Myrna and I were in Tulsa today and we shopped at Academy Sports and Bass Pro. The only thing we bought at either place that was made in America was ammunition. Myrna bought some shirts on sale at both places, for Christmas presents. Not one single shirt was made in America, 4 were made in Pakistan, 1 China, I Honduras, 1 Bangladesh and 1 in Indonesia. While in several other stores I checked labels on many different items and I hardly ever saw a "Made in America" label.This is all because of Bill Clintons 2 Trade agreements that he made that included several countries. I have long contended that all of this trade with Foreign Countries is a big cause of our financial crisis today. Clinton was working on agreements to help his Arkansas friends the Waltons. Hilliary was on the board of Walmart for several years and the Waltons were big donors to the Clinton campaign. Because of all of our manufacturing that was transferred to China and other countries our trade imbalance got totally out of balance. In addition we made the Chinese the second largest consumer of Petroleum based energy in the world, right behind China came Japan, India and other countries using more and more oil.There is not enough supply of oil in the world to support the demand that it grew to in the past 5 years. This drove the price sky high and brought about the current crisis. In my early days at Phillips I was in the Tamnker Chartering group and China was not even listed as a country taking Oil cargoes today thay are the 2nd largerst consumer and will be the largest oil consumer in the future. The trade deficits that the USA is running causes the Dollar to be devalued and as Oil is traded based on the Dollar this causes us to have to pay more for Oil. We need to bring some of this manufacturing back home and employ our own workers and not the Chinese, Mexicans, Pakistanese, etc.
We have prime cuts of debt, loans, and promises to pay later.
There are still some things made here. Fire engines, ambulances, bunker coats, fire boots, musical instruments, furniture, polymers, films, coatings, Gore Tex fabrics and coated wire, paint, wheels, surf boards, food and food additives, dry pastas, cereals, glues, waxes, polishes, soaps and soap powder, charcoal adhesive bandages, drugs, weed killers, insecticides, wine, alcohol, beer, computer chips and boards and lots more. The clothing industry has partially moved out, but not all. Part of our big DuPont nylon research labs went south to be nearer the mills that make their nylon fabrics. Some of my friends went to Front Royal VA. and Wilmington NC. Some cotton is grown here, shipped overseas to be woven, comes back here to be cut and assembled, some it's the other way around. The main thing America produces is Americans. ;)
Diane, several things you mentioned as being made here are in fact not made here, or at least not all made here. I know for instances that one of the big liquor store owners in this area told me recently that a big volume of his wines comes from South america. I haveto leave but will address that further later. Another support foe the fact that such a big percentage of thinfgs is this country are made elsewhere is the big trade deficit.
I'm curious to hear your story on wines, Frank. It has seemed to me that more and more "local" wines are being made and vinyard stores being opened. I'm not a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy finding good local wines. Local wine-making is becoming such a big hobby/business that I'm surprised that imported wines aren't taking a hit. Same goes for micro-brew beers. Although, I do see a few imported beers have become more popular over the last few years.
As for finding things made in America, it's sad. You're probably more likely to find more things made LOCALLY in small stores, rather than trying to find USA-made items in larger, department-type stores, too.
It didn't mean that ALL of something is necessarily made here. Off course many wines are made else where...as in Italy, France and all over the world. But very good wines are made in the US, including many small local vineyards in many states. Napa valley, upstate New York, right here. We have the Micro Brewers here too, including Iron Hill Brewers right on Main St., and Dogfish Head Ales in Rehoboth Beach. Yes, you can get American made and Chinese made Band Aids but at least you can find American made ones. The "How It's Made" shows on TV show US made things don't they? All the ones I've watched have been. Its true though that we do export a lot of raw product and import a lot of finished product, which can cause an imbalance just by itself.
Quote from: Tobina+1 on October 02, 2009, 04:53:23 PM
I'm curious to hear your story on wines, Frank. It has seemed to me that more and more "local" wines are being made and vinyard stores being opened. I'm not a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy finding good local wines. Local wine-making is becoming such a big hobby/business that I'm surprised that imported wines aren't taking a hit. Same goes for micro-brew beers. Although, I do see a few imported beers have become more popular over the last few years.
As for finding things made in America, it's sad. You're probably more likely to find more things made LOCALLY in small stores, rather than trying to find USA-made items in larger, department-type stores, too.
Tobina, the store here that I was in is a pretty big store and some of there best selling wines are from Chili. I can't drink wine as I am a diabetic but Myrna likes a glass from time to time and I bought her 2 or 3 kinds of the Chilean wine and she said they were very good. At Christmas I got some of the Chilean wine for some guests and they all said they were going to buy some.
There is some pretty good wine made right here in Kansas, and no not all of it is made in Elk county by forum members. ;)
Diane, my concern is not with what is made in America, it is with what is not made in America, Go to Walmart and look at all of the Clothing, cooking appliances, Electronic, almost anything outside of the food/grocery section and it is made in foreign countries. We need to bring those jobs home and put our people to work. Americans can buy there clothes cheaper, but they will then have to pay more for Raw Materials and Petroleum Products.
A lot of our raw materials are sent off shore to big ships for processing then readmitted into the United States. This is a method to avoid the environmental laws here. Until we own up to our responsibility when we buy a product that is injurious to the environment when it is manufactured, this will probably continue. This process continues now in the microchip industry as it has for decades now. Plywood is a good example also. I don't know what the solution to this is, but shifting the responsibility to the offshore companies is not the answer IMHO.
The Chinese are building lots of Furniture offshore the US on Ships. The main reason they like to build it on ships offshore is to save on the high cost of fuel for the ships to haul the raw materials to China then the freight in hauling the finished product back. They get outside US waters to avoid the US Wage and hour laws, and so they can dump any waste overboard.
Agreed, Frank. 8)
Quote from: sixdogsmom on October 02, 2009, 07:10:50 PM
Agreed, Frank. 8)
mmmmyyycccommpppteriiiissssaahhkkiiinnnggg ssssoooo badddddddddddddddd IIIIcannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn barelllyyyyyyyy controooooooooooollllllllllllll iiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt............
LOL!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
EEEK...and the machines rebel! ;D ;D ;D ;D. Frank, I agree I'd love to see more things made back here again, but as long as businesses are free to make their own deals and influence those who can help them, what can anyone do? If people are anti union and anti government interference, doesn't it shift the natural course of business trends? I never really did understand NAFTA except that it made more money for the business corporate owners and not the workers, and yet there are those who think that is just fine. One group thinks businesses should be free market, but if it benefits the business to go to Dubai ,then that's bad? I really don't know any longer. No businesses seem to be willing to fight to get the US share of electronics, etc. back. again. It seems we are caught up in the information business and I don't know how long that can last.
Can you buy an American flag that was actually made in the USA?
I found that if you open up your dell computer aside from all the semiconductors, power supplies, plastic parts, metal parts, and power cord the processor seems to be homemade.
The extremely loud quad of helicopters that buzzed arrowhead stadium seemed to be made in the good old USA.
Yes, there are American made flags.They aren't the flimsy cheap ones, they are good quality.
Pep, Google Annin and Co.
I did.....Cool.
Greatguns... I believe there is even some locally made cheese we can eat with our Forum whine, er, wine. :P ;)
Gottcha! ;)
I'll tell you what. You want american made?? I can handle that.
I am waiting on my blades which are american made blades for my planer which is american made, and i'll take my tablesaw and other tools which are american made, and turn some of this wood i have that i salvaged from a american made school, this was was grown in america and cut by americans too.
I'll take it and cut it with my american made tools and turn it into a nice american made porch swing.
4 or 6' swing. So how many do yall want to order!!
basic prices start at 55.00. 6' are 70.00 and if you want a specific custom made design we can talk price.
Hey its All American! :)
Yes and there is a nice American made thread for that post at the bottom of the first page ......
.........................awe what the hell can you make me one out of hedge.
..........................................I just want you to have to buy new blades again.
Quote from: pepelect on October 05, 2009, 08:37:31 PM
Yes and there is a nice American made thread for that post at the bottom of the first page ......
.........................awe what the hell can you make me one out of hedge.
..........................................I just want you to have to buy new blades again.
LOL yeah i know it. I am using hedge on another project i have and its taken its toll on my planer knives.
So let me get this straight you(American) are profiting from the American taxpayers purchased wood (American Oak) that hasn't been utilized by Americans for years and producing something for Americans so that they(Americans) can sit their lazy American butts on?
This is a very patriotic venture.
I would applaud your green enterprise.
SRK, you ever use mulberry wood ? It's yeller like hedge but seems to be alot softer--not that I ever made anything from it
Quote from: jarhead on October 05, 2009, 08:58:33 PM
SRK, you ever use mulberry wood ? It's yeller like hedge but seems to be alot softer--not that I ever made anything from it
No i haven't used mulberry. I need the hedge's hardness, for making gears for my wooden clock. I plane down the pieces to 1/8" thick, and then cut into wedges and glue together then glue three circles offsetting the glue joints. Then i can do the scroll work on the gears to cut out the gears and they should be really strong. i do however need to dry this stuff somehow i think i'll toss the hedge slices on top of my stove when i fire it up and hope it drys it out more.
Don't dry em too fast or they will split and crack!
Just out of curiousity what does one of your 6 ft swings look like?
Steve, You should get in contact with Rex Morse from Elk City. He cuts his own logs, has a saw mill and a kiln and uses local wood to make cabinets. I sure don't know much about that kind of stuff but he did tell me you can only take a certain amount of moisture out of the wood,in the kiln, every day, or you screw it up. I know it takes several weeks in the kiln to cure the wood right---unlike the warped, cracked crap you buy at a lumber yard,nowadays.
Quote from: pamsback on October 06, 2009, 07:20:25 AM
Don't dry em too fast or they will split and crack!
Just out of curiousity what does one of your 6 ft swings look like?
Here's some pics of swings i have made, These are not the swings that i made but pics of the designs.
I can make any swing i can get a picture of. OR i can design a unique one, it just takes a bit longer to get my artistic mode in gear.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/swing1-1.gif)
This one is
2' swing 59.00
4' swing 95.00
6' swing 120.00
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/swing2.jpg)
frame for swing to put out in the garden
110.00
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/swing3.jpg)
2' swing 95.00
4' swing 120.00
6' swing 140.00
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/swing4arbor.jpg)
swing arbor
Price subject to wood prices. :)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/Porch_Swings_890.jpg)
2' swing 120.00
4' swing 200.00
6' swing 280.00
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c235/skruzich/swing1.jpg)
swing and stand is 230.00
Update, the above is a pine swing and stand, and after looking around, I found that i cannot get the logs to build this in pine around here. Sorry bout that, I am so used to being able to go cut a pine log whenever i needed one.
Next best thing is cedar and that is going to be pricy.
The swing alone is going to be 230 for cedar and the stand is going to be an additional 120.00 for cedar.
Made out of pine. Other woods would increase price based on cost of wood.
Quote from: jarhead on October 06, 2009, 07:32:33 AM
Steve, You should get in contact with Rex Morse from Elk City. He cuts his own logs, has a saw mill and a kiln and uses local wood to make cabinets. I sure don't know much about that kind of stuff but he did tell me you can only take a certain amount of moisture out of the wood,in the kiln, every day, or you screw it up. I know it takes several weeks in the kiln to cure the wood right---unlike the warped, cracked crap you buy at a lumber yard,nowadays.
Kool I might talk to him about milling some lumber for me. I want cedar for making porch swings. I could get some and tote it over and have him mill it.
I personally would prefer air dried wood for my projects but some woods like hedge won't dry hardly. I would love to get a hold of hedge posts that have been in the ground for 100 years that would be some awesome wood for making things out of. Hard as a rock i know but it is beautiful and it would be dry.
Just start pull up the hedge posts around. :-X I won't tell. I am sure no one will mind if you replace them with steel. ;D
Lol hedge post will shoot sparks, And buy stock in the saw blade company :P Hottest fire in the world comes from cut up hedge posts!
Quote from: pamsback on October 06, 2009, 08:54:48 AM
Lol hedge post will shoot sparks, And buy stock in the saw blade company :P Hottest fire in the world comes from cut up hedge posts!
Well i bought saw blades that i can sharpen. Carbide tipped blades save money big time. I guess i am going to have to figure in cost of blade into each project too. :|
I thought there was another saw mill somewhere around Howard, too? I think that is where Jim gets all his walnut cut and planed. Also, if you're looking for some cedar to cut down, or even some dead hedge (or un-dead hedge), give me a call. I can't give you permission for the whole ranch, but I can give you permission on the pastures right around the house and in the horse pen.
Another idea for getting trees that are already dead... contact some of the landowners who have the county pull out hedge rows along the county roads. There is one pasture I was just noticing yesterday on my way home from Piedmont that has a bunch of dead trees piled up in it. I think just south of where Sarah lives, maybe?
Quote from: Tobina+1 on October 06, 2009, 10:24:17 AM
I thought there was another saw mill somewhere around Howard, too? I think that is where Jim gets all his walnut cut and planed. Also, if you're looking for some cedar to cut down, or even some dead hedge (or un-dead hedge), give me a call. I can't give you permission for the whole ranch, but I can give you permission on the pastures right around the house and in the horse pen.
Another idea for getting trees that are already dead... contact some of the landowners who have the county pull out hedge rows along the county roads. There is one pasture I was just noticing yesterday on my way home from Piedmont that has a bunch of dead trees piled up in it. I think just south of where Sarah lives, maybe?
well hedge isn't something that a mill will cut up except maybe one or two logs or something like that. Its too hard on the blades. But cedar is something that would work. Also hedge has one big problem with any good sized log, half of what i have found has wire and nails imbedded in it from where it grows around fences and that will kill any saw blade. Thats probably why its not milled too.
But i do cut hedge for my wood heater LOL. It gives me the most heat i can get. Right now i am working on some dead piles and hopefully i can get them all cut up this year.
But if anyone has any oak, elm, or black walnut that need to get rid of i would love to get those. Black walnut i want for projects, but elm and oak for firewood :D
Dave Evans has a sawmill around Howard, FYI.
My dad and I run a TimberKing 1600 sawmill. We have milled hedge and yes it is tough on the blades. It helps to run over the logs with a metal detector for nails, wire, and such. Also, if you don't mind waiting for it to dry, you can stack milled, green lumber so that it doesn't warp, crack, etc. You should see some of the cedar we have. We don't sell our wood but we have milled some for some folks.
Quote from: Varmit on October 06, 2009, 07:06:06 PM
My dad and I run a TimberKing 1600 sawmill. We have milled hedge and yes it is tough on the blades. It helps to run over the logs with a metal detector for nails, wire, and such. Also, if you don't mind waiting for it to dry, you can stack milled, green lumber so that it doesn't warp, crack, etc. You should see some of the cedar we have. We don't sell our wood but we have milled some for some folks.
i would love to have a decent mill so that i could get wood to do my hobby/projects. :( i can get the wood, just no way to mill it. YOu don't want to do the milling for half the wood do you???
:D
Depends on the wood and the quanity. Send me a list of what you got and what you can get and we'll see.