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My guess is that they look to fill the specs (e.g., caster wheel rated at X
lbs.) and procure based upon price. I wrote a lengthy, factual assessment
comparing the previous "made in USA lift" to the current "assembled in USA
lift" detailing where the newer one fell short.
I did like the ramp and wheel chock design on the newer one better, and I
told them that as well.
We will see if they respond.
On Sat, Jan 6, 2024 at 9:20=E2=80=AFAM <alfuller194@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes, it IS sad to see well respected brands decline in quality!
>
>
>
> Re: =E2=80=9CAlthough the core Backyard Buddy lift is still made in the U=
S of US
> steel, many of the ancillary components now are imported and it only says
> "assembled in USA" instead of "made in USA." The substituted imported par=
ts
> are not up to the quality of the Backyard sold by Steel City. =E2=80=9C
>
>
>
> I have to assume the domestic companies ARE getting what they are orderin=
g
> from the foreign suppliers, raising the question of why are they either [=
1]
> specifying lower quality, or [2] specifying higher quality but accepting
> lesser goods?
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------
>
> All the best,
>
>
>
> Al Fuller
>
>
>
> *From:* Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces@autox.team.net> *On Behalf Of *old
> dirtbeard
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 4, 2024 4:27 PM
> *To:* eric@megageek.com
> *Cc:* Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> *Subject:* Re: [Shop-talk] SK breaker bar Saga (the final update)
>
>
>
> I am very sorry to hear this, Moose. I too have been a loyal SK customer
> for over 50 years. I have a very larage collection of tools from them.
>
>
>
> I know that they were purchased in 2021 by Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial,
> a Chinese conglomerate. I believe that some/most of the manufacturing is
> still done here, but it is no longer an American company.
>
>
>
> For new purchases I believe Proto and Wright still are US-made and owned,
> but things changs.
>
>
>
> I bought a Backyard Buddy 4-post automotive lift in 2019 that was
> wonderful. It was made by Steel Valley Lifts. I ordered another one last
> month, but now it is owned by Advantage Lifts which sells imported lifts =
as
> well.
>
>
>
> Although the core Backyard Buddy lift is still made in the US of US steel=
,
> many of the ancillary components now are imported and it only says
> "assembled in USA" instead of "made in USA." The substituted imported par=
ts
> are not up to the quality of the Backyard sold by Steel City.
>
>
>
> I truly hate to see this degradation of quality happen to really good
> American tool companies. I guess I am just glad that I have most of the
> tools now that I will ever need.
>
>
>
> best,
>
>
>
> doug
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 2:16=E2=80=AFPM <eric@megageek.com> wrote:
>
> Well, in Oct, my SK breaker bar broke.
> I couldn't find any phone numbers or anything, just a website to fill out
> some info.
>
> After putting in a claim for the "breaker bar repair kit", I waited almos=
t
> a month, nothing. Then I posted here and others expressed their
> dissatisfaction with SK as well.
>
> I finally found an email and sent them one asking if they received my
> claim. They stated that they did not have it.
>
> I resubmitted it, waited 2 days and emailed again. Again, they said they
> didn't have it.
>
> Then about a day later, they sent me an email stated they DID have it, bu=
t
> they didn't see it because the email address (I have no idea what that
> meant.)
>
> But they also said that I would have to send them the broken tool in for =
a
> replacement, since the kit wasn't available.
>
> So I spend about $12 sending it in (with all the postal tracking and such=
.)
>
> About 2 weeks AFTER I confirmed they received it, I sent another email.
> Nothing.
>
> Then, I get an invoice for the shipping of the new tool to me for $8 abou=
t
> 4 days later. I pay it within an hour of getting it.
>
> About a week later, I get a message saying they received my payment and
> will be shipping out the replacement. Now, this was about mid Dec. So I
> hoped they would get it in the mail sooner before the holidays.
>
> Nope, they waited until the new year to ship it. Since the place is only
> about 4 hours away from me in PA, it only took 2 days to get it. So I no=
w
> have my new SK breaker bar.
>
> Note, in all my emails to them I expressed how much I loved SK tools, and
> how I relied on my breaker bar and how I would have to buy a cheap one to
> use in the meantime if it was going to take a while to replace.
>
> In the end, I am not at all happy. American tool companies used to be
> worth the extra price. However, I know that if I had a cheap Home Depot
> Rigid one and walked into a store with it broken, I would walk out with a
> new one.
>
> The other thing is that I had to pay the shipping BOTH WAYS. Really? If
> they didn't like the photos I sent, they could have paid for the shipping
> one way at least! I mean, $20 isn't going to break me, but it is a drop =
in
> the bucket for a company that charges a MAJOR premium for tools. And to
> have me without a tool for over 3 months! I mean if I was making my livi=
ng
> with their tools, I would have been starving.
>
> I will NO LONGER buy SK tools. I hope they are happy. If any of them
> break, I'm headed to a local Lowes and replacing them with their house
> brands (they used to do that in the past at least.)
>
> Anyway, just wanted to let all of you know what happened with the bar.
>
> Moose _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation $12.96
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk
> http://autox.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/dirtbeard@gmail.com
>
>
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">My =
guess is that they look to fill the specs (e.g., caster wheel rated at X lb=
s.) and procure based upon price. I wrote=C2=A0a lengthy, factual assessmen=
t comparing the previous "made in USA lift" to the current "=
assembled=C2=A0in USA lift" detailing where the newer one fell short.=
=C2=A0</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></di=
v><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I did like the ram=
p and wheel chock design on the newer one better, and I told them that as w=
ell.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div>=
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">We will see if they =
respond.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></=
div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_at=
tr">On Sat, Jan 6, 2024 at 9:20=E2=80=AFAM <<a href=3D"mailto:alfuller19=
4@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">alfuller194@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></di=
v><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;borde=
r-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div lang=3D"EN-US=
"><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Yes, it IS sad to see well respected brands d=
ecline in quality!<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u>=
</u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Re: =E2=80=9C<span style=3D"font-size:12pt">=
Although the core Backyard Buddy lift is still made in the US of US steel, =
many of the ancillary components now are imported and it only says "as=
sembled in USA" instead of "made in USA." The substituted im=
ported parts are not up to the quality of the Backyard sold by Steel City.=
=C2=A0=E2=80=9C<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=
=3D"font-size:12pt"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><=
span style=3D"font-size:12pt">I have to assume the domestic companies ARE g=
etting what they are ordering from the foreign suppliers, raising the quest=
ion of why are they either [1] specifying lower quality, or [2] specifying =
higher quality but accepting lesser goods?</span><u></u><u></u></p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">-------------=
----------------------<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">All the best=
,<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">Al Fuller<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=
=A0<u></u></p><div style=3D"border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-lef=
t:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in"><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Shop-talk <<a href=3D"mailto:shop-talk-bounc=
es@autox.team.net" target=3D"_blank">shop-talk-bounces@autox.team.net</a>&g=
t; <b>On Behalf Of </b>old dirtbeard<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 4, 2=
024 4:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href=3D"mailto:eric@megageek.com"; target=3D"_b=
lank">eric@megageek.com</a><br><b>Cc:</b> <a href=3D"mailto:Shop-talk@autox=
.team.net" target=3D"_blank">Shop-talk@autox.team.net</a><br><b>Subject:</b=
> Re: [Shop-talk] SK breaker bar Saga (the final update)<u></u><u></u></p><=
/div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p><div><div><p class=3D"M=
soNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">I am very sorry to hear this, Moos=
e. I too have been a loyal SK customer for over 50 years. I have a very lar=
age collection of tools from them.<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p cl=
ass=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"=
>I know that they were purchased in 2021 by<span style=3D"font-family:Robot=
o;color:rgb(17,17,17)">=C2=A0Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial, a Chinese congl=
omerate.=C2=A0</span><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">=C2=A0I believe=C2=A0th=
at some/most of the manufacturing is still done here, but it is no longer a=
n American company.</span><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNorma=
l"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D=
"font-size:12pt">For new purchases=C2=A0I believe Proto and Wright still ar=
e US-made and owned, but things changs.</span><u></u><u></u></p></div><div>=
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNo=
rmal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">I bought a Backyard Buddy 4-post autom=
otive lift in 2019 that was wonderful. It was made by Steel Valley Lifts. I=
ordered another one last month, but now it is owned by Advantage Lifts whi=
ch sells imported lifts as well.=C2=A0</span><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><=
p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNor=
mal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">Although the core Backyard Buddy lift i=
s still made in the US of US steel, many of the ancillary components now ar=
e imported and it only says "assembled in USA" instead of "m=
ade in USA." The substituted imported parts are not up to the quality =
of the Backyard sold by Steel City.=C2=A0</span><u></u><u></u></p></div><di=
v><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"Mso=
Normal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">I truly hate to see this degradation=
of quality happen to really good American tool companies. I guess I am jus=
t glad that I have most of the tools now that I will ever need.</span><u></=
u><u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p></di=
v><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">best,</span><u=
></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p><=
/div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt">doug</span>=
<u></u><u></u></p></div></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></=
p><div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal">On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 2:16=E2=80=AFPM &=
lt;<a href=3D"mailto:eric@megageek.com"; target=3D"_blank">eric@megageek.com=
</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p></div><blockquote style=3D"border-top:none=
;border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:1pt solid rgb(204,204,204=
);padding:0in 0in 0in 6pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in"><p class=3D"M=
soNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:12pt"><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-f=
amily:Arial,sans-serif">Well, in Oct, my SK breaker bar broke. =C2=A0</span=
> <br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I couldn&=
#39;t find any phone numbers or anything, just a website to fill out some i=
nfo.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-se=
rif">After putting in a claim for the "breaker bar repair kit", I=
waited almost a month, nothing.=C2=A0 Then I posted here and others expres=
sed their dissatisfaction with SK as well.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"fo=
nt-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I finally found an email and sen=
t them one asking if they received my claim.=C2=A0 They stated that they di=
d not have it.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Ari=
al,sans-serif">I resubmitted it, waited 2 days and emailed again.=C2=A0 Aga=
in, they said they didn't have it.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-s=
ize:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Then about a day later, they sent me=
an email stated they DID have it, but they didn't see it because the e=
mail address (I have no idea what that meant.)</span> <br><br><span style=
=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">But they also said that I =
would have to send them the broken tool in for a replacement, since the kit=
wasn't available.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-fa=
mily:Arial,sans-serif">So I spend about $12 sending it in (with all the pos=
tal tracking and such.)</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-f=
amily:Arial,sans-serif">About 2 weeks AFTER I confirmed they received it, I=
sent another email.=C2=A0 Nothing.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size=
:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Then, I get an invoice for the shipping=
of the new tool to me for $8 about 4 days later.=C2=A0 I pay it within an =
hour of getting it.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-famil=
y:Arial,sans-serif">About a week later, I get a message saying they receive=
d my payment and will be shipping out the replacement.=C2=A0 Now, this was =
about mid Dec.=C2=A0 So I hoped they would get it in the mail sooner before=
the holidays.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Ari=
al,sans-serif">Nope, they waited until the new year to ship it.=C2=A0 Since=
the place is only about 4 hours away from me in PA, it only took 2 days to=
get it.=C2=A0 So I now have my new SK breaker bar.</span> <br><br><span st=
yle=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Note, in all my emails =
to them I expressed how much I loved SK tools, and how I relied on my break=
er bar and how I would have to buy a cheap one to use in the meantime if it=
was going to take a while to replace.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font-s=
ize:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">In the end, I am not at all happy.=
=C2=A0 American tool companies used to be worth the extra price.=C2=A0 Howe=
ver, I know that if I had a cheap Home Depot Rigid one and walked into a st=
ore with it broken, I would walk out with a new one.</span> <br><br><span s=
tyle=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The other thing is tha=
t I had to pay the shipping BOTH WAYS.=C2=A0 Really?=C2=A0 If they didn'=
;t like the photos I sent, they could have paid for the shipping one way at=
least!=C2=A0 I mean, $20 isn't going to break me, but it is a drop in =
the bucket for a company that charges a MAJOR premium for tools.=C2=A0 And =
to have me without a tool for over 3 months!=C2=A0 I mean if I was making m=
y living with their tools, I would have been starving.</span> <br><br><span=
style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I will NO LONGER buy=
SK tools. =C2=A0 =C2=A0I hope they are happy.=C2=A0 If any of them break, =
I'm headed to a local Lowes and replacing them with their house brands =
(they used to do that in the past at least.)</span> <br><br><span style=3D"=
font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Anyway, just wanted to let all=
of you know what happened with the bar.</span> <br><br><span style=3D"font=
-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Moose</span> _____________________=
__________________________<br><br><a href=3D"mailto:Shop-talk@autox.team.ne=
t" target=3D"_blank">Shop-talk@autox.team.net</a><br>Donate: <a href=3D"htt=
p://www.team.net/donate.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.=
html</a><br>Suggested annual donation=C2=A0 $12.96<br>Archive: <a href=3D"h=
ttp://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.n=
et/pipermail/shop-talk</a> <a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive"; target=
=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/archive</a><br><br>Unsubscribe/Manage: <a=
href=3D"http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/dirtbeard@gmail.co=
m" target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/dirtbe=
ard@gmail.com</a><u></u><u></u></p></blockquote></div></div></div></div></b=
lockquote></div>
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_______________________________________________
Shop-talk@autox.team.net
Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk http://autox.team.net/archive
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