The Chinese, Helping Or Hurting The Hobby???

[callsign4223]

I think we are making a false equivalency here. Not everything made in china is garbage. Garbage can be made anywhere. It's true, China is currently the king of garbage, but a lot of good stuff comes out of China too. If you look in the 80's it was Japanese garbage. Now being made in Japan is right up there with German quality. Don't judge something by the country of origin, judge it by it's quality. And as in everything, you get what you pay for. If you can't afford a Goblin you get an Align. If you couldn't afford an Align you got a Tarot. HK was just too far down the quality list for me to feel safe with.

 

[RandyDSok]

I think we are making a false equivalency here. Not everything made in china is garbage.

If you read through the whole thread... that point has been brought up also. So we haven't been saying that just because it's Chinese made it's low quality... we've also stated several times that good products are made there as well.

In fact, the plane's I'm always bragging on, ie those by 3DHS ( as well as Extreme Flight and others ) are made there... but they are designed in the USA and the quality control is very strict. I believe the Scorpion products mentioned in the podcast that Tony had posted are also made in China ... but again they have strict quality controls.

The biggest issue I usually have with the Chinese products has more to do with the clones that are put out... Usually they are of lower quality than the original they mimic and as that podcast pointed out... they hurt the industry since the companies that produce the original typically innovative products aren't getting supported for their efforts because some other company comes along and steals their designs and sells cheaper lower quality versions.

 

[Tony]

Scorpion motors is actually based in china. But based and cloned are two separate things.

 

[Smoggie]

Hurting.

Any part bought out of China has a 70% chance of being counterfeit.

I disagree. The vast majority of RC hobby equipment is 'out of' China, Taiwan or nearby far eastern countries. As stated above, Scorpion are based there and manufacture there, Spektrum, Futaba and most other radios are made there, 3DHS/Extreme flight and most other top of the range ARFs are made there, Castle Creations are (in part) made there, Hobbywing are based and manufacture there, Align, SAB, Gaui, KDS, and most other heli brands.... The list really is too long to make.
It would be far easier to list those few manufacturers who dont do their manufacturing in the far east, the only ones i can think of right now are a few high end German manufacturers such as Kontronik and possibly Mikado (though not sure about Mikado)

On the other hand if you are talking about buying supposed brand name stuff from non-authorised sellers for 'too good to be true' prices on eBay and the likes, then 'yes' that's very likely to be fake (what do you expect?). That's only a small proportion of the goods manufactured and sold out of China.

Tony, I know this thread is supposed to be about chinese cloners but I dont think it's right to let blatantly false statements go unchallenged.

 

[Tony]

I completely agree, if a statement is false, challenge it. Did I ever say otherwise? If I did, that is not the way I meant it.

 

[Smoggie]

Yeah, sorry, i just feel like I keep banging on about the same thing!

 

[Tony]

That is kind of what this thread keeps doing. Not sure why, it just does.

 

[Stambo]

I'd come across this video a couple of weeks back and immediately thought of sharing it here.... just couldn't find the thread ( I'd searched everywhere but the articles area I guess )...

Anyway... this points out the differences seen in higher end German made and Chinese cloned bearings...

I could do the same demo with one bearing, put 1 drop of the wrong oil in the "German" one it will slow down and stop just like the other one.

 

[Tony]

That is exactly what I thought as well Stambo. Grease and oil will cause them to slow, and a completely dry bearing will spin free. I go by the sound and feel more than how long they go.

 

[RandyDSok]

I could do the same demo with one bearing, put 1 drop of the wrong oil in the "German" one it will slow down and stop just like the other one.

So you are saying the video was fixed against the chinese bearing.... Perhaps, and even if it were ( which we don't know either way ), it doesn't change the fact that so many of the fakes and clones that are made in China are of subpar quality.... theft of intellectual property is a leach on innovation... those that condone it are as guilty as those doing it.

 

[Oldensly]

Hello fellow modelers. I have been pleased with most of the things I have gotten out of China and could not afford to keep in the hobby except for the Chinese goods. I am presently building a Flamewheel 450 with Chinese parts and I have encountered no problems. I am using the F450 frame (clone) no name 2212 1000kv motors and a HK KK 2.5 controller. The quality may not be the best but it works for a senior . They have enabled me to stay with the hobby I love.

 

[edge1rc]

As far as ordering items from China (whether it be a motor, lipo, etc), I am okay with them. I rarely had any issues with items from places like asiatees and hobbyking.