I use a lot of Badger jars for my airbrush and a few years ago, I noticed something that just wasn’t right. Since I’ve used these things for decades, I noticed that the lid did not fit as well as they once did. The lid was thinner and didn’t provide a good seal. Needing to paint something, I poured in a little Floquil and some thinner and screwed the lid on anyway. I shake my paint before spraying and I noticed that the paint was looking weird and thick. I removed the lid and found that the seal in the top of the lid had melted. I looked at another jar and the seal was now made of foam! Doesn’t work real well with paint thinner! That was when I noticed that the jar was made in China. I couldn’t believe that these things could not be made in the US.
I promptly emailed Ken at Badger and was told that this was the first that they have heard of the problem. Not sure I believed that, but they did send me a dozen lids. I did find that after I ran out of the dozen lids, that by removing the foam seal, they worked OK. So that is what I have done for the past, I don’t know, four dozen jars.
Last week I purchased more jars from my LHS. Today, I opened them up to do a little painting and right away I noticed the lid fit better. So I looked, and YAY, the lids have the good seal in them again. Made my day. I guess others had the same problem.
I have heard that prices in China are rising, so they are lossing the advantage of being cheap. Not to mention QC issues and working with China can be a pain. Atlas found that out with their track.
I am surprised the environmentalist don’t protest against manufacturing in China, industry isn’t regulated that much, and they pollute a lot. I believe they are still using steam engines which pollute a lot morethan the diesel electrics we use in the US.
I haven’t looked at it in years, until again just now, but I have this book here, “To China for Steam”. By Robert Adley. The publication date is, 1983. The book is a record of sorts of what was current there at that time. However the author writes that China National Railway’s was at a transition period & that China’s deseilzation would see the last of the steamers within the next decade or so. I have no clue to what the state of China’s rail is these days, but I imagine that their steamers have mainly gone now as they have almost every where else
Yep, that’s what good old Capitalism will do for you, or I guess the pseudo thing they got going on over there in China. It will take time but I believe we can bring more manufacturing back into this country as costs rise in China. I definitely would like to see more model railroad stuff US made.
I’m not so sure. As much as I would like this to happen I see that as manufacturing costs rise in china, the companies state side who take advantage - in a good way -of low wage manufacturing costs will possibly move their orders to the next country where labor costs are cheaper than in the US. It may be to countries in SE Asia or just south of the border to Mexico. Who knows.
Dusty Solo wrote: “I have no clue to what the state of China’s rail is these days”
Today´s trains in China make look trains in the US look like dinosaurs. Main cities are linked with high speed rail services similar to Japan´s Shin Kansen, the French TGV or Germany´s ICE trains. China Rail is a clean, well-organized and efficient carrier. We have to correct our view on China. It is not a developing third-world country, it is a modern, highly industrialized nation.
Steam is gone for good!
Tired of modeling US prototype trains - go Chinese - look here!
I wish that were true about manufacturing coming back to the US, and some of it might but I have read where more industrialists are looking toward Africa as the next source of “discounted” labor. That capitalism thing again…
Where have all the jobs gone, long time passing? Where have all the jobs gone, long time ago? Where have all the jobs gone? Greedy people have moved them everyone. Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
If he could have his way, he would put all of the GE factories on barges so he could ship them around the world in search of the lowest wages and the least government regulation protecting workers, consumers and the general public.
These are the leaders Wall Street looks up to!
Jack was admired far and wide for his visionary guidance.
These are passenger trains, not freight trains. I wonder what their freight trains look like, probably not so high tech. In the US, our excellent interstate system as well as excellent cars have led to do down fall of passenger trains. Not to mention airliners which offer faster travel for roughly the same price. Speaking of airliners, does China make passenger jets? I believe almost every (if not all) airlines fly Boeings, designed, tested, and built in the USA. Great safety records. The 777 had a perfect safety recorded until two Asian airlines crashed two.
If I remember correctly, when the Chinese used steam engines, some of those where built in America. EMD and GE still export a lot of locomotives. America is still great at building large equipmen
I visited China in 2008 and was shocked by what I saw! Long gone are the days of this country being backwards and producing cheap junk. That´s what we want to see to feel superior. Look at Blackstone´s HOn3 locos - that´s the reality! Look at Bachmann (UK) - not the cheap junk you think you get. Not that I am particularly fond of this development, but I don´t think it is reversible.
Oh, btw, China does build air liners - under the license of Airbus…
Most of that rolling stock appears to be an American design, in fact that yard looks like it is in North America.
Do the Chinese export those aircraft? I doubt Airbus would allow it. Most airliners in the region use Boeings as well. Also, do Chinese manufactures sell cars worldwide?
I believe if the US lowered export taxes, and raised import taxes by a small percent, American manufactures would have a fair advantage. We could also start selling stuff to China.
After seeing night time pix of the Shanghi skyline I new they must be up to something of a capitalist nature. Rapido’s highly detailed cars & locomotive models are all manufactured in China
Most of the 1/43 diecast collector models are made there as well. These are all highly detailed & beautifly presented witn authentic detail as to be breath taking.
China produces & exports a range of pick-up trucks sold throughout Asia & the Pacific under the name, ‘Great Wall’. That is according to an article in some magazine I was reading in the dentists waiting room of all places.
I could comment further but I would be a rude guest on a US based forum, and I could be treading on thin ice regarding forum policies, suffice it to say New Zealand has lost a lot of manufacturing jobs to China, a situation that I don’t like, but then are we actually prepared to pay the price if the goods were made locally again??
" In the US, our excellent interstate system as well as excellent cars have led to do down fall of passenger trains. Not to mention airliners which offer faster travel for roughly the same price. Speaking of airliners, does China make passenger jets? I believe almost every (if not all) airlines fly Boeings, designed, tested, and built in the USA. Great safety records. The 777 had a perfect safety recorded until two Asian airlines crashed two. "
You need to look more closely. A huge percentage of those “excelent cars” are Toyotas, Nisans, Hyundays, Hondas. and Kias. American airlines are increasingly buying the European Airbus and small jets built by Canadair. We have already lost the passenger aircraft made by Lockeed, McDonnel, and Douglas Aircraft.
The world has moved on quite a bit since the 1980´s. As I said before, we must change our view not only on China, but also on India, Taiwan and, since a long time, on Korea. Granted, in India, as well as China, the vast majority of the people are still poor beyond belief, but those countries have joined the ranks of highly industrialized nations for some time now. Who cares, that the technological base for that development was “imported” - we gave it away knowing what would happen, because we wanted it that way. China has reached a position which makes us dependent on Chinese goods. Extract everything made in China from your home and there is hardly anything left. You might even have to run around in your birthday suit … [swg], as all those fancy labels are produced in China (or Bangladesh).
Our hobby would be non-existant without Chinese manufacturers, as we have made our own resources redundant. Yes, jobs were and still will be lost, but China is not the one to blame. It was us who failed to develop new jobs in advanced industries.
`Nuff said, again - I will now enjoy my little Japanese built HOn3 Tenwheeler run on my test track … - built in 1974! At that time, no one complained about the Japanese dominating the brass market.
Some years ago, when Britain’s lease on Hong Kong ran out, people were asking what would happen when China got hold of Hong Kong. I thought about it, and asked what would happen when Hong Kong got a hold of China.
That’s true. And, the last time I looked, Toyotas had more “American content” in their cars than Fords.
