Detroit Tools

[Rahere]

7 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

i agree with you for once, whoda thunk it. But lets say it for what it is they treat their people like slaves  and steal the intellectual property  of every other country so they don't pay the necessary living costs or design costs that the rest of the world does. They spend their money on influencing politicians in every country. 

That's because, being a believer in democracy, I'm a centreist, which places me somewhat to the left of your Democrats. It does not make me a Communist, however, any more than it makes me a Fascist. My first run in with the KGB was aged 11, it fell to my mum, former SOE, to instruct me in the protocols of State Security. What an 11 year old was doing correctly identifying a Head of a Russian State Industry in 1966 is another story: it was the start of the Fiat Lada theft, and the goon was his bodyguard. I've had frequent meetings with our security services down the years, because I'm rather good at their interest areas: the last time, they discovered the first thing I did was sign the local head of your Secret Service up. That's because I was dealing at Head-of-State level, in full view of and complete disclosure to half the Cabinet. Not for the first time, either, by a very long stretch. It's why I work in leather, it's grounding, in practical terms. Feet on the ground.

 

[dikman]

13 hours ago, jimi said:

There is one the same, yellow and called rockwell?? I do not think it is made in the USA. https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/rockwell-shopseries-rockwell-shopseries-rotary-tool-130-watt/344538.html

Yep, looks to be the same thing, just a different colour and label. I had another hand unit that looked the same, other than a yet another colour and label. For occasional use these are fine and at the price if they eventually die it hasn't cost you much (and you still have all the bits to use with the next one ).

I keep the battery Dremel and an Ozito down in my leatherwork shed. I use the drum sander and a small wooden burnishing bit I made to get into tight places. The Dremel 4000 is hanging over my workbench in the garage as I find it handy for all sorts of finicky jobs.

[Handstitched]

G'Day, 

The ' Rockwell' tool looks identical, apart from the colour.  I guess it was naive of me to think that the ' Detroit' tools are actually  made in the U.S. , the price should have been a give away.  I was just trying to be supportive and  do the right thing by buying either Australian or American .   I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for the Detroit, I can at least be supportive of the name   , and its only going to be used occasionally anyway. I also have a  ' Spear & Jackson ' pneumatic staple gun.I do have an ' Ozito'  electric staple gun, good for small light jobs.  S.& J.  tools were made in the UK once upon a time, not anymore. 

HS

Edited July 11, 2021 by Handstitched

[tsunkasapa]

Sadly, Buck knives, an American icon, are now made in China.

[Klara]

https://www.protoolreviews.com/news/power-tool-manufacturers-who-owns-them/43632/

At first glance I don't see Detroit, but I still find it interesting. Given that practically everything is made in China I guess the next best thing would be to buy things owned in whichever country you want to support. 

Btw, Detroit is probably protected as a brand name in Australia, which means its owner should be listed in some Australian database which with a bit of luck might be accessible free of charge. If you can find it..

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Klara
Added a thought

[dikman]

Handstitched, I reckon you'll be happy with the Detroit and I'm confidant that if you do have any issues Total Tools will do the right thing. As for the name, it's simply the Chinese manufacturer trying to capitalise on an American sounding name.

[Spyros]

On 7/10/2021 at 3:15 PM, Handstitched said:

G'day and thank you for your replies. 

Does it say anywhere , on the tool,  packaging or storage box where its made?  I can hazard a guess. 

@Spyros I still have a few ' GMC' tools , (that are no longer made),  drill, jig saw,  bench sander and a compressor , and ,  touchwood, they still work fine . 

Its seems that we can't get away from ' Made in China' . 

I might have to take a bit of gamble. It doesn't seem to matter what brand I go for, it will still be ' Made in China'. 

I agree. This will only be used for the occasional restore job, cleaning/polishing, removing rust on small components etc. 

Thank you once again for your help  

HS

Half my tools are made in my back yard :D

There's a lot of appetite for locally made tools in the market, people would buy them, but no one seems interested to make them.  The bottom line is if you're in Australia and want to invest in something there are easier ways to make money.  Manufacturing is hard and low margin.

Edited July 11, 2021 by Spyros

[Handstitched]

Just went to order my ' Detroit' tool online , only to find the freight is  a bit over  2/3'ds of the product price, $49 for the tool and $35 for freight to my  address ...that sucks. However, if I buy $100 worth of tools, I get free freight...go figure? 

It'll cost me around $45 bucks in fuel ( + traffic  snarls/ hassles/ rage )  to pick the damn thing  up !! 

Theres an expression we have here in Oz " NOT-HAPPY-JAN !! "  only an Aussie will know what that means....   I'll.... figure something out...apart from inventing new curse words  

 @tsunkasapa     Sadly, Buck knives, an American icon, are now made in China. 

Yep I hear ya !!  Happens  far too often to our icons.  And I always keep an eye out for any old / vintage  leather tools at s/h markets etc.  practically any tools related to leather.  They were made to last . 

HS

Edited July 14, 2021 by Handstitched

[Klara]

I feel your pain. Between $ 35 for shipping and $ 55 for more tools, I'd choose the latter. Surely they sell something else you or your family or a neighbour might need or want? 

Or find another supplier. I doubt there is much difference between one Chinese rotary tool and the next...

[jimi]

16 minutes ago, Handstitched said:

Just went to order my ' Detroit' tool online , only to find the freight is  a bit over  2/3'ds of the product price, $49 for the tool and $35 for freight to my  address ...that sucks. However, if I buy $100 worth of tools, I get free freight...go figure? 

In that case i would probably look for a second hand little used Dremil around your area, sometimes people buy them for the urge and don´t use them in the end so you might get a good deal. Also people get them as presents and then sell then off when nobody in the family is looking!  I think they are made in Mexico??