that led to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 that PROLONGED the Great Depression. US protectionism does not help anyone. Buying American does not create jobs, I'm afraid to say. People here in the US have to work to sell these products, wherever they are made. In order to create manufacturing jobs here, taxes must be lowered for corporations and small business. And I'm not talking about these ridiculous "tax breaks" Obama has specified in his plans. I'm talking about permanent percentage cuts, not handouts. Corporations will build plants and factories where it's the cheapest to do so, and they, by far, employ the most folks, and produce the goods compared to small business. The only way to jumpstart the economy is to bring more of these jobs back here. They did jump overseas because we stopped buying their goods, they did it because the tax burden is less elsewhere. It's really time we instituted the Fair Tax but that's not likely to happen anytime soon with who we have in Washington now. Please do not misunderstand, I'm not criticizing your pride in your country. I would love to see more Made in America stickers, but on things I could actually afford. I do not support the UAW or any other union for that matter. I worked as a sort supervisor at UPS and it took me over 2 and a half years to get my sort to the #1 spot in the division when it could have taken me only a few months if it had not been for absurd union protection for sorry employees. I do not believe in a minimum wage, the employees will force the wage to a competitive number or the company will get crappy employees that will drive the company into the ground, problem solved. I DO believe in securing our borders and sending illegal aliens back to where they came. They are an immense drain on this country and are taking American jobs away from us. It's estimated there were 13 million illegals living here in 2007 with an average increase of 500,000 per year, so somewhere about 14 to 15 million now. I don't understand how this is accepted by anyone. I believe in the free market wholeheartedly, but the whole idea seems to be fading fast in our country. There are is a list a mile long of proven solutions to bringing jobs back to the US that Congress and especially the president lit on fire and threw away, never to be mentioned again. Sorry for the jack. We just spent $787 Billion on a bogus plan to "create or save up to 4 millions jobs." Does no one else see the lawyer-speak in this? For one, this is an immeasurable value, who's to say that this plan saved this job or that job. Unless you're talking about the banking sector, where we, as taxpayers, kept corrupt banks afloat, or we're saving the UAW jobs by direct bailouts. That's not the kind of job I want to be saving. That's not the way free markets work. Secondly, "up to 4 million" means 1 to 4 million. I do not believe the government should be in charge of job creation, or job saving. It's been tried before, it doesn't work. Roosevelt did it, prolonging the depression, Japan did it, prolonging their depression, socialists practice it, and what's kept us on top of all that? Capitalism. It works.

 

[johnnyz53]

Absolutely, I could'nt agree more!!!!

 

[kartracer23]

Also, can you please move that cute family out of the way so that I can better see that naval vessel in the background? =P

I'm guessing that photo is at Patriot's Point and that would be the Yorktown in the background. The tour boat in the foreground runs to Ft. Sumter.

 

[tonydanzah]

Remember that the Japanese cars are assembled in the US, but their parts content is from overseas.

Also, the UAW has a lot to do with the cost of US automakers doing business. I have read that the average wage/benefit package/etc in whole is about $73/hour for UAW auto workers.

The Japanese companies assembling in the US are paying their workers about $45/hour in whole for the same work.

just a few things...

The japanese have government run health care, so their benefit package is significantly less.

 

[Flathead Red]

This is a very hot topic and i agree with most of these points but will make a few observations and give a couple opinions.

I DO believe in securing our borders and sending illegal aliens back to where they came. They are an immense drain on this country and are taking American jobs away from us.

The idea of securing our borders is spot on however the jobs that the illegals are doing are mostly jobs that they are willing to take much less than Americans would and/or Americans wouldn't do in the first place out of one of many reasons.

Also, the UAW has a lot to do with the cost of US automakers doing business. I have read that the average wage/benefit package/etc in whole is about $73/hour for UAW auto workers.

The Japanese companies assembling in the US are paying their workers about $45/hour in whole for the same work.

The reason for this is because the Japanese don't allow unions. Is that the right answer? Who knows. I have my opinion about unions and it's generally not good but I am also not a union employee, so it might look like I am union bashing. Bottom line is that I feel unions are a large part of the downfall of American car makers.

I just wrote an economics paper along this same line with the "Buy American" type theme. My stance is the the majoity of Americans could care less where a product comes from and more of how much it costs. That is why Walmart i making a killing and the Chinese own %77 percent of our foreign debt.

Flathead Red