[Jewelry making - Article 00237] - Re: [Orchid] Tools priorities

[R . E . Rourke]

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Rose Marie,

    perhaps you may find it interesting to know most things sold in most
    retail outlets in america are made in China, united arab emirates,
    dubai, jordan, pakistan, former soviet block countries, etc..do you
    read labels? even grocery items are increasingly made in china, or
    produced there, shipped somewhere else and repacked under US branded
    names that were formerly produced here too... Interestingly I do send
    my students that are beginners, not certain if they are going to
    stick with jewelry making as a full time profession orthose that are
    are poor to harbor freight for very specific things..the shears are
    trash. they ruin metals period..as is out of the box..the rolling
    mills acceptable and affordable and with interchangeable rollers,
    some patterened! I don't work for HF, but do know people from all
    spectra of the socio-economic picture 

    however: the HF sold crucibles of graphite are as good as others (and
    they are made in Russia) the winches made in mexico are as good as
    any others and make a great homemade drawbench they have a small
    bench grinder polisher that must be stress tested upon purchase but
    works just grand (once you insure the bearings are correctly
    installed, greased etc.) and has a crappy but usable for some things
    flexshaft attachment that has a small footprint on a bench for
    finishing operations.. the nitrile gloves in bulk are cheapest there
    their gentec torches are the same as sold by every other supplier
    selling gentec- and cheaper than any other - particularly if you want
    the oxy/acetylene set up 

    as far as your son. the number one agency that assists in helping
    people - just like your son transition to new careers is Vocaational
    Rehabilitation, there are Pell grants etc that would have helped with
    tuition if he doesn't want VR assistance (which also pays for
    housing, bills, etc..), and many schools have all sorts of financial
    aid, grants and scholarships in engineering, and fields related to
    machinists applications- not to mention the fairly untapped world of
    apprenticeships to master machinists, if he was truly interested in
    continuing on in that valuable trade.. 

    I find it hard to believe that HF, solely put his company out of
    business (in fact i find it virtually impossible)..Walmart is the
    single largest importer of wares from china in the US..harbor
    freight..probably in the 200th range.of retailers selling Chinese
    manufactured products..<>...I think harbor freight sells some junk
    tools, some very usable ones, some the same as you get in other
    retailers and jewelers suppliers establishments (anvils for
    instance: same dist. as 2 major hardware retailers coast to coast
    selling 200 lb. cast anvils, gentec little torches, windsor
    woodworking planes and mallets,Dow chemical co. products, ryobi
    hammer drill, gorilla adhesives, and occassionally other aftermarket
    products by a number of branded items)....so.. before blaming one
    company on your sons lot in life....look at the whole picture and
    supply chain.. and your wallet..and the receipts from target, or wal
    mart, or kmart, or pier one, or bed, bath and beyond, or...or...or...
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