Kinda going off Chinese import stuff..

Just wanted to double down on my appreciation for this statement. You're much more eloquent than me. But I think I share that sentiment. Nearly every time I read or watch people complaining about the thing they just bought, I can't help but wonder what they were hoping for at bottom dollar price. Even my wife will find some furniture she wants, and is constantly disappointed when I tell her it's garbage. I'm astounded at the blatantly cheap wood, ugly weak fasteners, complete absence of attractive and durable joinery, and overall light duty nature of all of it! But there's a factory somewhere churning this garbage out, and it's selling like hotcakes. New machine tools are dramatically better than this pervasive bargain home decor crap people are buying. But I don't blame the person selling it. I blame the people buying it.
Yes, but I am tired of getting blamed. I feel like I don't have much choice. When the watch band on my Timex broke, I went to Target and bought a replacement band. They were $13. I made sure to sniff it to make sure it was real leather. Two weeks later, it crumbled and broke. On closer examination, the band was made of cardboard and impregnated with leather dust to fool the sniffers. In my defense, that was the only line of replacement bands that was in stock at Target. I was complaining about it in the company breakroom, and one of my coworkers, a woman from China, said that all good Chinese know how to buy the decent products. The fake stuff is there to fool ... and here she sneered at me .. stupid Americans like you. I told her, not any more. She said that I have no choice now; all replacement watch bands are made in China. I said, not this one, and I flashed the one I was wearing. She turned up her nose and said, where did you pick up that ugly thing? I said this is a special line of products not only made in the good ol' US, but even right here in Sunnyvale!

It's just like when they say "OK, Boomer." To a large degree, although it was under their watch, boomers don't deserve all the blame. Many of the structural misfortunes that occurred during their generation was not due to their direct malfeasance. So, don't go too heavy on this "ok, Boomer" stuff.
 
I said this is a special line of products not only made in the good ol' US, but even right here in Sunnyvale!

People ask what I make with all these tools. I usually reply with something like whatever I want. It is nice to be at least somewhat self reliant. :)
 
Some very good points made here. I have first hand experience working with Pac Rim manufacturers from '93 to present. In the past 30 years I have seen how the manufacturers I deal with have become in their words "more Westernized". These factories are located in Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Vietnam. On that note, I believe that India will be another industrial powerhouse in the very near future. Both China and India possess the necessary resource, people.

Back in the '90's, it was not uncommon to see the most caustic of chemicals poured into storm drains and rivers, and working conditions that most Americans wouldn't set foot in. Not so much today. Although not as regimented as the US, many manufacturing locations are vastly improved. Its not hard to find facilities over there with well documented processes, (ISO), and they adhere well to those processes (doesn't make them necessarily better, but it does make them consistent). If I specify cut corners to save cost, I receive lower priced product with corners cut to save cost. All of these modernization's along with taking better care of the workers, has driven cost up. Having said that, I believe that India and China will always be amongst the lowest cost to manufacture, and in most industries, unfortunately, cost drives decision making.

Even though I have enjoyed seeing the vast improvements in these foreign countries over the years, of my half dozen indicators I own, my favorite is a Starrett. My favorite 5C collet indexer is a Hardinge. Vise, Kurt. Favorite fly fishing reel, Ross. Truck, GMC. I could keep going. They are proven good.

While I certainly don't have the resources to by American all the time, US made offerings are the benchmark that judges when I do buy something "important". I'm finding in some instances that the price differential is shrinking which helps in the decision making.
I am really glad to hear some of the blatant environmental polluting practices are improving.
We started down that road ourselves way back when.
 
People ask what I make with all these tools. I usually reply with something like whatever I want. It is nice to be at least somewhat self reliant. :)
I had a haircut this morning in Durango Colorado.
What a beautiful place!
(Durango Barbers, is the business. Highly recommended.)
He asked me, what do you make with your machines.
I gave him the old lame answer, ”I make some of my own tools, I like to repair old machinery including mine”
I should have said, whatever I want :)
 
I would've answered " Everything but money " ! :big grin:

Durango IS beautiful Jeff , did you hop on the train ride to Silverton ?
We took a tour of Mesa Verde. Put the dig in daycare.
What a magical place.
We are in Monument Valley right now. Windy as hell.
No on the train. We saw it running. You just don’t see steam engines all that often anymore. Very neat!!
 
Very cool buddie . Enjoy your trip and keep us up to date on your location ! And of course , it didn't happen without pics . :big grin:
 
Very cool buddie . Enjoy your trip and keep us up to date on your location ! And of course , it didn't happen without pics . :big grin:
 

Attachments

  • 121ED6EF-0C84-4C1C-8618-1203661BC540.jpeg
    121ED6EF-0C84-4C1C-8618-1203661BC540.jpeg
    110.1 KB · Views: 14
  • DD71EF2D-ACB1-42FB-8DF0-2BEA93E45788.jpeg
    DD71EF2D-ACB1-42FB-8DF0-2BEA93E45788.jpeg
    116.3 KB · Views: 13
  • 9E1F3F65-4E12-44A6-953C-EEDF48C9F365.jpeg
    9E1F3F65-4E12-44A6-953C-EEDF48C9F365.jpeg
    150.3 KB · Views: 14
We are in Monument Valley right now. Windy as hell.
How far east are you going to make it Jeff ? Wyoming or Colorado on your sights ?
 
Back
Top