Starrett lost a potential customer

[Shawlerbrook]

A good reason to hit garage sales and flea markets( although a lot of. Nina junk at some vendors).

[gc45]

I have maybe 20 old mics, Brown and Sharpe and Sterrett both, all work well holding accuracy and bought used whenever I found them. I bought two, new Mitutoyo mics 5 years ago and they are suberb tools for me getting used often when making stuff on my lathe or doing my own gunwork. My preferance is mechanical mics, never trusted digital stuff, old school I guess.

[Duckiller]

Tools aren't the only thing that has been out soursed. #1 son is getting into fly fishing with his 4 year old daughter. I am provideing rods and reels because I have a bunch that I have acquired over the years. Son is going to get Pluger Medalist reels. When I aquired my first one in the early 70's they were made in the USA. The last ones I bought several years ago were stamped Made in China. Spools and parts are interchangeable with US and China reels. These reels all work to catch fish. May have to spend a bunch of money on American made reels if I have luck catching salmom on flies. Only if the larger fish make the china reels bend or warp. At my age in my early 80s I don't need expensive tools or reels, just thing that work.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Not Manual but Haas claims to be US made. Not sure if that includes the electronics?

HAAS Machines are made in Oxnard CA on Sturgis Road. I drive by the place every Wednesday on my way to the Camarillo Gun Store. I tried to get a job in their Engineering Dept. once but they wouldn't hire me because I didn't have a College Degree.

Never mind that I designed and built from scratch one of the most popular CNC Lathes (Omni Turn Slant 75) ever produced with over 20,000 sold. Never mind that I had worked for Gaiser Tool Company (Now owned by Coors Beer) designing their Automated Production Machinery for 7 years and already had my own Machine shop in Ventura.

I asked how many of their Engineers had completely designed and built any of their machines? They said none, but Gene Haas demanded an Engineering Degree for all Mechanical and Electrical Engineers employed there. He funded the Engineering Department at Cal State Northridge, and that's where most of his recruits came from.

That said, if I was buying any CNC machine today it would say "Haas" on it.. I think they make the best CNC Machinery out there. At one time in the early 2000's they were shipping 500 machines a month to China. (until China figured out how to make their own!) This went on for several years and and that is how Haas paid for his NASCAR and Formula One Teams. He's worth $250 Million! He's now 71 years old.

Randy

[GregLaROCHE]

I just got some from China last week. I didn’t pay that much and therefore, didn’t expect too much. However, they are not that bad. With a bit off stoning and polishing they should work ok.