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Does anyone try to build using only American made parts and tools?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by no55mad, Jun 11, 2009.

  1. RAY With
    Joined: Mar 15, 2009
    Posts: 3,132

    RAY With
    Member

    All my tools are snapon also and I will drive an extra 50 miles for American parts. Its getting to be a hard thing to do now days but most of the time a little extra effort pays off for America.
     
  2. mrpowderkeg
    Joined: Mar 11, 2009
    Posts: 178

    mrpowderkeg
    Member

    I may be a bit crazy but I do without a bunch of stuff, simply because it's not made in USA. I need a new tv, and a new computer, but I won't buy anything yet because I'm not satisfied with sending my money elsewhere. I put off purchasing a Milwaukee cordless impact driver because it was made in china, the tool man thought I was nuts. Yet I have forked over $450 for a wilton vice, made in USA. I've taken bearings back to car quest because they were made in china, and the parts man didn't take kindly to me. Hell I even got the GF looking at the country of orgin on food. I love fruit, It's like cookies or chips to me. The GF will only buy certain products because they're grown in the states. To me price isn't an issue, quality is, and my country is. I'd gladly pay top dollar for a TV made in America with American parts than purchase something made in tiwan. Sadly it doesn't exist anymore. I'm a subborn SOB when it comes to stuff like this.
     
  3. GreenRodder
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
    Posts: 12

    GreenRodder
    Member
    from Canada

    I'd like to know this too, I'm due for some new tools and was looking at Milwaukee because I didn't want to buy jap or chinese or (insert other third world country making second rate parts here)
     
  4. No! I always buy the cheapest imported Chinese or Mexican tools and parts I can find. I especially like Chinese parts that have already been worn out and then re-manufactured in Mexico. :D

    Buy American when you can guy's but, like others, I'm afraid it's too late.

    By the way Doc., I'm almost sure I've seen little stickers that say Hencho en China.
     
  5. evolvo
    Joined: May 18, 2009
    Posts: 144

    evolvo
    Member
    from Seattle

    Forget tools and parts, ever try to buy American made clothes? Jeans, T's, boots or shoes, they don't even make Levi's in the US anymore! This depression will end when things are so bad that Americans are forced to work for "chinese" wages, then manufacturing will return to the USA. JMO
     
  6. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member

    This is a great thread, particularly after a previous thread was bragging about getting their interior done in Mexico. I do not own a Japanese car, and try very hard to buy American products exclusively. The job you save may be your own. Ask me how I know...
     
  7. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    It's a little difficult to see, but read the legend on the side of this box.

    ...this part comes from Autozone.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2009
  8. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    I'll try,but it's really not realistic in this global economy-unless you're buying older tools. I collect wrench sets with holes in the middle that clip together-they're all USA made. It would be really hard to find tools today made of US steel in a US factory-let alone electric tools that probably have foreign motors or brushes or other parts thrown in. Does a tool made in the US with foreign made wire nuts still count?

    Fortunately, my Subaru was made in Indiana :)
     
  9. 35mastr
    Joined: Oct 26, 2007
    Posts: 1,899

    35mastr
    Member
    from Norcal

    I have all truck branded tools and american equipment. But as far as the parts go. Unless you got NOS parts. They aint made here Nomor.
     
  10. 39 All Ford
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,531

    39 All Ford
    Member
    from Benton AR

    I say I am 90% or 95% on tools,,,,,

    I would like to be 80% or better on parts.. but it seems like a lot of the time I THINK I am buying American parts and the brown truck drops of stuff with "made in China" tags..

    Frusterating sometimes..
     
  11. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    The problem's not really that the stuff's Chinese. I have no particular love of the Chinese (do like a nice, spicy Genreal Tsao's chicken). The real problem is that the American consumer wants CHEAP. So American manufacturers,with older factories and an expensive work force, have to outsource their products to more effecient places with cheaper labor to give "US" what we want. If Walmart insisted on high end quality tools and parts, you can damn sure bet the Chinese/Koreans/Indians would make them. That means that those of us who do want good stuff need to pay through the nose because the supply is so small it's like handmade or we can't find it at all.
     
  12. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    I don't want cheap, it's all I can afford. My dad was making the same amount of money in the late '70's as I do now...only difference, he was a smelter worker, I'm a freakin' electrician!

    Wages haven't kept up with inflation, therefore something's gotta give. That's also why I scrounge yard sales and second hand shops for tools and such, it's the only way I can find quality items at realistic prices.

    No offense intended, but if you are over 50 (roughly) it's likely that you established your credit and finances before the economy turned against the low to middle wage workers sometime in the '80's.
     
  13. marks914
    Joined: Feb 20, 2009
    Posts: 330

    marks914
    Alliance Vendor

    Its tough, even when you go out of your way to do it as many things that are "MADE IN THE USA" are actually just final assembled here.

    We try to get as much as we can locally here in Detroit for our stuff, but sometimes its just not possible.

    Mark
     
  14. I always wonder when I see a product proudly proclaim "Made in USA". I can't help thinking.

    "Made in USA out of parts manufactured in China by workers manufactured in Mexico."

    I guess I'm just cynical.
     
  15. Mopar34
    Joined: Aug 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,029

    Mopar34
    Member

    Everything in my cars are American made with exception of the radios and speakers and they were Jap made (at least that's what the stickers said). But it's getting harder and harder to find good American parts and tools. Tool resellers don't always tell you where something was made.:mad:

    It's a continuous struggle, but I try.
     
  16. Shaggy
    Joined: Mar 6, 2003
    Posts: 5,207

    Shaggy
    Member
    from Sultan, WA

    More importantly other than gaskets, bearings and pistons, on my hot rods i stay all pre-65, Really no repop unless i build it myself, The 'camino's have some repop though
     
  17. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    i use snap on primarily, a few matco and mac tools here and there. i have a lot of older craftsman stuff too. that's for the garage. i have a smaller box in the house for little home repair shit here and there, that stuff i will admit is a bunch of chinese crap.
     
  18. magsnubby
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 486

    magsnubby
    Member
    from Fresno,Ca

    Cheap import tools do have a use. We've all run across a situation where we've had to modify a wrench (shorten, bend, thin down, or whatever) that will most likely never be used again and since it was modified, not really useful for anything other than that one specific job. Buy some cheap piece of import crap (pick up some at a yard sale or swap meet, stash 'em in the garage) and when you need to hack one up use it instead of one of your Craftsman or Snap-on wrenches.

    I've always owned and carried name brand tools in my vehicles simply because that was all i ever bought. Same with my jeep. I figured if i break down on the trail, i know it'll do the job. Then one morning the jeep was gone along with several hundred dollars of my tools. Now i only carry cheap crap i've picked up from yard sales or swap meets. When i get ready to go wheelin' i swap out the junk for good tools.

    Same with the tool box i put together for my '56 Chevy. It's either in the garage when at home or in a secured parking garage at work. But you never know.

    I do always try to buy American made parts but it sure is gettin' harder all the time. Years ago when my wife first started working for NAPA auto parts all they handeled was American made parts and tools. I recently had her get the parts to rebuild the front end on the '56. Some parts were made in the US, some in China and some in India.
     
  19. art.resi
    Joined: Oct 15, 2006
    Posts: 214

    art.resi
    Member

    Canada is America just not USA. Yes I try to use stuff made in this hemisphere. Nothing like a mexican 302 block. Free trade agreement
    and all that. Mexico is America and so is noth and south America.
     
  20. Back when I worked on late model cars, I opened a GM parts box that was marked made in china. The next day, I am working on a Toyota, the Toyota parts box was marked made in USA. Go figure.
     
  21. 49coupe
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 569

    49coupe
    Member

    "I don't want cheap, it's all I can afford....wages haven't kept up with inflation, therefore something's gotta give. That's also why I scrounge yard sales and second hand shops for tools and such, it's the only way I can find quality items at realistic prices.

    No offense intended, but if you are over 50 (roughly) it's likely that you established your credit and finances before the economy turned against the low to middle wage workers sometime in the '80s"

    Excellent point. I've been saying this for years. The decline in purchasing power is directly correlated to the increase in per capita debt and the educational arms race. Pretty soon you'll need a PHD in accounting to be an accounting clerk for $25K a year.

    Now on topic, I try to buy US, Canadian or EU made stuff when possible. But many of the Ford reproduction parts are made off-shore, including stuff I needed like the gear reduction starter and mini alternator for my nailhead. Tools are easier, but with parts it's almost impossible.
     
  22. LarzBahrs
    Joined: Apr 11, 2009
    Posts: 759

    LarzBahrs
    Member
    from Sacramento

    The levis especially piss me off, the 501s are made in mexico now! WTF! No wonder were in this rut, we keep out sourcing everything to other countries and not being self sustainable. The only thing the us should really need to import is oil, everything else can and should be produced here.
     
  23. pigwilliams
    Joined: Sep 14, 2006
    Posts: 49

    pigwilliams
    Member

    Snap-on here. parts when available.
     
  24. 1/2done
    Joined: Oct 29, 2006
    Posts: 628

    1/2done
    Member
    from Ohio

    Snap-On's CEO was on CNBC last summer proudly announcing they had opened 3 new factories in Shanghai.
    So much for Made In America.
     
  25. BUY AMERICAN IT'S THE WRIGHT THING TO DO.

    TOOLS ARE PLUMB ,STANLEY,WATERLOO,CRESENT TOOL CO,TOOL CO,DIAMOALLOY,FORNEY, SIOUX,MONARCH ,BLUE-POINT, MILITARY sNAP~oN, SEARS ROEBUCK CRAFTSMAN,ETC

    I DO OWN FOREIGN TOOLS THAT IVE ACCUIRED NOT PURCHASED BUT THERE ALL IN ONE BOX THAT I LOAN OUT TO PEOPLE AND REALY DONT CARE IF THERE RETURNED

    ALL OF MY VEHICLE'S DO NOT HAVE ANY PLATSTIC ON THEM ,MAYBE BAKEALITE BUT NO PLASTIC

    EVERYTHING I WORK ON IS STANDARD "INCHES",NOT METRIC
    I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THE WORLD WENT TO THE METRIC SYSTEM ?

    AFTER ALL, WE WON THE WAR ! WE PUMP THE OIL ! WE BUILT THE ROADS !
    ETC

    AND IF YOU ARE FOREIGN BUY USA YOU NEVER KNOW IT MIGHT BE YOUR COUNTRY WE SAVE IN THE NEXT WAR.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2009
  26. onlychevrolets
    Joined: Jan 23, 2006
    Posts: 2,307

    onlychevrolets
    Member

    .....good one doc....Chinese L's sound like R's and Spanish J's sound like H's...oh that'd be fun
     
  27. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    I needed chain binders yesterday and Horrible Freight didnt have any.

    I have NEVER been a pawnshop customer before but they had some MADE IN USA!
     
  28. johnboy13
    Joined: May 1, 2007
    Posts: 1,072

    johnboy13
    Member

    I didn't read through all of the posts, so this may have already been stated. An item need only be assembled 49% or more in the USA to be stamped made in the USA. Everyone of the components can be made abroad, the assembly can be started in another country, but if it's assembled at least 49%, it's considered made in America. Just because it says Made in the USA doesn't really mean it was.
     
  29. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    Before this thread is closed, let me add that like most of us, I always try to buy American. Have heard all the arguments, but we should at least try to do what's best for us, in spite of what the rich bastards have set us up for. Besides, traditional Hotrods were never built with stuff from slaves in far off lands.
     
  30. dorf
    Joined: Dec 5, 2008
    Posts: 1,087

    dorf
    Member
    from ohio

    i thought junk came from a junkyard but now i know it comes from china, korea etc.
     

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