Help with COO

[Y00PER]

Hi everyone,
Curious if there is a way to know the COO of powertools that are unmarked as to where they were made.

For example, while at garage sales, I have seen Milwaukee tools marked made in the US, I have seen some marked made in China, but most that I see are not marked. Are those unmarked ones U.S made? Foreign made? or, to steal SBD's marketing gimmick, U.S. made with foreign parts?

Almost all of the Makita tools I have found don't have a COO on them either, same with older Dewalts.

Most of the stuff I am seeing, I would guess is probably from the 1990's, maybe early 2000's

 

[Musicinabottle]

You sound like me! I check the labels of everything and if it's China, I set it back down. I've seen this too, what you speak of. The older tools, you can kind of get a sense, but newer stuff, even Milwaukee is made in China, which surprised me when I first saw that.

 

[Fedwrench]

The standard is simple, if you don't see those three little letters USA, it isn't made here.

 

[Y00PER]

The standard is simple, if you don't see those three little letters USA, it isn't made here.

That's what I assume when looking, but there's always exceptions, such as Craftsman =V= series sockets (I think those are the ones I have that don't say USA on them, but are US made).

 

[2ndGearRubber]

That's what I assume when looking, but there's always exceptions, such as Craftsman =V= series sockets (I think those are the ones I have that don't say USA on them, but are US made).

As a general rule, if it isn't marked, it's not somewhere that is a selling point. The easiest way, if you call it easy, is to find the model number and check online. Time frame is also relevant. Japan made stuff from 60 years ago was poorly regarded. I see "made in Japan" on a new item today, I'm very interested, as it screams quality to me.


I'll look at new products to compare cost vs. COO. If some mediocre looking product seems expensive, and is china made, I'll skip it if I don't need it at that moment. I usually have a clue what things should cost. I'll get a life time product from zoro or whatever. That said, I picked up a $12 pair of tree limb loppers, and damn if they aren't decent, China made.



My killer lately is mexico, I want nothing to do with their junk. I'll take china over mexico any day. Must not have any trees south of the border, that mexican rake I bought pisses me off any time I look at it. How do you screw up a rake?

 

[2ndGearRubber]

^ Best of all, I plan to fix the shoddy craftsmanship of the Mexican rake, with a Chinese $100 drill press.

 

[xin]

You sound like me! I check the labels of everything and if it's China, I set it back down. I've seen this too, what you speak of. The older tools, you can kind of get a sense, but newer stuff, even Milwaukee is made in China, which surprised me when I first saw that.

I do the same thing, see where it is made if they can't put it on there I ain't spendin hard earned money on it.

 

[anndel]

I thought my wife and I were the only ones always looking at the COO. I have older US-Made Milwaukee and Skil powertools and Japan-Made Makita but newer stuff most likely made in china. If unmarked, it's safe to assume not made in USA. Happy 4th of July. Oh yeah, I took down the china-made American flag the previous owner of our house put up and replaced it with USA-made version.

 

[Y00PER]

Thankes everyone. I figured they were most likely Chinese made, but just wanted to make sure

 

[Musicinabottle]

I do the same thing, see where it is made if they can't put it on there I ain't spendin hard earned money on it.

Amen brother! More folks start doing that, wages might actually start going up and things will begin to get peachy rose here in America.

 

[tube_guy]

My killer lately is mexico, I want nothing to do with their junk. I'll take china over mexico any day. Must not have any trees south of the border, that mexican rake I bought pisses me off any time I look at it. How do you screw up a rake?

A few years ago, I installed a new boiler in our house. The boiler manufacturer made a big deal about their US-made boiler castings, and that certainly made me happy. After we finished the install, at about 1 o'clock in the morning, I filled the boiler and water came pouring out of the aquastat. That's an electrical box, if you're not familiar with them. Man, I was not too happy. It was around Christmas time, it was cold outside, and I was facing a pretty long weekend with no heat. When I took it apart, it turned out the aquastat well was soldered together improperly. I could see light through the hole pretty easily, so I doubt anyone looked or cared. Stamped on the side of it was "Made in Mexico." Where it's nice and warm all the time. Some JB weld putty provided a temporary fix and got us through, but I doubt I'll ever forget reading Made in Mexico on the thing.

 

[Professional Tool User]

You'll need the original packaging to know the COO for sure if the tool itself is unmarked. Otherwise, assume they are Made in China.