What brands of power tools (if any) are made in America?

[KillCapitalism]

I have an ancient Black & Decker corded power drill that just bit the dust on me & I want to replace it with a new cordless model. I tried to look for something American made at Lowe's, but every brand I came across was made in China. I was hoping someone here might know where I can find an American made drill, but if not I'll probably end up getting a DeWalt. Most people I've talked to seem to like that brand & say they're fairly durable.

[Mr. Hyde]

1. ......

http://www.usstuff.com/tools.htm

[KillCapitalism]

2. Thanks for the link, but some info looks outdated.

Say YES! to:
Porter-Cable (Porter-Cable.com)
Professional
Power Tools
MADE IN U.S.A (per Home Depot mail advert.~3-31-99)

I looked at Porter Cable today in Lowe's & the label on the drill said Made In China.

[Mr. Hyde]

11. I bought dewalt tools from Lowes recently andI'm pretty sure they were US made

I normally pay attention to that kind of thing. Same with my craftsman table saw. I'm surprised about porter cable though. Their reputation is practically legendary. Their prices don't reflect that they're using cheap Chinese labor either. was it cordless per chance?

[ThomWV]

18. DeWalt that you find in Lowe's hasn't been made in the US for a decade.

[Mr. Hyde]

19. You're right. made in Mexico.

They're still pretty nice tools but I'll have to pay closer attention next time.

[EnviroBat]

28. Porter Cable are bulletproof.

Very good tools...

[AndyTiedye]

3. Funny How Makita is More "American" than Black and Decker These Days

but it's true.

[KillCapitalism]

4. Eh, sorta.

Makita

"Watch out for:
power tools made in China, Japan and Mexico and a power tool made and/or assembled in another country."

Their drills were Chinese made too.

[ThomWV]

24. Makita are the only power tools I've bought in the last 5 years or so

The quality is superb.

[Syrinx]

5. I thought the DeWalt stuff was USA made

Is their stuff made in China too?

[KillCapitalism]

6. Yes, the DeWalt is Chinese made.

If I can't find an American made brand, I think I'll go with DeWalt though. I have heard they make a fairly decent product.

[Syrinx]

8. what about the Milwaukee brand?

I think some of their stuff is made in Europe, but at least it isn't China. :shrug:

[w4rma]

9. There is NO Milwaukee in Milwaukee Tools --- Now Made in China

Shorelines
There is NO Milwaukee in Milwaukee Tools --- Now Made in China
By David Tatarowicz
Wednesday, Jan 28 2009, 02:15 PM

There was quite an interesting article in the Sunday Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Business Section on Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. In addition to interviewing the current president, Steven P Richman, the article provided a brief history of Milwaukee, and its current operations.

I confess that I have bought Milwaukee Tools in the past, as I was under the mistaken impression that I was supporting a local business ----- I was Wrong !

From the company's website I found out that Milwaukee Tools have not been made here in years:

FROM THE COMPANY WEBSITE:

"The 1960's and 1970's were good years for Milwaukee, and resulted in expansion of both manufacturing facilities and
product lines.

In 1965, the company moved from its State Street location, in the City of Milwaukee, to its modern
212,000 square-foot manufacturing and office facility in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

In 1974, the desire to be closer to an important and emerging market in the Southeast resulted in the building of
Milwaukee's first facility outside of Wisconsin - a 60,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Jackson, Mississippi. With
Amstar's acquisition of Milwaukee in 1976, the company expanded further adding a manufacturing plant in Blytheville,
Arkansas, supported by a large distribution center in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

In 1995 an additional 75,000 square foot manufacturing plant was added in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Milwaukee opened a 100,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Greenwood, Mississippi in 2002 and later that year completed a 50,000 square-foot expansion for increased production capabilities."

ACCORDING TO THE MJS ARTICLE:

"It's last vestiges of manufacturing left (Wisconsin) in 2004 when saw blade production went to Mississippi........ Brookfield had some 700 employees in the 90's and now has fewer than 400".

"2008: Techtronic opens the most modern manufacturing facility in all of China for power tools; closes plants in Arkansas and Kociusko, Mississippi."

I thought it was noteworthy that despite all the talk that is given about manufacturing leaving the United States, and that our students need to get into engineering and the like to have jobs in the USA, most of Milwaukee's Engineering Jobs seem to be in China !!!

I wonder how long it will be before the Chinese transfer all the rest of the engineering and executive jobs from Brookfield, WI to China ....... if you work for Milwaukee Tool in Brookfield now, you just might want to start taking Chinese language lessons.

In the future when I am in the market for power tools, I am going Black & Decker & DeWalt (DeWalt is owned by B&D), at least they have a plant in Beloit, WI.
https://bloggers.mycommunitynow.com/shorelines/archive/2009/01/28/there-is-no-milwaukee-in-milwaukee-tools-now-made-in-china.aspx

[Syrinx]

10. well that sucks

But at least I'm happy that President Obama is starting to talk about bringing back heavy-duty manufacturing to America. I tried to post a link to a post I made about this topic, but the journal server is down again. :(

[Mr. Hyde]

12. My Dewalt router and biscuit jointer are very high quality.

After work I'll check to see where they were made. I would swear they were made in USA and bought at Lowes less than a year ago.

[KillCapitalism]

7. The Black & Decker that went out on me WAS American made.

It was a hand-me-down, so I can't exactly tell you how old it was. My best guess would be that it was made in the late 70's or early 80's.

[ms.smiler]

13. Here's a resource site for you to explore - FindUSMade.com

http://www.findusmade.com/

Other than Makita, I don't think you'll find a power drill but you can find Made in USA drill bits.

A few weeks ago a DU'er inquired about a Made in USA sled and pine tar soap. I quickly came up with several choices for him. I've spent enough time browsing there that I think I'm starting to learn inventory. :)

I've used the site to shop but I learn and retain much about manufacturing in the US from my browsing. Even in this economy, there are new companies and products to discover. The site reminds me that we are creative, determined & productive people. These are the products that should be on the shelves of your nearby store and yet they remain a well kept secret.

[The Bakery Wagon]

15. Thanks for posting that link findusamade.com

I'll be sure to check it next time I'm in the market for something.

The tool section is a bit depressing(I was wrong, there are US made
hammers, fasteners and ladders)

findusamade.com >>tools>>

>>> 3M Products - abrasives, adhesives, cleaners, fasteners, etc.

All Seasons Uniforms - drop cloths & masks

LoggerHeadTools - grip tools, bionic wrench & Immix a universally designed tool with functionality of 34 tools

Michigan Ladder Co. - aluminum, fiberglass & wood ladders, also a convertible ladder

Montana Tools - drill & drive sets, round shank drill bits, driver bits, plug cutters, quick draw accessories & more

SK Hand Tool - socket, drive tools & wrenches

Stiletto Tools - lightweight titanium hammers

Stride Tool - general, air conditioning, automotive specialty, fiber optics, hose & tubing, wrenches, wire twisters & more

W & W Manufacturing Co. - replacement batteries, battery chargers & battery analyzers for Two-Way Radios, Bar Code Scanners, Camcorders, and Cellular Phones>>>>

So after scanning this I was thinking that obviously the Chinese buy
their tools that are...Made In China!

They buy their own tools, they get the money and the tools.

We buy tools from China (that may or may not last through a warranty
that may or may not be honored by a store that may go bankrupt)
and they get our money. Then they use our money we spent on their tools
to make even cheaper tools. Or maybe they're smart enough to make themselves
self sufficient. What a deal.

[The Bakery Wagon]

14. It's simply astounding...

13 replies and so far no one can find a tool that's made in America.

How did the people of this country allow their entire manufacturing base
to be sold out? Anyone that looked critically at these "free trade" NAFTA
type "agreements" (that ought to have been a clue right there) could see that
the light at the end of that tunnel was a train.

What did those that sold us out expect us to do- flip burgers, sell each other
insurance and then squat in foreclosed homes?

So now the waiter has presented the bill. And we're all supposed to pay.
Except those that lied, cheated and stole our way into this.

[Tampa Rob]

16. Amen, brother.

Simply incredible. It's why I've stayed in the food business for 20 years - not out of deep love, but for the simple fact that certain foods are still cost prohibitive to produce and ship to the USA. Even my industry is deeply involved with China and the Pacific Rim for certain ingredients and equipment.

Some companies I've worked for are even laying off now, not due to any real "need" to cut workforce, but to protect an imaginary profit margin that the upper Management has determined they simply must have - because all of their bonuses are tied to Stock price.

It's a vicious cycle that keeps repeating.

Wish I could be more positive, but when a certain unnamed Company I used to work for, with net PROFITS in the BILLIONS, has frozen hiring and is instituting layoffs, some priorities are severely out of whack.

TR

[olegramps]

17. The first step was the destruction of unions.

Strong unions could have protected American workers by exerting their influence in congress on trade agreements. When the unions were gone their was no one their to protect the workers' interest since 90% of the Democratic politicians had sold out to special interest lobbyists to pad their campaign accounts.

The fact is the American workers bought the managements propaganda hook, line and sinker that unions were their enemy and that management would take good care of them. While they were sleeping their jobs were out sourced and now they find themselves begging for crappy service industry jobs.

You have to hand it to the Republicans, they did a bang up job of hoodwinking an entire generation that tariffs and unions are the workers enemy. Now they are lucky if they can afford what they used to make since the outsources sure haven't lowered the price. Its all driven by unrestricted greed. Greed, just like the Stock Market, needs to be regulated. The regulators were once called unions.

[DemoTex]

20. Captain "Sully" Sullenberger stood up for unions in his Congressional testimony.

Sully is so well known and admired, at this point, that I don't even have to explain who he is. In his Congressional testimony Sully told of the destruction of pilots' unions (and, by extrapolation, all unions in this country). In aviation, my erstwhile avocation, Reagan busted PATCO, Bu$h-1 along with his Texas buddy Frank Lorenzo destroyed Eastern Air Lines' (EAL) IAM and .. by extension, EAL ALPA and EAL itself. Bu$hboy's 9/11 took care of the rest.

Sully made a public point of something we have known and experienced in the airline industry for years. We used to say that airline managements used labor as a banker of last resort. Sully updated the concept by saying that management now uses labor as an ATM. That is more accurate because now management knows it can extract money from labor anytime, 24/7. Gone are the days of management having to wait for contract time to extract concessions from labor. Labor contracts, especially in the airline industry, are regularly amended nowadays by TAs (tentative agreements), LOAs (letters-of-agreement), and managements' favorite, the bankruptcy courts (adios, pesky pensions!).

But here is the deal, and I think this is the case in most unionized industries. What chaps managements' asses the most is not the union-negotiated wage issues; it is union-driven health and safety issues. The American public has no idea how union watchdogs have protected consumers and workers in non-union jobs over the years.

For example, and I again use the airline industry, almost every in-flight safety advancement in the history of passenger airlines has come from pressure from pilots' and flight attendants' unions. Pilots fought for years to have an on-board collision avoidance system similar to the one designed for (but never used) Army helicopters in the early 1960s. Not cost-effective the FAA, ATA (airline lobby group), and airline managements said. We finally got TCAS (in 1989), a wonderful collision avoidance system that has - IMO - saved thousands of lives and millions of dollars. I am proud to say that I participated in the beta-testing of TCAS on Piedmont Airlines Boeing 737s.

The pilots' unions fought for cargo compartment fire detection and suppression, especially after the near-loss of an American Airlines MD-80 with a cargo compartment fire in the mid-1980s. The NTSB recommended the system we were fighting for but again, the FAA, ATA, and airline management said "not cost-effective .. too expensive." Then on May 11, 1996, ValuJet 592, a DC-9 with a roaring fire in the cargo compartment, augured into the Everglades swamp. The ValuJet 592 body-count (105) forced the FAA to cram cargo compartment fire detection and fire suppression down the throats of the airlines (which were STILL resisting it on grounds of cost-effectiveness!).

As a former member of the Air Line Pilots Association (AFL-CIO) Central Air Safety Committee and an ALPA airline accident investigator, I can say that a victory for us was when we got a safety issue resolved before there was body count. A victory for airline management, on the other hand, was when they could continue to ignore and/or cover-up a potential problem and to keep the pilots' union at bay by creating maximum job security entropy.

[riverdeep]

21. Yeah, it is amazing.

I think a country needs to have a manufacturing base. Not just for providing jobs, but also for security. What happens if we get into a war with China? We're doomed.

TVs too. There's supposedly some brand called Olevia or something that's made in the USA, but that's it. And we invented all that stuff. We're like the guy that thought they were getting a great deal on real estate that turns out to be swampland-it seemed like a good idea to people that you could save money and, hey, some towns get gutted, but that's just capitalism right?

[WilliamPitt]

22. Craftsman I think.

Don't quote me.

[ThomWV]

23. Only their select hand tools - all the other stuff comes directly from China

Of course these days they sell a lot of name brand tools too but the Craftsman name in tools has really turned to shit. Even their hand tools - most of which are no longer guaranteed for life - have got to be real junk and anything and everything with a plug or an air inlet is made in China.

Best deal in power tools today is Makita, no one else need apply. For hand tools Snap On is your only real choice if you want quality.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

26. Don't forget Klein...

for hand tools. I'd say they were better than Snap On. Very expensive, but if you want real quality. Made in USA too of course.

[DinahMoeHum]

25. Add to Reply #13 - try also ShopUnionMade-dot-org

www.shopunionmade.org

then click under Hardware/Tools, etc.

[Stevenmarc]

27. My Delta table saw was made in the US, other than that

everything else, China, well except for the Fein multimaster and my Festool saws and router they were made in Germany.