Posted On: Thursday - April 24th 2025 11:23AM MST
In Topics: Cheap China-made Crap Americans
#CommissionEarned-KerChing! [/Instapundit's wife] We don't do sales here. It's a shame though, that we can't recommend the Peak Stupidity reader go out and buy the (original, not generic-termed) Skil Saw shown above. They don't make stuff like that anymore, though there are a few on ebay.
I'm pretty sure I paid $30 for this made-in-America circular ("Skil") saw in 1990. That's when I got to doing a lot of wood projects. I would say that equals $100 for a saw in today's money, but you'll unfortunately still be getting TODAY's saw - probably Cheap China-made Crap. Do you have a choice now?
We had to cut some 14 gauge sheet metal - that's only .074" or so. I got the right blade, pulled the saw out from the shop, swapped out blades, and guess what? The saw doesn't care what year it is. It doesn't get on the internet and talk to my phone about updates. It just RUNS. Same as it ever was.
OK, sure, the thing is mostly just a big electric motor, but the spring-loaded safety cover has some screws and that torsion spring, there are electrical connectors, and there's the safety trigger mechanism* and pieces of obviously very durable plastic. I haven't replaced a single part and haven't had to do ANYTHING. It just runs. That WAS America.
Americans under 40 y/o, much less foreigners, have no memory/idea of how it used to be. It's difficult trying to convince people that, YES, quality stuff can be and did get built in America. I mentioned experiences with my long-owned American-made mower and desk lamp already. I just started the 1992-built Murray/Briggs&Stratton mower for the season. (I even gave it some new oil- no NOT the good stuff, though I feel terrible about that.) I've given up on it before, but It never gives up. I've also given example of household appliances/equipment that lasts 3-4 decades in comments elsewhere.
Could America ever build good stuff again? I'm not sure myself. President Trump's efforts, no matter how Reality-TV-style they are, will help us find out.
In the meantime, I've bought old Ryobi tools (saws, both) from an estate sale. I expect they will work well. They were made 30 years ago, and per the instructions that were actually in GOOD ENGLISH (ONLY!), they were "Made in USA". (The funny thing is that I'd long thought that name was Japanese.) However, as with selling each other gourmet hamburgers and craft beer to support the Service Economy, I don't think the purchasing of good power tools from estate sales by Americans who want durable goods is SUSTAINABLE. (If I may borrow that word from the tree-huggers.)
PS: The Skil saws - no matter what brand - are one type of the more dangerous of hand power tools, IMO**. That aside, we used eye protection for the steel, and it's the only thing (when cutting wood) that's loud enough at the right frequency to make me consider putting foamies in my ears. Nope, our lawyers didn't make me write that.
* I'm not sure about all of them, but this one has a push switch for one's thumb that unlocks the trigger. Now that I'm not using it and have put it up, I have to think about it, but I believe after you've unlocked the trigger you don't have to stay on that unlock switch.
** Perhaps a Sawzall "beats" the Skil saws in this respect - I haven't used mine enough yet.
Comments:
Moderator
Friday - April 25th 2025 12:03PM MST
PS: Thanks, Adam, for providing us follow-ups on some of the details! Gotta go now though but I'll check out your links.
Adam Smith
Friday - April 25th 2025 11:52AM MST
PS: Good afternoon, everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN8Ncoenewg
The Skilsaw 5150 was produced from the fourth quarter of 1984 until 2005. Made in USA.
๐ผ๐ก'๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ข๐โ, ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐กโ๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐ก๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐ โ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/135454752628
๐ผ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zzxjf-GPTk
โฎ๏ธ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN8Ncoenewg
The Skilsaw 5150 was produced from the fourth quarter of 1984 until 2005. Made in USA.
๐ผ๐ก'๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ข๐โ, ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐กโ๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐ก๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐ โ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/135454752628
๐ผ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zzxjf-GPTk
โฎ๏ธ
Moderator
Friday - April 25th 2025 7:16AM MST
PS: Yes, Alarmist, the use of any of these kinds of tools upside down scares me. I don't do it. It's not easy to get one's mind coordinated in that split second that something is falling on you to also stop the tool from running.
I checked out the worm-gear-drive Skilsaw on their site, E. Texas Redneck. It look a little less maneuverable, of course, but the specs look good. Especially when you don't need the speed, the worm-gear ratio gets you a lot of torque! Perhaps I'm best not knowing where these are made.
Well, now I checked in the Q&A on the Skil Saw site:
A: Hi, JCipri! Great question. The SKIL products are sold and distributed by Chervon North America, the manufacturing facility is located in China. Please contact the SKIL team for further assistance: 1-877-754-5999. Thank you for your question.
SKIL Support
2 years ago
The question was simpler: Where are they made.
The roundabout answer shows the wariness of Mr. SkilSaw Responder. "Uh, I'm not sure where they're made, but I know where the manufacturing facility is, if that helps. ;-}
I checked out the worm-gear-drive Skilsaw on their site, E. Texas Redneck. It look a little less maneuverable, of course, but the specs look good. Especially when you don't need the speed, the worm-gear ratio gets you a lot of torque! Perhaps I'm best not knowing where these are made.
Well, now I checked in the Q&A on the Skil Saw site:
A: Hi, JCipri! Great question. The SKIL products are sold and distributed by Chervon North America, the manufacturing facility is located in China. Please contact the SKIL team for further assistance: 1-877-754-5999. Thank you for your question.
SKIL Support
2 years ago
The question was simpler: Where are they made.
The roundabout answer shows the wariness of Mr. SkilSaw Responder. "Uh, I'm not sure where they're made, but I know where the manufacturing facility is, if that helps. ;-}
E. TX redneck
Friday - April 25th 2025 2:50AM MST
PS - the worm-drive Skilsaw was top-of-the line - looks like they still make 'em...
The Alarmist
Thursday - April 24th 2025 6:50PM MST
PS
Circular saws are one of the most dangerous largely because their relative compactness allows them to be used in the most butt-headed work configurations, like standing on a ladder cutter roof planking in a line.
โฏ๏ธ
Circular saws are one of the most dangerous largely because their relative compactness allows them to be used in the most butt-headed work configurations, like standing on a ladder cutter roof planking in a line.
โฏ๏ธ
Moderator
Thursday - April 24th 2025 6:06PM MST
PS: Good evening, SafeNow. Well, I'm sure the memories of Suzie (and Elton John songs) are much more fun than those of my Skil Saw.
Moderator
Thursday - April 24th 2025 6:04PM MST
PS: Do you mean durability in terms of rain and sunshine, Possumman? That's terrible, if, as I assume, it includes doing some waterstaining?
What I get a kick out of is the "Five fourths lumber" wording. I mean, that makes it so obvious that no, we don't mean what we say when we talk about lumber size. It's right at 1", but since 1" lumber now is 3/4" (or I sure hope so!), then, you can't call it "One inch".
What I get a kick out of is the "Five fourths lumber" wording. I mean, that makes it so obvious that no, we don't mean what we say when we talk about lumber size. It's right at 1", but since 1" lumber now is 3/4" (or I sure hope so!), then, you can't call it "One inch".
SafeNow
Thursday - April 24th 2025 5:12PM MST
PS
โHow it used to beโ
I am imagining Mr. Moderator writing the above, and thinking: โThis should get a comment from SafeNow.โ Well, here I am. I have posted many an image on Unz of back-in-the-day America. Suburban streets, children playing and riding their tricycles on the sidewalk. Or me and Susie having so much fun. That sort of thing. But my vintage images will give a respectful nod to this image of a SkilsawโฆI never thought of that one.
โHow it used to beโ
I am imagining Mr. Moderator writing the above, and thinking: โThis should get a comment from SafeNow.โ Well, here I am. I have posted many an image on Unz of back-in-the-day America. Suburban streets, children playing and riding their tricycles on the sidewalk. Or me and Susie having so much fun. That sort of thing. But my vintage images will give a respectful nod to this image of a SkilsawโฆI never thought of that one.
possumman
Thursday - April 24th 2025 3:07PM MST
PS Have the same saw--been using it to re deck the deck I built almost 40 years ago---the current treated lumber is much less durable than the stuff I used back then-all of the joists are just fine-probably be lucky if I get 15 years out of the 5/4 decking on this one but I will be 86 then so probably not a consideration.