inandout
Member
Now that the pound is so strong against the dollar can anyone recommend US tool suppliers that ship to the UK. I am particularly interested in a LN dovetail saw.
Buying tools in USA
- Thread starter inandout
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
paulm
IG paulm_outdoors
Wouldn't bother to be honest !
I thought the same and ordered a 7 1/2 direct from LN together with some screwdrivers thinking the exchange rate would make for a great deal.
The reality is that the shipping costs can be extortianate and in addition to those I always get clobbered for import duty, and Parclefarce stick a bit on for collecting the import duty, and the credit card companies never give you the headline exchange rate and always take a cut themselves, so by the time you add it all up you are luckly to save anything at all plus you have to wait a week or two for delivery.
I will just order from a UK supplier in future such as CHT or Axminster and get stuff quicker and for much the same price.
Some people are lucky and never get hit for import duty in which case it makes a big difference, but I have had three seperate orders to three seperate suppliers in the US in the last year and got hit for all of them
The 7 1/2 is terrific by the way, as is the dovetail saw
Cheers, Paul.
I thought the same and ordered a 7 1/2 direct from LN together with some screwdrivers thinking the exchange rate would make for a great deal.
The reality is that the shipping costs can be extortianate and in addition to those I always get clobbered for import duty, and Parclefarce stick a bit on for collecting the import duty, and the credit card companies never give you the headline exchange rate and always take a cut themselves, so by the time you add it all up you are luckly to save anything at all plus you have to wait a week or two for delivery.
I will just order from a UK supplier in future such as CHT or Axminster and get stuff quicker and for much the same price.
Some people are lucky and never get hit for import duty in which case it makes a big difference, but I have had three seperate orders to three seperate suppliers in the US in the last year and got hit for all of them
The 7 1/2 is terrific by the way, as is the dovetail saw
Cheers, Paul.
tombo
Established Member
i agree with chisel, duty and shipping wipes out most of the cost advantage. But i still regularly get stuff from the states, this time of year quite a few friends and collegues are holidaying stateside just have it shipped to thier hotel. A heavy plane is a big ask for most but you never know, i got my tenoning jig this way
tom
tom
engineer one
Established Member
thing to do if you want is check out Rockler, since they have regular sales, and offer a decent email up date service. they are also very helpful.
however it is the luck of the drawer. remember you are legally supposed to pay duty and vat etc, so it is a lottery as to whether you do or not.
:?
paul :wink:
however it is the luck of the drawer. remember you are legally supposed to pay duty and vat etc, so it is a lottery as to whether you do or not.
:?
paul :wink:
dunbarhamlin
Established Member
Sure I heard something about a challenge to Parcelforce charges, with them being based on the value rather than the cost to process.
I've had different duty charged for repeat orders before now - not surprising, since wood 'veneer' is subject to different rates depending on both intended use and species.
If you're buying stuff which can be proven to be more than 100 years old, check the customs and excise site - there's a specific phrase which should be put on the customs declaration by the sender as part of the item description- this reduces VAT liability to 5% for most goods (including tools) and no duty is payable either. Ideally, get the dealer to write a declaration of age (you're liable for duty/VAT if this is incorrect - not the sender) such as 'As a dealer in antique tools of 20 years standing I declare this item to be a type 6 left handed widget, manufactured no later than 1896'
I've never had to use the declaration of age, just always (well, twice )requested that the item description on the customs declaration includes date of manufacture.
Only other thing with goods which may arrive via Parcelforce - they don't issue their drivers with GPS, so if your delivery address doesn't have a number, try to use a different one - they WILL bounce deliveries if they can't easily find the address, and paying twice for delivery from the states IS disappointing.
Cheers
Steve
I've had different duty charged for repeat orders before now - not surprising, since wood 'veneer' is subject to different rates depending on both intended use and species.
If you're buying stuff which can be proven to be more than 100 years old, check the customs and excise site - there's a specific phrase which should be put on the customs declaration by the sender as part of the item description- this reduces VAT liability to 5% for most goods (including tools) and no duty is payable either. Ideally, get the dealer to write a declaration of age (you're liable for duty/VAT if this is incorrect - not the sender) such as 'As a dealer in antique tools of 20 years standing I declare this item to be a type 6 left handed widget, manufactured no later than 1896'
I've never had to use the declaration of age, just always (well, twice
)requested that the item description on the customs declaration includes date of manufacture.Only other thing with goods which may arrive via Parcelforce - they don't issue their drivers with GPS, so if your delivery address doesn't have a number, try to use a different one - they WILL bounce deliveries if they can't easily find the address, and paying twice for delivery from the states IS disappointing.
Cheers
Steve
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Agree it is not worth having them shipped
Good if you are over there and can carry back - still a risk as limit is less than £200
Dodge I've used once or twice is I get them sent to a friend in USA, she then sends them on to me using US post office and a green customs sticker saying " gift value $30" it then arrives in the post, usually have to go to sorting office to collect but otherwise avoided charges.
Bit of a gamble though
Good if you are over there and can carry back - still a risk as limit is less than £200
Dodge I've used once or twice is I get them sent to a friend in USA, she then sends them on to me using US post office and a green customs sticker saying " gift value $30" it then arrives in the post, usually have to go to sorting office to collect but otherwise avoided charges.
Bit of a gamble though
bugbear
Established Member
tombo":2ackptct said:i agree with chisel, duty and shipping wipes out most of the cost advantage. But i still regularly get stuff from the states, this time of year quite a few friends and collegues are holidaying stateside just have it shipped to thier hotel. A heavy plane is a big ask for most but you never know, i got my tenoning jig this way
tom
If friends can hand carry, and the value is under their allowance, this is an excellent way to avoid import duty, shipping, and "handling charges".
If the value is over their allowance, they're smuggling.
BugBear
I think it all depends on what you are planing to purchase,
I have bought numerous tools from the states, incra jigs, flooring nailers, old planes,paslode nailers, framing and brad nailers to name a few
parcleforce charge an eight pounds handling charge, goods with a value over £18.00 (or £30.00 if labeled as a gift) are then subject to import duty and vat, which i have to say has never been extortionate
an example being, two bostitch F28ww framing nailers,
costs where,
nailers $190.00 each,
shipping by ups expideted $80.00
total,$460.00 USD = approx £250.00
parcleforce £8.00
import duty/vat £24.78
Total£282.78
considering that one of these nailers in the uk costs around £400.00 IMHO i made a huge saving :lol: :lol:
I have had quite a few items delivered straight to the door with no charges at all, in fact probably more without charges than with !!
i dont know how they work out the import duty and vat but it has never made it not worth it !!
Cheers Gary.
I have bought numerous tools from the states, incra jigs, flooring nailers, old planes,paslode nailers, framing and brad nailers to name a few
parcleforce charge an eight pounds handling charge, goods with a value over £18.00 (or £30.00 if labeled as a gift) are then subject to import duty and vat, which i have to say has never been extortionate
an example being, two bostitch F28ww framing nailers,
costs where,
nailers $190.00 each,
shipping by ups expideted $80.00
total,$460.00 USD = approx £250.00
parcleforce £8.00
import duty/vat £24.78
Total£282.78
considering that one of these nailers in the uk costs around £400.00 IMHO i made a huge saving :lol: :lol:
I have had quite a few items delivered straight to the door with no charges at all, in fact probably more without charges than with !!
i dont know how they work out the import duty and vat but it has never made it not worth it !!
Cheers Gary.
Mittlefehldt
Established Member
Just as a matter of curiousity, what if you ordered the LN stuff from their Canadian outlet, Rob Cosman.Maybe doing so within the commonwelath would help reduce the import duties. That is assuming Rob Cosman will ship to England.
milkman
Established Member
agree with above, if you're going anyway then have sent to US address and bring back, worth sticking in your luggage if its just 1 item. Just don't whine if you get your collar felt!!
I'm about to do same with a framing slick, could be interesting as it's probably an offensive weapon as well as taxable goods!
I'm about to do same with a framing slick, could be interesting as it's probably an offensive weapon as well as taxable goods!
mudman
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Feb 2004
- Messages
- 1,002
- Reaction score
- 108
If I can get the kids away from Disney, I'm planning a quick trip to Woodcentral in Orlando. Trouble is, do I go through the red channel?
DaveL
Established Member
Depends how hard you bend the plastic. :twisted: :roll: :wink:mudman":t8zf2f7r said:
engineer one
Established Member
why do you need to be honest about taking the kids???? :twisted: :roll:
paul :wink:
paul :wink:
Similar threads
