SS Brad Point Bits are made in China

[paul heller]

I ordered some brad point bits from Shopsmith. On arrival I see they are made in China :mad:

The Shopsmith brad point bits that I have from 1995 were made in the USA.

Paul

[dusty]

I ordered some brad point bits from Shopsmith. On arrival I see they are made in China :mad:

The Shopsmith brad point bits that I have from 1995 were made in the USA.

Paul
Buying/using products made in China is maybe not politically correct for some people. This is an individual decision that each of us must make.

Quality is not necessarily the factor. We are seeing more and more items that have been made in China. Some of them appear to be of good quality. I recently learned that a Craftsman Router that I have been using for years was made in China.

I use this router quite a bit. It is mounted under table and gets a very regular workout. It has performed well and for long enough now that if it gave out I would have to accept it as normal wear and tear. I paid less than a $100 about 5 years ago and it is still going strong.

So, maybe, just maybe brad point bits from China may not be bad.

Woodcraft has a special sale going on right now for a set of bits at an unbelieveable price (170 piece set for $24.99). My first reaction was "Must be from China". I don't know but I'm going over this afternoon to get a set.

[8iowa]

Dusty:

I've been backing off from Woodcraft. Especially where cutting tools are concerned. I have a seven piece set of forstner bits and a set of tapered countersink drills. They are absolutely worthless.

[dusty]

Dusty:

I've been backing off from Woodcraft. Especially where cutting tools are concerned. I have a seven piece set of forstner bits and a set of tapered countersink drills. They are absolutely worthless.

It is becoming more and more difficult to know where to spend your money. So many companies are either cutting corners to survive or are stocking cheaper so as to make unreasonable profits. Either way, the buying public is at risk.

What was once an almost sure thing is now a gamble.

[kd6vpe]

Dusty,
You said it right. I was thinking about those bits also but shy'd away because I knew they had to be low quality for that price. I have been bitten too many times buying low quality tools to save a buck and end up spending more money after buying cheap then having to spend the right amount of money to get quality. I would hope that Shopsmith is paying attention to what they are re-selling. It would be a shame if they started ignoring their quality control that I have grown to appreciate and trust. I would really like to hear about their brad points if they pass the mustard.

[a1gutterman]

I ordered some brad point bits from Shopsmith. On arrival I see they are made in China :mad:

The Shopsmith brad point bits that I have from 1995 were made in the USA.

PaulHi Paul,

I brought that up almost a year ago. (http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=1855&highlight=China) Some people do knot seem to care, but I do my best to buy product made almost anywhere but China, with the US made product being my first choice. Part of the reason we are in this economic downturn, IMHO, is due to all the manufacturing jobs that have fled this country. When we buy "cheaper" product, made in China, we are cutting our own throats, IMHO! I do knot view this as an political correct point of view; I view this as survival. I have to think about my descendants.

Our country is turning into a service orientated country, where we service the wealth requirements of world wide citizens that are knot ours. Service jobs do knot pay as well as manufacturing either.

[charlese]

:eek: Here I am, once again I find myself on the outside of the bubble of popular opinion.

Frankly I've had good luck with both brad point bits from Shopsmith and a set of Forstner bits from Harbor Freight. All are made in China!

Although the Forstners didn't come sharp, they are reletively easy to sharpen with a diamond card, and hold their edges well. I also have several Forstners from Craft Supplies USA and Rockler's, (I think) that were made in USA. Really - I can't tell the difference! The steel must be very similar!

[paul heller]

I brought that up almost a year agoSorry, Tim. I did a search first and could not find that particular post.

I apologize to the group for wasting everyone's time with a subject that has already been beat pretty hard.

Paul