Poll, Two items simular in features and construction, which would you buy?

[Bjorn]

I really don't see the advantage of only buying US made things, I feel that the jobs of people in other nations are just as valuable as those of Americans, and If I support the trade between nations and the global economy, their relationships will become stronger and united under a common cause of capitalism, thus making the world a more peaceful place. befitting all. But when It gets down to selection I usually tend to stick with what I can afford and won't fall apart to quickly, these tend to be of foreign make so I buy them. Yep thats all

-Bjorn

[RegionalChaos]

Yesterday, before I read this thread, I was out looking for a few tools. I decided I would try to buy American instead of Chinese just to support the US economy. I quickly discovered that the problem was I couldn't find any US made tools. I did find a couple of tools made in Mexico.. A little closer then China, but still not US.. I went home empty handed..

[tbrforge]

I don't know of anything American made that has all American components. If the quality is the same the next consideration is customer care. Price is important and usually wins out. Its a world wide market place.

[Glenn]

Poll, Two items similar in features and construction, US vs Pacific rim, which would you buy?
There were 53 votes on this poll.

I only buy US made goods if they are available.
16 votes or 30.2%

US made if it were the same price as foreign made
10 votes or 18.9%

I would pay $120 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
7 votes or 13.2%

I would pay $150 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
6 votes or 11.3%

I would pay $110 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
5 votes or 9.4%

I would pay $130 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
4 votes or 7.5%

Foreign made if it were the same price as US made
3 votes or 5.7%

Double the price and I would still go with US made
2 votes or 3.8%

[evfreek]

I had an odd experience trying to decide whether to buy the US made or Chinese made tool. I was looking for an epoxy grout float. It is important that these floats be solid and stiff, else the grout will slough out of the gaps. Epoxy is thicker and less adhesive than mortar base. The made in US tool was decent, but a little flimsy. The China made tool was beefy, solid, and had a look of quality. It was also twice the price. Guess which one I bought?

After applying the grout, which the apparently superior China made tool seemed to do quite well, final inspection showed that the rubber pad had slightly dissolved in the chemical constituents of the epoxy. This would have been OK, but the pad was colored green, resulting in green streaks in my new epoxy grout job.

This experience is very typical. A high level of quality and engineering with one or more fatal flaws. Usually a stress riser, or an incorrectly spec'ed material, the weak link spells a short and unhappy life of the product. And I guess I have to admit it: not worth it at twice the price.

[Dan P.]

Im in the UK, and, like many in the US, it is not very often I have the option of buying a British made power tool, if ever. I have actually never bought a first-hand British made power tool. Now, as a blacksmith, I have the option of buying British made blacksmith tools, but I don't, because those I have come accross are rubbish (in my opinion). It's an example of a difficult position I find myself in, because it is obviously upsetting to see how the industry of production has been so utterly devastated in this country, but why should I buy a sub-standard tool?

[Glenn]

Same questions but now the poll is Europe/ UK vs USA tools.

50 or so votes and we will then compare the two numbers.

[welder19]

When it comes to tools, I buy for quality, I will do with out before I buy cheap tools. If a tool costs $100 and a cheap imitation is $50 and I only have $60 then I'll be back when I have another $40.
This is from experience, I make my living with tools. I would rather improvise for a little while than spend hard earned money on something that will not stand up to the demand I put on it, cause now Your out $50 and still don't have a tool to do the job, so now you say, darnit now I have to go and buy that expensive one, so in the end it cost you $150 instead of the $100 in the first place. Or you go and buy another cheap one, then you spent $100 anyway.
How ever you do need to watch, the price does not always determine the quality, just most of the time.
I have started buying Rigid tools, they give life time warranty on there tools, even brushes and on their cordless tools they even give lifetime warranty on the battery's, and I have no complaints yet on anything I have bought.
I did have a battery that went bad, but they replaced it with no problem.
And they run the same price as the others except Hilti, but I don't make my living with those types of tools and they are just too much $ if your not using it everyday.

welder19

[jonathan king]

i would recomend supporting your countrys tool industry as it keeps people in jobs and the u.s tools are of a good standard.
Most of the tool production has gone to china ,and in the u.k all we can now get are cheaply made eastern imports which i refuse to buy as they are made of bendy steel.

[Glenn]

US vs Europe / UK, Two items similar in features and construction, which would you buy?
26 votes on this poll.

Foreign made if it were the same price as US made
6 votes or 23.1%

I would pay $110 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
5 votes or 9.2%

I would pay $120 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
4 votes or 15.4%

I only buy US made goods if they are available.
3 votes or 11.5%

US made if it were the same price as foreign made
3 votes or 11.5%

Double the price and I would still go with US made
2 votes or 7.7%

I would pay $130 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
2 votes or 7.7%

I would pay $150 for US made instead of $100 foreign item
1 votes or 3.8%