Made in AMERICA

[Jon McElwain]

What if you could build an entire house with materials Made in AMERICA! The builder said it cost about 1% more than if the materials had been made elsewhere. Check out the video (http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821).

[Jim Matthews]

'Bout time.

Bruce Page should reprint Mark's rave about this from a year ago.
It galvanized my resolve to buy American products that were actually made by Americans.

[Rick Fisher]

I am all for it .. including Canadians of course.. lol

The thing is .. if we leave it much longer, it wont be possible..

[curtis rosche]

the real question, how many of the tools were actually made in usa

[Dan Hahr]

Gotta start somewhere.
Dan

[Peter Quinn]

Fantastic. I like it. I swear we can still make things here. Turns out its true!

[James White]

I would love for it to be true. But if it were really only 1% more. I do not think we would be consuming foreign products to begin with. Why would we? Not for 1%!

James

[Lloyd Kerry]

Thanks for adding us, Rick! :)

[Larry Edgerton]

Yesterday I went to 17 stores looking for a pair of American/Canadian work boots. I don't want a $49 dollar pair of boots, they are junk.

None!

I walked out of every store, but I made a point to tell the store personel why. This is what we have to do to be heard.

Red wings are still made in the USA, but the ones I like are up to $240 and the last pair only lasted 9 months.[I work a lot!] I was looking for alternatives. I ended up ordering a pair online from a company that makes boots for the military for $117. I'll give them a try but before spring when I am back up on a roof I suppose I will buy another pair of Red Wings, nothing better on a roof.

We do need to wake up before it is too late. A service economy is a falicy that will not work for a country this size. Switzerland maybe, but not here.

I am thinking about having some bumper stickers printed up dealing with this that are not too aggressive but make the point. Any suggestions?

Larry

[Bobby O'Neal]

Larry, I'd stick with the Red Wings. I've done similar boot searches like you and I've found them to be head and shoulders above the rest. I don't think nine months is unreasonable either if you work them hard. That's about how long mine last working as a lineman and I know climbing is extra hard on a boot. The only other brand I have considered is Ariat but I'm not sure where they're made.

[Myk Rian]

Carolina boots.
http://www.carolinashoe.com/

(http://www.carolinashoe.com/)

[Stephen Cherry]

Yesterday I went to 17 stores looking for a pair of American/Canadian work boots. I don't want a $49 dollar pair of boots, they are junk.

None!

I walked out of every store, but I made a point to tell the store personel why. This is what we have to do to be heard.

Red wings are still made in the USA

Not trying to swim against the tide here, but I like my ecco shoes, as well as my Red Wings. I've also walked out of lots of shoe stores in disgust. For me, I like things from other countries, except from places where people are systematically stripped of their rights. Sometimes you don't get a choice, but when you do, I look at the labels very closely.

As for the Red Wings though, you need to look at the labels, some of the shoes are imported.

[James White]

http://www.vanderbilts.com/advanced_search.aspx

This site may help find some made in the USA boots. I have never purchased from them. But they can give you an idea of what models are made in the US. By the way not much in the way of insulated, soft toe, work boots.

James

[Peter Kelly]

http://www.americanmadeworkboots.com


The whole "Made in China" thing won't last forever anyway. The whole business model relies heavily on an uneducated, politically subjugated workforce and relatively low oil prices. Fuel prices and their cost of labour will inevitably tick upwards and it won't be cost-effective.

[Jon McElwain]

I wear Made in the USA Danners (http://www.danner.com/boots/?features=79&gclid=CKOf8OOthK0CFYvDKgodSw90Rg). I know some of the guys on my crew only get 9 months to a year out of them, but we also are an earth work contractor in Alaska. Rain, mud, and gravel are about all these boots ever get to see - that and the garage steps before I go into the house at night. Mine usually last me 2 years, but I also take good care to clean them and wax them regularly. These are expensive boots, but when I am wearing something for 10 hours per day, 6 days per week, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 2300 hours per year for two years, they are really cheap. Compare that to an $80 pair of work boots that last just a few months, kill my feet, and leave me stuck on the couch for a couple of hours in the evening because my feet hurt too much to walk around. Economically, it does not make any sense to buy the cheap price tag, not to mention the quality of life that I get from having well supported and comfortable feet that are still ready to go in my evening free time.

[jared herbert]

Ah yes boots. I had a couple of pairs of Sorel premium pack boots over the years, the made in Canada ones, I consider that equivalent to made in usa. I wore, and wore and wore them, they lasted a long time.. A few years ago, the company name was sold, company gutted, etc etc etc. Then sorel boots that were made in china appeared. I bought a pair and wore them acouple of times and sold them on ebay as they just didnt fit or feel good. Now Sorel-china is again making boots that are called premium, they look the same but arent. I have bought several pairs of the sorel premium made in canada ones off ebay in the last year insuring that I will have enough of the good ones to last me until I dont need them anymore. A prime example of a company making a good product that people want and some short term business decisions wrecking things for everyone from the workers that make the boots to the consumers that want to buy them. I would have gladly paid a few dollars more per pair to continue getting the same qulity product that I liked. Jared

[Jon McElwain]

Okay everyone, so what are some of your favorite American made tools, woodworking materials/supplies, and gear? Where do you go for lists of American made products?

[Anthony Whitesell]

Yesterday I went to 17 stores looking for a pair of American/Canadian work boots. I don't want a $49 dollar pair of boots, they are junk.

None!

I walked out of every store, but I made a point to tell the store personel why. This is what we have to do to be heard.

Red wings are still made in the USA, but the ones I like are up to $240 and the last pair only lasted 9 months.[I work a lot!] I was looking for alternatives. I ended up ordering a pair online from a company that makes boots for the military for $117. I'll give them a try but before spring when I am back up on a roof I suppose I will buy another pair of Red Wings, nothing better on a roof.

We do need to wake up before it is too late. A service economy is a falicy that will not work for a country this size. Switzerland maybe, but not here.

I am thinking about having some bumper stickers printed up dealing with this that are not too aggressive but make the point. Any suggestions?

Larry

Where are Timberland Boots made?

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Check out this website, http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html Tom

[Chris Studley]

Timberland Factory is is Stratham NH if I'm not mistaken...

[Ronald Blue]

Here is an American made boot you can still get. http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=16 Timberland may or may not be made here. They have factories overseas as well.

[jim sauterer]

I also buy red wings.but now some are made in china.you have to check in the boot.

[Gil Knowles]

Larry
Terra Footwear boots are made in Canada. They make a wide range of boots.
http://terrafootwear.com/index.php

Jared
I know what you mean about Sorel. The ones they used to make were a high quality boot, the ones now are garbage in comparison. I still have a pair from when they were made in Canada, fantastic boots. I have been ice fishing up north when it was -40 below and my feet never got cold.

Gil

[Dave Wagner]

Here a place they just opened recently in Buffalo, NY , all products are Made in the USA.

http://www.saveourcountryfirst.com/

[fRED mCnEILL]

Not argunig with the concerpt of "buy American" even though I am a Canadian but I wonder is the reason you can build a house for only 1% more using American made products is because so much of the house doesn' lend itself to buying offshore. Like lumber, cement, etc.

[Keith Avery]

I have a white collar job, but my shoes are all made in America. I only wear Allen Edmonds, they are the best dress shoes for the money. I have several pairs more than 9 years old and they look better than when new. They cost me about $300 a pair but they are the cheapest dress shoes in long run. If you take good care of them they will like last 30 years, with just a few sole and heel replacements. I also have a pair of Red Wings that weren't cheap but are very comfortable. When I was in the Navy I only wore 2 sets of flight boots in 9 years, I still think they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned.

[Larry Edgerton]

Gill
Very cool boots and I may have to get some, but not what I need for work. thanks for the link.

Ronald
I found some Timberlines when I was looking and they were in fact made in China. Off my list.

Herman Survivors were bought up by Walmart {BOO, Hiss}and production moved to China.

Wolverines closed their Michigan plant and are now made in China or the Dominican Republic.

Redwings sold the Irish Setter line to some Chinese outfit, but still do make some boots in Red Wing Minn. The first pair I bought was 70 bucks, guess I am getting old. I have a pair of Whites, but they don't make anything with a sole that I could use on the job.

The Wings I wear have the white wedge sole with no heal, and are soft so good traction on schaffold and roofs, yet have very little tread so I am not tracking clumps into peoples homes. The soft sole gives great traction, but wears fast, much like tires, you can't have both.

Its funny, a lot of the boots that are for sale on the web as American made I found in stores with a Chinese label. Timberline, Carolina, Wolverine and Chippewa jump to mind. All on the American boot list, and all in the stores with Chinese manufacturing labels

Who do you trust.

I checked out Danners some time ago, but they did not have the sole I like but I will look again.

Today I needed some work lights on the job. I went in to get some but could find none not made in China. I bought some floresent fixtures made in Mexico, bulbs from the USA, cords from Indonesia. Four stores....

I'm thinking if we don't get our stuff together we will be walking around barefoot, in the dark......

Larry

[Keith Avery]

Just wanted to add a little perspective that alot of people don't realize. The US is still the largest manufacturer in the world in terms of dollars values produced. Think Boeing, Catepillar, John Deere, and GE Turbines. The manufacturing we do now is complex and expensive. In 1980 the US manufactured 22 percent of the worlds goods, in 2009 the US produced 20 percent. If you look at manufacturing jobs lost in the US there have actually not been many lost, but the populations has continued to grow. Today, the US worker still has the highest productivity in the world. Things are not as bad as the media would have us believe, but I still try to buy American!

[Joe Jensen]

I have a white collar job, but my shoes are all made in America. I only wear Allen Edmonds, they are the best dress shoes for the money. I have several pairs more than 9 years old and they look better than when new. They cost me about $300 a pair but they are the cheapest dress shoes in long run. If you take good care of them they will like last 30 years, with just a few sole and heel replacements. I also have a pair of Red Wings that weren't cheap but are very comfortable. When I was in the Navy I only wore 2 sets of flight boots in 9 years, I still think they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned.

Absolutely. Plus, Allen Edmunds makes every size and 3 to 4 widths. In addition they have 12 different last (the form the shoe is built on) that are each shaped slightly differently. If you are careful on the fitting, you get a last thats shaped like your foot and the perfect length and width. Then even dress shoes are very comfortable. I cringe with sympathetic pain every time I see people with ill fitting shoes. Allen Edmunds, New Balance (USA) and Danner are pretty much all I wear. I'm patriotic, but for me it's mostly about quality. Pretty much every tool I've bought in the past 5 years has been German/Austrian.

[Andrew Teich]

I just looked at the tag in my black Danner Uniform boots. Made in China. I purchased them last winter for trudging through the snow and glycol, which I refuse to subject my Allen Edmonds to. Makes me wonder where my hiking version purchased around 2000 were made since they are what convinced me to look for Danners when I needed a new winter shoe.

[Rick Potter]

For really comfortable shoes, try SAS (San Antonio Shoe Co.). Made in Texas, and really nice. They cost about $165 for the ones I use.

I had a worsening case of Plantar Faceitis (SP?), my foot just burned, and I was using a splint at night to keep it straight. My wife, who has used these shoes for years, told me to try them, and it cleared up in a very short time. They are not orthopedic shoes, just shoes which fit right, and have proper support, and they last forever too. You can get them re-soled too.

Rick Potter

[Robert Boyd]

A winter boot that I have been looking at is Kamiks. These are made in Canada and assembled here. I had a pair of LaCrosse Icemans which were good down -50 that were US made. Luckily my brother still has those.
I spoke with Sorel and Lacrosse last month and pretty much all of it comes from overseas.

Redwings have two tags a black and white one. I believe the white is the made in US. Love the hiker boots but they have been cheapening out the sole so they don't last long now. Really disappointed in them. But the traditional work boots, wore them for a week and now they are sitting in the trunk of the car.

Rockports used to be a good shoe, really comfortable, haven't worn them since they went to over yonder.

Thats all I got,
Robert

[Larry Edgerton]

I'm patriotic, but for me it's mostly about quality. Pretty much every tool I've bought in the past 5 years has been German/Austrian.

I am not an isolationist by any stroke of the imagination. My shop is full of Italian tools, and much of my tooling is German. My wife drives a Mazda made in Hiroshima. I do like to do business with friends, and I am concerned with the deindustrialization we are seeing and the far reaching consequences of losing our manufacturing capability.

I would love to see a North american tool company manufacture tool that are precise and innovative along the lines of Feldor/SCM/Etc. but until then I will be sending my money to countrys like Italy where they allow their citizens to live a full and prosperous life.

Larry

[Bill Orbine]

Check out this website, http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html Tom

I checked out the website. The first thing I looked for was woodworking clamps made by Jorgenson andor Pony... not listed.. I'm sure there's quite a bit of stuff made USA that not listed. I did favor the Cabinetmaster clamps by Jorgenson over the Bessey's K-body in consideration of the country or origin. Did you know some of the Bessey's are made in China?!!!

[Jerome Hanby]

One side effect to high unemployment and high fuel prices, it begins to be more cost effective to build here instead of building there and transporting it...

[Ben Hatcher]

As much as I dislike it, that's business. Maximize profit by reducing costs, hire only when demand requires it, and sell for as much as you can. I don't suppose that you saw a price drop in those Red Wing boots when their manufacturing costs dropped by 90% did you?

[Andrew Joiner]

The Wings I wear have the white wedge sole with no heal, and are soft so good traction on schaffold and roofs, yet have very little tread so I am not tracking clumps into peoples homes. The soft sole gives great traction, but wears fast, much like tires, you can't have both.





I'm thinking if we don't get our stuff together we will be walking around barefoot, in the dark......

Larry

I repair my own shoes, no sewing needed, just contact cement a new layer of sole on. Best to do it when the soles aren't completely worn thru. I have used hard EVA foam. It's got good traction. You might try scraps of conveyor belt.

I had so much fun doing the leather work on my last set of chairs, I may make some shoes from scratch.

[George Gyulatyan]

I used to work at the PaperMate factory in Santa Monica, CA. In 2005 they moved it down to Mexico. Quality suffered, but who cares? They were paying on average $20 - $25hr to the workers on the factory floor in US as opposed to around $.50 (yup fifty cents) in Mexico. Sure at the beginning they broke a couple of million dollar molding machines, but so what? With that kind of difference in salary alone, I am sure they recouped from it in a jiffy.

[Larry Edgerton]

As much as I dislike it, that's business. Maximize profit by reducing costs, hire only when demand requires it, and sell for as much as you can. I don't suppose that you saw a price drop in those Red Wing boots when their manufacturing costs dropped by 90% did you?

"Thats Just Business" is also us deciding that enough is enough and refusing to buy things manufactured in a country that does not have our best interest at heart.


No, I do not think that $240 is justified when you look at the cost of materials and the small amount of actual labor that goes into making a pair. They should not have that show on TV that shows how things are made. I watched shoes being made at my brothers one day. I was amazed at how fast they can do it.

Larry

[Larry Edgerton]

I repair my own shoes, no sewing needed, just contact cement a new layer of sole on. Best to do it when the soles aren't completely worn thru. I have used hard EVA foam. It's got good traction. You might try scraps of conveyor belt.

I had so much fun doing the leather work on my last set of chairs, I may make some shoes from scratch.

Andrew

I thought about that, just for a bit. I have broken my hip, my legs five times, and broke my foot right off, so I walk a little funny. Because of that I wear my shoes out in wierd ways. The heel on one foot and the insole on one side on the other wear fast. I get up in the morning and I don't know which way I am going to limp! I'd have to take them to a belt sander I guess? I work on some very high projects, currently working on a post and beam with 36' ceilings. I don't trust my shoe repair ability that much. ;)

[Jason Roehl]

http://www.constructiongear.com/made-in-usa-work-boots.html

Just something I found. No experience with them or affiliation.

[James White]

Check out this website, http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html Tom

I was just looking through some of these manufacturers. I was wondering if anyone has tried these carpenters pencils. I like carpenters pencils for there durability. It would seem that this company has taken that to the next level.

http://www.chattahoocheepencil.com/carpenterspencil.php

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Chattahoochee+pencil&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AChattahoochee+pencil&ajr=0

James

[James White]

Here is some more info on this pencil.

http://robsworld.hubpages.com/hub/Chattahoochee-Carpenters-Pencil

Here is there competitor. Does anyone know if they produce there products in the USA? They are quite a bit less expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-10580-Super-Pencil/dp/B0011V81EY%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02 %26tag%3Drobwor-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165 953%26creativeASIN%3DB0011V81EY

http://www.chhanson.com/superpencil.html

James
(http://www.chhanson.com/)

[Andrew Teich]

My favorite backpack is a Duluth Pack. I've had it at least ten years and it's still going strong, lifetime warranty and made in USA. They also offer products other than packs and bags.
http://duluthpack.com/

[Ben Hatcher]

Larry, I totally agree. The job of business owners is to maximize profits. If we, the American consumers, continue to demand the lowest price and/or continue to buy products that are made in low cost regions, businesses will continue to move work there. If more of us refuse to do so we, THE AMERICAN CONSUMER, will create jobs here and/or prevent more from leaving.

[Bob Faris]

Duluth Trading Company has some boots which they say are made in America.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-accessories/mens-shoes-mens-boots/boots-for-men/boots-for-men.aspx