Why to you like Made in USA tools?

[nbpt100]

No one on here is old enough to really know what the conditions were for Mill workers but if you read history and remember stories from your grand parents you get a pretty darn good idea. It sucked! It was hard work for low pay and no respect. Management treated you like a rented mule.

it was the unions that brought a living wage to factory workers along with safety protections and the week end. Human dignity.

We could write a book on what went wrong. I will just say it is not easy to have a democratic society with a strong middle class. It takes a lot of work but it is worth it. So many dont want to put in any effort. They just want to blame someone else for every problem. In bad economic times it becomes even more common to point fingers and find scape goats. It is the Unions, the illegals the greedy politicians etc.
Food for thought!

I will close with this. I worked at a factory that gave the union workers a larger raise than they asked for. You heard me correctly. Unthinkable, right! Well it turned out to be a Trojan horse. It was to justify their true intention to move the factory to Mexico. They could run the cost savings numbers to be larger and then easily justify closing the US factory and moving to cheapo labor south of the boarder.
I can't prove this but at the end of it all I am sure management got a nice big bonus based on their financial game playing. They could claim to save the company even more money and exceed their goals.

Yea, sure I buy US made tools if I like the quality. I like to buy local too. I get all of that. But I don't like to support junk products. If it is poor quality I stay away regardless of COO.

 

[flushcut]

I like to buy US made but I also like high quality and will buy high quality from whatever country it is made in.
IMO most manufacturing labor jobs are migrant labor supplied by a temp agency that could give a rats ***.
I think unions helped people back in the day when they were founded but in the modern era helped usher in the age robots.
Insurance companies are to be blamed the most as to why jobs have gone over seas. My buddy owns a manufacturing business (approx 600 employees) and he tells me that insurance costs him almost $20,000 per employee per year.

 

[dar24601]

If it's a tool I'm going to use a lot then I like to buy quality tool and USA made are good quality. I also buy Swiss and German. If it's a one time use thing that I can't rent or borrow then that's when I go harbor freight

 

[Parrothead]

Nostalgia.

My grandpa was a made in the USA guy and worked in the steel mills. That's really it. In my main box I have 80% USA and my road box is about 90% import. The import tools are every bit as functional but cheaper so I don't care if they're lost or stolen.

 

[Infinia]

.

We could write a book on what went wrong. I will just say it is not easy to have a democratic society with a strong middle class. It takes a lot of work but it is worth it. So many dont want to put in any effort. They just want to blame someone else for every problem. In bad economic times it becomes even more common to point fingers and find scape goats. It is the Unions, the illegals the greedy politicians etc.
Food for thought!
.

Amen brother!! Thank you for your living testimony.
The folks at the top are pitting the rest of us against each together whilst they continue to line their own pockets. Don't listen to their twitter feeds, watch what they do behind closed doors. Health care> blaming the poor aging folks for the rising insurance rates? sure thing bub.

It's easy to see this manifest itself on industrial America where you aptly point out fewer and fewer workers are getting decent paying manufacturing jobs and instead moving to lower paid retail and services jobs while the globalisim model concentrates our domestic wealth at the top. Almost everyone is mad about it, and everyone had a different idea of what should be done about it. Personally I I'm pretty America-first when buying stuff, professionally I'm a globalist.

hear that giant sucking sound? Ross Perot was right
Globalism means equality for all
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_sucking_sound

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Because a used USA wrench I can normally find for a buck or two and a used import is normally .50 to 2 bucks at the swap meets here so it's clear to buy that. And for the machines I buy it's because they're vintage and most of the time the USA used ones are the same or cheaper than new import. When I buy new I look for USA because so much family has worked in machining industry and stuff like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[redwrench60]

I buy USA made tools for two main reasons.

1) USA made anything is getting harder and harder to find so I'm helping to fill the gap using one of the few categories rich with American made affordable options.

2) I like quality tools made from good steel, to tight tolerances by people who know their craft. Doesn't always have to be Snap On. There's dozens and dozens of good choices made right here at home and priced right.

I too remember when anything import was total **** not worth hitting a fat hog in the *** with. I learned early that imported tools were more likely to break and stab you in the liver than they were to help you fix anything.

 

[Wamsutta]

Stab you in the liver?

 

[redwrench60]

Stab you in the liver?

Lol better than in the balls I guess. Even in my early days of tinkering I learned to be cautious with cheap tools and realized they were unforgiving and would punish you first chance they got.

 

[nbpt100]

Amen brother!! Thank you for your living testimony.
The folks at the top are pitting the rest of us against each together whilst they continue to line their own pockets. Don't listen to their twitter feeds, watch what they do behind closed doors. Health care> blaming the poor aging folks for the rising insurance rates? sure thing bub.

Exactly dead on! Watch what they do in terms of policy and legislation......everything else is noise. This may be a hard lesson for many to learn.

 

[Jim C.]

I'm sure my preference for USA made tools is based more on nostalgia than anything else. Admittedly that may not be the best reason for liking USA made tools. Growing up, my dad worked at Sears, so Craftsman tools were a given at my house. He also received a 10% employee discount which didn't hurt either. Still, looking back, all my friends' dads, my uncles, neighbors, etc., had a Craftsman box in the garage or basement, and they were pretty much filled with Craftsman, Dunlap, Channellock, Starrett, and a smattering of other USA made brands. EVERYTHING was stamped or marked with "Made in USA." The tools held up and the quality was pretty good. That mentality stuck with me over the years and it's probably not going to change too much going forward. It may be misguided now, but I'm still committed to buying tools (mostly used these days) that were made in the USA. I'll buy Knipex and couple others from overseas, but the quality has to be top notch.

Jim C.

 

[newchris]

I buy american when i can because i love my country and for the most part i am proud of what we produce. I like the idea of an american producing a wrench that i purchase instead of someone else. That being said, that person probably isnt american. ANd someone else mentioned that youre still supporting americans when you buy an imported tool. I agree with that. Also i dont buy into the "better quality" thing. Taiwan is light years beyond what it used to be and their tools... every bit as good as those made domestically...sometimes better. Let the flaming begin.

 

[nbpt100]

I like to buy US made but I also like high quality and will buy high quality from whatever country it is made in.
IMO most manufacturing labor jobs are migrant labor supplied by a temp agency that could give a rats ***.
I think unions helped people back in the day when they were founded but in the modern era helped usher in the age robots.
Insurance companies are to be blamed the most as to why jobs have gone over seas. My buddy owns a manufacturing business (approx 600 employees) and he tells me that insurance costs him almost $20,000 per employee per year.

Automation is a natural progression for business and governments as processes and products become more mature and have higher volumes. It replaces a lot of boring jobs that have repetitive strain injuries and other kinds of injuries. It can be more accurate and precise if done right. It also creates higher paying and more rewarding positions. You can't blame unions although it is easy to. Unions may have sped up the transition but it is going there no mater Union or not. What I don't like is when a company outsources manufacturing and reverts back to manual labor. Leaving what ever automation they have in the scrap pile. I have seen and herd of this.

You are dead right about Insurance companies controlling businesses in advanced countries. All kinds of insurance, health, liability, property, disabilty etc. The entire financial services industry has pulled a coup. They get a cut out of all businesses and individuals pay check. Like the mafia. When every you buy a product, just know a few percentage points of that sale goes to support a large sky scrapper in some large city.
It use to be that the Manufacturing sector (the productive sector) of the economy was serviced by the financial services sector. Now it is the other way around. The manufacturing sector exist for the pleasure of the financial services sector. It is a toy for them to make money with.

 

[eyeball]

Love all the people on GJ that stick their fingers in their ears and pretend we don't live in a global economy

I think most would agree that we live in a global economy.

I choose to participate in the American economy as much as possible. I make my money in America from Americans. From a selfish point of view, why wouldn't I support my fellow Americans so they can continue to buy my goods and services?

I was blessed to be born in America and fortunate enough to be on my way to achieving the American dream; why not help someone trying to achieve their's. You never know, they might be my next client or customer.

I know buying American is often not possible and always more expensive but..

I think a big part of the problem with the abundance of low wage jobs and a lack of living wage type jobs is due to American's spending habits. There are too many people that demand a 6 pack of imported tube socks for $1.98 from Walmart then complain they can't find a decent paying job on the way the parking lot. It is definitely a chicken or egg problem...

Unfortunately, we can't have it both ways...










Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Davediesel]

I buy American made any chance I get, and I always check the COO of every tool I'm considering. "Doing my part" for the revitalization of the American manufacturing workforce is a driving factor. Also, I think if you buy a product "made in U.S.A using global parts" you are still supporting the American workforce. I'll pay a little more for American made even if the quality is slightly lower.......just my two cents.

 

[PJNJ]

I like "Made in USA" tools 'cause they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I like purchase Made in USA products first. Generally better quality and materials.

My theory is that if you don't buy from your neighbor, he won't be able to buy from you.

If USA made products aren't available, then I look at Canada then Western Europe

 

[ilovevocs]

Post #60! IBTL!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[maintguy]

I like good quality. I like a lot of members. I grew up around all the old names in the business

 

[RSCCO]

Just bought a Quincy air compressor, excellent quality and supports our own country!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[66fl]

because being stabbed in the liver hearing that sucking sound is not how i am going out

 

[oldtools]

I am also interested in electrical test instruments (oscilloscope, function generator, frequency counter, multimeter, etc..). I have several hundreds test instruments and 99% of them are US made due to quality and availability. If I could easily get non-US high quality test instruments, I would too. I don't discriminate against countries.

 

[IndyGarage]

I will be very careful here. The last time I expressed my opinion on this topic, I got banned from the board for a week or something.

I personally am upset about the lack of USA jobs, but I also am guilty of letting it happen. I like my Chinese made Milwaukee and Makita tools, and chinese made TV and iPhone. I have more stuff than I ever had before, and it's cheaper than it ever was before.

At one time China didn't know how to build good tools. Now they build way more tools than are built in the USA. They didn't know how to build cars. Today, they build way more cars than are built in the USA and the tools to build those cars are built in China. They didn't know how to build TV's, now they build most of our TV's and the tools to build those TV's are built in China. The Western Electric factory that built more telephones than any other in the world in the 1970's is about 15 miles from my house - now it is a paintball place. My phone and yours was made in China. The tools to manufacture those phones were made in China. The steel to make our tools and our cars and our washing machines is mostly made in China.

And the tools needed to build the factories and make the fixtures and equipment to make that stuff that is made in China was built in China. China is designing and building literally 100X as many tools as we are in America right now.

So we are left with only tools necessary to repair things. But things are so cheap that much is thrown away rather than repaired, because repairs are expensive.

Their economy is on the rise - as is several other lower priced economies. Ours is on the decline. Eventually they will even out at a place that is lower than our standard of living today.

So what can you do? Buy American? That's one thing, but probably ineffective. What you can do is encourage and support efforts to fix things rather than throw them away and buy new. When you fix something that is here you support the person fixing it, and you don't support some low priced laborer making the new one elsewhere. Strongly support the industries we have remaining - ag equipment, aerospace, computers, healthcare - make sure they are getting more competitive and doing well.

Encourage young people to practice conservation by fixing old stuff. Encourage them to be creative with things. Especially encourage them to learn to work hard, and study hard in school - their future is going to depend on it.

 

[oldtools]

I will be very careful here. The last time I expressed my opinion on this topic, I got banned from the board for a week or something.

I personally am upset about the lack of USA jobs, but I also am guilty of letting it happen. I like my Chinese made Milwaukee and Makita tools, and chinese made TV and iPhone. I have more stuff than I ever had before, and it's cheaper than it ever was before.

At one time China didn't know how to build good tools. Now they build way more tools than are built in the USA. They didn't know how to build cars. Today, they build way more cars than are built in the USA and the tools to build those cars are built in China. They didn't know how to build TV's, now they build most of our TV's and the tools to build those TV's are built in China. The Western Electric factory that built more telephones than any other in the world in the 1970's is about 15 miles from my house - now it is a paintball place. My phone and yours was made in China. The tools to manufacture those phones were made in China. The steel to make our tools and our cars and our washing machines is mostly made in China.

And the tools needed to build the factories and make the fixtures and equipment to make that stuff that is made in China was built in China. China is designing and building literally 100X as many tools as we are in America right now.

So we are left with only tools necessary to repair things. But things are so cheap that much is thrown away rather than repaired, because repairs are expensive.

Their economy is on the rise - as is several other lower priced economies. Ours is on the decline. Eventually they will even out at a place that is lower than our standard of living today.

So what can you do? Buy American? That's one thing, but probably ineffective. What you can do is encourage and support efforts to fix things rather than throw them away and buy new. When you fix something that is here you support the person fixing it, and you don't support some low priced laborer making the new one elsewhere. Strongly support the industries we have remaining - ag equipment, aerospace, computers, healthcare - make sure they are getting more competitive and doing well.

Encourage young people to practice conservation by fixing old stuff. Encourage them to be creative with things. Especially encourage them to learn to work hard, and study hard in school - their future is going to depend on it.

The future of the US economy is dependence on how well the younger generation are educated because I believe the future economy will be highly dependence on skilled workers (automation will replace low skill workers). Unfortunately these days, kids are more interested in Facebook and Twitter than studying. Also US K-12 system need a major overhaul as it is not working well right now. They also need to make college more affordable. Instead of wasting money in wars, they should use the money to invest in education and the economy.

 

[-OSIS-]

I wish there was a like button man ^^^^ people buy new rotors instead of turning them. New calipers instead of rebuilding. Same with alternators. Same with engines. Not rebuilding is our biggest problem. You hit her right on the head bud.

 

[IndyGarage]

The future of the US economy is dependence on how well the younger generation are educated because I believe the future economy will be highly dependence on skilled workers (automation will replace low skill workers). Unfortunately these days, kids are more interested in Facebook and Twitter than studying. Also US K-12 system need a major overhaul as it is not working well right now. They also need to make college more affordable. Instead of wasting money in wars, they should use the money to invest in education and the economy.

College is not affordable because it, like every other thing for kids, has been turned into a money making enterprise for adults, rather than an education place for kids.

 

[openwheelracing88]

People who blindly buy American made products are the main contributor to jobs going over seas.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

The future of the US economy is dependence on how well the younger generation are educated because I believe the future economy will be highly dependence on skilled workers (automation will replace low skill workers). Unfortunately these days, kids are more interested in Facebook and Twitter than studying. Also US K-12 system need a major overhaul as it is not working well right now. They also need to make college more affordable. Instead of wasting money in wars, they should use the money to invest in education and the economy.

I'm in 12th grade right now. They tell us college is the only answer and that trade schools are bad. I'm not lying either. I've spent hours sitting in the office because I won't fill out the fafsa thing for financial aid which I know my parents make too much money anyway and I'm joining the navy no matter how much the school discourages it. I think the first problem is schools basically teach kids that college is the only way to get a job and that if you go to college you're entitled to a high paying job right when you get out.

As for USA stuff I just like it when I can afford it I know people who have been in the industrial jobs making stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kwoswalt99]

I'm in 12th grade right now. They tell us college is the only answer and that trade schools are bad. I'm not lying either. I've spent hours sitting in the office because I won't fill out the fafsa thing for financial aid which I know my parents make too much money anyway and I'm joining the navy no matter how much the school discourages it. I think the first problem is schools basically teach kids that college is the only way to get a job and that if you go to college you're entitled to a high paying job right when you get out.

As for USA stuff I just like it when I can afford it I know people who have been in the industrial jobs making stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My hs encourages people to go to trade schools.

 

[IMStuner]

Most of the stuff is built with pride but not all the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tonellin]

My hs encourages people to go to trade schools.

Yeah that kid is lying out his *** or had a bad experience with a guidance counselor. It's not like schools are actively talking bad about trade schools or the military. Give me a break.

I fully believe they are pushing way too many kids to go to college, but to say they are talking bad about trades or discouraging kids from joining the military and BS

 

[bczygan]

I do, and I don't.

Disappointing to walk into Sears and see Craftsman all made in China.

Don't know why I feel that way, because I don't wave any flags except Confederate and Prussian ones.

On the other hand, I'm a citizen of the world first, and don't believe in nationalism. I'll buy any good value and usable product, regardless of who makes it. If Snap-on was made in China, and priced like HF, I would choose it.

Bill

 

[kythri]

I wish there was a like button man ^^^^ people buy new rotors instead of turning them. New calipers instead of rebuilding. Same with alternators. Same with engines. Not rebuilding is our biggest problem. You hit her right on the head bud.

New rotors are usually cheaper than turning rotors, if you can even find someone that turns rotors anymore. There's a lot fewer machine shops these days. Tried this the last time I did brakes on my Explorer. New rotors from NAPA were $35-$50, depending on "OE" vs "Premium". The only machine shop around that would turn rotors wanted $50/rotor to turn.

Most "new" calipers are already rebuilt, and usually have a core charge that's refundable upon return of your old calipers, so those are getting rebuilt.

Alternator rebuilds are the same thing - a new/rebuilt alternator is cheaper than having yours rebuilt, if there's even anyone local that will deign to rebuild alternators - I tried this recently, and was turned away by three different shops because they didn't want to work on passenger vehicle stuff.

Conservation by rebuilding/reusing is great, but paying a (significant) premium to do so? Not fiscally wise - if it's even an option in your area.

 

[kythri]

Yeah that kid is lying out his *** or had a bad experience with a guidance counselor. It's not like schools are actively talking bad about trade schools or the military. Give me a break.

I fully believe they are pushing way too many kids to go to college, but to say they are talking bad about trades or discouraging kids from joining the military and BS

I doubt he's lying at all.

My kid brother had this same experience - he enlisted in the USAF, but was actively pushed away from it for a variety of BS reasons, and was effectively told the only way he'd have a future was if he went to college immediately.

 

[Infinia]

Yeah that kid is lying out his *** or had a bad experience with a guidance counselor. It's not like schools are actively talking bad about trade schools or the military. Give me a break.

I fully believe they are pushing way too many kids to go to college, but to say they are talking bad about trades or discouraging kids from joining the military and BS

Wait a minute, let's look at this a lil' closer. Let me ask you how would you feel if a guidance counselor encouraged your child to go to trade school or sign up, & not stress academic routes of education? IMO most parents would cry ****** murder. These are discussions best left to the parents and child. Guidance counselors are pretty useless as a class of educators. Parents that leave a childs career decision making up to schools are another. You could always quit your white collar job to be a technician, mechanic, or a plumber, but not the other way round. Even within the military, there is a 'class system' at play!

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I doubt he's lying at all.



My kid brother had this same experience - he enlisted in the USAF, but was actively pushed away from it for a variety of BS reasons, and was effectively told the only way he'd have a future was if he went to college immediately.

In one of the hallways they have posters of all the local colleges for people to sign if they got accepted so everyone can see where people got accepted. I talked to the superintendent to see if it was possible to get one put up for military. He said there was one already. The school just chose not to put it up until superintendent came and told them to.

Back onto the thread topic. Another thing about USA tools is all the tools that have been handed down tend to be from USA so to keep the set together it makes sense to fill the missing one with similar USA tools.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tonellin]

In one of the hallways they have posters of all the local colleges for people to sign if they got accepted so everyone can see where people got accepted. I talked to the superintendent to see if it was possible to get one put up for military. He said there was one already. The school just chose not to put it up until superintendent came and told them to.

Back onto the thread topic. Another thing about USA tools is all the tools that have been handed down tend to be from USA so to keep the set together it makes sense to fill the missing one with similar USA tools.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So I was correct. Mountain out of a mole hill. The poster not being placed up have just been as easily attributed to a secretary or someone being a little lax than some big conspiracy, probably more so. I was at my sisters graduation 2 years ago and they individually highlighted and had a round of applause for each child that was entering the armed forces

 

[KM223]

I buy American with pride and I can see the pride that goes into every American tool I buy. My only hope is that the American company pays the American worker with pride. They deserve it.

 

[kwoswalt99]

At my school, they have military posters, but only in the athletic wing...

 

[eyeball]

People who blindly buy American made products are the main contributor to jobs going over seas.

I would love to hear more... please elaborate.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk