so I'm reading today...

[miamited]

Hi all,

I was just reading through the latest news on the coronavirus updates and I see that our twitterer-in-chief has 'demanded' that GM and Ford start making ventilators. So, I'm asking myself, why doesn't he get manufacturing companies that work for him to do that. Why doesn't he call up that wonderful American manufacturing company that's making all of his MAGA hats and tell them to stop making hats and start making ventilators? Why is he singling out Ford and GM to retool for this task. From the sounds of it, there are plenty of companies that are experiencing some slack time and could likely use the business. Isn't that what the stimulus package should be used for? Take a few million dollars and get some smaller manufacturer that's having a hard time right now and set them up to retool and make ventilators. Or give a few million to current ventilator manufacturers so that they can expand their production.

As I see it, the problem with telling GM and Ford to start making ventilators is that you're asking a huge corporation to retool and change focus and in six months you'll just have to put everything back the way it was at another substantial cost to re-establish their previous manufacturing purpose. If, on the other hand, you provide some stimulus to companies that are already making ventilators to expand their current production, then when everything gets done, it won't be quite so tough to close down the expanded operations, if that is what happens when this is all over.

One way or the other, this will end. Either 90% of the population will die or we'll come up with a suitable vaccine for this copy of the corona virus. I'm just curious why he's singling out GM and Ford for this task? Anyone have any ideas?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Dave L]

Hi all,

I was just reading through the latest news on the coronavirus updates and I see that our twitterer-in-chief has 'demanded' that GM and Ford start making ventilators. So, I'm asking myself, why doesn't he get manufacturing companies that work for him to do that. Why doesn't he call up that wonderful American manufacturing company that's making all of his MAGA hats and tell them to stop making hats and start making ventilators? Why is he singling out Ford and GM to retool for this task. From the sounds of it, there are plenty of companies that are experiencing some slack time and could likely use the business. Isn't that what the stimulus package should be used for? Take a few million dollars and get some smaller manufacturer that's having a hard time right now and set them up to retool and make ventilators. Or give a few million to current ventilator manufacturers so that they can expand their production.

As I see it, the problem with telling GM and Ford to start making ventilators is that you're asking a huge corporation to retool and change focus and in six months you'll just have to put everything back the way it was at another substantial cost to re-establish their previous manufacturing purpose. If, on the other hand, you provide some stimulus to companies that are already making ventilators to expand their current production, then when everything gets done, it won't be quite so tough to close down the expanded operations, if that is what happens when this is all over.

One way or the other, this will end. Either 90% of the population will die or we'll come up with a suitable vaccine for this copy of the corona virus. I'm just curious why he's singling out GM and Ford for this task? Anyone have any ideas?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

Do they make more money by making cars?

 

[Dave G.]

Ventilators are highly computerized machinery much like cars are, hats are well, hats. Which company would you want to depend your life on, someone used to the tooling to make complex machines or one that makes hats ?

That said, I doubt we need anything as big as GM or Ford to make some ventilators but they can probably do it a lot faster than a hat maker could.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

U.S. automakers are assessing whether they can convert their plants to manufacture critical medical equipment, like ventilators, that will be in short supply as the coronavirus pandemic spreads.

The federal government has the authority to compel manufacturers to produce such equipment under a law invoked by President Trump on Wednesday.

It's not clear how long it would take for the car companies to reinvent themselves as massive medical suppliers, but Ford and General Motors have been in discussions with the White House about the possibility.

Automakers Might Retool To Make Ventilators

 

[Hank77]

If, on the other hand, you provide some stimulus to companies that are already making ventilators to expand their current production, then when everything gets done, it won't be quite so tough to close down the expanded operations, if that is what happens when this is all over.

Give them the money to hire enough workers to run three or four shifts 24/7. We should be doing the same thing for face shields, N95 masks, surgical masks, overalls, etc.

 

[Hank77]

Hi all,

I was just reading through the latest news on the coronavirus updates and I see that our twitterer-in-chief has 'demanded' that GM and Ford start making ventilators. So, I'm asking myself, why doesn't he get manufacturing companies that work for him to do that. Why doesn't he call up that wonderful American manufacturing company that's making all of his MAGA hats and tell them to stop making hats and start making ventilators? Why is he singling out Ford and GM to retool for this task. From the sounds of it, there are plenty of companies that are experiencing some slack time and could likely use the business. Isn't that what the stimulus package should be used for? Take a few million dollars and get some smaller manufacturer that's having a hard time right now and set them up to retool and make ventilators. Or give a few million to current ventilator manufacturers so that they can expand their production.

As I see it, the problem with telling GM and Ford to start making ventilators is that you're asking a huge corporation to retool and change focus and in six months you'll just have to put everything back the way it was at another substantial cost to re-establish their previous manufacturing purpose. If, on the other hand, you provide some stimulus to companies that are already making ventilators to expand their current production, then when everything gets done, it won't be quite so tough to close down the expanded operations, if that is what happens when this is all over.

One way or the other, this will end. Either 90% of the population will die or we'll come up with a suitable vaccine for this copy of the corona virus. I'm just curious why he's singling out GM and Ford for this task? Anyone have any ideas?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

Here's an article you might find informative.
Soaring demand for ventilators creates political tension, promises to ramp up manufacturing

 

[Lost4words]

F1 manufacturers / teams are looking into making them....

 

[miamited]

Do they make more money by making cars?

Hi dave,

I don't know.

Ventilators are highly computerized machinery much like cars are, hats are well, hats. Which company would you want to depend your life on, someone used to the tooling to make complex machines or one that makes hats ?

That said, I doubt we need anything as big as GM or Ford to make some ventilators but they can probably do it a lot faster than a hat maker could.

Hi dave,

I apologize to all, I was being facetious regarding the hat maker. From what I've heard, there is no American company making the MAGA hats that are available through the Trump organization. However, on a more serious note, I think it worth considering whether it would be easier and probably cheaper, to retool an auto manufacturer vs. expanding an existing ventilator manufacturer.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Dave G.]

Ventilator companies I imagine are out straight, auto makers sitting idle. And their used to retooling, who knows maybe a million ventilators will be needed world wide, auto makers once tooled can run them off like pop corn I imagine.. They have huge efficient production lines.

 

[Tigger45]

Seems to me that defense contractors would be up to the task and God knows it’s the least they could do.

 

[Dave G.]

Give them the money to hire enough workers to run three or four shifts 24/7. We should be doing the same thing for face shields, N95 masks, surgical masks, overalls, etc.

A baseball bat company ( the owner lives locally to me) had to lay off some people and they got together and came up with a quick efficient way to make masks and submitted that to the CDC. Faced with an order of 300,000 masks, he had to hire everyone back plus 100 more people to fill the orders. My wife was just telling me about it, she heard it on a local radio talk program yesterday.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Hi all,

I was just reading through the latest news on the coronavirus updates and I see that our twitterer-in-chief has 'demanded' that GM and Ford start making ventilators. So, I'm asking myself, why doesn't he get manufacturing companies that work for him to do that. Why doesn't he call up that wonderful American manufacturing company that's making all of his MAGA hats and tell them to stop making hats and start making ventilators? Why is he singling out Ford and GM to retool for this task. From the sounds of it, there are plenty of companies that are experiencing some slack time and could likely use the business. Isn't that what the stimulus package should be used for? Take a few million dollars and get some smaller manufacturer that's having a hard time right now and set them up to retool and make ventilators. Or give a few million to current ventilator manufacturers so that they can expand their production.

As I see it, the problem with telling GM and Ford to start making ventilators is that you're asking a huge corporation to retool and change focus and in six months you'll just have to put everything back the way it was at another substantial cost to re-establish their previous manufacturing purpose. If, on the other hand, you provide some stimulus to companies that are already making ventilators to expand their current production, then when everything gets done, it won't be quite so tough to close down the expanded operations, if that is what happens when this is all over.

One way or the other, this will end. Either 90% of the population will die or we'll come up with a suitable vaccine for this copy of the corona virus. I'm just curious why he's singling out GM and Ford for this task? Anyone have any ideas?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

I don't think the hat makers have the machine tools, or machinists, needed to make ventilators. They could however make respirators.

 

[miamited]

A baseball bat company ( the owner lives locally to me) had to lay off some people and they got together and came up with a quick efficient way to make masks and submitted that to the CDC. Faced with an order of 300,000 masks, he had to hire everyone back plus 100 more people to fill the orders. My wife was just telling me about it, she heard it on a local radio talk program yesterday.

Hi dave,

Now there's a good stimulus package. That owner ought to be able to tap the fed's stimulus for at least a couple of hundred thousand in seed money for jumping in and helping out.

P.S. are you close enough to snag a couple of the masks? I'm planning on flying to Oakland CA to visit my 90 year old mother and I'd like to at least wear one on the plane so that I don't present any risk to her when I visit. I've searched the web up and down and all masks that qualify as N95 are 'out of stock'. By 'snag' I don't mean just take them. I'm happy to pay a fair price.

As an aside: I was looking on ebay and there was one guy who was selling one single N95 3M mask and his open bid went from $9 to over $60,000 in just a few hours. It was a one day offer and I just went to look for it and it's gone, so I don't know if it was pulled or it actually sold for that amount of money.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Dave G.]

Hi dave,

Now there's a good stimulus package. That owner ought to be able to tap the fed's stimulus for at least a couple of hundred thousand in seed money for jumping in and helping out.

P.S. are you close enough to snag a couple of the masks? I'm planning on flying to Oakland CA to visit my 90 year old mother and I'd like to at least wear one on the plane so that I don't present any risk to her when I visit. I've searched the web up and down and all masks that qualify as N95 are 'out of stock'. By 'snag' I don't mean just take them. I'm happy to pay a fair price.

As an aside: I was looking on ebay and there was one guy who was selling one single N95 3M mask and his open bid went from $9 to over $60,000 in just a few hours. It was a one day offer and I just went to look for it and it's gone, so I don't know if it was pulled or it actually sold for that amount of money.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

No Ted, I don't even know the guy sorry. I use those masks in my wood turning and acrylic airbrushing, been nursing one for weeks now. Personally though, I wouldn't go visiting anyone that old right now anyway, you could drag something in on your clothing or luggage etc. Right now you can probably buy a full painters respirator cheaper and more readily than paper N95 masks.

Locally it's funny in a strange way. A couple of years ago the stores had to ban plastic bags so slow but sure we all got reusable bags. Now the stores have banned those because they are the most likely carrier besides people to bring the virus into the shopping place. Just sayin.

 

[John Helpher]

“It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
Donal Trump - Feb 23rd