Foreign Parts

Good luck,
Dan

China is new to this arena. They have 2 problems: Lack of experience and oriental mind.

Not bashing the orientals but they just look at things differently/have a problem translating.

Case in point. Bought a new 30' tape at TSC. Nice tape, nice price with rubber cover and all.

Started using it and couldn't find the FEET. Had inches on both sides; one numeric, other decimal, down to the nth detail, but no feet. Had inches (like 247 inches)....but no feet. Let's see 247 divided by 12 = errrrr rrrrr .

Never saw that before cause we Americans use feet AND inches when we are building a 30x50x12' shop.

So on the radiators (have heard numerous complaints) they apparently missed important details. I don't think they deliberately attempt to mfgr a defective product.....just don't know better.

I see China as I saw Japan after the war. Their first mfgr'd exports goods were absolute junk.....but look at their precision machines/cameras/optics/electronics/automobiles and all today. Quite a difference. China is coming along nicely. Will be a big competitor in the world market as time goes by.....already is. We're just going to have to learn how to deal with it as a nation.

HTH

Mark

The changes occuring in Europe represent another significant economic threat. It appears that the EU will evolve into a cohesive European federation similar to the US. The EU is larger in land mass, population, and GNP than the US and will become much more of an economic power as the regulatory burdens of the individual countries continue to be removed.

Not all of us can work in service industries. We must maintain a strong manufacturing base to remain a major economic player. Times are a chang'n.

Dean

One of our problems is our standard of living and the amount of salary that is necessary to maintain it. I know that service jobs (and the "New World Order" said we were to become a service country) don't bring in the kind of $ that hard manufacturing jobs do so that will set in motion some balancing of our standard of living.

Not bashing unions, but union negotiation for better working conditions may seem great for the short term, but in my opinion is a big reason factories are shutting down their old plants (due to inefficiency and outdated equipment) but rebuilding new ones elsewhere. I realize that foreigners are building plants here for PR and to duck inport taxes which is good for us and gives their workers $$$ with which to buy their products. Lots of non-union jobs, but a lot of companies follow their lead on wages and benefits.

Speaking of benefits, medical insurance is a whopping drain on our manufacturer's. They are trying to work around "the old way" and offer packages that are less expensive. I know that my ex-company was paying $6k per year for my medical alone. Then there were holidays, plus putting away 401k money for me and vacations and all. It adds up and affects our ability to globally compete.

Can't say I blame them (companies for leaving and trimming benefits) although Henry Ford taught industry a valuable lesson when he paid his folks a living wage so that they could afford to buy his cars. Industry followed..... all the good workers went to Ford. Ha!

Mark

The standard of living adjustment started in this country about 25-30 years ago. Some were affected earlier, some later, some little yet. All will be affected eventually.

For a generation or so the more powereful unions have been able to delay the inevetible for their members at the expense of the future but those days are over. This is largely what is happening to the airline industry now, though it is not the only cause. The chickens are home and they are roosting.

Remember the 50s? Those days are over, and they are not comming back. Remember Studebaker. GM and Ford are in similar situations as was Studebaker in the late 40s-early 50s, and WILL follow the same path as Studebaker unless drastic adjustments are made. Yes, GM, once the largest industrial concern in the world by number of employees, sales, and profits, remains the world's largest automobile manufacturer by volume (for the time being) but it is a shadow of its former self. Year after year it's manufacturing operations struggle to remain profitable and the overwhelming percentage of its profit is from its financing operatioins. These days GM is fundamentally a health care provider for its retirees and employes, only masquerading as an autotmotive company. This situation is not sustainable. Ford is similar.

The causes are many and there is enough blame to go around. Tragically, little, if anything is being done to address the fundamental issues in the macro sense.

Dean

Thanks, I sent the Chinese radiator back.I incorrectly assumed that a repair shop wouldn"t be able to work on such an old radiator. However, they were able to repair it for $50.00. I"m really missing the tractor now; we are in the middle of an old fashion Nor’easter with 20" expected. The old girl came with a rear plow and has out performed my snow blower hand"s down. I have a large parking area along with a 400" driveway so there is lot"s of snow to plow. I originally bought the tractor for twitching log"s off my property so I can mill them for lumber. Anyone have any suggestions or advice on this subject?

I am not an expert, but there is considerable material on this subject in the archives. I would suggest researching carefully. Never tie off higher than the axle.

Be safe, be careful, and enjoy your tractor. We really don't enjoy obid postings on this board.

Cliff (VA)