Rotary Cutter Bush Hog temporarily shuts down...

[have_blue]

When will it end?

When we start putting our money where our mouth's are.

I did. I bought a Bush Hog. See where it got me!

Kidding aside, I blame the manufacturers. They start small, build a great product, then the company grows and is turned over to a board of directors. The board wants profit, profit, profit. So NH starts importing their parts from Japan, and JD from India and Yard Machines. Only thing to do is vote with your wallet. It requires sacrifice, because American goods are EXPENSIVE!

 

[Builder]

That's becoming increasingly hard to do (Buy American). I've got stuff I bought 10 years ago that was made in America sitting next to the new "American engineered, produced in China" substitute (because the US plant shut down), and let me tell you, it's nowhere near as good as the older American version. And you can tell there's no way it will last as long.

I'm at the point where it's a moral victory of sorts if it's anything but Chinese made.

 

[Scooby074]

That's becoming increasingly hard to do (Buy American). I've got stuff I bought 10 years ago that was made in America sitting next to the new "American engineered, produced in China" substitute (because the US plant shut down), and let me tell you, it's nowhere near as good as the older American version. And you can tell there's no way it will last as long.

I'm at the point where it's a moral victory of sorts if it's anything but Chinese made.

"American engineered, produced in China" Ticks me off to no end... Nothing like rubbing our noses in the fact that were shipping our technological knowhow to the Chinese.

"I'm at the point where it's a moral victory of sorts if it's anything but Chinese made. " I hear that, ill go out of my way to support Can and Us manufacturers but its getting pretty hard. Cant even buy ViseGrips anymore.

 

[nomad]

American goods are EXPENSIVE!

And, American folks are poorer and poorer. You each have to pay 10,000 USD to compansate 1 trillion dollar for financing/saving those 15 banks, right? Heh, nobody is saving the poors. Somethings really wrong. Maybe, it is time to have CEOs work in workshops. They are jobless people now. This way, costs of implements will go down. Yes, time for CEOs to work in workshops.

 

[nomad]

and let me tell you, it's nowhere near as good as the older American version.

Older German versions too were very strong items. But, in the science of last decades, it has been called that such good goods are "over-engineered" goods. While it is enough to use 1" thickness, if you use material of 3" thickness, it is called so. Over-engineering.

 

[buck12]

That's becoming increasingly hard to do (Buy American). I've got stuff I bought 10 years ago that was made in America sitting next to the new "American engineered, produced in China" substitute (because the US plant shut down), and let me tell you, it's nowhere near as good as the older American version. And you can tell there's no way it will last as long.

I'm at the point where it's a moral victory of sorts if it's anything but Chinese made.

You are exactly right. Three years ago my ten year old hunting boots fell apart. These boots were comfortable and warm therefore I wanted the same boots. Looked in my hunting file and found the paperwork. Everything was proudly marked made in USA. I ordered the same boots when they arrived they didn't fit and upon closer inspection were marked made in China. What are US consumers to do when there are no US made options?

 

[Builder]

You are exactly right. Three years ago my ten year old hunting boots fell apart. These boots were comfortable and warm therefore I wanted the same boots. Looked in my hunting file and found the paperwork. Everything was proudly marked made in USA. I ordered the same boots when they arrived they didn't fit and upon closer inspection were marked made in China. What are US consumers to do when there are no US made options?

The best thing you can do is talk to your friends and family about that very important point you just made. You hit the nail right on the head.....what ARE WE TO DO when there are no US made options. I just paid $140 for a pair of Red Wings just to get US made. The red Wing salesman told me they'll probably all be Chinese made in a few more years.

Chinese tractors, chinese dog food, chinese toothpaste, chinese pre-fabricated homes, but we just keep buying it.....buying junk for low prices.

Only ones benefitting are the Chinese and your local landfill, which all the Chinese stuff goes into after a few years.

 

[nomad]

Chinese tractors, chinese dog food, chinese toothpaste, chinese pre-fabricated homes, but we just keep buying it.....buying junk for low prices.

Your famous brand laptops too are made in China. CNC machines labelled Taiwan, Japan, etc too are actually made in China. Are they too junk?

People have been disinformed. I classify Chinese products in 3 categories. 1st, 2nd and 3rd quality products. Most of buyers (importers, etc) are buying cheapest class products from China. If the price of class 1 is 10 usd, then, price of 2nd class is 7 usd and price of 3rd quality is 5 usd. What you get is 5 usd-3rd quality Chinese products because your importers can make good profit from them. I imported some solar energy collectors from there. Paid 10 usd for their 1st class and this price was much cheaper than western products and still was much better quality than similar western products. So, there are every kind, many different quality products in China, from world top to world junks. Importers buy junks.

 

[Builder]

Your famous brand laptops too are made in China. CNC machines labelled Taiwan, Japan, etc too are actually made in China. Are they too junk?

People have been disinformed. I classify Chinese products in 3 categories. 1st, 2nd and 3rd quality products. Most of buyers (importers, etc) are buying cheapest class products from China. If the price of class 1 is 10 usd, then, price of 2nd class is 7 usd and price of 3rd quality is 5 usd. What you get is 5 usd-3rd quality Chinese products because your importers can make good profit from them. I imported some solar energy collectors from there. Paid 10 usd for their 1st class and this price was much cheaper than western products and still was much better quality than similar western products. So, there are every kind, many different quality products in China, from world top to world junks. Importers buy junks.

Maybe they do make great solar panels. The way our countries leaders think we're going to need solar power to save the world from warming, it's a good thing, too.

As far as computers go, I would stand by Chinese lack of quality. Older computers seemed to be built tougher and last longer. We're going through a chinese built computer about every 2 years. My wife's chinese laptop cracked and had to be replaced at a cost of $1500. Our non-chinese built 5 yr old laptop still works and isn't cracked!

You may be right on to some things, nomad. However, I actually use a lot of tools and equipment and I can tell you first hand, the chinese replacements of what was once US made, do not last as long. I have some Chinese built Stanley tools that have replaced well built 5-10 year old Stanley tools that were US made and the Chinese versions break unexplicably in a matter of months. I don't think I'm disinformed when it's happening right before my very eyes.

Don't get me started on the 50 billion in patent law infringement lawsuits we have currently against the Chinese. I'd doubt we'll ever see a dollar.

I think the question remains that we need to build some things here in the USA for national securities sake and to give our citizenry who don't attend college something else to do other than work for the government, Walmart, or McDonalds.

 

[nomad]

I paid some more (which is still cheaper than anywhere in the world) for solar collectors and got the best quality in the world.

Which computers? HP, IBM, etc? Open and check components (monitors, harddisks, etc). Most of them, even of top brand names, are made in China now.

Yes, older machines were stronger. For example, we have old Chekoslovakia and Russia (soviet times) made mechanical lathes here as well as German mades, USA mades and Turkey mades. Best, strongest and best ones are Chekoslovakia (soviet time) made lathes and still being used. But, now, CNCs everywhere except very small workshops who still use these Chek lathes. And, 90% of CNCs lathes are made in China. Accept it or not, times have changed. Nobody can compete them Chinese anymore. Only method is to close the borders, but, this means no more globalization that has been promoted for 2-3 decades.

50 billion in patent law infringment lawsuits against Chinese companies? 50 billion is nothing for them. Remember China holds some? tends of trillion dollar papers of USA in their box. And, also note that copy makers are actually many western companies who are ordering products to Chinese companies. So, half of 50 billion will have to be paid by western companies.

Another thing about patent thing; (as for one who has worked in science field for decades, in theoretical and physical fields), I know this well that many scientific theories and inventments had been stolen by westerners from science towns under the ice of soviet union, novosibirsks, etc. Ok, you read computer was invented by the west in the books, etc., but, i know real story, it was actually invented in soviet lands.

Anyway, these are not important anyways. We live in one global village. Globalization, right? I easily foresee manufacturing field will be dominated by China in the world. They, combined with India, are almost half of the world. Maybe, entertainment field business will be dominated by USA, some will dominate in this and some in that. Going back to nationalisms, and closing the borders will hurt the western more as the basical need machinery products are coming from China. If China stops mfging parts of computers, machines, etc now, world will be in trouble. (ps: i am not biased or against any side. I consider myself as world citizen.)

My suggestion: lets leave mfg business to china and pay some more for their efforts to make better quality. Otherwise, we will have to manufacture and mfg business is hard work that is not for us anymore who loved our comfortable seats. Work share in the world should be reorganized. And you know what this means.