On Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:45:49 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
wrote:

On Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:05:23 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader

Historically
China could match or beat the best of Europe when they wanted to.

any examples of this?

Most industrial Chinese lathes over 13" swing

Gunner


From my admittedly limited knowledge of machining, Gunner is correct -
the big Kwacheons (sp) at school are superb, so smooth in operation,
quiet, everything works well..
They recently got some new Colchesters - same crappy finish, badly
fitting sheet metal, same mechanical design as the 50 year old ones
they replaced. Only difference was some fancy electronics, they still
had the same annoying "features" they always had.

Interesting. I don't deal with any such machines.

I do, daily. Some of the Polish lathes and East
German/Bulgarian/Romanian are prettty good too. Some.

The $20 4 inch Chinese angle grinder is superb, you will get a year or
two out of it, and if it gets knocked off from the back of your truck,
no big deal. At that price, you have 3 or 4 of em loaded with
different disks - saves time and effort. Ditto with most of the rest
of their power tools, a lot of contractors here are using the Chinese
mitre saws for the same reasons.

are they better, or just cheap and diposable? Another recent thread here
mentioned angle grinders with slugs of metal in place of bearings.

Better than what? Are they a better value than a Metabo? If you like
changing disks with great regularity, no they are not better. If you
like to keep 3 on hand, one with a cup brush, one with a gross grinder
and one with a flap wheel on the bench whenever welding..yes, they are
"better" because they are affordable and last a reasonable amount of
time.

And for the rest - these are people who build most of the electronics
in your lounge room. Including the semiconductors in them. And they

not mine, for other people that prefer the 100% off-shore labor and
diposable lifestyle, until their job is finally obsolete, I'm sure it's
all chinese stuff.

don't give a rats arse about supplying data sheets, or selling spares,
unless you want to buy a min. of 100,000 units - they don't need to,
so they don't .They have put men in space, built supersonic jet

They put more men into mining disasters and kids in collapsed schools
than into space.

True indeed. So did the US in parts of its history. Mining..even through
today.

fighters, ICBM's and nuclear submarines. And, being pragmatists, and
businessmen, (sorta like republicans, I guess) they will sell you any
level of quality you want.

And if your company in the US wants to screw them down on price to get
a bigger retail profit, well, they will happily oblige by making a
cheaper, crappier product.

This here is the issue I have- the junk. I can't think of anything you get
that's made in china because it's the "best" or "better" than other
sources.


Somethings you cant get anymore unless its Chinese, or get a mortage on
your first born child.

Gunner

"[L]iberals are afraid to state what they truly believe in, for to do so would result in even less votes than they currently receive. Their
methodology is to lie about their real agenda in the hopes of regaining power, at which point they will do whatever they damn well please.
The problem is they have concealed and obfuscated for so long that, as a group, they themselves are no longer sure of their goals.
They are a collection of wild-eyed splinter groups, all holding a grab-bag of dreams and wishes. Some want a Socialist, secular-humanist state,
others the repeal of the Second Amendment. Some want same sex/different species marriage, others want voting rights for trees, fish,
coal and bugs. Some want cradle to grave care and complete subservience to the government nanny state,
others want a culture that walks in lockstep and speaks only with intonations of political correctness.
I view the American liberals in much the same way I view the competing factions of Islamic
fundamentalists. The latter hate each other to the core, and only join
forces to attack the US or Israel. The former hate themselves to the core,
and only join forces to attack George Bush and conservatives." --Ron Marr