Author Topic: Buying Direct from China  (Read 5652 times)

Offline doubletop

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Buying Direct from China
« on: April 17, 2013, 11:53:11 AM »
Its highly likely that any tooling your buying from your local supplier has come from China. How many of you have tried buying direct? Over the years I started buying the odd electronic component here and there, then consumer goods and now tooling and even some machinery.

The main access point to anything you may be interested in is http://www.alibaba.com/ you'll find what you want here and not just one supplier but many suppliers selling their version of the same product. Many of them are wholesalers and they say they expect that you to order a minimum quantity, but just ask if they do samples, I've never been refused. On one site for electronic connectors they even offered US$15 credit towards samples. You can buy a lot of connectors when the unit cost is 2c.

Many vendors will take paypal, and Alibabba provides an Escrow service. I've even taken a punt and used international money transfers. Every time the goods have turned up, and quickly.

The downside of going direct is the cost of shipping (it can be more than the cost of the goods) and an duties payable at your end but when you compare the overall costs its still cheaper than buying locally. I'm also not going to say its risk free but I've never been ripped off. Errors have been corrected and over payments credited.

An example of cost savings I was looking for some U2 collets for the U2 cutter grinder I had also purchased direct, this crowd did them  http://www.dzdrjj.cn/ so I started a dialogue with them. I also found they also did ER collets and I needed some to make up the part set I'd purchased when I started out. Both collet types were US$2 each when my local supplier wants about NZ$35 each for ER32 collets (US$30). The shipping worked out about US$3 each but that was still only US$5 for each ER32 collet. A no brainer really so I gave it a go, all the ER32 collets are now mixed together in a set and I can't tell the difference between the new ones and the originals.

The other factor to consider is quality, you're not going to get Moore and Wright but its no worse than you are getting from you local supplier and Id say perfectly adequate for the budget conscious model engineer.

No doubt there will be those of you who've tried this and maybe have a bad experience, others who may not be prepared to take the risk. But lets hear about the good and the bad? Some of you who haven't tried the direct route may be willing to.

The usual "I have no affiliation and am just a satisfied customer" blah blah applies.

Pete
?To achieve anything in this game, you must be prepared to dabble on the boundary of disaster.? - Stirling Moss

Offline metalmudler

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Re: Buying Direct from China
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2014, 02:16:21 PM »
Good call.
My mate got an x2 mill belt kit and it was all wrong, no belt, incorrect specs..  Turned out a real pita.
I prefere to buy local  and support local jobs but your right..
evilBay do alright for cheap 1 off Chinese stuff, but scamming a free sample is the next step.
It's not done, until it's DONE... Even then there is something else to do to it !..

Offline bp

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Re: Buying Direct from China
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2014, 10:48:50 PM »
I've used Richon Tools, and especially CTC over the last few years.  In fact now I go straight to CTC as my first choice.  If I'm after special stuff or finishing cutters I still go to the UK (Drill Service) or US (Mori Tolls) though, also I only buy "name" taps and dies and drills when I'm after good holes or threads (Dormer etc)
Just a very satisfied customer, blah blah blah
cheers
Bill

Offline tel

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Re: Buying Direct from China
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2014, 08:47:10 AM »
Richon and CTC get my vote as well - not top of the line stuff, but value for money and usually more than adequate.
The older I get, the better I was.
Lacerta es reptiles quisnam mos non exsisto accuso nusquam

Offline rodw

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Re: Buying Direct from China
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2014, 09:04:27 AM »
Another vote for CTC tools. Here down under in Australia is frustrating to have to scour the world to source what you need. I keep a list and every now and again put an order through to make the freight expense worthwhile. ($800 from CTC including $200 freight was $2500 locally).

I have bought stuff from Ali express and alibaba without issues and my Ditron DRO and scales is a good unit. Currently I have orders in transit from both CTC (toooling) and Little Machineshop (5C collet chuck).
RodW
Brisbane, Australia

Online wagnmkr

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Re: Buying Direct from China
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2014, 11:12:06 AM »
I support my local suppliers when I can, but for a lot of the seldom used stuff (gear cutters), and nice to have stuff (er32 collets and holder), I went to CTC. Fast service, postage was no more than ordering from Canada or US. Parts were right and they work for me.

Cheers,

Tom
I was cut out to be rich ... but ... I was sewn up all wrong!

 

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