Originally Posted by
Dwain Lambrigger
This is a good question, and the car analogy works well.
I own two Fords, a pickup, and my wife's expedition. I bought them because they have received good reviews over time, they aren't too expensive, and they fit our families needs. Now, further down that list, I also bought them because my grandpa and my dad bought Ford, and I want to buy an American made car. I feel good about it. That being said, if Ford quality got worse, I would go buy a Toyota Tundra; and I'd do it tomorrow. It would bother me that Ford, GM or Dodge were making a sub par vehicle. But I wouldn't give a poor American car another look. I guess my patriotism won't hold me hostage.
Are you going to buy an American tool even if it is worse than a foreign counter part. I won't. All things being equal in quality, I would always by American, I think most of us would.
I guess I am saying that it is important for us to buy the best tools (that we can afford.) Period. If that tool is American made, all the better. If it isn't, then I am going to spur better products from American manufacturers the best way I can, with my checkbook.
I think it is now too expensive to build a quality power tool (like a cabinet saw) in American, and price it competitively. I am not sure where Powermatic is made, but if Grizzly can give me a quality tool, with EXCELLENT customer service, then I would buy. It is a sad state of world economics. Maybe it's time to rebuild those old Unisaws, and move forward from there! Still, I believe in supporting quality American made products, not simply products made in America.