Know of any good made in USA air compressors?

I purchased a $900 twin tank DeWalt air compressor. When I got back to the shop and removed the pallet/box, I discovered that all the components were made in China!.... The box said "assembled in USA" but it was advertised online as "Made in USA". ABC Supply took it back without question, their catalog department had listed the unit as "Made in USA". Absolute garbage, so I took it back. But it was a pretty yellow color....

In the past I have unintentionally purchased tools that were made in China with brand names like DeWalt and Milwaukee on them (Home Depot, Menard's & Lowes). They were expensive tools and did not last a single season. They are garbage. I even had purchased Milwaukee impact drivers and the handles broke off 2 of them the FIRST WEEK THEY WERE USED! I couldn't figure it out until I saw in very, very tiny print "Made in China". Then I knew why they broke so easily. Sure they have a half-assed warranty, but can you stop work for a couple weeks and wait for your tools to be repaired? Who can afford the time and cost to send out tools?

Maybe the manufacturers believe that we will buy 2 or 3 of each tool or compressor to make sure that we have at least one that works??? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are a few issues here: first the manufacturers are charging high "contractor quality" pricing for garbage, throw away tools which is obviously an absolute rip off.

The brand names are getting worthless!

I can find twin tank air compressors online for about $250 that the companies reluctantly admit are "Made in China". They are not expected to last long, but what would you expect for $250?? Just because they are painted yellow and have a "DeWalt" sticker on them does not mean that somehow magically they will last you 10-15 years like the REAL compressor used to.

**When I looked up the specs on the Made in China compressor pumps, most had expected lifespan of 500 hours.... 500 hours on the job is not very many roofing jobs..... Maybe 10 weeks?? Each crew could go through 3 compressors a year??

But secondly, we have millions of Americans that can't find work, our entire economy is in the toilet and jobs are still going to China daily. With so many people out of work and loosing their homes, with banks no longer making home improvement loans, who can hire us to do work?

People who can pay for our work are getting fewer and fewer every day.

Contractors are going out of business by the thousands everywhere, who do the idiot manufacturers think are going to be left to purchase their expensive tools?? Is an average homeowner going to pay $1000 for a gas powered air compressor? No way.

Our company ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO SELL MATERIALS THAT WERE MADE IN CHINA, period. Anybody want to buy some Chinese drywall? How about dog food? Baby formula? Medication? Nuff said.

Our company also ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO USE TOOLS OR EQUIPMENT THAT WAS MADE IN CHINA. We explain this to customers and over 90% of the people see our point. This has been the deciding factor in getting some of the jobs we got in the last year. People respect it. Everybody has friends or relatives who are out of work, they see what we do as a good step in the right direction.

Most of the tools we buy today are either German or Hilti, I am not personally geeked about German tools, but at least the German companies have enough PRIDE in their brand name that they make their tools in their OWN FACTORY that is in THEIR OWN COUNTRY. They control the manufacturing environment and processes and quality is the result.

If companies like ABC Supply, Home Depot, Menard's and Lowes took a stand and refused to sell the fake tools, I am certain that the manufacturers would bring back their manufacturing or go bankrupt. Hint, hint!

I am an Engineer and I spent almost 3 decades in manufacturing, I can guarantee you that you will not get quality manufacturing in China in the near future. I have seen too many foreign factories and I understand the problems. I also understand that the actual "cost" of the Chinese made tools is extremely, extremely low. Charging the high contractor prices for them is criminal!

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Does anybody know where I can buy a REAL "Made in USA" Contractor grade air compressor? Cost is not a deciding factor at all. The cost of downtime due to broken tools & equipment is way, way beyond the cost of the tools. If I have to spend $2000 to get a good "Made in USA" air compressor I will, gladly!

The Hilti tools I buy are easily 2 to 3 times the cost of the crap DeWalt and Milwaukee tools, but they last and do not break down. When (if) they eventually wear out, they can be easily rebuilt, they are not throw aways.

Dan

They used to go by the name Emglo, then Dewalt bought Emglo, couldn't do the job correctly, then they were bought out by Jenny, who build everything here in Pa. Very top of the line and reasonable.

-Mike M.

It has been a long time, but I have a question for you by apologizing to everyone. Do you still use the mentioned product?

Environmentalists!

My understanding is that a person who proposes to build a house in the woods is called a "developer" A person that already has a house in the woods is called an "environmentalist"

This is getting frustrating. I may just go the big box and get the cheapest thing that looks ez to carry and can run 2 guns :angry:

I just read an article about the Iphone factory in China. They just had their 9th suicide-at-work this year. Most jump off the roof. Since it's only 4 stories, there are more that attempted, but survived. Real pleasant place, that China.

Looks like I won't be getting the 3551. Discontinued. Dumbazz satisfied customers like me........

PC just lost my Biz

Just bought a new Porter Cable 3551. I would guess it is made in China. Don't know for sure.

I bought it for portability and it is 12 amps, so it does not blow breakers. Has oil, so it is a little quieter than oiless.

Design features were most important to me. This is simialr to the fate of many manufacturers -- foreign and domestic. Design the RIGHT product DAMMIT.

How hard is it to sell a compressor w/ wheels that won't tip over in a truck????

Wywoody...Sounds like a job for duct tape. Lanny

Lanny, I've had three of the 1 1/2 hp Emglo's over the years and they've withstood untold abuse. The only weak spot in them I've noticed is the plastic housing of the on/off switch. It sits up where it gets broken a little too easy. Not that the broken plastic housing prevents it from running, it just makes me paranoid about a safety inspector citing me.

---I have used the 1 1/2 horse electric Emglo for years. We had one that must have lasted 10 years running daily 2-3 roofing guns. I once went to change the oil and not one drop came out. We abused that thing running it in the rain or heat and it never once broke down. I gave it to my brother figuring it needed to go out to pasture to a homeowner seldom user. He tells me it still works fine. ---Lately they have not run as well. I have 3 in the shop right now. I still think they are best for what we do. ---We want electric that will run on a 15 amp circuit as most of the time we plug into an outdoor deck or patio outlet. And it has to run 3 roofing guns. That is a hard combination. Lanny

There is also a J-Air that is made in Jtown PA. May be the same company. I purchased on of their compressors. Had one small problem with a part that broke but wasn't a big deal to replace. Very nice piece of equipment.

You want green? Build long lasting servicable products.

But like gardens, manure & cisterns we were greener 50-100 yrs. ago than we could possibly be now.

The question: How does a disposable society align with a Green Culture?

Not all Chinese tools are equal. Look at the HD tools, then go to Harbor Frieght and all at once the Home Depot tools look like top quality. It's been so long since I've taken a tool to be fixed that I don't know where a fixit shop is. Replacement tools are cheaper than repair costs.

The local enviros are succeeding in forcing the closure of the only cement plant in Oregon. They claimed it needed closing because that plant emmitted 4% of all the mercury emmissions in Oregon. But the real eye-opening figure revealed in the articles about closing the plant was that 89% of the mercury polution in Oregon drifted over from China. Imagine that, over 20 times as much from air halfway around the world as a local plant they claim is too dirty to continue operating. If China wants to be the manufacturing Hell-hole of the world, why not let them.

I saw a Max compressor for $1500

Mike M.:Jenny compressors with honda motor, made in Johnstown, Pa. Excellent

A Jenny Compressor sounded familiar. I looked it up and I used one of their industrial steam compressors on a job years ago. I never thought of them, Thanks!

Dan

The best compressor I ever owned was a Thomas. It was a 1.5 hp T 150, I think. That thing built a lot of stuff!

I have no idea of it's origin.

FYI, I've owned at least a dozen compressors of various styles and brands. Rolair...emglow...craftsman....kawasaki....honda....I abused them all. The T 150 took the most abuse.