vince pitelka on sat 9 feb 02
> Listen, I believe, there has been a "sea change" of quality
> for SOME Chinese companies. If you want to characterize
> ALL chinese products as CRAP and if you are convinced that
> all/most Chinese labor is done by SLAVES - then you just
> might be wrong. There is something going on in some
> Chinese products and we may be made better off if we are
> a little open to this. More to the specific point, in the context
> of clayart, you and others might be missing a chance to
> own and use SOME High quality tools (and for much less),
> not just in terms of purchase price, but also in terms of
> total QUALITY.
George -
You are right, of course. Much very high quality stuff is being made in
China, and working conditions are improving all the time. Some of the
inexpensive spray equipment made in China and sold in the Harbor Freight
catalog is excellent. Personally, I have seen both extremes, and I like to
be able to examine the tool in person before buying it.
And of course there are many American, European, and Japanese companies that
are having products made in China (or Korea or India or Pakistan) under
strict quality control.
But other than spray guns I would stay away from the low-budget power tools
from the Harbor Freight catalog - the air tools from Central Pneumatic, and
the electric tools from Chicago Electric. It just isn't worth it, even
though it seems like such a bargain. In electric tools you really do get
what you pay for, and it is worth it to pay for Makita, Skill, Hitachi,
Bosch, DeWalt, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, etc. And in pneumatic tools there
are some excellent deals from the reliable brand names like Chicago
Pneumatic, Rodac, Ingersol-Rand, etc. And some companies like Porter Cable,
Campbell Hausfeld, and others are selling inexpensive Asian-made air tools
with very good quality control.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
george koller on sat 9 feb 02
Hello,
I was holding my breath to see what reaction might
come of my comments on the quality of some
Central Pneumatic tools. I believe the times are a-
changing. And I do not believe that not all chinese
are in labor camps. (We had a Chinese software
engineer (PhD) working for us on a new Japanese
product line I designed - made in USA - he showed
me pictures of factories in his hometown area, and I just
did not see any slaves. Maybe I missed them. I was,
in fact, very impressed.)
My career includes some 7 years in "Quality
Control" and many more years writing Software for
this industry (Statistical Process Control). My software
was used my many companies such as HP, GM, Falk,
Snap-On, Case, American Can, Mercury and others to
record and analyse industrial process data. I did NOT
buy 100 tools, take them apart measure them, and analyse
the data. I held them in my hands, examined them for
"fit & finish", with an experienced eye for selection of
materials, and all the subjective things one learns to
evaluate over many years of working with tools of all
sorts. Then I USED the darned things daily for a fairly
long while. Nothing like that to round out an
assessment. (I have never purchased their tools for "life"
of tool type applications, hell, I was born in Kenosha, home
of Snap-On, could not do that.)
The harbor freight guns I use are not just as good, they
were BETTER, and many times more priceworthy than
the particular U.S. made spray gun I selected for our
particular glaze applications. This is all I know, and
this is all I ever reported. And I was extremely put off
by the cost to replace a simple part on the US made gun.
That was an insult! A simple replacement part, a wear
item at that, that costs $2 to manufacture should not be
made to cost $50! That kind of rip off burns my butt big
time! (I would never think to say all US stuff is overpriced,
any more than to think of saying that all Chinese tools are
Crap)
Listen, I believe, there has been a "sea change" of quality
for SOME Chinese companies. If you want to characterize
ALL chinese products as CRAP and if you are convinced that
all/most Chinese labor is done by SLAVES - then you just
might be wrong. There is something going on in some
Chinese products and we may be made better off if we are
a little open to this. More to the specific point, in the context
of clayart, you and others might be missing a chance to
own and use SOME High quality tools (and for much less),
not just in terms of purchase price, but also in terms of
total QUALITY.
I, personally, think it is exciting and positive that some
Chinese companies are competing Head to Head with the
best American and European on the basis of Quality and not
just Price. I it means the world is changing and not static.
Look at the story of Japanese made products! I dare to
suggest that some of the dynamics might well be at play.
The high speed miniature rotary pneumatic motors we use
show me an amazing quality with months of heavy use.
These are a relatively high-tech item requiring small
precision bearings, precision fit gaskets of some kind,
and more.
Somebody is saying that Central Pneu will "die". Hmmmm.
I used to hang around at a Harley Davidson shop some when
I was a young fellow. That is how they talked about "Jap
shit Hondas" back then. Hmmmmm. Not much is static,
things change, times change, and relative quality is subject to
change.
The connection between Quality and Price is NOT a linear
one at all. One does not get more by paying more automatically.
Many marketing people make mega bucks trying to convince us
we need to pay big bucks for this or that. You can pay for that
if you like, I will try to keep an open mind. It is natural to think
this way, to want to believe this some, but the world presents
us with some wonderful examples of just the opposite. I believe
this is the case with at least some of the Central Pneumatic tools.
I'm anxious to get my hands on one of these complete spray systems
and see how they are made. Maybe next week. I'll report as honestly
as I know how. Maybe Bruce Girrel will take a look at it with us.
We'll see. Maybe I will challenge Vince to a "Spray -out" at The
Coral, at hi-noon of course. Maybe not. But a complete "true" HVLP
system for $69.99? I will bet $69.99 that it is at least a respectible
"quality" product, and a good general studio tool.
Does anybody out there use a "true" HVLP? Are they as good, or
better than the compressor models for glazes? I have to think they
are better with the bigger nozzle openings. Geez. Well I'm ordering
it today! What the heck. It's 69.99 not $499.99.
Sincerely,
George Koller
Sturgeon Bay, WI - Door County
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