Am I The Only One

[Steve D]

This is more of a "I gotta vent" but it really bothers me.

As a rule I try to buy American whenever I can and have been somewhat acceptive of buying things "made in china", but cringe every time I see it on the label.

 Today I received some meat hooks I ordered for my smoker and sure enough "made in china". You would think that a simple design like this could easily be manufactured in the US and wouldn't require expensive programming, high skilled labor, and or expensive tooling to fabricate.

Something is wrong with the whole thought process when we are forced to buy foreign stuff over things that could be made here.

 I know they quote labor costs, overhead, material cost, etc. as part of the reason but tell me a simple design like this could not be made right here. I think China has us more over a barrel than most of realize.

I hope this doesn't end up in the political section even though it more than likely will.

 

[ApexerER]

What did you pay for those meat hooks? I am positive they could be made here, along with anything else. But the cost of regulation, taxes, wages, unions etc make it almost impossible to make anything and be cost effective here in the good old USA anymore. Its the sad truth....

I don't know a single person that makes a product. Its really quite sad....

[Northcountryman]

Yeah , and their products are such crap too. Hoping we can start making a lot of our own and very soon. Who knows , we may be forced to eventually !! 

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, ApexerER said:

What did you pay for those meat hooks? I am positive they could be made here, along with anything else. But the cost of regulation, taxes, wages, unions etc make it almost impossible to make anything and be cost effective here in the good old USA anymore. Its the sad truth....

I don't know a single person that makes a product. Its really quite sad....

I have a client that makes replacement car interiors and car mats here in NY.  But I think they source most raw materials from overseas.   "Made" in USA can have different interpretations.

[Steve D]

18 minutes ago, ApexerER said:

What did you pay for those meat hooks? I am positive they could be made here, along with anything else. But the cost of regulation, taxes, wages, unions etc make it almost impossible to make anything and be cost effective here in the good old USA anymore. Its the sad truth....

I don't know a single person that makes a product. Its really quite sad....

I paid $11.00 on line for twenty vs $11.00 for 6 through the supply houses. Most of the supply houses only carry 8" and these are 5". I wanted the shorter length to reduce the space between racks so I got the shortest ones I could find.

 For my application I probably could have used a good stiff paperclip but those are made in china also.

[ApexerER]

25 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

I have a client that makes replacement car interiors and car mats here in NY.  But I think they source most raw materials from overseas.   "Made" in USA can have different interpretations.

Isn't that a service? Like auto repair or fabricating an exhaust system or welding a frame....

[Steve D]

26 minutes ago, Northcountryman said:

Hoping we can start making a lot of our own and very soon. Who knows , we may be forced to eventually !! 

I can't help but wonder if we even have the capability anymore. A lot of the younger people today couldn't  tell which end of a hammer to use. Most of them only use nail guns even if it is only to drive a couple of nails.

If it wasn't for YouTube a lot of then couldn't wipe their noses.

( I would have liked to said something else)

Edited February 2, 2021 by Steve D

[Culvercreek hunt club]

7 minutes ago, Steve D said:

I paid $11.00 on line for twenty vs $11.00 for 6 through the supply houses. Most of the supply houses only carry 8" and these are 5". I wanted the shorter length to reduce the space between racks so I got the shortest ones I could find.

 For my application I probably could have used a good stiff paperclip but those are made in china also.

What size are you looking for ideally?

[fasteddie]

Any meat hook made in the USA would probably have to be OSHA approved .......(Sarcasm) 

[grampy]

A bench grinder and some heavy wire from Tractor Supply, could have made up a bunch of those, no?

But still the wire would likely be made in China too.

[Steve D]

10 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

What size are you looking for ideally?

 I really didn't have a size in mind just figured the shorter the better to cut the distance between shelves.

5" was the shortest I could find so I figure if they are to long I can cut them down and re-bend. They are stainless but only about 1/8 o.d. so they shouldn't be to bad to bend if I need to

[Steve D]

4 minutes ago, grampy said:

A bench grinder and some heavy wire from Tractor Supply, could have made up a bunch of those, no?

But still the wire would likely be made in China too.

Your right grampy but I decided to take the easy way out and buy them already made

[Culvercreek hunt club]

2 minutes ago, Steve D said:

 I really didn't have a size in mind just figured the shorter the better to cut the distance between shelves.

5" was the shortest I could find so I figure if they are to long I can cut them down and re-bend. They are stainless but only about 1/8 o.d. so they shouldn't be to bad to bend if I need to

I made a bender to do my own connibear stands and s hooks and j hooks. Hell carbon steel would be fine for that application. If you need any bent or a different size or shape, let me know

[moog5050]

34 minutes ago, ApexerER said:

Isn't that a service? Like auto repair or fabricating an exhaust system or welding a frame....

Nope.  They don’t install it.  They sell you a product they manufacture.   Car mats, seat cover, new dash.   But the raw products like vinyl or rubber may be purchased overseas.  

[ApexerER]

23 hours ago, moog5050 said:

Nope.  They don’t install it.  They sell you a product they manufacture.   Car mats, seat cover, new dash.   But the raw products like vinyl or rubber may be purchased overseas.  

Cool, glad someone manufactures something.....!