Canadian members

[gunboatbay]

If there are any Canadian members to this forum; FWIW - Grizzly now advertises that they ship to Canada. They do have a $50 minimum order but state that it doesn't apply to spare parts orders.

 

[Jtrain]

Thats good to know. I'll check it out. I like BusyBee tools service and quality.

 

[dmartine1]

Canadian buyers beware, they do ship to Canada BUT in order to use a credit card for payment, you need to have almost a US Bank «edition» of Visa or Master.

Otherwise, they wont be able to electronicaly verify your billing address and won't accept your credit card. The only options left are electronic transfer (cause they won't even take international bank or money order) adding a good 30 $ to the invoice.

Think twice before ordering or make sure they can verify your card first.

 

[Chazz]

To Canucks, How about KBC, MSI, Auckland's\Granger Tools along with Busy Bee? I got my Mill & Lathe from Busy Bee, (models listed below and, I AM very happy with the tools).

I have found for 'myself' in 'Canada' and where I live that I live the life of a "Mail Order $_ut" But it's OK, being on a budget, I look for deals like "Spend a hundred bucks and we pay the shipping" kind of deals.

Also, due to the www, I have spent about 25~30% of my tooling budget on foregin companies such as Tresna Instruments for my measuring tools, my laser pointer from the states etc. Sorry, I guess all I am trying to say is, from personal experience, there is a lot of shopping options out there where you can get a lot of bang-for-your-buck, from literally around the world.

Cheers,
Chazz

 

[Stan]

Chazz: Welcome to the world of internet shopping. It takes a lot of time to find good suppliers with good prices and reasonable shipping rates. An invaluable asset is a US resident who will act as an intermediary for you. Try and have someone who will accept shipments for you and resend them, or even buy the item and send it to you. For shipping to Canada it is common for suppliers to automatically use the $23.00 flat rate box price when First Class Mail would be much cheaper. A $5.00 surcharge to put on the USPS free sticker that requires the name of the item and the price does not endear me to do business with them.

Even some of the large companies don't understand the concept of international business and refuse to ship outside the US (sometimes even only the lower 48).

When dealing with suppliers such as the ones you mention, check prices on their US web site as well as their Canadian website. In some cases there is a ripoff price on the Canadian site. If so, just don't buy from them.

I am reluctant to give any financial information to the sellers in Hong Kong or China for the far East class of tools, so the next best price is in the US. There are lots of good tools coming out of the former USSR countries and I have not experimented with buying them direct but they are available from many of the US importers.

BTW: If you want to get really frustrated, try internet shopping that might be construed as an energy saving item and it is being sold by companies whose mission is to save the world from global warming. One company website said to email for shipping cost. No response to first email, sent second email. Got a response, too busy, will get back to you. Still waiting ten days later. Second company accepted PayPal payment and then decided item was out of stock. On order from a different company and now have shipping confirmation.

 

[xo18thfa]

I heard McMaster Carr does not ship to Canada. What is it with that?

 

[Chazz]

Good points Stan, and I'd like to add, again here in Canada, when I do a credit card order (foregin, +$100.00) I get a 'RBC' Gift Visa, it only costs $3.50, good to $500.00 and it is a use-once-and-toss card. with Busy Bee and KBC I do direct deposit thus I never have to give out any information of any sort. ;D

Regards,
Chazz

P.S. With Tresna Instruments it's free shipping on orders over $100.00 and they mark the shipment as "Samples" thus no duty. ;D

 

[Stan]

I heard McMaster Carr does not ship to Canada. What is it with that?

I already answered this question once. It must have disappeared into the ether and will show up in the next century.

I think McMaster Carr just doesn't want to deal with a small market. I understand that they still ship to established customers, but no new accounts.

The US Government has export restrictions on some items that may involve machining, so good suppliers have a stack of forms at the shipping desk. The shipper just sticks the appropriate form in the box that says something like 'this shipment meets the requirement of Federal Regulation XXX'.

If I order a bunch of small parts from Mouser Electronics, the stack of forms weigh more than the parts. It seems that the rules are almost part specific.

 

[Stan]

Chazz: I just looked at the Tresna website. Do you order and have the stuff shipped direct from China? If so, what kind of delivery time?

 

[Chazz]

Stan, I ordered a laser pointer from the states and took 5 1/2 weeks, EVERY order from Tresna (I've only made 4) were here in Yellowknife within 7 to 10 days, from China to Hong Kong, to Vancouver, to Edmonton, to Yellowknife. Welcome to World Wide Shopping and a couple of gems I found, and, the beauty of this site to share what experience\research we come up with and share it with others!

I also am pleased with East euro stuff such as SOBA, Gortz, Glanze, etc., through local suppliers, and like any shopper, caveat emptor!

Cheers,
Chas

P.S. I can't find the link to show it, but these guys Brand for like 60+ companies around the world, like Fowler, KBC, MSI etc. for measuring stuff and as you saw, 1/2 price by purchasing direct. Just like my 'Busy Bee' Lathe is the twin brother of the Griz 4000, all from the same factory.

On a totally OT point, apparently the flood of Chinese product availability we see only accounts for about 10~20% of their GNP.

 

[BAH101]

I'm lucky, I work in Thunder Bay and 30 mins away, just across the border is a store that we use as a post office. Just ship there and they will hold it for you for $3. Even UPS will deliver to there. I go down just after work, pick up my part, buy cheap diesel and return. Hour and a half tops, if the border is busy. Saved a bunch, as a lot of US stores advertise free shipping in the lower 48.
Oh, and the store makes a killing, they have the main store warehouse and a couple of others outside for big items, the warehouse shelfs are full.
Bryan

 

[dmartine1]

BAH101, when you come back in Canada, what do you answer to the custom agent whe (s)he asks "do you have someting to declare" ?

In other words, do you declare your purchase or not? If so, do they bother you with taxes and duties?

As per the law, you need to leave the country over 24h to be able to get goods back in and still, this is good for only a couple hundred bucks.

I once crossed the border for a ride on the US side of the Thousand Islands and then drove back in Canada a few hours later and they got nasty and suspicious about our wherabouts during that short period of time.

 

[BAH101]

So many people from here use the business there. I just tell the customs agent that I had picked up a parcel and was out 20 mins, they ask how much and I walk in and pay just the taxes. No duty yet as most of the stuff is US made. The other day I had a $94 item and the agent just waved me through. As long as you declare it, no problem. One of the guys at work didn't declare an item, he got caught and is now flagged, he always gets the run-around.