Joe,
I hate to break it to you (maybe you already know) but whether one is running Lincoln, Miller, Ford, Chevy, they all have foreign (generally Asian) parts in them. Sad, but non the less fact.
jrw159
I only own Japanese vehicles (motorcycles included, don't get me started on Harley) Currently I own two motorcycles, A nice Honda Magna 750 and an ol' Kawasaki ex 550 (old ninja) Before that I had a Suzuki B-King, a Honda CBR F4, and a yamaha V-star 1800 also rode a massive single cylinder Suzuki from the 70's whos' name I'm forgetting (Odd bike). I almost bought a triumph speed triple last week... but that's another story. In my opinion their is no American made motorcycles left for daily use after Harley killed Buell. I commute 100% of the time via motorcycle and I'm not interested in some off-balanced, stuck in the past, over priced, under powered Harley. I ride both cruisers and sportbikes, looking to get a naked standard for my next one. Guess how many American made nekkids there are? 0
All my cars were Toyota, and after having a chance to visit and study at Toyota city, I think I'll stick with them for future use (but I like to research a bunch before I purchase, I'm not huge on brand loyalty)
I don't own a rig nor intend to, so I have no buying preference or market knowledge.
I also own a 73 fiat spyder 124, but that car is a maintenance lesson :) and it was free
When I was in Japan I saw the equivalent of a welding rig in the back of a light commercial flatbed, but I never saw a big rig on a frame over 1 ton. I'm guessing by the relative size of the country and the way they have their infrastructure, they have a much smaller demand for oil service type welding rigs. Still though they must use something there to do off road work and they do have a large (for their land area) lumber industry and managed forest. Those guys must use some sort of welding rigs for repair work. Do the Japanese or Europeans even produce Pickup trucks in the size and shape and fitness of use that Americans make for our welding rigs?
To those who have overseas experience in the middle east, Europe or south east Asia, what platform are welding rigs built on? I feel like Americans alone kinda lead the path on private and individual purchase of large frame pickup trucks. Not bad, just different.
Anyways in terms of other products. I actually thought that Americans have historically lead the way on welding technology, as we are the worlds largest producer and consumer of welded products (Cat alone uses over 1million pounds of weld wire a year) I haven't heard or seen any Japanese welding machines stateside for commercial or even private use, I don't think anyone has made big inroads past Red or Blue and sometimes yellow. I have heard of Japanese Car manufactures requiring the use of Japanese welding machines and robots in plants state side, but I don't know where one would even source a Panasonic welder.
I'm tired of hearing all this "sky is falling" buy american Jingo-ism. Either we go back to a protectionist economy and impose import Tariff's on China or we live under the rhetoric of free trade and see where market forces take us. steep import tariff's in Japan on finished goods has worked very well for the resource poor country. The trick is quality, technology and a high degree of value added. America still does well on the second two, just not in the manufacturing sector.
Sorry Joe,
Don't know why the survey is for me.. I'm not looking for a rig truck.. In fact:
Don't know anything about Rig trucks... Maybe I'm not qualified to post on the forum if I've never been a hand on a cross country pipeline?
My squak was about unskilled labor and inflated wages... and the quality of some American auto products. Along with your notion that government should restrict peoples freedom to purchase what they want with thier own money... You use all caps when you talk about CAPITALISIM... But you put the lie to it every time you invoke government control of what is bought and sold.
The only GM vehicle that isn't a 45K hybred and approaches 40 mpg is imported from Korea. Some folks just want a car that gets good fuel milege and lasts a long time.
I ended up buying a Nissan built in Indiana.. Assembled by Americans.. Bottom of the line entry level car.. Comfy and good milege.. and cheap enough to pay cash so I don't line the pockets of those evil corperate bastage bankers with my interest on a 5 year auto loan..
I really wanted an American Car.. and I came as close as I could. I spent alot of time thinking about it.
I think you will find that the forum was polled just about a month ago and German grinders were favored by most... (of course except for the wildcats the pipe guys use)
I like Victor and Smith products for regulators... But honestly haven't checked to see if they are made in the U.S.... Have you? what did you discover?
I also make efforts to buy U.S. made consumables for the school whos budget I manage. I learned some pretty good lessons over the years by getting run through the ringer with bad import stuff.. Learned that one the hard way. Much more conscious of buying U.S.
Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Toyota Tundras , Nissan Titans, Multi quip welders
They still use the aluminum and copper windings Joe! The only difference is they made the alloy better ROTFLMFAO!!! :) :) :) How do I know this? I was at the Lincoln plant in Cleveland back in the end of September of last year (2009) and asked them that very same question!!! :) :) :) The reason why those machines are still well put together is because of the incentive plan the workers can profit from by doing what Js55 mentioned... Which is getting off their lazy azzes and using some good old fashioned American ingenuity from the workers themselves when building some PRIMO Power supplies!!!
