I'm Glad We Don't Make Stuff Here Anymore NF

[bushart]

Cause I'd miss out on so much road travel and frustration beer drinking

 

So the other day I must have lost a bearing buddy

 

I'm sittin on my porch and looked at my trailer and something looked different

 

Soo Sunday afternoon---I goes down to the Hardware store---pick up a set of bearing protectors (like beaing buddy's)

 

We all know---it's easy---push em in and done right???

 

well I changed the old existing one as well---go to put in grease-----all ends up in front and not going in

 

OK---maybe my grease gun end is frigged???

 

So I'm in a town this morn--15 minutes from my house---p/u a new end

 

come home try again---all out the front

 

So I dig out my old existing one---put grease gun on---works perfect

 

Look at back of new buddy's---hole seems a lot smaller on grease nipple discharge side

 

OK--must be a flaw---back to hardware store--get the last pair on exchange

 

come home---same thing---ok I've exhausted my local store's inventory

 

So I call the auto parts store 15 mins away I got my grease gun end

 

So yep they have a pair 1.98 (pretty standard)

 

So off I go again--tell them my story as the holes look smaller than my old one again

 

He says that if it won't work--he lives near me and will drop off refund on way home---I said Cool

 

So get them home---try grease gun----both work perfect---bingo

 

Push 1st one in---easy peezy---just like it should

 

Go round the other side---no pushing req'd---it fell in (so would fall out)

 

Now I never had size issues with the others-----got my old one on that side---yup--would have to be drove in

 

Machining was off on new one---so I did get my refund

 

Now I would'nt bother with this story if I only had 2 bad ones

 

but 3 strikes and I give up

 

See all the fun I'd miss out on if we made these in Canada or USA

[mercman]

Ya mean they arent Canadian made Bushy? Where pray tell were they made

[bushart]

A l'il west of Vancouver and east of Halifax Merky

[mercman]

I hear floods will be affecting our comsumation of certain "commodities" thrown together and sent here

[bushart]

Blame the North American company for accepting poor quality from their suppliers.

 

Asian manufacturers are extremely capable, but the overwhelming majority of products on shelves on this side of the ocean have had every penny squeezed out of them by North American purchasers.

 

It's a case of "you get what you pay for", and guess what? We ain't paying much....

 

For the same amount of money in Canada, you couldn't buy the packaging the parts came in.

 

 

Well you might as well take your money out and light it on fire---cause no matter how cheap---if it don't work---it don't work and we're no further ahead----just paid less for a dogpile----and the problem still exists

[aplumma]

I don't disagree with you there.

 

My point is, the blame should be placed on the importer for accepting poor quality. All too often people assume the attitude of western superiority in manufacturing.

 

In my experience, Chinese manufacturers will go out of their way to ensure you get what you want.

 

I've reported defects in hard-tooled components and received new samples the next morning.

 

Bad product getting to the consuner is Bearing Buddies' complacency.

 

Just to play devils advocate ...Blame the consumer for unrealistic price expectations from a market that is bending to their cries. No one is forced to purchase an off brand item in most cases there are two levels of products available. We as consumers shape how a product is made by setting a cost point on how much we will spend for the product. The first thing sacrificed is labor the second is material and the last and only if it needs to be is looks. It is not always about how much excess profit can be made but whether enough of a product can be brought to market and sold for it to become profitable.

 

Art

[craigdritchie]

We have low quality product on store shelves because that is precisely what consumers demand.

 

Across most of North America, people always buy the cheapest stuff they can get. I'm not talking specialty stuff like fishing gear, I mean normal household goods. Wal-Mart has T-shirts for $4.99? Let's go!

 

For most people, price trumps quality every single time. The proof is in the immense number of small businesses that have been destroyed all over North America by big box retailers and chain discount stores that sell lower priced, lower quality stuff. People want stuff cheap. The only way for that to happen is to compromise on quality.

[bushart]

Well we're going to need those garbage items at cheap prices cause the good paying manufacturing jobs will be gone and Wal Mart wages will only allow you to shop at "The Store"

[aplumma]

We can only hope we learn from our past or we are condemend to repeat it in the future.

 

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[Snidley]

Lots of great Chinese fishing gear like Lucky Craft rods, Jackal rods, Airrus rods, some Daiwa Steez rods, Dobyns rods etc. My contact in the rod business tells me that the Chinese manufacturers have better equipment to manufacture rods than any North America firm. It's about the perimeters of manufacturing and the originating specs provided by the designer. An eye on quality control is also paramount

[bushart]

We can only hope we learn from our past or we are condemend to repeat it in the future.

 

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Art--your ancient like me and may remember that anti-drug commercial from a long time ago---it was circular thinking

 

went like.....I take coke so I can work longer so I can make more money so I can buy more coke so I can work longer so I can make more money so I can buy more coke.......inf.

 

I'm thinking Wally world may also have that self perpetuating philosphy

 

 

An employee can go.....I work at Wal Mart so I can make a few bucks so I can only afford to shop at Wal Mart so I need to work at Wal Mart and make a few bucks so I can only afford to shop at Wal Mart....

[aplumma]

No I am in agreement with you on that thought. I am a plumber by trade and I do not purchase aftermarket parts to install. All of the products are brand name units and that still does not rule out parts were made abroad. I have found that the labor rate I command makes cheap parts a foolish investment on both ends, me because of my warrentee and my customers for a short life of the products. I try to keep my purchases intelligent and research them thoroughly but once decided it is rarely the price that changes my mind.

 

 

Art

[12footspringbok]

All too often people assume the attitude of western superiority in manufacturing.

 

 

 

 

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[bushart]

No I am in agreement with you on that thought. I am a plumber by trade and I do not purchase aftermarket parts to install. All of the products are brand name units and that still does not rule out parts were made abroad. I have found that the labor rate I command makes cheap parts a foolish investment on both ends, me because of my warrentee and my customers for a short life of the products. I try to keep my purchases intelligent and research them thoroughly but once decided it is rarely the price that changes my mind.

 

 

Art

 

 

Just need more that think like you Art

[aplumma]

I used to work for Dahl, and I can tell you that everything, from raw material to finished part, is made in Canada.

Canada actually provides a large amount of Moen repair parts that we use in my trade it has not even crossed my mind that things from Canada are imported. I guess I consider the Great White North our neighbors and friends.

 

 

Art