Why is everyone obsessed with U.S.A. Tools

[Finky198]

1st Point - I can give an idiot the best tools in the world, the best diag equipment, and he won't be able to fix the car. Thats where the experience comes in. Could an experienced tech fix it with **** tools? Most likely he could.

2nd Point - If you have been doing this for a while, and consider yourself a technician, and use the absolute cheapest tools possible I am not paying you more then someone who has invested in themselves. It speaks to the level of pride you take in your work.

Sorry, not playing in the race to the bottom.

Agreed People should Judged on there Actions and knowldege not the color of their (TOOL)S

I never said buying the cheapest tools was a good idea for any individual, but a good mechanic will always be a good mechanic regardless... 2ndly Using the right tool for the given job is much more important then the brand...


Tell me how you do measure someones pride and quality before the job is finished...

Some sort of 6th sense or maybe x-ray vision to look through their tool box...
.

 

[blown94conv]

Much in the same way you size a man up when you see him. If a contractor comes to your house in a ratty old truck, smelling of booze and mary jane, blasting thrash metal at a level used for concert sound checks, you mean to tell me you won't have a judgement about his work and the timeliness of which it will be completed?

Or do you just give him a check for half before he starts and hope for the best?

 

[justanengineer]

I would be surprised if your neighbor wants a job making screwdrivers. American companies have been working hard for decades to maximize profits at the expense of everything else, including employees. They cut benefits, pensions, vacation days, and pay. Unskilled jobs are not a good way to make a living in America.....Take a look at the video tours online of USA made tools. Most processes appear to be automated. Like it or not, we're in a global economy now, and we simply can't compete with the way we did in the 50s. As someone else pointed out, paying more for a tool made in the US simple means less dollars spent on other American goods and services.

The majority of money earned in the US comes to America through products made overseas. There are bigger profit margins, and thus more money earned. That part is simple. So if you want to "support America," the new reality is that you need to keep buying cheap and disposable Chinese **** over and over again.

The sad reality today is that many like yourself not only believe but choose to repeat the political talking heads' nonsense. Blame business leaders and believe the politicians, bc they know more about business than those who actually add value to our economy, nevermind that their "work" has driven us into massive debt, severely devalued our economy, and is regularly proven unethical if not outright illegal.

Yes, many of my neighbors would love a job assembling screwdrivers. Unlike yourself, I dont need to watch videos and make bad assumptions about mistreated workers nor about automation killing jobs. I work in manufacturing, visit suppliers and customers from across the industry here and abroad every month, meet those on the shipping docks and the CEOs, and can attest that folks starting with little at the bottom can make a dam good living despite snobs like yourself turning up their noses. Its much the same as the trades, the sheltered ignorant white-collar "experts" rarely realize how little they earn at their desk compared the "unskilled" or "semi-skilled" labor with their sweat equity. $25/hour is $50k/year right? Wrong, it was $110k to my brother and similarly high totals to many others last year. Poor mistreated them.

Your logic and statements regarding the economy and manufacturing are simply wrong. Bottom line - buying products from foreign companies drives money overseas and out of our economy, buying from inside our economy preserves it. Save a buck by buying overseas and eventually we wont have enough money left in our economy to buy anything. Yes, it is that simple - value in vs value out. Areas with the most manufacturing are typically the wealthiest bc that area is pulling foreign dollars into the US. Areas with the least manufacturing are typically the poorest bc service based jobs (aside from a tiny amount of tourism) dont pull in foreign dollars so add little/no value to the economy, they simply reshuffle current value/dollars until most of it is lost elsewhere. Contrary to your "simple" logic above, the majority of profit for US manufacturers isnt typically from overseas, it usually comes from their US operations based on a combination of efficiency and asset life/maintenance - we really "do things better" here than east Asia. Similarly, the cheap/disposable vs expensive/long value argument doesnt work, especially on consumer products. Nothing lasts forever and quality and cost are pretty proportional, buy 3 for $1 or 1 for $3, statistically you'll need another at the same time and spend the same money.

 

[MDK22]

I make a living with my tools (from snappy to HF and all the in between ) and if a pro can't make a solid living in today's day with the brands you yourself listed then they are the problem not the TOOLS...

6 point sockets don't round bolts dumb mechanics with 12pt HF wrenches and sockets do,
but hey you cant fix stupid.... Right?

Ironically your the type who buys a $1 mag pickup tool to save $5 bucks vs buying the real ullman tool (same as craftsman, bluepoint....) one and then complains when it cost you 3 hrs...
Who's fault is that?

These sure do look like 6pt sockets: http://www.harborfreight.com/10-pc-38-in-drive-metric-high-visibility-deep-wall-socket-61300.html


Never said it wasn't my fault for buying the cheap tool. I am saying I learned my lesson to stay way the hell away from most HF tools. Hell i trashed 15 tools from HF right after and replaced them with good quality ones.

6pt sockets round bolts. Normally it is a fitment issue. Either someone uses the wrong size ie metric instead of standard or vice versa or the sockets themselves are not to close enough tolerances.

Then there is the fact that cheap metals will flex and deform allowing a socket to bend and round the corners on the bolt using the flats of the socket. This is why chrome from the same brand as an impact will round a fastener easier.

Bolts are not like what they used to be. They are made as cheap and light as possible. So they tend to round easier. Also on most cars anyway they do not use only grade 8/10.9/A2 fasteners they use all grades. Also the bolt heads will not always be on par for the size they are supposed to be. ie sometimes a 19mm fits tighter then a 3/4" socket on a 3/4" bolt.

Then there is corrosion a rusted fastener will not have the same size when part of it has rusted away. Though this is not in play with what happened to the tech i was talking about it still will happen.

It is laughable that you think a 6pt will never round a hex head. Must be an engineer.

Hers a better question, how much does your "2yr tech" make? Then explain to me how it makes sense he buy the most expensive tools available? If he can't use HF sockets, which MANY people in here do without issues, what leads you to believe the s/o sockets will solve his problem? You can't buy experience- no matter how much you spend.

He makes enough to buy lunch out every day at $10-15 a day. Makes enough to buy everyone rounds at the bar every friday. $50-60 bucks. So i would say he makes enough to invest in Expert or Blue Point sockets which will work just fine for a good long while. An expert impact 3/8 set was recently on sale for around $130 bucks. So ya tool truck brands so expensive...... Not to mention he wants to do this for the rest of his life and is adamant about that.

I dont disagree with much of what you said, but if a 'technician' is rounding off bolt after bolt, something is wrong and its not the bolts or the sockets (unless you consider using an SAE socket on a metric fastener the socket's fault). I will admit, Im not a professional but I do ALOT of DIY auto tech stuff for myself, friends, family, and neighbors and I have never rounded off a bolt that wasnt my fault (using the wrong socket or coming at a poor angle).

Ever pull an exhaust manifold, exhaust or intakes off? Heat cycling and rust make fasteners very very tight. (The manifold rusts to the bolt ie closing it in tighter around the threads) He was not using the inappropriate socket type it was metric for metric. There is just way too much play in the HF sockets. Also people install fasteners with impacts which makes them considerably tighter then they should be. Not all techs have a clue.

I have rounded plenty of fasteners that were not my fault. A lot of them were heat cycled, cheap bolts, rusted fasteners, crossthreaded bolts/nuts, partially rounded before i got there, someone used loctite red on something that doesn't even need threadlocker.

I have also rounded plenty that were my fault when i was rushing, not paying attention, doing stuff at a friends place who has "good" tools ie chinese craftsman or HF. So i didn't bring mine and show to find poorly made tools. I rarely use 12pts and only on occasion do i use sae on metric and vice versa and its normally when it fits better. Every once in a while that will bite me as well.

 

[justanengineer]

I never said buying the cheapest tools was a good idea for any individual, but a good mechanic will always be a good mechanic regardless...
.

Not true at all. I've seen many that were handicapped by **** tools and others whose good tools kept them out of trouble and made them look good. Sure, if the quality difference is something insignificant like chrome or ergonomics then the tool might not impact someone's work or reputation, however if youre working on rusty equipment with poorly broached wrenches that dont fit worth a dam or screwdrivers made of butter then youre in for trouble.

 

[Finky198]

Much in the same way you size a man up when you see him. If a contractor comes to your house in a ratty old truck, smelling of booze and mary jane, blasting thrash metal at a level used for concert sound checks, you mean to tell me you won't have a judgement about his work and the timeliness of which it will be completed?

Or do you just give him a check for half before he starts and hope for the best?

those are obvious characteristic a 5yo could tell you which one to hire...

I'll do it myself instead and choose the quality I see fit...

Not true at all. I've seen many that were handicapped by **** tools and others whose good tools kept them out of trouble and made them look good. Sure, if the quality difference is something insignificant like chrome or ergonomics then the tool might not impact someone's work or reputation, however if youre working on rusty equipment with poorly broached wrenches that dont fit worth a dam or screwdrivers made of butter then youre in for trouble.

I Agree with you, but if you buy absolute **** tools and expect anything out of them the blame is on you for not being an informed consumer....

 

[MDK22]

Regardless lets get back to the original topic.

 

[FigureItOut]

How long has Garage Journal been around? Has this discussion changed any, or benefited anyone, since it's beginning? Serious questions here, not a back handed comment.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[stikman56]

"Everyone"...no not hardly. I use what works. I have Matco, Snap-On, Mac, Cornwell, HF, Ace, Craftsman, Task force, Kobalt and many others.

 

[6MocoA]

Ever pull an exhaust manifold, exhaust or intakes off?

You're right, I stand corrected. I've had 'adventures' with fasteners on exhaust manifolds and exhaust piping more times than I woud've liked. I guess, I just put 'exhaust' into a different category mentally, but yes, that is one area where if I was doing this for a living I would spring for the highest pro grade stuff I could afford (good quality stud pulllers for example).

 

[Sugarfryz]

well. there ya go sugarfryz. glad you asked?

I seem to have started a **** show.

 

[Gmonkee]

No worse than any other thread on these lines.

Most got deleted along the way.

 

[Sugarfryz]

Thanks all for the replies. I figured it was mostly a pride for your country thing. I've just seen people brush off cheaper tools that are just as good as a tool made in America. I'm a pro tech, and I bought Matco impact sockets because they work just as good and I saved 125 on a set of them. Noticed they weren't made in America (I'm talking about the hardline), and someone in my shop said he wouldn't buy them because they are **** because they weren't made in USA. Which made me decide to start this topic. I'm all about supporting American jobs, truly I wish we weren't sending jobs overseas. You are going to pay more for a tool in America. Quite honesty I'm at work to make money, if a top quality tool is cheaper because it was made over seas and allows me to do my job with no hiccups I will buy it. I'm not talking about hf quality vs snap on/Matco quality. Those each have their own seperate places.


Once again. Thanks all for the replies

 

[Farmall450]

3 for 3 !

You can't argue with the first 2, but #3 is a toss up.

Astro Pneumatic imports a lot of their tools. However, their design specs, QC and QA mean you are getting a quality product. (Find the thread where Mr Astro is talking about find a supplier for making good taps and dies !)

Made in the USA does NOT guarantee the best quality. Same as Made in China does NOT guarantee that it is junk !


There are time when absolute quality is a must (the Space Shuttle, where every nut and bolt can be traced back to the batch of steel and its chemical analysis) ! Then there is case where "value" is important (cost for the delivered price).

Astro is an exception, IMO, to about any other import tool company. Maybe that's just because their staff on here are so personable. However, I think that indicates something about them and their company as well. Plus the US made consumables.

 

[md21722]

There is no guarantee that buying a domestic tool is going to be better than an import tool, but its often enough the case that it simplifies buying. Plus there are the patriotic and anti-Chinese or import factors. And some of this goes back many years and some of us have long memories. 15-20 years ago any of the import tools I ran into were junk. Around that time Craftsman was also in crapper. They were still U.S.A. made back then, though not as well as they once were. I stopped buying Craftsman when I told my mechanic buddy about my busted knuckles on a crank bolt. He said try my socket. It was a Snap On. Night and day difference.

Today the import quality is better and tools out of Taiwan are generally better than the stuff out of China. But think some, particularly the hobby guys, try to make their garage a Chinese free zone. Since its harder and harder to get U.S.A. made anything, its championed. I think some guys remember buying U.S.A. tools years ago when anything else was junk and cling on to that, even though the quality is better. Others do it purely because of the decline in American manufacturing and want to support what is still here. Some have direct experience with factories closing that employed their family. Some hit on Matco because a bunch of the time they are selling basically the same quality as Sunex or GP at more than double the price, and since they're buying off the truck no matter what, they'll send their money on Snap On because hey at least its made the U.S.A.

 

[AA/FC]

Because they are good.....

 

[popparoach]

because 'Murica!

 

[four.cycle]

yeehaw!

we have a winner!

two excellent reasons right there. no more need be said.

 

[kctyphoon]

The sad reality today is that many like yourself not only believe but choose to repeat the political talking heads' nonsense. Blame business leaders and believe the politicians, bc they know more about business than those who actually add value to our economy, nevermind that their "work" has driven us into massive debt, severely devalued our economy, and is regularly proven unethical if not outright illegal.

Yes, many of my neighbors would love a job assembling screwdrivers. Unlike yourself, I dont need to watch videos and make bad assumptions about mistreated workers nor about automation killing jobs. I work in manufacturing, visit suppliers and customers from across the industry here and abroad every month, meet those on the shipping docks and the CEOs, and can attest that folks starting with little at the bottom can make a dam good living despite snobs like yourself turning up their noses. Its much the same as the trades, the sheltered ignorant white-collar "experts" rarely realize how little they earn at their desk compared the "unskilled" or "semi-skilled" labor with their sweat equity. $25/hour is $50k/year right? Wrong, it was $110k to my brother and similarly high totals to many others last year. Poor mistreated them.

Your logic and statements regarding the economy and manufacturing are simply wrong. Bottom line - buying products from foreign companies drives money overseas and out of our economy, buying from inside our economy preserves it. Save a buck by buying overseas and eventually we wont have enough money left in our economy to buy anything. Yes, it is that simple - value in vs value out. Areas with the most manufacturing are typically the wealthiest bc that area is pulling foreign dollars into the US. Areas with the least manufacturing are typically the poorest bc service based jobs (aside from a tiny amount of tourism) dont pull in foreign dollars so add little/no value to the economy, they simply reshuffle current value/dollars until most of it is lost elsewhere. Contrary to your "simple" logic above, the majority of profit for US manufacturers isnt typically from overseas, it usually comes from their US operations based on a combination of efficiency and asset life/maintenance - we really "do things better" here than east Asia. Similarly, the cheap/disposable vs expensive/long value argument doesnt work, especially on consumer products. Nothing lasts forever and quality and cost are pretty proportional, buy 3 for $1 or 1 for $3, statistically you'll need another at the same time and spend the same money.

Poor mistreated them? Excuse my estimated math, but with your numbers they had to work what, 65 hours a week for 52 straight weeks? If you included vacation time, sick days, ect.. your maybe talking 70 hours a week to make what your throwing out there.. we must have very different ideas on what a good job is, and I'm sure those guys appreciated living at work to make that money.. 15 hour days sure doesnt sound like something most people would enjoy, but maybe you're one of those guys that believes working those hours is the American dream

Sure isnt mine..

 

[maxpower_hd]

For me it isn't just tools. I like to buy whatever I can USA made. I just prefer to support local workers and keep my money in the USA whenever I can. It isn't always possible but I try. And I will pay a bit more for USA made if necessary. I do it for food too. I try to buy produce from local farms instead of shipped in from elsewhere for example. Keep my money as local as possible and support my neighbors whenever I can. Simple.

 

[Finky198]

because 'Murica!

yeah because in 'Murica! we hire European models an try to pass them off as made in the USA

The mobile espresso machine is just as big a giveaway

 

[mcmaster68]

Ever since boot camp, I only purchase New Balance shoes that say "Made in the USA" and general spend more $, but I feel better about wearing them.
I only have craftsman or snap-on tools, because I feel better using them.
Same reason I fly the National Ensign at my house I guess. I love this country.

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

I actually like, use and would like to offer more USA made tools, and have friendly relationships with sources of these such as Wilde.

Thing is what is primarily made in the US now (and made well) is hand tools. Since people don't look to Astro for hand tools, which i understand, it's a hard sales pitch to rest of my team to bring in a comparatively expensive albeit quality hand tool and ask that sort of coin for it - it would be primarily just my desire to do so fueling the decision.

But I haven't given up.

I think moves like Tekton making new US screwdrivers is worthy of recognition, and I hope they are successful in that. It would lend more credence to additional efforts of this kind by them and others.

 

[Parabellum]

I agree with you but the is made channellocks will be much more money. I'm trying to compare tools of the same level of quality but different coo. around the same price as well.

Is it just a get what you pay for deal? Is higher cost of the USA tool going to make it that much better?

Snap on sockets are USA, and Matcos are Taiwan. Matco is much Cheaper and to me does just as good of a job. I'm talking strictly impact sockets, the hardline not adv sockets

Matcos chrome sockets are about the same price so I'm just gonna buy snap on and assure I'll get the USA origin.

I see something here: Matco sockets are rebadged Gearwrench?

 

[Brownsfan]

I think more on this forum are obsessed with tool warranties. Who cares if it works. Can I warranty my screwdriver? I dont care if its the worst fitting screwdriver ever but it has a lifetime warranty. Sign me up. There is a hand tool warranty obsession on this forum and its funny. Most that are so worried about it dont use them everyday but it has to have an easy warranty process. You wont break them if you barely use them so why does it even matter?

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

yeah because in 'Murica! we hire European models an try to pass them off as made in the USA

The mobile espresso machine is just as big a giveaway

According to the interwebs the "086" country code is for china... so this is actually in... China?

 

[justanengineer]

Poor mistreated them? Excuse my estimated math, but with your numbers they had to work what, 65 hours a week for 52 straight weeks? If you included vacation time, sick days, ect.. your maybe talking 70 hours a week to make what your throwing out there.. we must have very different ideas on what a good job is, and I'm sure those guys appreciated living at work to make that money.. 15 hour days sure doesnt sound like something most people would enjoy, but maybe you're one of those guys that believes working those hours is the American dream

Sure isnt mine..

JMO but I'd rather have the option of extra income by working a decent amount of OT than not, especially while young and building net worth. Not to suggest I'm abused in any manner, but being on salary I have two options - 1. work the hours to get the job done or 2. get laid off and hurt my reputation. I choose the first which on a normal week is ~50 hours, on a bad week is 60+.

My point was simply that some folks like to point fingers at big business and make assumptions about income based on hourly wage, yet wont consider earning potential of 1.5x after 8/day or 40/week, 1.5-2x Saturdays, 2-3x Sunday or holiday pay, and minimal manning where X employees need to be "working" even if its doing nothing - its all fairly common as are storms where linemen are paid 24/7 for weeks on end.

 

[PFSard]

First, everyone isn't obsessed with U.S.A. tools. Many on this forum are.

Personally, for tools that will see a lot of use, I am looking to acquire quality tools at a decent price. I have an assortment of U.S.A., Japan, Taiwan, German, Swiss et al. Older stuff (used, not abused) and new. And I have bought lesser quality tools that more likely than not I will only use a few times.

As far as the quality of U.S.A. manufactured goods, I cannot say that they are better (or worse) than other countries' products. This is complicated, varying over time. But I worked in manufacturing in this country for 25 years. In that time, I saw a lot of poor quality goods leave these manufacturing facilities.

As far as buying imported goods in general, as a citizen of the U.S.A., I buy imported goods (not that I am a big consumer of goods). And residents of other countries are buying U.S.A. products and services. The "Balance of Payments" is very complicated; it has been studied extensively. As has "Comparative Advantage".

 

[Finky198]

According to the interwebs the "086" country code is for china... so this is actually in... China?

I get it now the Chinese hire Russian models dress them up like "Americans" from a Borat movie. and then try fool us into thinking were getting something, Made IN THE USA

OMG say it ain't so

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

As an avid automotive race and event goer, I of course recognize those Mr. Hobbs Coffee race cheerleaders.

I've seen them at US race events too (Moto GP? ), but you mainly see them in Europe/England?

Edit: I guess Ireland

 

[Brownsfan]

OMG she is missing half her leg

 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

As an avid automotive race and event goer, I of course recognize those Mr. Hobbs Coffee race cheerleaders.

I've seen them at US race events too (Moto GP? ), but you mainly see them in Europe/England?

Edit: I guess Ireland

I believe you're right, 086 is the mobile area code for "086 Hutchison 3G Ireland (Originally O2[1])".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dialling_codes_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland

 

[morrillm06]

I buy anything USA made when I can to support U.S. factory workers like myself

 

[-Brent-]

While a few guys have touched on it, I'd like to offer my viewpoint as some may agree (or maybe not, we'll see) but I don't think it's actually "pride" as much as paying a bit more for a quality American tool when you find it (which there are less of more than ever). I do this because I have been all over this country and I have seen what happens to communities when manufacturing leaves. It's rough on everyone.

A great example I share of this point is when Stanley left New Britain, Connecticut, the city's water quality dropped. Around 2005, or so, there were times when people were suggesting not to drink the water. Stanley invested so much into the city and due to the pollution regulations the water quality ended up being really good. When they left, the capital to maintain that quality was gone. Everyone drinks, cooks and bathes with water and therefore everyone is impacted.

To take it a step further, since I lived there at the time pre and post Stanley, other regular parts of the community were impacted from the deli/corner store to the fire department and all consumers and employees in between. I had done some student teaching at a school that had grants from either Stanley Works or subsidiaries of the company and when the companies leave, that well doesn't get refilled next school year. It's a ripple effect felt for a long time after. When I spoke to one of the teachers that worked there, a while after (just shooting the BS) she mentioned things that affected her classroom (students/materials/a yearly award she was granted because of a program she facilitated had gone away). The more I looked into it, the more I realized how vital keeping folks employed, locally, is.

The stuff I mention isn't the entirety of the situation, either. There's a reason why markets flourish in areas where industry shows up. A couple years back I listened to this man whose job is to go to these foreign plants and assure they're set up in a way that the client gets what they want. He's worked for many of the big names that have left US soil. It was crazy to hear that some of these factories are built in what was a village a decade ago (or less) and now is a thriving industrial area. It sounded like everything that left us (the stuff I describe above, minus the pollution control , I assume) pops up over there.

For the TLDR folks: I buy US made quality tools more for keeping dollars here since there is so much surrounding that US company that feeds off the company being there.

 

[Gautama]

The sad reality today is that many like yourself not only believe but choose to repeat the political talking heads' nonsense. Blame business leaders and believe the politicians, bc they know more about business than those who actually add value to our economy, nevermind that their "work" has driven us into massive debt, severely devalued our economy, and is regularly proven unethical if not outright illegal.

Yes, many of my neighbors would love a job assembling screwdrivers. Unlike yourself, I dont need to watch videos and make bad assumptions about mistreated workers nor about automation killing jobs. I work in manufacturing, visit suppliers and customers from across the industry here and abroad every month, meet those on the shipping docks and the CEOs, and can attest that folks starting with little at the bottom can make a dam good living despite snobs like yourself turning up their noses. Its much the same as the trades, the sheltered ignorant white-collar "experts" rarely realize how little they earn at their desk compared the "unskilled" or "semi-skilled" labor with their sweat equity. $25/hour is $50k/year right? Wrong, it was $110k to my brother and similarly high totals to many others last year. Poor mistreated them.

Your logic and statements regarding the economy and manufacturing are simply wrong. Bottom line - buying products from foreign companies drives money overseas and out of our economy, buying from inside our economy preserves it. Save a buck by buying overseas and eventually we wont have enough money left in our economy to buy anything. Yes, it is that simple - value in vs value out. Areas with the most manufacturing are typically the wealthiest bc that area is pulling foreign dollars into the US. Areas with the least manufacturing are typically the poorest bc service based jobs (aside from a tiny amount of tourism) dont pull in foreign dollars so add little/no value to the economy, they simply reshuffle current value/dollars until most of it is lost elsewhere. Contrary to your "simple" logic above, the majority of profit for US manufacturers isnt typically from overseas, it usually comes from their US operations based on a combination of efficiency and asset life/maintenance - we really "do things better" here than east Asia. Similarly, the cheap/disposable vs expensive/long value argument doesnt work, especially on consumer products. Nothing lasts forever and quality and cost are pretty proportional, buy 3 for $1 or 1 for $3, statistically you'll need another at the same time and spend the same money.

I probably shouldn't even bother responding—your personal attacks make it obvious you're not going to have a discussion based on facts, but instead based on emotion.

I'm not making this up. Most economists are in agreement that bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US simply won't work the way you claim. I've read both sides of the issue, but I've found the preponderance of evidence to show that bringing jobs back to the US simply doesn't make sense. Americans need to be better prepared for new types of jobs, and rather than trying to simply look at manufacturing things in the US--something we really can't do competitively anymore--we should be working to do the things we're good at. Americans have gotten lazy about learning, and our education system isn't preparing them for a modern workforce. We continue to do worse and worse compared to other countries when it comes to education. If our economy is going to do well we need more STEM workers, not people flipping burgers and dipping screwdriver handles.

Here's a handful of articles that disagree with your claims, from a number of different sources, many of them economists from recognized institutions (as opposed to "I know a guy..."):
http://www.businessinsider.com/made-in-china-money-goes-to-america-2011-8

http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2011/08/10/the-made-in-china-myth-its-all-american/

http://www.therobinreport.com/made-in-usa-myth-or-reality/

http://reason.com/archives/2011/11/03/the-stupidity-of-buy-american

http://hanseconomics.com/2012/01/04/buy-american-hurts-americans/

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/01/buy-american-hurts-america

https://fee.org/articles/buying-foreign-goods-saves-american-jobs/

 

[66354dream]

It's a pride thing for me at least, there are high quality tools made in other countries but I buy U.S made when I can.

 

[1990 Grand Wag]

I've found the preponderance of evidence to show that bringing jobs back to the US simply doesn't make sense.

Wow........floored!

 

[Gautama]

Wow........floored!

I meant durable goods manufacturing jobs.

 

[Banjorear]

It's a pride thing really. A tool can be made overseas just as well as a tool here in the States, but most tools made overseas aren't with metal as good as American steel.

Agree 100%.

 

[n8n]

It's a pride thing really. A tool can be made overseas just as well as a tool here in the States, but most tools made overseas aren't with metal as good as American steel.

Not sure if that is true today, but it sure was true traditionally.

Today you can get some imported tools that are top quality; it is easier thanks to the interwebs to buy tools made in Germany, Switzerland, GB, etc. and also some of the Taiwanese tools are getting to be competitive in quality to old USA tools.

That said, unless it's something that I need for a particular job, if the cost and quality is similar, I'd as soon buy Proto or SK than I would Stahlwille or Gedore. Why? Because murrican.

Which reminds me, I need to buy a replacement bit for my Snap-On screwdriver. And it's annoying that some of my most used bits are PB Swiss (Pozi) and Vessel (JIS)