please check syntax error (grammar mistakes) for me
 

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:44:52 -0500, "Songsmith"
wrote:

As for China as a nation, many U.S. manufacturing jobs were eliminated here
and sent to China by greedy corporations whose only interest was in putting
more money in their own pockets.

Isnt the job of corporations to make money, for both the stockholders
and managment?

When your competitor off shores his work, and then undercuts your
prices, you have two choices.
1. Offshore your manufacturing
2. Have a big auction and go out of business.

Do you see a viable 3rd alternative?

Gunner

please check syntax error (grammar mistakes) for me
 

Gunner wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:44:52 -0500, "Songsmith"

wrote:

As for China as a nation, many U.S. manufacturing jobs were
eliminated here and sent to China by greedy corporations whose only
interest was in putting more money in their own pockets.

Isnt the job of corporations to make money, for both the
stockholders
and managment?

When your competitor off shores his work, and then undercuts your
prices, you have two choices.
1. Offshore your manufacturing
2. Have a big auction and go out of business.

Do you see a viable 3rd alternative?

Convince your customers that despite the higher price your product is
better value.

Seems to be working for Sears with hand tools. Look closely and
you'll see their Craftsman (but not necessarily Companion or
non-Sears-brand) wrenches, sockets, etc marked "made in USA" in the
metal. You can get what seems to be equal quality from Harbor Freight
for much less money but Sears seems to still do a good business in
them.

The longies I'm wearing right now are made of Polartec, from Malden
Mills, in MA. Sewn in Qatar or some such but the fabric is American
made. I've had cheaper ones--the Polartec is warmer. I don't know
what magic Malden does to it, but they do _something_. Chinese fleece
just isn't the same.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

please check syntax error (grammar mistakes) for me
 

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:36:38 -0500, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Gunner wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:44:52 -0500, "Songsmith"

wrote:

As for China as a nation, many U.S. manufacturing jobs were
eliminated here and sent to China by greedy corporations whose only
interest was in putting more money in their own pockets.

Isnt the job of corporations to make money, for both the
stockholders
and managment?

When your competitor off shores his work, and then undercuts your
prices, you have two choices.
1. Offshore your manufacturing
2. Have a big auction and go out of business.

Do you see a viable 3rd alternative?

Convince your customers that despite the higher price your product is
better value.


Then you vastly limit your market to those that dont mind paying a
higer price for goods.

Seems to be working for Sears with hand tools. Look closely and
you'll see their Craftsman (but not necessarily Companion or
non-Sears-brand) wrenches, sockets, etc marked "made in USA" in the
metal. You can get what seems to be equal quality from Harbor Freight
for much less money but Sears seems to still do a good business in
them.

Been watching the threads on Sears bashing for selling ****ty tools?

The longies I'm wearing right now are made of Polartec, from Malden
Mills, in MA. Sewn in Qatar or some such but the fabric is American
made. I've had cheaper ones--the Polartec is warmer. I don't know
what magic Malden does to it, but they do _something_. Chinese fleece
just isn't the same.

So you are wearing Outsorced stuff and bragging about it.

Bit hypocritical, ne?

Gunner


--

please check syntax error (grammar mistakes) for me
 

On 2007-12-23, Gunner wrote:
Seems to be working for Sears with hand tools. Look closely and
you'll see their Craftsman (but not necessarily Companion or
non-Sears-brand) wrenches, sockets, etc marked "made in USA" in the
metal. You can get what seems to be equal quality from Harbor Freight
for much less money but Sears seems to still do a good business in
them.

Been watching the threads on Sears bashing for selling ****ty tools?

I have not seen people bashing Harbor Freight wrenches. They seem to
work as advertised.

Aside from that...

With the falling dollar, I now find that a lot of US made stuff is
finally acceptably priced. For example, just 2 days ago I bought a USA
made convertible hand truck for $100 from McMaster.

A Harbor Freight hand truck of similar construction is $49. I went to
HF and compared them. There are many minor differences and the US
version of it is much stronger. (material thickness, casters etc)

i

Wrenches (was grammar check)
 

I have a question about cost of wrenches. I thought that making
wrenches is automated. There is not much labor cost in wrenches. They
are stamped, forged, polished etc, and that all seems to be a fully
automatable process with no need for much human input. Hence labor
cost is not a big consideration. Am I mistaken?

i

Wrenches (was grammar check)
 

"Ignoramus9551" wrote in message
I have a question about cost of wrenches. I thought that making
wrenches is automated. There is not much labor cost in wrenches. They
are stamped, forged, polished etc, and that all seems to be a fully
automatable process with no need for much human input. Hence labor
cost is not a big consideration. Am I mistaken?

Still lots of people needed. Technicians to monitor those machines and
adjust tolerances to a specific criteria. Engineers for quality control, to
design new products, build or modify the those automatic machines,
packagers, shippers, delivery, and dozens of other areas I haven't
mentioned. Agreed, automation has eliminated a good deal of the employee
roster, but it brings it's own specific need when it comes to human
involvement. The biggest difference between now and fifty years ago is that
many of the skills have changed, but not all of them.

please check syntax error (grammar mistakes) for me
 

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:13:37 -0600, Ignoramus9551
wrote:

On 2007-12-23, Gunner wrote:
Seems to be working for Sears with hand tools. Look closely and
you'll see their Craftsman (but not necessarily Companion or
non-Sears-brand) wrenches, sockets, etc marked "made in USA" in the
metal. You can get what seems to be equal quality from Harbor Freight
for much less money but Sears seems to still do a good business in
them.

Been watching the threads on Sears bashing for selling ****ty tools?

I have not seen people bashing Harbor Freight wrenches. They seem to
work as advertised.

Aside from that...

With the falling dollar, I now find that a lot of US made stuff is
finally acceptably priced. For example, just 2 days ago I bought a USA
made convertible hand truck for $100 from McMaster.

A Harbor Freight hand truck of similar construction is $49. I went to
HF and compared them. There are many minor differences and the US
version of it is much stronger. (material thickness, casters etc)

I look at Harbor Freight stuff as "good for light duty use only."
The HF hand truck is fine if you're going to use it as 'raw materials'
get out the welder and turn it into a mobile wire dispensing rack. Or
use it semi-permanently for moving items at a remote location where it
won't be getting hammered daily - cheap enough to leave on site, and
it's there when you need it.

(Bought a $15 on sale HF hand truck for making a wire rack. Dad
doesn't understand the subtleties - he saw it, grabbed it, and
overloaded it with something the other commercial duty trucks we have
around the house can take in stride... It now has a nice set of US
made wheels that he bought after the plastic hubs broke right out.)

Or for the back of an open truck where if they cut the small chain
and steal it you won't shed a tear. The chain cost more...

I would be VERY leery of buying mission-critical safety gear there,
like a chain-fall hoist that would be used with personnel near or
under the load - or as the load. You suck it up and pay the extra for
a CM that is designed and certified for the duty. The right safety
gear may be expensive, but it's still far cheaper than a funeral.

-- Bruce --

PS: By the way, how did we get here from 'Please check syntax
error...'?

Wrenches (was grammar check)
 

The biggest difference between now and fifty years ago is that
many of the skills have changed, but not all of them.


"Things are more like they are now than they've ever been before"

-Dwight D. Esenhower

Wrenches (was grammar check)
 

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:15:20 -0600, Ignoramus9551
wrote:

I have a question about cost of wrenches. I thought that making
wrenches is automated. There is not much labor cost in wrenches. They
are stamped, forged, polished etc, and that all seems to be a fully
automatable process with no need for much human input. Hence labor
cost is not a big consideration. Am I mistaken?

i

The cost of those automated machines is reflected in the cost of the
tool. As others have mentioned there are a lot of poeple still
involved in the manufacture of the tools - not everything is
automated. Visions of a button pusher reclining in a Lazy-boy reading
(looking at) nudie books are right out of a 1950's expo.

Pete