crazy steel prices - should I import from China?

[Sberry]

I agree we should be designing with a good margin. Bolted, welded all of it. Copy is the easy way.

 

[Sberry]

Btw, I buy mostly off the shelf at the farm stores. I had a string of about 10 yrs where I replaced a lot of bolts, hose clamps too.

 

[rScotty]

Last time I went to the Fastenal store, they seemed to know their inventory well. We talked about where various fasteners originated and how that affected the posted prices. They concentrate on things produced in the USA. So some retailers are paying attention.

 

[Williy]

Some tid bits:

ttps://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=221050

Good Idea done Badly, BAD Chinese Steel, Issue 17, Page 5

I was shopping at a local home improvement store a while back. I was in the hardware aisle when I eavesdropped on a heated conversation between two men. Each was a general building contractor....

www.discovercircuits.com

willy

 

[Sberry]

Why dont I have the same problem when doing the same work?

 

[Sportsman762]

Earlier this year I had to return slightly over 20,000 bolts because the supplier sent ones that were not made to the correct hardness. The year prior I returned 5,000 bolts because the supplier did not follow the print and the shoulder was too short. But I also deal with hundreds of thousand bolts a year from China. I do not recall my American sources causing any problems in recent memory. So it can be an issue, however it is also the importer having poor quality checks.

In my personal life I tend to buy USA made, however that does not mean all Chinese products are junk. I did bend a 15/16" Chinese combination wrench, and used a Proto to take the bolt off without any issue last month. At work we sell some Chinese roller chain and bearings that is damn good, and I would buy it without hesitation, however the Chinese chain sold at retail stores is horrifying. We did some tests on various Chinese roller chains vs American made Drives and Diamond chain where some chain tested as good as American made, and others were terrible. This shows that not all Chinese products are junk, but some can be.

I do not understand why everyone has to be so defensive about China product quality. Lets all respect each others opinions, as we all come from different backgrounds.

 

[Sberry]

I am not really defensive about it but realistic in so.e sense. I am sure you can find a China wrench that will bend especially if a guy tries hard enough.
Where my opinion differs is the wholesale opinion that it is all junk and comes from guys that include a comparison of good old USA Cman from the 90s type thing
The Cman from 80 was the leader in overpriced junk especially considering the same tool can be bought 40 years later for 20% the cost
When I was younger and I am not that big but could bend the jaw off a flea my 12 inch adjustable, cant even find that wrench any more and the import is now world class tool a guy cant tell from a Proto.
My bendable, the only wrenches I own can be hand bent are Lectrolite USA made
We had a 8 inch import adj give it up a while back and last one before that a Gray. We work in a hard azz world. Break very few tools other than some Cman sockets. But when I hear the "all" argument, everything tirade I suspect it's more opinion than fact
I have to say the 2$ screwdrivers are as good so far as the ones I pay 10 for 30 and 40 years ago, better than some and like them as well or better.
I am still holding on to Channelock standard and straight jaw vise grips but haven't tried every other flavor someone else has made.
I am not buying 5k bolts at a time. I am not sure where the farm store gets them but have used hundreds of # over decades and cant recall ever having a failure let alone multiples but I dont recall how and where we stretch that one I picture. We might have been pulling it with never seize but it's been a while.
As for the tools. It's easy to fuss and admire a 30$ truck wrench as a thing of beauty. It should be but I am really impressed with a wrench we pay a dollar for 20nyears ago and have reapeatedly beat with a 20oz nail hammer getting stuck brake blenders out and still works.

 

[Sberry]

I am not defending it so much as saying a lot of people full of **** regarding this.

 

[tackit]

When quality matters, like in bearings, I want USA quality bearings which are made in China nowadays, to fix a gate hinge or something not important, I will use haware store nuts and bolts. I doubt if I can buy American made steel at my steel supplier. I just make sure the steel is ground clean and the propper joint is used for a job.

 

[Sberry]

So much of the worlds stuff comes in a white box anymore (some factory pak labeled) but a sticker put on it in the back room, different price, different warranty, kind of like the water heater. It simply cost too much to make some of it cheaper and the real money is putting a brand on it, 50X more juice than could be squeezed putting a cheaper bearing in or even trying to make a cheaper bearing.
Not to say they cant or wont but the extra inventory alone woukld be greater than the cost savings.
There are some slight differences in features between Hobart and Miller but the steel, the wire come off the same line, different paint, little different features but the same basic materials with a higher price sold in different stores.