Slightly OT ...

Arfa Daily · 2007-11-30T09:44:33+00:00

We see a lot of stuff on here from time to time, about crappy Chinese goods. Well, a couple of days ago, my usual office supplier sent me one of their regular e-mail fliers, on which was a high-back padded leather swivel chair with gas lift, castors, arms, rocker action and so on. Thirty quid (about$60) delivered. I ordered it on the 'net Tuesday night, the man delivered it Thursday lunchtime. How good is that ? But the really good thing about this chair, and the point of the post, is the quality of it. Really good stout shipping box with none of the printing that you would 'traditionally' associate with Chinese goods. The chair is superbly made. Not a stitch out of place. No missing parts - in fact there are even some "extra parts" set into the blister pack of screws and cover caps. Every hole lined up where it should, and every hex-head screw, which were pre-treated with a thread locking compound, drove straight in without any effort, using the good quality hex wrench that was provided. Even the assembly instructions and safety warnings were in full proper English (as well as other languages), and the diagrams were properly drawn, rather than the 'rice break' sketches we have become used to.If the Chinese are going to churn out stuff like this now that they are a 'recognised' industrial power trading properly with the west, what chance is western manufacturing going to stand in the years to come ? I assume that electronic goods are going the same way, as I have now seen several 'Made in China' valve (tube) amplifiers that were similarly well built, and have achieved some degree of acclaim over on one of the audio groups, and at something like a quarter of the price of similar items of western manufacture.Arfa

Nov 30, 2007 26 Replies

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Ken G. 18 years ago

Although we have no choice some items are not made here in USA its our fault china made stuff is here like it is .

The average consumer goes to the store and picks the lowest priced item-s and has grown the attitude of throwing things away if one little thing goes wrong because it only costed ### almost all people have no idea most of our good old american named products have a substitute cinese insides in them . If i explain their new RCA DVD player has a chinese Orion insides in it ,they give a blank stare .

The construction of most plastic products from china is very good . I worked in a place where i was to assemble this stuff including many office chairs . I agree the chairs are real nice ... if you dont weigh

300 pounds

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Spehro Pefhany 18 years ago

Goodness. However did that happen?

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Maybe you could write to them and complain about the lack of American content:

Thomson (Headquarters)

46 Quai Alphonse Le Gallo 92648 BOULOGNE cedex FRANCE

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

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Michael A. Terrell 18 years ago

What cans? Who is going to make them, process them, or deliver them with NO technology?

Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida

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cuhulin 18 years ago

Ancient people long, long ago figured out how to survive in the wild without even a knife. cuhulin

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Michael A. Terrell 18 years ago

I've been though several military survival training sessions, and I found a lot more use for a hatchet. I don't even remember using my knife. The one at -20F in Alaska was the worst. Very little food to be had, and you spent most of your time harvesting firewood. Shelter was small branches cut from pine trees, and covered with snow. the opening had to face away from the wind, and if the shelter was too small, your lost body heat would cause it to ice over, and lose the insulating effect of the loose snow covering the shelter. The don't call it a 'frozen wasteland' for nothing.

Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida

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cuhulin 18 years ago

I agree about the Hatchet.One of the most usefull survival tools ever.Most rocks will put out some sparks for starting a fire.Flint and chert and quartzite put out the best sparks.I watch Survivorman and Man Vs. Wild on the Discovery channel sometimes.I have never been in a survival situation before.I often wonder how I would make out? cuhulin

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boardjunkie 18 years ago

My favorite was when they interchanged "screw" with "f*ck".....oh wait...that was the Japanese.......

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