Made in the USA (resources, not a RANT)

I would watch this, I have heard Kobalt handtools are made in USA several times, but when I go and look at pliars and adjustable wrenches they say made in china at my Lowes. I think the sockets are USA, but check when you buy.

 

I love this thread and I’m probably the biggest proponent of "Anything BUT made in China", but I have to say, firstly it’s not easy to buy locally made products and they are not always better. It wasn’t that long ago that "Made in USA" was not always synonymous with quality.

As far as tools go, many Craftsman tools (higher lines) are still made in North America. Some Canadian Tire Mastercraft tools and most Fuller screw drivers are still made in here.

Bringing everything back is not realistic, what we should push for is to give us a choice. For example, J.A. Henkel knives of Germany make three lines of knives; Professional – Made in Germany, Classic – Made in Spain, Value – Made in China. They don’t hide it. You check your pocket book and decide what you want. What drives me crazy are all the US and Canadian companies riding their previous reputation and moving to cheap Chinese crap.

 

Milwaukee tools is one that comes to mind. They where bought by a chinese company...any word yet on the quaility? they seem to look cheaper.
and Yep...Channellock still made in meadville, Pa. my inlaw works there.
I always look at the labeling

 

witmerproducts.com/

Here is another company making a few, albeit, quirky, US-made products.

 

All of my grilles are built here in Pennsylvania, by me! My aluminum is extruded either here in PA also, or Ohio (depending on which plant gets the job)
My shipping boxes are made in Maryland.

I've received calls from Chinese companies wanting to build my grilles, I just hang up on them...

Dan Baker
Alumicraft Street Rod Grilles

 

These all are... like Dan... my stuff is all made by me right here in Michigan. The materials are actually all US made as well. Thats right, the 3/16" steel used in the mounts and other products was made right here in the good ol USA... I hand picked it out of the rack at the fab shop here in town that does my laser cutting.

ALSO... most of the 1000's of products I sell and carry, are all US made. Us USA made guys are not as cheap as some of the LARGE warehouse outfits, but some times that cheapness comes at a price... imagine that.

 

Check with your Snap-On dealer- Before I sold my Snap-On route, the best blades were made by Sandvik, which Snap-On bought a few years ago. Sandvik is based in Sweden, and has several plants in europe and the U.S. Their bi-metal hacksaw blades are the best Ive ever used, and Im not just saying that cuz I sold em.

And, just for the record, SNAP-ON TOOLS ARE NOT MADE IN CHINA-
(Gotta watch out for Blue-Point, though.)

This is a great thread, by the way.

 

My Tacoma was made in the USA and my Ford in Canada...

 

Im not sure if it has been mentioned yet but Baldor Electric products are MADE IN THE USA. I work for the company and they make great buffers and grinders.

 

light bulbs.

 

China? We created those bastards. I guess if they keep their shit up a war is bound to break sometime. I mean they got workers working for 12 cents and hour. We can't possibly compete with that. I say China needs to go down since all the stuff they make is garbage anyway.

 

I stopped buying anything Levi when they withdrew their support and donations to the Boy Scouts from the San Francisco Headquarters!

 

I know where you guys are coming from. I am Canadian and have a hard time buying Canadian only stuff. China,USA,Indonesian, whatever. It's all foreign to me. I try to buy locally first, provincially second, nationally third, and whatever after that. It is a global economy though. Peter

 

I think Apex tools are still made in the USA. I have a nice old set of swivel sockets from them and they were produced here in Dayton, OH I think.

 

Sears still honors the lifetime warranty on all of their hand tools, are you referring to a different type of tool warranty they used to have? I exchanged 4 broken tools just last week. 1 was an extension 2 were sockets (that I shouldn't have used on an impact) and the other was a 3/8 ratchet that didn't agree with my 3 foot long cheater bar.

I did notice that they started giving me reconditioned tools instead of new ones, if they had them in their drawer.

 

And putting a moon sticker on them does not help. Bill still makes kick ass tanks.

 

I've been buying Prison Blues jeans. They are made in America (in the Pendelton, Oregon prison) with American made denim. Excellent quality (better than Levis, etc) and look good. Buy them extra big because they shrink a lot.

$26 bucks a pair is what i paid.

-scott noteboom

 

Believe me, I feel you pain. I own a small buisness and yes, all of our products are made in the USA, if not locally here in Detroit. It does cost more, but I feel much better when I can go over to the mold shop and check out some parts, or to the screen printer that will show me a test run on some colors. Its just the right way to do business. Its very hard to pass up the foreign prices. We can get a speedometer sender for $54.00 from the manufacturer here, and in china or india we can get them for $12.00 shipped.
I realize why the bigger companies go overseas to save $1.00 on 100,000 parts, but I just feel better making a few less bucks.
I did notice that in alot of catalogs like speedway thet are offering both versions (standard and made in the USA)
Mark

 

Back to the top, and I'm interested in buying a 4-1/2" angle grinder that's made in the USA.

 

And sometimes no matter what, you just have to shake your head and go,,,,WTF!

 

That's funny.

 

i think schulenberg texas or close by

 

I saw a bid poster at a shoe store saying new balance athletic shoes are USA made, got home checked the pair my wife has and sure'nuff made right here!Also for the canadian bro's my meat smoker i bought was made in Canada!

 

ive got a friend in a union trade and says he wears new balance shoes cause they are made in a union plant

 

Every town has a uniform store...the shoes and boots for postal workers are American made. Look for the black and green sewn-on tag (and the MADE in USA on the inside).

RediRad is also Made in USA...not many pieces of electronics are these days, sadly.

 

i know this thread is all about options for american made products.

here is another one to consider:

People like to buy American because American made products have a higher level of quality and many people have a strong sense of pride for this country.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is making your own tool/product.

doesn't work for everything but sometimes it can be a nice little project that gives you the quality and pride you are looking for.

I just borrowed an engine stand that was made in china, took some quick measurements and made my own that is a lot more sturdy (and has 4 swivel casters!!!)

if you have the resources and time you can get exactly what you want, and buying your raw materials will be good for your local economy.

*note this only works if you don't live in China.

 

For the machinists out there, I've been buying my carbide inserts from a small time manufacturer who makes them right here in the USA.

The company name is Max-Pro Tools.

Their website is kinda kludgey, but here it is: http://www.maxprotools.com/index.html

You can find their inserts on EBay, or call them up.

I use their high polish, high positive milling and turning inserts for aluminum. They are excellent inserts, and if you get the cutting data right, they'll leave a mirror finish on the part.

Their inserts use state of the art geometry, substrate material, and coatings, while offering them at a very competitive price.

Very small operation, but they know their shit.

 

I think I posted a while back that Lapco shirts were made in the us.Its sad to say that theyve gone to mexico now and their shirts are crap quality now.If you do alot of welding theyll burn up quick.My next shirts will be Martin Brothers shirts.Owned by a UA member and made in the US.Wigwam socks are made in the US.I recently got the Pendleton Blues Jeans and I love them.Great Quality.I spent weeks looking for boxerbriefs and came up finally with Lifewear ones.Theyre good and cheaper than alot of the others.I am slowly weening myself off of foreign made goods.Maybe if everyone started doing more of that we could get more jobs created and not be so sufficient on other countrys.This is definatly a cause worth fighting for.A new customer to a small company could make quite the difference.

 

i looked and looked, emailed companies and couldn't find one. i ended up buying bosch which were made in germany. some aren't but some are you'll have to look at the box to be sure. this was a few years ago so who know if they still are german made.

later jim

 

Speedway Motors always asks for comments in their surveys. Last time I suggested that they put the "Made in the USA" logo in their catalog where appropriate (such as Lincoln brakes).
I haven't heard back from them, but if more guys make that suggestion maybe they would consider doing it.