Great American made tool recommendations
I have been on the recieving end of a few lectures about buying American and even more importantly buying local. It has taken a while but I am now understanding the profound importance of keeping our currency as local as possible. I was raised to pinch my pennies pretty hard and I was a slow convert to paying a bit more for a local (higher priced) product over an imported product.
Upon buying an Alaskan chainsaw slabbing attachment I was pleased to see it was not only still american made but made just an hour or so away in northern California.
http://granberg.com/
I thought it would be worth creating a thread where we could list tools that are still american made that we find worth recommending.
A few that come to mind are:
Harris Accuglide saw http://www.accuglidesaws.com/
I have two of these I have used for ten years to cut stone slabs and concrete. The saw is great as it is remarkably simple to use, easy to set up and highly accurate. Customer support is very good and the saws inventor’s wife answers the phone and can give you an answer or solution to just about any issue you might have. It is made in central california.
Trojan sawhorses. http://www.trojantools.com/sawhorse/
I have probably got ten pairs of these sawhorse legs. I use them to mock up kitchen countertops for cutting and polishing them. They are solid, durable, easy to set up and made in Portland Oregon. I visited the factory one time to pick up some replacement thumbscrews for my trojan (makita) tablesaw stand and the proprietor was very helpful, friendly and informative.
My final local tool recommendation is Douglass Tool for their hammers. http://www.douglastool.com/18%20press.htm I have had mine for a year and a half and am completely satisfied with its balance, features, etc. Admittedly it did break but they replaced it and explained the reason that hammers sold for a specific time period had not been properly heat treated. I plan on buying another should I ever lose this one and this one is made right here in my hometown of Santa Cruz, CA.
If any of you have American/locally made tools you can recommend please add to the list.
Thanks,
Karl
Replies
Occidental Leather/Diamondback/McRose toolbelts (McRose does good custom belt work)
PLS laser levels
Douglass, Stiletto,Estwing, Vaughan hammers
Some Milwaukee and Dewalt tools (Dewalt compressors are still US made in some cases, and most of my Milwaukee V28 cordless tools are US made) but it seems that Dewalt prefers to outsource a lot of production to Mexico and Milwaukee is being shipped overseas to China.
Some Paslode, Bostitch, and Duo-fast nailers and staplers
Some Danner and Redwing, all Whites workboots
Johnson and some Filson woolens but forget about Woolrich
Diamond Gusset jeans
Some Carhartts
Forrest sawblades
Green Bull ladders and most Little Giant ladders but Little Giant "pro series" is Chinese made.
Much of my work equipment is US made but I respect foreign companies like Bosch, Stabila, Makita, Hitachi, Max et al. who engineer creatively. It seems like the uncompromising top of the line small US companies like Occidental leather, White's boots, PLS, Forrest et al. still do pretty well but most of the rest get copied/ reverse engineered and outsourced to cheaper labor regions like China and Mexico.
Wow! Thorough list. Rather than generating a long general list, it would be even more useful to specify a particular product/model that is both US made and one you recommend highly.
For example,
I have never tried Filson woolens but it would be easier to know where to start if you recommended a particular item you enthusiastically purchase.Thanks for adding to the list,Karl
My Kreg pocket hole jig is US made.My Craftsman and Starrett combination squares are US made.
(the Craftsman 12" is great , machine shop tested it out to be as accurate as the Starrett)Empire framing square and level were US made, stair gauges tooNicholson 49 and 50 Patternmaker's rasps are great and USA madeDuluth Trading rigger's bag is the everyday toolbag now, it's USA made
my toyota pickup is american made
Everything by Channel-lock is still USA too.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
As for specifics PLS 5 laser levels are quick, accurate and versatile and can take *some* abuse, I saw one get smacked by the handle of a falling sledgehammer and keep leveling.
A good Filson Cruiser work coat costs about $230 but is built for work, very durable, comfortable, warm and breathable with lots of smart useful pockets, I consider mine to be a good long term investment for winter work, definitely better than my old Carhart bib winter setup. Johnson Woolen Mills products also deserve mention, the company is Vermont based, family owned since the early 19th century, definitely a respectable old school good American company.
That and Milwaukee V28 tools, could be Milwaukee's last hurrah since V28 doesn't seem to sell as well as the Chinese made V18 line but I suspect that the V28 are the best high output set on the market right now, I had my V28 circular saw dropped 18 feet onto a slab, cracked the case and damaged a battery but with no repairs it recently cut in an entire custom home side in February in the Montana winter.
Never heard of Filson. Looks like real nice stuff. Do you have one of these to go with your coat?http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2092350&cp=2065674.2065687.2344652&parentPage=family
Man Filson rocks. If you can afford it. The one selling point is they are so well made they will last forever. Their hats are classic, I wouldn't go into the the woods without mine. Keeps the spiders and ticks from getting in my hair and falling down inside my collar. They also keep your head dry.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
Hah no I don't have one of those, I believe that Filson's strongest point was the woolens like the cruiser that was designed by the company founder for Alaska gold rush adventurers. Lately Filson is selling cotton t-shirts made in China with a Filson decal on them for about $30 a pop, sort of like Danner they are making more and more in China to try and keep up with the cheaper companies like Woolrich et al., but I stand by Filson US made woolens based on the performance of my cruiser coat. Johnson Woolen mills doesn't make quite as nice a product as Filson in my estimation but they don't seem to outsource overseas at all, my Johnson wool work bib is great for winter work, Woolrich makes a nearly exact duplicate of it, my local wool supplier said they buy the plaid wool from Johnson in Vermont, ship it to China, get it stitched together a bit cheaper, then ship the finished bibs back across the Pacific to sell it in the US for $5 cheaper than the Johnson bib! Needless to say that is why I buy Johnson and no Woolrich.
Gotta love Filson's motto: "Might as well have the best."- KitTechnique is proof of your seriousness. - Wallace Stevens
I never heard of Filson before, but I like their stuff just by looking at their website. The clothes are exactly the way I like them, for work or the outdoors. It seems pricey, but you get what you pay for!!!Martin
my tools are so old there all pretty much All American,If i bought new tools i would want to support American tool makers and would be willing to pay more.Got fooled with my last Ridged drill turned out its chinese i thought i was buying a old American tool, I guess they sold out
Empire level, great cust service. Lifetime waranty.
Mike
Where are the Sawstop tablesaws made, anyone know?
(I did not see this info on their site)
Designed here in USA but made in Taiwan.
Whiteside router bits made in North Carolina
http://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/
Yeah, but your tagline is made in China. <g>
Touche! Oops, I think that one was made in France ;)'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
I buy my jeans from All American Clothing Company. The denim is a little heavier than Levis and they are made as the name suggest in the US of A. You'll pay a little more of course but the quality is good.
where is this clothing company????
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
http://www.allamericanclothing.com/
Looks interesting.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
thanks...
beats the imports any time....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I wish they made lighter weight pants for summer. I can't stand blue jeans in summer.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
hide some place where the summers are pleasent instead of bake yur butt....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Aint gonna happen.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
White painters pants. They still have all the pockets. Very light, very cool.Or shorts.
Ever get sunburned calves when working in the sun in shorts? That really hurts. (Please, no bovine responses.)
Edited 3/16/2008 7:53 am ET by MarkH
Painters pants. I'm tellin' ya.
I got ya. Shorts=bad in the sun.
I didn't see them on their site. I don't do good in white. Too big of a slob.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
From one slob to another. Who the hell cares?Wear white.
I like khakis or light cloth. White just aint me.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
Guy I worked with almost 20 years ago used to work out in Colorado told me about a woodworker he knew out there who would work buck naked during the summer months. All he would wear was a headband and a pair of leather sandals.Think about it...
I'd rather not.
Pop, lock, and drop it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5K8sofXj5E
Yikes Jer, what have you done now?
This is how perfectly good threads end up in the tavern.
lol ;-)
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
My tools are from everywhere.
Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Rigid, Ryobi, Stabila, B&D, PC, Woodcraft, Mastercraft, Johnson and Dodge.
I buy the best tools I can afford and if I can save a few bucks in the process, it's money in my pocket.
What do I care about buying tools made in my country?
I shop at Lee Valley whenever I can.
I'm Canadian!
My view is that when I purchase a tool or whatever sort of product, I am giving financial support to the corporation that made that product, and a good amount of my money will go to the pocket of that corporation's owners/executives, who control that company's future. So I like to be picky about whose pockets I put money into.
Ever deal with an incompetent construction manager who only cares about time and funds and has little respect for the product, the work involved, and the workers? Well IMO there are a lot of business/finance types who think that way, work is just another asset, craftsmen are just another type of production unit like any machine, the product is barely noticed since paying attention to a house or carpentry product is time that could be better spent thinking about money. Buy spin flip sell who cares what it is, who made it, the goal is sales quality is merely a matter of opinion. Is it a good thing that people like that are taking over our business world? I don't think so so I vote with my wallet by trying, when possible, to buy from people/companies that are original and not just soulless money funnels. I prefer "Made in America" just to try to support local industry, I'd do the same thing in Canada if I lived there, the main point is to oppose the total concentration of wealth in the hands of plutocratic parasites that are buying up and centralizing the tool industry like a cheap prostitute.
I feel the same way. I can't buy many tools made in Canada but I can support local business. I avoid American big box stores such as HD like the plague. Still I read the flyers and there are some deals I simply find too good to pass on. Thus, my $120 Rigid 18v l-ion and $40 Rigid compact vac.
"Perfect is the enemy of Good." Morrison
I'm a visitor from the Knots forum. Don't know if you folks over here ever use a lathe, but here is a link to a great place for American made lathe tools. Started and staffed by Doug Thompson, who runs the whole show by himself and also has a full time day job. Best turning tools anywhere. And I have no affiliation, just a very satisfied customer.
http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/default.asp
Well, welcome to Breaktime.
Watch yourself now, it's a bit rougher over here...
Enjoy...
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
Be gentle. I'm from California.
Me too. Sactown.
Very nice people here, just different from Knots. Ya gotta just roll with it.
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
Thanks for that Lathe tool recommendation. I don't ever use a lathe but the company you describe is the kind I think should be promoted and talked about by satisfied users. The idea of a small entrepreneur producing a quality product on American soil is what I was hoping this thread would highlight.thanks again,
Karl
I am surprised nobody mentioned Miller welding machines, you can't beat their mig welders. Martin
So true.
I have the XMT¯ 304 CC/CV, very nice multi process.
Next two items will be a foot pedal & a spool gun I already have the tig torch.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
can you get that with pine, oak and other rods of the like????
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Maybe on my hot air welder ;-)
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
welding hot air...
that's impressive....
who you gonna start with???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Don't forget Lie-Nielsen tools.
They're probably more of a Knots Forum thing, mostly furnituremaking and finishwork, but they do some great things with revitalizing old designs.
I have a block plane that's amazing! They're pricey, but work every dollar!
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/
Occidental tool belts.
http://www.bestbelt.com
Very nice people and great customer service.
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
I can't swear by these enough.
http://www.channellock.com/
It is the only brand that I will buy when it comes to adjustable pliers & the like.
Made in USA since 1886
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
"I have been on the recieving end of a few lectures about buying American and even more importantly buying local. It has taken a while but I am now understanding the profound importance of keeping our currency as local as possible. I was raised to pinch my pennies pretty hard and I was a slow convert to paying a bit more for a local (higher priced) product over an imported product."
Unfortuntaly, the American bean counters do not care enough about quality to earn the business.
Anyways, thanks for this tread. I now have some products to research.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Edited 3/17/2008 9:17 am by Jim_Allen
Some makita tools are made in USA, at the Georgia plant in Buford. Klien, channellock, some stanley stuff, Most craftsman, allen, Matco,Armstrong, Napa(these are Danaher brands)Obviously some milwaukee(but not the cordless stuff, or even the newer hammerdrills)You really gotta be a detective anymore with this...
Another company that comes to my mind is Snap On tools. They are pricey and if your not wrenching every day for most guys they are overkill. But you can't beat their service and the quality of their tools. Martin