Anyway, most of the fixtures I encounter nowadays from the Big Box stores and even the electrical suppliers/lighting stores are pretty bad. Missing parts, strange thread pitch on the screws, cheap sockets that melt, etc etc. And dont even get me started on those wirenuts that have no springs that they include with fixtures!!!!
Of course, the reason is "made in China" What you save in cost you sacrifice in quality.
More Chinese-made junk = less American jobs...... But I guess thats how things go these days. I still try to buy American made fixtures when a choice exists, but that is getting harder all the time.
You can't blame China or Taiwan etc. I have seen their production facilities. They are capable of producing the finest quality products available, however, when a company seeks out a mfg for their product, cost is the main concern.
"How much can I save if you make it out of cardboard?"
beach- your right, China, and especially Taiwan, are capable of producing high quality products. And yes the manufacturers are mostly to blame for their penny-pinching. Regardless, I will still try purchase an American made product when a choice exists.
Ultimately, the end user is the one who eats the cost from shoddy manufacturing, in terms of callbacks, locating missing parts, repalcement etc.
