A few years ago my daughter gave me a Craftsman rolling tool chest for Christmas. I didn't need it but kept it because she gave it to me. I already have a tool chest that was made in China. Guess which one is better quality and cost less? Yup, the China tool chest. The Craftsman has thinner flimsy sheet metal, bad welds, and cheap construction. The China tool chest has sliding roller bearing rails for the drawers and rugged pull rails in front, while the Craftsman has drawers that simply slide on folded sheet metal rails and has flimsy plastic pull rails in front that always catch on my clothes. The China chest also came with drawer liners, while I had to make my own for the Craftsman. I bought the China version far cheaper than what the Craftsman sells for.
I have experienced the same thing with other American made tools that are trying to be competitive with Chinese made tools. They can't compete cost-wise. I have an American made miter-saw stand that I had to grind off the welds and redo them myself because the welds were bad and crooked. Chinese made stuff is getting better than our stuff compared to past years.
Just sayin'...
“’I believe Craftsman tools are made in USA.”
“Not anymore.”
Yeah, after posting I did a little Googling and it appears Sears is transitioning Craftsman tool production from USA to China. However and supposedly, manufacturing specs and quality control standards are set to meet same standards as when made here. Don’t know, haven’t bought many tools over past few years and those I have bought don’t get used much. I was raised by the creed that if you need a tool, don’t borrow it, go buy it, and you will eventually have all the tools you’ll need. I pretty much did that :)