They're an industrial distributorship that went online primarily for the nonprofessional...
The redistribute the same products mail order and internet sales they sell locally, just typically in smaller quantities...
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So looking closer at their selection, it would seem that all the McFeely's screws are made in either Taiwan or China. I changed my mind, buying from them would be no better than buying from the Borg. I'm not that enamored with square head drives.
Forget US made fasteners, they don't exist any more except for possibly some specialty items.
At one time, Cleveland, OH was the fastener manufacturing capital of the world.
One by one, they all shut down and moved off shore, starting in the mid 70's.
If you want quality, stay away from the borgs and people who try to sell their goods at too good a price.
Never forget, everybody has to get to the feed trough.
Lew
"Eigenvector" wrote in news:ALCdnVSe0o7lfQvbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Wrong. McFeeley's stuff is industrial grade, rather than run of the prison camp crap. That it's made in Asia is incidental.
I'm just a small scale hobby user. One who has spent a couple hunnert with Jim, and feels it's worth it.
YMMV. But it's not Borg junk.
Patriarch
Two things: first, McFeely's screws are definitely *much* better than buying from the Borg. I've been using McFeely's pretty much exclusively for about five years now, for all manner of projects. I've snapped exactly one screw, and buggered the heads on maybe two or three, in dozens and dozens of boxes.
Second, there is a world of difference between Taiwan and China. Taiwan has an elected government and a free-market economy; China is a communist dictatorship with a centrally planned economy. The profit motive works wonders in improving product quality, when consumers have a choice. I prefer to buy products made in the U.S. when they're available (and if I can afford them), but when they're not, I have no hesitation at buying those made in Taiwan. Sure, the quality often isn't as high as U.S. or Canadian manufacture (among others), but it's light-years ahead of most of the garbage that comes out of China.
I've been buying them for 2 or 3 years and don't seem to have any more slipping/rounding than with a "normal" #2 Phillips screw...
They're just convenient for me and readily available...
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Don't throw 'em away...
If your shop attracts friends and neighbors like mine does, save the borg stuff for folks that are doing some fence patch job and want a handful of screws.. The borg stuff will work fine for them and you don't have to give the (relatively) expensive screws away to folks that don't need that quality..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
So are most of my USA brand tools... Including my TS and 2 lathes.. Where it's made is not nearly as important as how well it's made...
It's sort of like saying that cars are crappy because they're made in/by Japan...
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
I think a major factor is WHO has the tools manufactured, Doug...
IMHO, Jet or Delta are going to require products with higher specifications and quality that Harbor Freight...
You can have cheap junk made anywhere, including the States, if that's what you order and accept..
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
There is a huge difference between McFeely's and the borgs. Don't let the country of origin be the deciding factor, they are capable of making quality fasteners as well as cheap stuff. McFeely's buys the good stuff and the rest is shipped to the big box stores. Buy a few and see for yourself. Experience the square head also and you will find it really is better.
The combo screws have been around for a very long time, IIRC at least 10-12
+years. I have never had a problem with them and since most screws are typically a one use type fastener they are not likely to wear out from use. Given that however the part that usually wears out from slipping on a Philips head screw is the center of the +. This portion is missing on the combo screws so the likely hood of caming out or damaging the combo is less.
McFeeley screws does not manufacture screws. They buy and package and sell. At various times as noted in their catalog some screws are imported. Imported is just fine as long as the quality remains high. I doubt McFeeleys would sell a "wood" screw that is less than desirable.
. Assuming that McFeeleys screws would be in the same class as the Borg screws would be an ignorant assumption. Don't let your lack of experience and knowledge of square drive screws and the quality of McFeeleys screws steer you to a more expensive and possibly lesser quality screw. I have never had a problem with their wood screws and I seriously doubt that you will either. If you have problems I am sure that they will stand behind them.
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