China made tanks

[Rickc]

Seems that's all ebay has. Gut reaction is, don't go there. getting fed up with junque from China. Any comments? Going to switch from FC to solid wire and C25, now that I have some shelter, plan is to own the tank. Thanks

[urch55]

Rick,
You won't regret switching to solid wire and C25. Even tho flux-core has it's place. I have 125 cf bottles nice size for me. After buying you're first bottle keep on the look out for a used bottle maybe on Craigslist, this way you're have a spare in case you run out on the weekend..

[SidecarFlip]

I just bought a couple from IOC (from their E-Bay listing) and they were Sherwood.

The computer you post on is likely Chinese junk too.

[walker d.]

can you really find anything made in usa!!! anymore? It may say built in usa but it was just assembled here. just take the cover off. this free trade is shutting the usa down

[urch55]

can you really find anything made in usa!!! anymore? It may say built in usa but it was just assembled here. just take the cover off. this free trade is shutting the usa down

Flip says,"Babies are still made in the USA".. I can belive that..

[SidecarFlip]

Flip says,"Babies are still made in the USA".. I can belive that..

The 125's that IOC offers on their website/Flea-Bay are Sherwood and made in this country, I just bought 2 a few weeks ago. Free shipping to boot, well, shipping built into the price.

Far as bottles go, it's kind of moot where they are made. They still have to be manufactured to ASTM specifications and hydro tested prior to sale. The hydro test is at 150% of rated maximum allowable pressure.

Like John Lennon said.... "I like Chinese, they are cute, cuddly and willing to please......."

[fjk]

can you really find anything made in usa!!! anymore? It may say built in usa but it was just assembled here. just take the cover off. this free trade is shutting the usa down

Seriously ... yes, we do.
Though parts and raw materials may come from all over the world,
including the US

When compared to the rest of our economy (especially housing
and construction related stuff) our manufacturing sector is currently
doing comparatively well. The last numbers I saw were that our
manufactured-goods trade deficit is shrinking (that is, we're
exporting more and importing less). Manufacturers are hiring,
it seems whenever I hear/see employment numbers the number
of manufacturing jobs goes up 10/20/30,000 a month. I also recall
that either caterpillar or deere was bringing a major plant back
to the US from someplace else... There have also been a couple
of guys on this very board saying that they are seeing some
increases in their manufacturing businesses and are adding on
to their shops...

It also seems that the prices of stuff sold by Harbor Freight and
other Chinese-Import-Inc retailers is going up really fast. More than
other things ... this could open (new) opportunities for (new) domestic
manufacturers...

Granted, none of this means that Happy Days are Here Again,
but things are not all doom and gloom either. If we don't F... it up,
we might be ok - but it probably will be a tough, long, haul.

Frank

[SidecarFlip]

Frank...

The reason why the price of imported goods is rising is bacause the dollar is growing weaker as the benchmark currency.

Offshore manufacturers take dollars in trade for goods and it takes more to equal their domestic currency.

As the dollar weakens against foreign currency, our standard drops and we again become an exporter (instead of an importer) of hard goods, but the catch is out standard of living drops to meet the standard of those countries that were exporting to us.

Without dissecting political agenda's (this isn;t the forum for that), that is just what the current administration wants.

A good example is GM. GM's largest customer at present is China for automobiles. Go figure.

[bandsawguy]

Well I think as fuel prices rise it will make North American goods more attractive as well. Or maybe I am just looking for the silver lining.

[Sandy]

Seems as simple as not buying the tanks made in china to me.

[monckywrench]

We NEED a low dollar to FORCE us off imports and make our EXPORTS competitive.

Well I think as fuel prices rise it will make North American goods more attractive as well. Or maybe I am just looking for the silver lining.

It sells LOTS of US exports. We don't need to be the benchmark currency, we need to SELL like mad and kick buttt.

The amount of labor in a computer makes Chinese production of quality competitive. Computers REQUIRE precision to function.

The only way to compete on goods whose RAW materials are expensive and labor inexpensive is to use worse materials and less/worse workmanship.

My Lenovo works fine, but I ain't buying Chinese cylinders. I don't buy new cylinders anyway. I lurk Craigslist and exchange what I buy from there.

[mikecwik]

i love china. for quite frankly i could only do a quarter of what i do in america without the china budget. the american counterparts that i see simply are not worth their salary. not even close. thats on the humanistic level, quality is perhaps up but not worth the bother.

[fjk]

Frank...

The reason why the price of imported goods is rising is bacause the dollar is growing weaker as the benchmark currency.

Offshore manufacturers take dollars in trade for goods and it takes more to equal their domestic currency.

.

Yup

It will reduce our STD of living
But one could argue that it is/was so
high because we've been living beyond
our means.

But it is possible to have an export
oriented economy AND have a good STD
of living -- look at Germany. Exporting
Crocs and T-shirts is not the way to do it.
Exporting high end cars and extremely engineered
stuff IS the way. Fortunately, the uUS tends
to export higher end things. So if we don't f. it up
we just might be ok in 5-10-15 yrs

[monckywrench]

To the extent our standard of living depends on imports, it should be reduced and the only economically fair way to do this is by dropping the value of the dollar.

The way to force people to make things here yet be competitive in exports is reducing the value of the dollar. Too bad for those who want foreign goods, but FORCED change of priorities is fine with me. Twist those arms until they snap off, we have a country to fix.

If you actually consider how much import "guano" the US buys that isn't necessary to survive, that's a lot of spending we can cut.