Capitalism says that competition will yield the best results for consumers. I like that concept and can get behind it, even at the expense of my own country, the U.S., since playing that game well is what made the U.S. successful to begin with. If a developing nation like China can manufacture goods superior to American goods at a cheaper price, the market should reward them. What bothers me is when an organization can succeed by making shoddy goods at a cheaper price and still be rewarded.
Pictured up top are three spoked balance wheels that fit on vintage and antique Singer sewing machines. One was made in America circa 1900. Another was made in America circa 1920. The third is a replica manufactured in China in the 2000s.
All three are made from cast iron and intended to be heavy, as they serve a flywheel purpose and need to be weighty enough to store momentum. All three are made the same way: They're sand cast in a foundry, and a hole is subsequently machined into the center, as the wheels are intended to fit onto a spindle on the rear of a sewing machine.
A thin, leather (or these days, rubber) belt is then placed into a groove on the inner surface of the handwheel. The belt is driven by a foot-powered treadle and the handwheel rotates, driving the shaft.
A cursory examination of the Chinese replica features several glaring flaws.
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