Bucket hooks

[chim]

If you want quality bolt-on stuff, buy Ken's. My BIL bought some and they're top notch.

If you're a DIYer I've been happy with the approach below on the three tractors they've been mounted on.

 

[WranglerX]

If you want quality bolt-on stuff, buy Ken's. My BIL bought some and they're top notch.

If you're a DIYer I've been happy with the approach below on the three tractors they've been mounted on.

Nothing against Kens products as they appear to be top quality and he does publish test results!

In Blacksminting areas I am associated with, we have found casting flaws in working surface of VEVOR anvils that have been welded up and ground down, and in non working surfaces flaws filled with body filler and painted over..... And there you have it about quality of low end VEVOR anvils...

My approach to bucket hooks has nothing to do with poor quality of 3rd world manufacturing by child or prison labor, or top quality from Kens but I chose to go a different route because I had the time and the materials...

 

[WinterDeere]

I don't work in the industry, and I'm sure I used the wrong term, but when Group A takes Group B's product and produces a direct copy for a quarter of the price because profit literally means nothing, Group A is an *******.

Does that work?

Yeah, I hear you. But that's just life in the business of an "also-ran". Produce any very simple product, that anyone can churn out from their own garage, and you can't expect to be exclusive.

It sucks, I deal with this problem everyday in my own business, but it's reality. Dog eat dog, and all...

The folks at BOH are doing it right, distinguishing themselves with high quality and excellent customer service. These are two of the very few ways left to stay competitive, in this type of business.

 

[5030]

The issue is simply, the Chinese can produce it cheaper because their built in overheads are less.

Like EV's. I read that no matter how much tariff is placed on them, they can still make a profit. You are gonna see a literal flood of Chinese EV's in this country shortly and they will sell substantially less than anything made here. Old Elon is gonna tale a hit as well. The largest EV builder in China is government owned I believe.

 

[5030]

The underlying issue is...

People in general want it cheaper and the Chinese comply.

The baked in cost of domestically produced goods (wages, benefits, union dues and the general attitudes of the labor force) makes domestically produced hard goods not competitive. Good example is the price of vehicles today.

IMO, no vehicle today is worth the asking price, don't matter who built it either and inflation is eating away at that cost as well.

So long as the economy remains inflationary, the prices of hard goods will keep rising and become less and less available for those who's wages are stagnant. Look at the cost of new housing for another example.

Nothing much anyone can do about it other than can the current administration in DC and install a more conservative one.

Why I always maintain, get out and vote. Only voting and not whining about it will do anything to change the current morass we are in.

Sadly, we have become a nation of whiners and not doers.....

 

[jyoutz]

The underlying issue is...

People in general want it cheaper and the Chinese comply.

The baked in cost of domestically produced goods (wages, benefits, union dues and the general attitudes of the labor force) makes domestically produced hard goods not competitive. Good example is the price of vehicles today.

IMO, no vehicle today is worth the asking price, don't matter who built it either and inflation is eating away at that cost as well.

So long as the economy remains inflationary, the prices of hard goods will keep rising and become less and less available for those who's wages are stagnant. Look at the cost of new housing for another example.

Nothing much anyone can do about it other than can the current administration in DC and install a more conservative one.

Why I always maintain, get out and vote. Only voting and not whining about it will do anything to change the current morass we are in.

Sadly, we have become a nation of whiners and not doers.....

Explain what any administration can do to change the facts that China builds and sells cheaper goods than the U.S. No administration can lower wages, benefits, and other employee costs, and tariffs are paid by the U.S. consumer. U.S. companies are responding to the focus of maximizing shareholder value. The U.S. will never focus on manufacturing cheap consumer products again, just higher value products.

 

[chim]

...................................IMO, no vehicle today is worth the asking price, don't matter who built it either and inflation is eating away at that cost as well..............................

Which is why I drive a Trailblazer with 268,000 miles on it. There's a 2002 Olds Alero in the garage with 50,000 miles on it in case something happens to the Chevy I can't fix.

We bought a CD and set it aside for a new Tahoe three or four years ago. Not sure if it'll end up being a Tahoe or something else. Maybe it won't even be a new vehicle. We're not being forced into replacing anything and maybe when people realize how upside down they are a real bargain could come along.

 

[dkmc]

Yeah, I hear you. But that's just life in the business of an "also-ran". Produce any very simple product, that anyone can churn out from their own garage, and you can't expect to be exclusive.

It sucks, I deal with this problem everyday in my own business, but it's reality. Dog eat dog, and all...

The folks at BOH are doing it right, distinguishing themselves with high quality and excellent customer service. These are two of the very few ways left to stay competitive, in this type of business.

That's a great point. US companies have been copying each other for decades. Even with patented products. Shouldn't be a surprise when a foreign country does it and US patent laws don't apply to them.
There used to be a news rag racing parts paper called Parts Peddler. Filled with companies that made and sold racing parts. Throughout the year, you see the different shops advertising their latest innovation or gizmo. A month later, there's another shop with an 'improved' version of the same part. Then there's another shop with nearly the same part but it's 10% lower cost. A few of the products said 'Patent Pending' and they were still copied. Interesting to watch, super glad I was not involved.

 

[kennyd]

Here is was gets me...

We sell a hook with G8 hardware for $25.00. Laser cut steel plate, forged hook, robotically welded, and plated all here in the mid-Atlantic/NEPA region. Haven't raised that price in 8 years or so, mostly because I didn't want to jump on the CV19 train and just raise them because everyone else was. Our profit margin went down, but we made up for it in selling volumes and doing large quantity manufacturing batches. Like we get the 5/16" hooks forged 15,000 at a time. Plus it helps that we have very low overhead compared to other companies. We also cater to some specialty needs for Kubota and other buckets that wont support a regular hook. Ours even have the smallest footprint of any other hook on the market.

But, back my point since I'm not here to convince anyone to buy ours, even the OP is not interested in them...but it does relate a bit to the JUF 'copy' mentioned and linked by the OP @dkmc

We sell a hook for $25, so 'most' customers buy two at a time, that's $50 plus shipping since we don't play the 'free' shipping game-as if there was such a thing. Now on the big "A", you can find a pair (two) of hooks for +/- $30 or so. That hook has to be shipped overseas, import duties paid, marketed and sold on Amazon which takes a cut (up to 15% I believe), then shipped 'free' to the customer. Oh, and the seller needs to make a profit right? So how much is the product really worth, and how can it done well with even moderate quality materials for that little cost? It's just fascinating to me! Same for the JUF copies that are "1/4 of the cost" as one poster said.

 

[5030]

Shipping costs are eating smaller businesses alive today and rates are only going to go up. I just quoted a customer in Europe on my patented bike stand and the shipping was more that the stand cost was. Crazy stuff.

 

[kennyd]

Yup. USPS rates went up again on 7/1/24 in fact.

 

[WinterDeere]

...Oh, and the seller needs to make a profit right? So how much is the product really worth, and how can it done well with even moderate quality materials for that little cost? It's just fascinating to me!

I'm in the similar boat to you, with the products I sell. Our products have only a few (4~6 weeks) R&D investment, and could honestly be copied by any savvy competitor with maybe 2 weeks R&D investment and maybe 3 months calendar time. Not a very high bar, for anyone who wants to hurdle it. Your market is even tougher, with even less investment to get started.

I really believe you'll just never capture the customer shopping primarily on cost. Your customers are those who more likely:

1. Want to buy American
2. Appreciate the advice and customer service you can offer
3. Want to know they're buying something made from quality materials, that won't dangerously fail after welded or bolted in place
4. Want to deal with a company who will warranty their product when things don't go right

UPS absolutely kills me. I bill for shipping, but the final charges always end up higher than what was quoted, and it seems everytime I turn around they're finding a new thing to invoice me for. To quote Churchill, "they're the worst, except for all the others."

 

[5030]

There is always USPS but the issue with them is, will it ever get delivered and if it does, how much time did it take....

 

[WranglerX]

Always have to laugh..

Product is $19.99 plus $10 shipping...
Product is $29.99 and free shipping...

Product is $38.99 and we will not be undersold...
Next ad below product is $29.99....

And so it goes, Got to wonder just how dumb the marketing people think we are.....

 

[Williy]

I:haven't purchased any hooks etc as I use my straps as I have so many
of them also I don't have anything to life that I know of the weights over
200 lbs and two straps one of each side of the bucket works great!
Now if I have a lot of heavy freight to move then it would be wise to use
hooks. As it stands now I very seldom have anything heavy to move.

Looks like I will be purchasing a new Jetta, no maintenance for 2 years
or 20k miles 4 year 50K mile warranty 3 year road side assistance or 36K miles plus the 40 miles per gallon at 75 - 80 will almost double my mileage that I get now and the Price is between $22K to $32K. So its the
best deal for a new car on the market. When its time for the 3rd oil change its time for a new car

willy

 

[WinterDeere]

Hooks are very handy, Williy! I used to use mine for moving nearly all of my logs, before switching to pallet forks for most of it:



Even with pallet forks being quicker for a single logs, a pair of chokers and bucket hooks still has the advantage when moving bundles of several smaller logs:

 

[scootr]

Pallet forks with grapple

 

[2manyrocks]

Could be you spent more on the grapple and forks than buying bolt on hooks and slip chains for your FEL bucket.

 

[BlueKnife]

Could be you spent more on the grapple and forks than buying bolt on hooks and slip chains for your FEL bucket.

Usually, getting a more effective machine costs money. I can move a 6 ton pile of dirt across the yard with a shovel. It's cheaper than buying a 5 gallon bucket, or wheel barrow, or cart, or front loader. The difference is in the speed and efficiency. A grapple or even just forks is many times faster for moving logs than hooks and slip chains.

 

[WinterDeere]

Could be you spent more on the grapple and forks than buying bolt on hooks and slip chains for your FEL bucket.

Even though I have both, and the forks are quicker for moving logs on flat ground without leaving the seat, there are many places where the forks just don't work at all. Try picking logs out of a closed-side trailer, and you'll find chains from the bucket hooks with tongs are the only way to go. I'd destroy my trailer trying to stab forks in from the side.



Other times, when I want to just grab a whole bundle of logs, chain chokers are quicker and more secure than forks... although maybe a grapple would change my perspective on that one.