White Christmas

Boyd

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Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
I also like to buy American, and to shop at local stores instead of chains, but seems like those days are drawing to a close. If Home Depot, Lowes or WalMart doesn't put them out of business, internet shopping will.

I wasn't familiar with Union Tools before, but a little Googling makes me think they aren't what they used to be: http://www.boilermakers.org/node/219

Union Tools closes Frankfort, N.Y., plant
Seventy-five Local 1916 members lose jobs

A 100-YEAR-OLD lawn and garden tool-making operation in Frankfort, N.Y., shut its doors permanently December 1, throwing 75 Boilermakers from Local 1916 out of work. Union Tools had produced shovels, hoes, and forks, under brand names like Razor-Back and UnionPro. In April 2006, Ames True Temper purchased Union Tools. It subsequently shut down the Frankfort plant and folded the operation into its more modern U.S. manufacturing facilities.

Meanwhile, the union work force received pressure from another source —cheap labor. Bernier said the company began contracting out tool production to China. “How do you compete with 85 cents an hour?” Bernier asked.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
46mph winds now out of the NNW, snowing sideways, visibility about 30 feet, can't see the end of the driveway. It's officially a blizzard. The eagles game should be epic :rofl:

Eagles game postponed.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,005
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Wind is really whipping here too, but snow is still light. I'm thinking it will fall way short of the 12 to 18 mark down here if things continue this way I'd guess we have about 5" so far. But, of course, the night is still young. :)
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
I also like to buy American, and to shop at local stores instead of chains, but seems like those days are drawing to a close. If Home Depot, Lowes or WalMart doesn't put them out of business, internet shopping will.

I wasn't familiar with Union Tools before, but a little Googling makes me think they aren't what they used to be: http://www.boilermakers.org/node/219

Thanks Boyd, you just ruined my Christmas. I have a Union pitch fork and a transfer shovel too that I know will outlast me.

Well not to despair, I have already found a new US made snow shovel through the wonders of the internet.
One of the last US made digging tool companies, the Bully Tool Company.

http://madeinusaforever.com/mubusnmushma.html

Here is the company's website:

http://www.bullytools.com/index.html

Guaranteed for a hundred years. So, once again, I will have something made in America that someone can use to bury me !
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Meanwhile, the union work force received pressure from another source —cheap labor. Bernier said the company began contracting out tool production to China. “How do you compete with 85 cents an hour?” Bernier asked.

 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,658
4,836
Pines; Bamber area

Yeah, those Chinese laugh, but every dog has his day. They pollute their land and water, and eventually their rising standard of living will catch up with them too. They'll be complaining themselves about cheap Nigerian labor.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
Yeah, those Chinese laugh, but every dog has his day. They pollute their land and water, and eventually their rising standard of living will catch up with them too. They'll be complaining themselves about cheap Nigerian labor.

Yea, but where will we be at that point?


Guy
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
need myself a new featherweight shovel. The metal one I bought last year is killing my back this year. I was ready to collapse when I first shoveled at 3" I'm gonna hire someone tonight to clear it all.
 

imkms

Explorer
Feb 18, 2008
603
242
SJ and SW FL
need myself a new featherweight shovel. The metal one I bought last year is killing my back this year. I was ready to collapse when I first shoveled at 3" I'm gonna hire someone tonight to clear it all.

If you don't already have one, make sure your next shovel is the "back saver" model. These models really help to reduce the stress on your lower back.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
need myself a new featherweight shovel. The metal one I bought last year is killing my back this year. I was ready to collapse when I first shoveled at 3" I'm gonna hire someone tonight to clear it all.

Save your money, your back and your heart. Get a snow blower : )
 

jburd641

Explorer
Jan 16, 2008
410
22
Port Charlotte, Fl.
The joys of a good snow have been tempered by the agony of the back breaking shoveling. This makes me truely believe it takes much more effort to get fat in NJ. And then we hit a diner for the fourth out of five days.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
F this white shit.

g.

Not quite to that point yet but it is starting to lose its fascination a little.
The brutal wind all day today screwed up my hunting for both ducks and deer but I was out there.
Tomorrow I am field hunting geese and we are going to shovel a clearing for the decoys and see what happens.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,826
3,005
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Wow, you sure changed your tune! :)

Woo-Hoo! The old man does plowing so it is all good!

I just kicked back and enjoyed a couple nice days at home - one of the few times during the year that I can actually do that. Finally dug out yesterday morning and it looks like we have between 8 to 12 inches here.

I have a good friend who is involved with the huge Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. He was supposed to go there on Monday. He's still waiting to get out, after spending the last few days sitting in the Philadelphia Airport. His flight is now scheduled for Thursday afternoon and he's freaking out.

Another friend has been trying to get back to Philadelphia from San Diego. Her flight was originally scheduled for Sunday and she hopes to finally get out today. Meanwhile, listening to NJ101.5 yesterday, some spots in North Jersey were really wiped out and people are still snowed in - they are really mad, especially at their local governments and even Chris Christie. There's even a conspiracy theory that Democratic politicians have dragged their feet clearing the snow so they can blame the problems on Christie's budget cuts.

Quite a way to end the year!
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Wow, you sure changed your tune! :)



I just kicked back and enjoyed a couple nice days at home - one of the few times during the year that I can actually do that. Finally dug out yesterday morning and it looks like we have between 8 to 12 inches here.

I have a good friend who is involved with the huge Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. He was supposed to go there on Monday. He's still waiting to get out, after spending the last few days sitting in the Philadelphia Airport. His flight is now scheduled for Thursday afternoon and he's freaking out.

Another friend has been trying to get back to Philadelphia from San Diego. Her flight was originally scheduled for Sunday and she hopes to finally get out today. Meanwhile, listening to NJ101.5 yesterday, some spots in North Jersey were really wiped out and people are still snowed in - they are really mad, especially at their local governments and even Chris Christie. There's even a conspiracy theory that Democratic politicians have dragged their feet clearing the snow so they can blame the problems on Christie's budget cuts.

Quite a way to end the year!

Have you seen the similar reports for NYC? This is the same situation that cost Lindsay his mayors job after the '69 nor'easter.

I had to take my son for his Dr appointment, he was totalled snowed in and his condition prohibits him shoveling. Except for the really main roads its a nightmare. Got blocked in at least 7 times by folks getting stuck but the Escape did its job, and I traveled less than 10 miles. A suggestion for anyone that needs to fly, use AC International. The Air National Guard uses that airport and it is always open first. My other sons finance is flying in today, no problems.

We ended up with 20-24" depending on where I measured. The borough did a decent enough job plowing, just the guys they used stayed about 8' off the property lines in some places. My little Toro rubber paddle blower did an admiral job moving the stuff but I ordered an Ariens yesterday, just to make sure we don't get any more surprises :) Close to 50f this weekend, that should really make a mess.
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
The joys of a good snow have been tempered by the agony of the back breaking shoveling. This makes me truely believe it takes much more effort to get fat in NJ. And then we hit a diner for the fourth out of five days.
lol. I'm all about diners. not only do i get a double order of bacon I add salt to it. This will get me all ready to NOT shovel lol. I'm either picking up a ATV with a plow, a older 8/9/2N with a loader front or a snow blower in the immediate future. Not only to save my back (that I fractured about 6 years ago), but also to make some spare moneys:D
 
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