# Milwaukee Tools - CHINA?



## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

Just got a heavy duty 9in sander by milwaukee. Realized after I had it shipped to me that it is made in China. Anything good or bad to say? I never owned a milwaukee tool but used this sander/grinder a few weeks ago in a welding shop and liked the heavy duty weight of it and needed a low rpm grinder for 6in knotted wire cup brushes. So I bought a 6000rpm and a 5000rpm model. They feel solid and well made, and the next few days these will be running 4-5hrs per day non stop, but again never had a milwaukee brand so was hoping someone can fill me in on if they are still the milwaukee of old that a lot of people raved about. Thanks.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I guess you will find out.


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I guess you will find out.


That statement worries me cuz it can go either way. If they last through the next 5-7 days thats more abuse than I will give them in the next 5-7 months.


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## DREAM1 (May 25, 2010)

every things made in china,heck my brand new grand son come over with his proud new dad(my son) and i flipped him over and look to see if i could find a made in china stamp.


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## tbronson (Feb 22, 2010)

DREAM1 said:


> every things made in china,heck my brand new grand son come over with his proud new dad(my son) and i flipped him over and look to see if i could find a made in china stamp.


Nice!


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

I bought a Chinese Milwaukee (advertised as USA in a Northern tool catalog) cutoff saw over 10 years ago, so it's been going on awhile. After that, I never looked in a Nothern catalog again.


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## afkama (Jul 16, 2006)

All Milwaukee tools have been manufactured in China since I think 2008. Milwaukee is owned by the same company that owns Ryobi and Ridgid.

There aren't many tools still made here. Mostly just bits and accessories.

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html#PowerEquipment


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Milwaukee may even own the plant or a significant amount of it to put their name and reputation on the tool.


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## DREAM1 (May 25, 2010)

i will keep my old rockwell and just rebuild it every 3or 4 years i know where it was made.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

...China is up and coming...or should I say here already? Most everything is made there. Get used to it, this topic comes up all the time.


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## afkama (Jul 16, 2006)

concretemasonry said:


> Milwaukee may even own the plant or a significant amount of it to put their name and reputation on the tool.


Milwaukee is owned by Techtronic Industries (TTI) Headquartered in Hong Kong.
They also own:
Ryobi
AEG
Ridgid
Homelite
Hoover
Dirt Devil
Vax


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

TBFGhost said:


> ...China is up and coming...or should I say here already? Most everything is made there. Get used to it, this topic comes up all the time.


Didn't we say the same thing to* "Made in Japan?"*:sad:


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

I am LEAD to believe that this may become the biggest thread since the LEAD services one. I pLead with all of you to not let China remain the world LEADer in tool production. This also LEADs me to think, wasn't there some safety concerns lately regarding items made in China? I for one will always bLEAD red white and blue!


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Warren -

China uses very little frame construction because of cost, fire and durability. They import lumber from the U.S. and Russia. For millwork shapes, they import from wherever the customer wants. For cheap violins, they use U.S. Russian and SE Asian wood, but save the quality Chinese wood (spruce, I think) for the top of the line, quality (and very, very expensive) violins that are some of the best in the world.

Take a trip there and see what is happening and where the loans to the U.S. are coming from. If you have a cheap Taxi, it might be a new Buick (usually black, be could be red, white and blue). If it is a better cab it will be a Mercedes or BMW, which are more in demand. You may have to hunt to find rickshaw, since I saw my first few on my third trip.

If you go to Kun Ming (population about 5,000,000), an American is treated especially well since the American Flying Tigers fought the Japanese in an effort to protect China. - There is a lot more than just a brand name.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

Ridgid is owned by Emerson. However, most of their power tools are indeed made by TTI. From what I understand they also make Craftsman power tools. 

I do not understand how people don't care where something is made or who owns the company. Lets take Milwaukee for example. 15 years ago if you bought just about anything made by Milwaukee it was pretty much a guarantee that whatever you bought was designed and built here in the USA with USA materials and Milwaukee was an American owned company. In 2005 TTI buys Milwaukee and in under 5 years they moved everything to China. Whether they make the best power tools on the planet or not is besides the point. A US owned company making stuff here in the US can not compete with a Chinese company making stuff in China. We keep buying their junk so they can buy more US companys and ship more jobs to China. I'm all for competition but it's a little unfair when we have to try to compete with companys that don't have to follow the same rules we do.


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## The Forest (Dec 11, 2007)

Oh, heavens. I cringe at the response this might get so I'll preface by saying this:

We're builders. In america... Building America. So it's logical that we might take pride in buying american built tools and trucks (though maybe not a Dodge )

I've read so many of these chinese crap/pro america threads that I can't help but think of my old boss and his partner. Two most adamantly pro-american/anti chiwanese flag-waving builders I've ever met. Only American quality for them. Hacks they were, sadly. Worse, they had talent but didn't care. Cut a corner here, there, whatever to bring the job in and make a buck. 

I wish they had the same pride in craftsmanship in "building America" they demanded from their tools as being "American Made."

I just always saw a disconnect WITH THOSE TWO GUYS (not necessarily the OP or many other posters who quite legitimately want to buy and work with american-made tools.)

I guess my point is this. Most general carpentry tools aren't made in the US anymore. Recognize this and move on. But... WE are making things, BUILDING things in the US. Make it the best you can, and don't be the "China" of your building community.

Damn, I'll get off my soap box now. Sorry.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

People will just have to except that made in USA never meant good quality. Better than china yes but def not the best. Ever since I can remember the US have been bashed about bad quality from anything from screw drivers to cars and houses. In the last few years it seems quality of cars as an example has def got better. Except for dodge of course. You have a choice to not buy tools from china. The Germans are still pumping out quality tools. You get what you pay for in the end.


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

The Forest said:


> I guess my point is this. Most general carpentry tools aren't made in the US anymore. Recognize this and move on. But... WE are making things, BUILDING things in the US. Make it the best you can, and don't be the "China" of your building community.


Another entire industry has been shipped overseas so everyone should just throw up their arms, say, "oh well" and move on? I guess it's ok as long as it's not your job. 
Or is it? Every day I read another post on this web site with everyone complaining because they can't compete with all the "hacks" out there that don't have insurance, aren't licensed, don't get permits, hires illegal aliens that cost a fraction of a normal employee, a government that seems to reward people that don't follow the rules, etc., etc.. How is that any different than what happened with all the industries that have been shipped to China? They don't pay their workers a quarter of what our workers get paid, they don't have the EPA giving them rules to follow or OSHA or labor unions, etc. If it were a level playing field I wouldn't have a problem with it but, it's not and I do have a big problem with that. :furious:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Another entire industry has been shipped overseas so everyone should just throw up their arms, say, "oh well" and move on? I guess it's ok as long as it's not your job.


I suggest you fight this to the bitter end to bring back the tool industry to the USA...How about I pay you 3 egg rolls an hour to make circular saws and you can quit your current job? :thumbsup:


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Inner -

In addition to the 3 egg rolls and wages, you have to add in the day care for children, meals and transportation to and from work or housing. Then, they can work in a plant using some American machinery to assemble computers using products imported from outside China (U.S, Mexico, etc.) for ultimate sale to an American company to sell in the U.S. Much of the high tech medical equipment is made/assembled in China according to the purchasers requirements. The excess production is sold to other countries to reduce costs and increase volume.

Do you remember years ago when Nikon and Canon were cheap "knock-offs" of German cameras when the U.S. did not have the quality and technology to match/compete with the German cameras? Now, they are internationally recognized as leaders in both quality and volume cameras. Now Japan probably has some of the highest labor cost, but still competes everywhere.

India is a real power because of the education level and technology, but they have chosen to avoid any U.S. commercial market/products except for high school studentslearning and handling bank and airline questions etc., after 8-9 hours of school. The exception is when an Indian company (TATA) bought Jaguar and Rover from Ford for cash (pocket change), that allowed Ford to operate its own business without the government interference associated with the "bail-out". According to reports, Toyota pays American workers more on the paycheck that Government Motors (GM) or Chrysler, but is not burdened with the long term obligations and contracts inherited.

The world is large but is shrinking much more quickly than people realize, so you are never isolated even though China wants to censor some internet offerings.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

The US people are the only people to blame here. More people seem more worried about quantity over quality. Exactly why walmart and lowes do so well over here. You pushed production to these other places due to wanting a higher wage than the company could possibly afford. Then you wanted the stuff they sold for for such a cheap price, the margins were too small to carry on producing them in this country. Look at what an avg GM worker earns. I know guys who work for ford who earn around $30hr for clipping on plastic trim! Most people I know in the US who don't have jobs won't work because they don't get $20 an hr to load boxes or sweep floors. But then when they do get that job they buy everything cheap that's made in china which then at some point puts more people out of work :blink:


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> I suggest you fight this to the bitter end to bring back the tool industry to the USA...How about I pay you 3 egg rolls an hour to make circular saws and you can quit your current job? :thumbsup:


Make it 4 egg rolls and a box of fireworks and you got a deal. :thumbup:


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## mattsk8 (Dec 6, 2009)

We all kind of sold ourselves up the river. People realized they can make tons of money having slave labor over seas make the stuff us Americans are buying. 'Brokers' have been around forever. The problem we're facing now (and I fear it will be a huge problem sooner than we think) is that now China is bigger and has more money (by a lot, and I mean a LOT!) than we do.

The only things we have going for us as a nation right now is that we're the super consumer, the fat kid. We're the ones buying all the stuff that's feeding the China 'monster'. As soon as the perverbial cookie crumbles here in America and no one can affoard to be the fat kid any more, it will be time to pay the piper. This is probably going to be our kids. The other thing is our army. For the time being, our defense technology is still on top.

Also, American made was better in most regards. Sure you had your garbage but think of what our high end home audio use to be- Carver, Yamaha. Now everything is cookie cutter stamped and it all sounds the same. You just get 100 different model #'s to make you feel like you actually made a choice when in reality, it's basicly the same crap w/ a different wrapper. 

This is where it's going and I'm not sure at this stage there's much we can do about it. How long do we get to continue to borrow money when you already owe the lender trillions of dollars? And who in office is doing anything to make a positive change here? Seems to me they just fire up the money press and print whatever they need to do whatever it is they're doing; and I'm not even a little convinced what they do has anything to do w/ their concern for 'we the people'. I think the people "for the people" are a bunch of clowns looking out for #1.


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

*Just dont bother with Milwaukee*

Well ran both my brand new milwaukee 9in grinder/sanders for about 2hrs a piece. One had a 5in knotted wire cup brush and the other had a 6in. Was polishing and removing rust from steel tube railings. After 2hrs each one had a horrible chirping sound everytime you rotated the wheel, an hour later so did the other one. As if it was in desperate need of oil. Since they dont take oil, it was a problem. Boxed them up and shipped them right back for a refund...then ordered 2 9in Bosch grinders, like I should have done to begin with.

I never owned a milwaukee tool in my life. Figured, eh, give em a shot. Since all my grinders (4"-7") are bosch, and a few metabo. Thought changing it up a little and try something new. Never again. Milwaukee is out permanently. My bosch grinders have hundreds of hours run on them and used every single day without a problem. The metabos same thing. Should have never have changed, made in germany, and my cousin works for the company. Stick with what works apparently.


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## JT Wood (Dec 17, 2007)

I think bosch stuff is made in china too:shutup:


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

I think every company has stuff made in china, bosch too. I know the tools I have are made in germany - not saying that the newer models are cuz I dont know. Have to wait and see when I get these new grinders in where they are made. Last time I checked with bosch they asked me for the model number and serial number of my tool and they told me where that exact tool was manufactured. It was nice to know especially if it is not directly printed on the tool. Luckily, it wasnt china. Find out in a few days about these new grinders.


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## jiffy (Oct 21, 2007)

Where a tool is made has little to do with the quality. It relies completely upon the manufacturer and what they are willing to put into the tool at the factory.


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Most Chinese factories in China can make anything to the partner's or customer/marketer's specifications. That is why the different serial and model numbers for tools that looks the same.

It is a different manufacturing system even for high tech medical supplies made on U.S, equipment. That is because the capacity is so great they make products for different markets, countries and specifications to all countries. The U.S. is not known to be a quality oriented market and is more price oriented (possibly because of the U.S. retailers advertising "low price crutch". They make more cars than the U.S. and more Buicks are sold in China than the U.S. (#3 behind Mercedes and BMW).


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## Kastoria (May 5, 2008)

Well the bosch grinders came today...and of course all marked made in China. I looked at my other bosch stuff and they are made in Switzerland. So now since I dont have a choice it looks like the Bosch grinders are going back and I am reordering the Milwaukee grinders. Maybe it was a fluke that they burned out so fast. The Bosch grinders have a plastic housing that I am not to thrilled about. At least the Milwaukee's had a metal housing which is a little more durable to have bouncing around a metal shop. 

So no real lesson learned here. I just hope its a fluke and the new ones perform better and longer. All my smaller grinders are Bosch and regardless of where they are made they have lasted for several years so far and are fairly affordable - especially when you can find the 2 packs. Probably gonna go look today if any 2 packs are on the shelf and buy them out.


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## RS Sam (Feb 9, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> The US people are the only people to blame here. More people seem more worried about quantity over quality. Exactly why walmart and lowes do so well over here. You pushed production to these other places due to wanting a higher wage than the company could possibly afford. Then you wanted the stuff they sold for for such a cheap price, the margins were too small to carry on producing them in this country. Look at what an avg GM worker earns. I know guys who work for ford who earn around $30hr for clipping on plastic trim! Most people I know in the US who don't have jobs won't work because they don't get $20 an hr to load boxes or sweep floors. But then when they do get that job they buy everything cheap that's made in china which then at some point puts more people out of work :blink:


Well it is not the U.S "PEOPLE" – meaning me & you just trying to make a living who are to "blame" here – it is the lack of corporate patriotism. Their motto is take it to where you can build it for the cheapest - no laws to protect the worker or to prevent child labor, or to impose silly environmental reg. – and the "people" back home will buy it. We are all trying to make our $s go as far as possible but many of us would not hesitate to truly be able to buy "made in America" if anything was made in the U.S. anymore. As we are discussing in this forum, we don't have much of an option. You can buy it at the box stores or you can buy it at your local lumber yard but you are still buying tools & other consumer goods that were formerly U.S. branded & made, now all being made elsewhere. The coporitistas just hope that we won't notice. 

I think we are all just beginning to understand the real cost of buying at the cheapest rate. Better wake up all - we need to become a manufacturing nation again :clap: otherwise we will end up throwing away all our cheap tools after a year or two and in the long we - the working guys- will just spend that much more to make a living with our diminishing incomes on tools & products we can't depend on. We need to demand the same kind of patriotism from corporate America that they demand of us worker bees. I for one will spend the money on well made tools that last through job after job. Give me an option!


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