Doing your bit by buying British, can you?

[Ironballs]

Right, first up let's be clear this is no Daily Mail jingoistic "those foreign johnnies are nicking our jobs" rant

In these straitened times and when many around the country are feeling the pinch, what can we do to help. In the coming months I'll have a few quid to burn and need to upgrade or add to my machinery and hand tools, number one priority is getting the right tool for the job and buying quality. Number two is what personally do I want from the options available.

So the question is, when considering machinery and hand tool purchases what can I get of good quality that keeps it in house? One example, I'm thinking of getting a bigger bandsaw and like the look of SIP, seem to be a British company but are they and do they make their stuff here or elsewhere?

All info appreciated but please keep any thoughts and suggestions to the topic in hand rather than a debate about economic issues etc

Cheers, Damian

PS - first person to suggest Holtey has to buy me one

 

[dunbarhamlin]

On the hand tool front:
Clico/Clifton drill bits, spokeshaves, bench and shoulder planes, replacement irons
Ray Iles drawbore pins, mortice, bruzze and bench chisels, froes, scorps, drawknives, axes and wedges, replacement irons, infill smoothers
Ashleigh Iles bench, firmer and dovetail chisels, carving tools
Robert Sorby chisels and slicks
Crown small adjustable brass bladed square
Thomas Flinn - Pax/Lynx/Roberts and Lee hand saws. (I do prefer North American back saws)
Moore and Wright - don't know what is still British

 

[wizer]

I support the UK by coming to UKWorkshop

 

[Philly]

I believe that Philly Planes outfit is British through and through..... :wink:
Philly

 

[MIGNAL]

Footprint still make a very high percentage of their tools in Sheffield. I'd be surprised if the SIP Bandsaw was actually made in Britain. To my eye most of their machinery looks like far eastern 'clone' stuff. My guess is that it's just rebadged or slightly modified at best.

 

[lurker]

SIP are near me (as are Charnwood).
I have a friend who works in their Warehouse.

All stuff is "johnny Foreigner made", arrives in containers from wherever.

Actually you can see for yourself the similarities between SIP, Charnwood, Axminster et al. My guess it all comes out of the same factory and differs by a paint job & slight spec differences.

Assume Record is same as well but they seem to accept a lower build quality than the former names.

 

[MIGNAL]

Actually Record appear to have more design input into their machines, at least that's how it looks to my eye.

 

[Ironballs]

So far then seems as I thought, reasonably well served on the hand tool front but little of the machinery is made here. I suppose Sedgwick still make their stuff in Leeds, but it's usually more tool than I need!

 

[OPJ]

Good on you, Damien. Or, does this suggest that you've already completed your collection of Veritas and Lie-Nielsen tools...!! :shock: :wink:

I hope you'll also be taking the same approach when buying timber?

Don't know what to suggest with machinery. Even if they're "assembled" over here, I bet even Sedgwick must source some parts from the Far East...? I think that's how Scheppach operate now; they buy in parts from China for their machines, most of which are still assembled in Europe.

 

[wizer]

I think Faithfull will slowly improve their line and gain some sort of foothold in the market. They're our only hope for good quality mid-priced hand tools. Their chisels have been revered a couple of times here.

 

[JonnyD]

I would be surprised if sedgwick import parts for there machines. When I bought my Sedgwick Spindle and Planer Thicknesser I was told by the sales rep that they were 100% manufactured in the uk but that was 7 years ago so things may have changed.

jon

 

[Paul Chapman]

Another recommendation for Clifton planes - I have four of their bench planes and one shoulder plane. Real top-notch stuff, equal to anything else and better than most 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS Clifton also do an excellent burnisher and card scrapers.

 

[bob321]

what about Wadkin a very good UK make 8)

 

[joiner_sim]

We have had a few machines off wadkin. They get their new machines from abroad in parts, and just build it back up here in britain.

 

[catface]

When I got my Sedgwick TA315 sawbench about a year ago I was assured by the makers that it was made in uk, using uk parts, the Cast Iron top also being founded & finish machined in UK. I was particular about the top being UK made because I have a planer (which is not made by Sedgwick) and the CI planer tables warped about a year and a half after the planer was purchased).

I had to strip the saw down to get it in & rebuild it in the workshop. Inspection of the parts seems to confirm it is indeed uk made parts .It works very well indeed & funds / space permitting I'd have no hesitation in taking some other items from the same maker. So if you're after some "heavy metal" please give them a look. REgards, Catface.

 

[Anonymous]

Ironballs

SIP are chinese imports.

The search for high quality british-made tools will be sort and sweet - there are nice hand tools and a few power tools though.

Remember that even Delta have toos made in China!