U WANTED MADE IN U.S.A., or SHINN FU??

I think that the fault that Americans had with Japan came about in the early years after the war. In my younger years and probably many of our younger years you could by products that were Japanese that were of low quality. A lot like the Chinese stuff that we are buying now. You could also buy stuff that was high quality a lot like the Chinese stuff that we are buying now.

The Japanese as well as the Chinese are an industrious people. They have both built themselves up from nothing more times than I would like to count. Both countries still have some qualities that many of us older HAMBers were raised with that some of our younger people seem to have lost. They revere age, the older people in their society are not forgotten and eventually warehoused. They are cared for and respected.

There are things in their culture that we don't understand or repsect but it is because they are different from us. We can't grasp it.

Like Ed has pointed out here they are certainly not lazy.

 

My apologies to Flamingokid. I didn't see the rest of your posts. But the term chink really is unacceptable unless your talking about building a log house.

 

True, I was told this by my Father , he has been there a few times also, came back with the exact same recollection

 

Big business is not trying to make anything eco-friendly........... They are either forced to or they have found it to be the latest marketing gimmic... Green the latest marketing gimmic. Some products are truly green and some it's just a gimmic. Like smaller boxes, less material, less waste, better for enviroment.................Green............ Just another Corporate LIE............. The only green they care about is Money................

 

After I hit post,I thought about it.The one thing that went through my mind was derogatory terms bother me more than my Asian business partner,since he was raised on a farm in the middle of Kansas.He knows more rednecks than I do.And one can go through life editting the heck out of their speech,but sooner or later,you get figured out.And when I apologize for something,I truly mean it,it's not just a couple of words strung together.Anyway,I hope to become a more productive member of this forum and feel free to ask me how I really feel.

 

This is sort of a double edged sword. We all complain about "obscene profits" made by Fortune 500 companies (and especially oil companies). However, most corporations are publicly traded and many of us benefit directly or indirectly from the dividends (profits) paid out to the shareholders (you, me, banks, insurance companies, municipalities, financial institutions, etc., etc.). If we are fortunate enough to have a pension plan that is still solvent, a 401K that still has some value, life insurance, a mutual fund that is growing or other financial tools, be thankful that the profits are there to support them. Corporate managers who don't create profit growth and drive up the stock price are soon chased out of town by angry shareholders and the board of directors.

However, the compensation for some of the top managers is a whole other kettle of fish ... is anyone really worth $50 million+ a year for spending other people's money?

I'll get off my soapbox now.....

 

The gauntlet is thrown,let's see if somebody wants the business bad enough to pull it together.I, for one, would buy one,maybe two.

 

Thank you for that flamingokid, actually I'm quite surprised at some of the P.M's I have received. All very positive I must say. The economy is a bit shaky right now, but you never know what the next few month's might hold. There is NO question, we as Americans are sick and tired of being out of work, and the buy cheap imported and then throw it away product mentality. I always thought if I came out of retirement it would be for something like doing some R&D and performance engine building strictly with the Buick straight 8 which was always a backburner idea/dream of mine. I have a long list of ideas I would throw at that massive piece of history. Never in a million years considered building engine stands and cherry pickers. This idea will be getting some serious consideration, thanks again for the input, TR

 

Do you have a particular design in mind. Three casters or four? Easy to break down or more permanent?

One of the biggest costs will be the casters if they are to be American made.

I am interested. I run a small shop that I believe can produce what you are looking for. 1000 pcs over what period.

 

I think I speak for the majority of us when I say that we go out of our way to buy American and that we are probably the biggest recyclers of all things American.A couple of days ago I received a rebuild kit for my 1938 Oster Art Deco Blender.It's older than my Pops and it still runs like new.My DD is eligible for social security(if it were human)The greatest generation built some pretty good stuff and I like carrying on that tradition in my cars,antique radios,and anything else I own.

 

This is what its going to take to begin to turn this country around. Elpolacko is not along in looking for small shops capable of making small production runs. A guy possessing the ability to do the work required to fill small orders like this can get the required used machine(s) and begin working out of a garage or small shop. Once people find out you do such things are can produce quality work, they will be knocking at your door. The concept to make it work is to keep it small at first and slowly build as the need arises. Too many people think you need to have everything new and start off big, with big overhead and big debt, and as soon as something goes wrong, they are screwed.

I started my shop with $6,000 and 15 years later, I'm still doing it. The last few have been challenging, but I'm still here doing my thing. I do not have the capacity to do the 1000 engine stands, but could probably provide some of the small parts that might enable someone else to make the stands, and I'd be OK with that. Gene

 

I read somewhere that corn was being sold below production cost to help loser the price of meat by making cow feed cheaper, and this was putting a strain on farmers that grow corn.

This is just something that I've read, in several places. . . but I'm from The Bronx, the furthest place you could be from a farm. So I can't speak from any kind of experience.

 

The subsidies are going to ethanol production and not the farmers. Millions of dollars are being spent on ethanol and it is causing the shortage on corn in turn increasing the price of feed for cattle. The feed corn for cattle is the same that is being used for ethanol production. Corn grain for processing for food is a different market.

 

Thank you sir, I was just looking for cost of materials. Part of the idea and context of the thread. Is it even remotely possible for this product to be produced here by Americans, with all U.S.A. materials with a actual profit margin large enough to keep the doors open. If the idea ever came to fruition, we would set up a small manufacturing shop in Mo., and hire some hard working Americans locally. Thank you for your interest, and continued sucess with your shop, TR

 

Trad I will be at my country house this Sunday. My neighbor is gathering up the locals that are good workers and capable, for a meeting @ the PorknBean Ranch. A couple of heavy hitters are supposed to be there also, old country money. I'll let you know how it comes out.

I guess I could force myself to move to the country this summer, much as I would hate to leave life in the city.

This is going to be fun, right? I don't want to do it if it aint fun.

 

Thanks for the update Benno, I beleive the cost of materials alone will be prohibitive for sucess. I think prohibitive is a word, anyway, it will be intersting between the cost of steel, American made casters { if there is even such a thing }, and of course U.S.A. made hardware. Please dont get the out of work guy's too excited so they are not let down, we need you here on the HAMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fun is my middle name, unless your next to me in the other lane.

 

That is still fun, you can start a thread about if my tail lights are really trad or not.

 

Gonna need at least a sketch of the design you have in mind to know how much tubing it will take, to figure cost.

 

Wow, interesting read, all 170 posts. At least my industry can't be moved offshore - nuke weapons. Although the Chinese and others are trying like hell to steal or buy the technology and materials.

The big problem i see is that people want lower cost items, and with the global economy, that means mass produced stuff goes to the low cost producer in some third world or non-regulated country.

Sorta kinda related, I wanted a good high quality bear claw style latch for my projects. I did some searching and found a USA made good quality latch. But to get a decent price I had to buy more than i needed, 25 sets. I sold the rest here to recoup my money, and have actually restocked several times; also started carrying the smaller size in addition tot he original large size. So far I have been able to offer the excellent product at a less then MIC price. But only because I do it as side job and do not make any real profits. I do it because it offers a good product that is made in USA and people can use with confidence. See my sig below for link, if you have not seen them.

 

They're trained to do that. Ask them about the weather in the alleged city they are in. They won't have a clue.

 

We dont have an industrial policy in Ameriaca so you cant compete with countrys that do. Just the cost of materials is so much higher here that you are done before you start. Just price the materials & you will find that the finished product from Asia is much cheaper not becuse just labor is less there but everything is.

 

I am looking for someone to produce some forged parts. I need upper control arm shafts in 4130, Dakota/Volare' replacement. Believe it or not, no one makes them.

 

Funny you bring that up. Actually it's been the other way around. I've been asked that then they've told me about their weather. Clever.

 

I would edit that to say "North American worker" as this problem exists in Canada as well.

I agree with you're statement but the ridiculously high labor rates that unions ensure drive the cost up requiring the manufacturer to cut costs elsewhere to be competitive, hence the lower quality of materials. In what other industry can a high school educated (or maybe not) employee make $45/hr to repetitively bolt stuff together as it rolls past them on a conveyor system. $45/hr is about $90,000 a year!

Part of the problem in my opinion is that countries like China and India can manufacture for less because they are not held to the same regulatory standards as North American companies. Those human rights (health and safety) and particularly environmental requirements are very costly and these emerging nations care little about them. There are so many people there that human life means little and replacement workers are everywhere. In the end, these factors will catch up to all of us worldwide as the unregulated pollution produced there affects all of us.

Steve

 

so lets all work for $12.00 per hour while the company execs make 300%+, more per year than hourly workers!!! anyone else see a problem with that logic or is it just me

 

If the playing field was evened out though (i.e. these foreign countries REQUIRED to meet OH&S and environmental standards equal to what we must meet) the cost to manufacture overseas would not be advantageous and manufacturing here would again make fiscal sense. Consumers would be required to pay more regardless of where the items they purchase are made but these same consumers would then earn more as more, better paying jobs would be created due to the increase in domestic manufacturing.

Steve

 

I know I am running the risk of getting slapped by the admins here.

This is the attitude that is killing this country.

Class Warfare and outright jealousy of what others do is not good my man. Nothing and I do mean NOTHING is stopping you from becoming one of those company executives you seem to loathe except your own preconceived notion of a class system. Don't like your lot in life, tough shit. YOU did it to yourself by not getting educated or pushing yourself.

Get over your entitlement and bust your ass.

 

Liability insurance is expensive however it really depends on what you are insuring. But then again any insurance is expensive, seems like it would be cheaper to just build good shit

I'm not in the business, but that seems very excessive. Just what would take that long for small parts production? There have been plenty of examples of fast track manufacturing and with the new highspeed machineing as a standard anymore, I would think the production time from design to finish parts could be cut way down compared to the old methods.

I could make the parts myself with the current crop of CNC machining centers available. That is most likely what I am going to have to do. I am just exploring my options.

 

What he said. We can ALL be CEOs. Ivy League schools take ANYONE, and have affordable tuition. Racial and gender discrimination have been completely eliminated from our society, and working 80 hours a week at the high executive level is something we should all want and aspire to. And there's an executive job for all 300 million Americans so get off your ass and get going!

 

I get you're trying to be cute, but your snarky defeatism is closer to reality than you know.