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I bought a weight set that included a rack. Of course they're all made in China so you have no choice.

While I'm putting together the rack I notice that their 17mm bolts are so far out of spec that the 17mm socket fits so loosely that I'm afraid it's going to strip the cheap Chinesium metal they're made out of, and of course 16mm won't fit. But that wasn't the worst of it. The retarded moron who designed the thing put the bolt holes so close to corners that you can't fit a wrench on the bolt. Dude, this is like comical Kindergarten-level engineering.

Then the dumbbells themselves. Ho-lee-shit. The "20 lb" ones weighed in at 21.5 lbs. each, but the 30 lb. ones were 29 lbs. Every weight was off by 10-20%.

You'd think that's all that could be wrong with a set of dumbbells, but you'd be wrong. They were also rubber coated, but the rubber stank so bad I couldn't bring them in the house. First I tried washing them with soap and water. Then I tried leaving them in the sun for three days in 90+ degree weather to bake off the smell. Then I left them sit in the garage for a week and they still stank up the whole garage. After the week several of the weights started developing cracking and peeling rubber.

So I had to return that set and went looking. Every fucking weight I can find at any store anywhere is similar junk. I found some plain cast iron dumbbells at a local sporting goods store, but of course they're made in China. Some of them have knurling on the handles and others don't. Some of them have sharp metal burrs on the handles that would cut your hand. Some of the heavier ones had the weights detaching from the handle, or had rust.

WHAT. THE. FUCK. Why can't they just make something even half way decently without some white guys standing over them to supervise they way Apple has to?

I bought a weight set that included a rack. Of course they're all made in China so you have no choice. While I'm putting together the rack I notice that their 17mm bolts are so far out of spec that the 17mm socket fits so loosely that I'm afraid it's going to strip the cheap Chinesium metal they're made out of, and of course 16mm won't fit. But that wasn't the worst of it. The retarded moron who designed the thing put the bolt holes so close to corners that you can't fit a wrench on the bolt. Dude, this is like comical Kindergarten-level engineering. Then the dumbbells themselves. Ho-lee-shit. The "20 lb" ones weighed in at 21.5 lbs. each, but the 30 lb. ones were 29 lbs. Every weight was off by 10-20%. You'd think that's all that could be wrong with a set of dumbbells, but you'd be wrong. They were also rubber coated, but the rubber stank so bad I couldn't bring them in the house. First I tried washing them with soap and water. Then I tried leaving them in the sun for three days in 90+ degree weather to bake off the smell. Then I left them sit in the garage for a week and they still stank up the whole garage. After the week several of the weights started developing cracking and peeling rubber. So I had to return that set and went looking. Every fucking weight I can find at any store anywhere is similar junk. I found some plain cast iron dumbbells at a local sporting goods store, but of course they're made in China. Some of them have knurling on the handles and others don't. Some of them have sharp metal burrs on the handles that would cut your hand. Some of the heavier ones had the weights detaching from the handle, or had rust. WHAT. THE. FUCK. Why can't they just make something even half way decently without some white guys standing over them to supervise they way Apple has to?

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[–] • 0 pt

They have a range of factories there that can put out quality competitive with Europe/NA at lower prices, but also factories that cut as many corners as possible. I know in the watch world Chinese production has a huge stigma but the reality is that a lot of "Swiss made" watches are mostly made in China and get away with the marketing since they just put in a Swiss movement.

[–] • 0 pt

If they even bother to make something in the West any more, it is expensive. Often, this means there is good reason to use good materials, design in a good margin of strength, and have high QA standards. You're going to have to charge more, so you have to provide something for that. China is better at manufacturing than any other country, and, when they want to, they can produce as well or better. But first of all Chinese products tend to be cheap (you get what you pay for), and secondly you are exposed to fraud from suppliers, which you have to weed out.

As a buyer, one immediate effect is that branding becomes nigh-worthless. It can say Cuisinart, or it can say some unknown Chinese brand. The two might be manufactured in the same place. Neither does insisting on made in wherever ensure quality. I think this is why a lot of people just go toward the bottom. At least you didn't overpay that way.