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Buy American?

McKenzie | Posted in General Discussion on February 24, 2007 11:49am

How do other contractors out there feel about buying American made tools versus imports? I try to go out of my way to find and buy American made power and hand tools rather than buy ones made in China, Mexico, Taiwan, ete. I’m not prejudiced against these places, but I have had many friends laid off over the years as their factory jobs were sent overseas. If my buying American helps just one person here keep their job, I’ll be happy. I like to think of myself as an American craftsman using American tools.

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Replies

  1. seeyou | Feb 25, 2007 12:27am | #1

    I try to buy American as much as possible including vehicles. But tools made in the USA are not real easy to come by and usually when I buy a toll, I need it pronto, not next week.

    How do you stand on using Honduran mahogany, ipe and other imported lumber?

    http://logancustomcopper.com

    http://grantlogan.net/

     

    It's like the whole world's walking pretty and you can't find no room to move. - the Boss

    I married my cousin in Arkansas - I married two more when I got to Utah. - the Gourds

     

     

    1. McKenzie | Feb 25, 2007 12:36am | #2

      I don't mind using imported lumber that is not indiginous to the US or is not grown commercially here. I sometimes research such material, if possible, to see if it is harvested in an enviromentally friendly way and if the resource is sustainable.

    2. DougU | Feb 25, 2007 12:37am | #3

      How do you stand on using Honduran mahogany, ipe and other imported lumber?

      As long as you buy it from an American its OK! Dont matter where he got it. <G>

      Doug

      1. User avater
        dieselpig | Feb 28, 2007 05:04am | #8

        Where do they grow the Trex trees?View Image

        1. FNbenthayer | Feb 28, 2007 05:08am | #9

          Trexas(duh) 

           

           

           

          The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski

          1. Jer | Feb 28, 2007 02:49pm | #12

            Brrrrrrrrrrump-ba-dump! (rimshot)

        2. DougU | Feb 28, 2007 05:57am | #10

          What?

        3. AllTrade | Feb 28, 2007 06:05am | #11

          We have a telephone pole farm. Amazing to watch them grow so straight without leaves or branchs.

  2. Hackinatit | Feb 25, 2007 12:42am | #4

    Because I wish for Americans to be as wealthy as possible,

    I buy every product for the best price.

    It doesn't matter where it is made.

    be an economist

    Troy Sprout

    Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it."
    -- Thomas Sowell

  3. frenchy | Feb 25, 2007 02:38am | #5

    McKenzie

      Often Japaneses tools are made here in America. Other "american" tools have so much foriegn content that made in America is simply a label and not a comment about the owners commitment to keeping the American economy working..

      Traditional American brands often have high foriegn ownership as well.

    1. User avater
      talkingdog | Feb 28, 2007 04:45am | #7

      Japanese Makita tools are also made in China, using
      components from Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.
      The real question is not where they are assembled
      but where most of the value is added, and that
      usually means the place where the major component
      is made.I think "Buy American" policy is truly meaningful only
      if you are talking Lie Nielsen or some other craft
      type item that is most definitely 100% Made in USA.

  4. fingers | Feb 27, 2007 01:49am | #6

    I try to buy American if possible but it's getting more and more difficult to do so.

    Funny story.  Ten years ago I was looking at open faced spinning reels. . . you know, for fishing.  Anyway I came across a Shakespeare reel with an American flag sticker on the box.  It met my needs so I bought it even tho virtually all of the other reels for sale were made in Asia.

    When I got it home, I looked it over and under the foot thingy that goes against the rod it said Taiwan.  I reached for the box to look for the fine print, and sure enough it says "Proudly Packaged in the U.S.A."

    So, like I said, you can't always find what you want made in the U.S.A.

    That would make a nice web-site, where you could enter an item and get a recommendation for a U.S.A made product.

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