Lathe and Mini Mill - Spare Belts - Getting an order together for UK Users

[CrewCab]

Not sure where to post this ......... so here will have to do ....
..... if it needs moving guys, feel free.

I was chatting with Ralph (Divided He ad) and we were thinking of ordering some spare
belts for our 9x 20 lathes .......
this company in the USA
sell the long Vee belt for the 9x20 (5M710) for $5.78
and the Mini Mill drive belt (2L130) for $2.24,

As for the Cogged belt for the 9x20 (170XL050) ....
...... the only place I've found them so far is on Ebay in the USA at $9.50 + p&p,
if anyone can help with an alternative source for this one I'd appreciate it.

Anyway, as we were going to put an order together (as the prices seem pretty good)
does anyone else here in the UK want some at the same time, obviously there will
be shipping cost's on top and maybe some tax but overall I hope it will work out
fairly cost effective, and if we get a few the postage costs should be far better than
each of us ordering seperately.

Anyway, if anyone wants any (or any other belts LIMCT supply, shout up in the
next week or two but; please satisfy yourselves that any belts you ask for will fit
your machine beforehand, I'm happy to order some extra ones to help anyone out,
but .......... I'm not a shop, I don't do returns, warranties or exchanges guys 8)

Links are here ..............

9x20 Vee Belt
Mini Mill Vee belt
9x20 Cogged Belt

Dave

 

[Bogstandard]

Just like to let you know about customs charges, they bite you twice.

If the items come to less than £18, you should be able to get them straight thru with no problems at all.


Until a couple of years ago, the Post Office would deliver the charged goods and collect the duty from you. So you only paid the actual duty.

The post office now, will not collect duty (they say it is dangerous for posties to carry money), so they put a collection card thru your door and you have to pick up the items from the main sorting office. The charge for this from the customs people is either £7 or £8, can't remember exactly, and that is before they add the duty to be paid. So your £19 package could cost you up to around £30, plus the original P&P costs.

So the way around it seems to be, keep your purchases below £18, the P&P isn't taken into account.

If you get something delivered by one of the bigger couriers for items over the £18 limit, it will seem like you have got away with it. But usually the courier companies will send you the bill for the duty up to a month later.

Sometimes you don't get hit for excess duty if it is thru the normal postal system, just seems to depend if the customs man was on a promise the night before. With couriers, I think they automatically pay customs charges, so you don't get away with it.

You pays your money, you takes the chance.

John

 

[CrewCab]

Thanks John,
Yes, I got "bitten" on the Mill drive belt kit and air spring to the tune of just over £30 ??? ............. but on that occasion I think for what I got it was well worth the overall cost, having said that I'm no expert as the only other thing I've bought from the USA was a camera lens which was didn't incur any duty.

If it's only Me n' Ralph that want a couple of belts then the overall cost should hopefully be below £18, just thought I'd ask anyone else but good point, let's see if anyone else wants any and take it from there ............ then do the sums.

Cheers for the timely reminder

How's the workshop coming along by the way, mine seems to have ground to a stop due to work interfering with playing .......... but priorities exist unfortunately :wall: got to put bread on the table first

As always, great to hear from you cos' it's always good advice .......... ;D

atb .......... and thanks.

Dave

 

[Bogstandard]

Dave,

Sometime tomorrow I will be doing a post to show what I have been up to today.
The workshop is still on hold, waiting for answers from the machine suppliers. You wouldn't believe what is holding it all up.

John

 

[CrewCab]

You wouldn't believe what is holding it all up.

Unfortunately, if the machine's are still with the manufacturer I suspect it may well be Earthquake related, which could well affect a lot of importers in the next few months; having said that, I suppose it's a small problem compared to those directly affected .......... if it's not that : ........ please don't tell me it's a "Jobsworth" somewhere in the system :wall: ....... sounds like you might need to hone up on your "obviously excellent BushCraft skills" and create some more TWIG based engines ......... "top class" mate ;D

Dave

 

[alan2525]

If you want to do an order from the US - can you get the items shipped to a friendly forum member in the US and then get them to send them on to your UK address as a gift?

Royal Mail really fleece you with the extra £8 they charge for the so called handling fee.

Even if it's just £8 VAT and import duty, Royal Mail put the extra £8 on top! Plus they don't even pay the duty on your behalf and post it to your door, you still have to trot around the post office and pay them the extra £8!

 

[CrewCab]

Good point Alan, thanks 8) ............... OK so we now need a USA conspirator .......... any takers guys 8)

CC

 

[Bluechip]

Hi Crewcab

Sent you a PM Re: Timing Belts, Suggesting a UK Supplier

Bluechip

 

[CrewCab]

Thanks, got the pm ......... the don't appear to have the correct belts unfortunately but I appreciate your efforts.

The vee belts are available in the US for very reasonable prices. unfortunately shipping is about $85

Think I've traced the cog belts from a UK supplier for about £5 each .......... plus VAT and delivery ...... just waiting for email confirmation.

The search continues.

CC

 

[Hilmar]

Hi Dave

As for the Cogged belt for the 9x20 (170XL050) ....
...... the only place I've found them so far is on Ebay in the USA at $9.50 + p&p,
if anyone can help with an alternative source for this one I'd appreciate it.

The reason that the XL050 is so hard to come by is ," it is not used to often."
The MFG. has to cut them as a special. As told to me by a MFG. of belts.

If you go with the 170XL037, it is used more often and also in all the MFG. catalogs.
The difference is the width. 0.50" visa 0.375". Ben using one on my 9X20 for years.
1/8" smaller in width but works fine for me. easy-er to come by and also cheaper. The same specs . The 9X20 will never know the difference.
Hilmar

 

[Brass_Machine]

Thanks, got the pm ......... the don't appear to have the correct belts unfortunately but I appreciate your efforts.

The vee belts are available in the US for very reasonable prices. unfortunately shipping is about $85

Think I've traced the cog belts from a UK supplier for about £5 each .......... plus VAT and delivery ...... just waiting for email confirmation.

The search continues.

CC

Have em shipped here. I will ship them to the UK for you at a much better rate.

Eric

 

[Bluechip]

Hi Crewcab

Those belts seem to be listed on .pdf Page 110 of HPC Site.
ie. 170XL in several widths including 1/2" [ 12.7mm] wide.

Or have you been in contact with HPC and they disagree?


Regards

Bluechip

 

[CrewCab]

Hi Crewcab

Those belts seem to be listed on .pdf Page 110 of HPC Site.
ie. 170XL in several widths including 1/2" [ 12.7mm] wide.

Or have you been in contact with HPC and they disagree?


Regards

Bluechip

Bluechip ......... you are quite right, my apologies and thanks for being persistent so as to get this old fart to take notice, ...... : .......... it's annoying that postage for 2 belts is more than the cost of the items though ??? ......... but wth ........ at least we now have a local source

Cheers mate

CC

 

[Bogstandard]

A bit far away from the post but this is my liitle escapade with ordering from the US a couple of weeks ago.

I wanted a flashy new screen for my two wheels.

Cost of screen - $147
Cost of getting it to me - $243
Then I will get hit for something like $25 for VAT

The reason for the high transport cost is that the US postal service can't ship packages over a certain size. So it has to come by courier.

It just depends on how much you want the item.

John

 

[Bluechip]

Hi Crewcab

No problems, when I'm perfect I'll feel entitled to pass judgement on others. Till then I'll keep my trap shut.
I've made plenty of errors in my time, still making them!

I used to use HPC before I retired from work, they always seemed to come up with the goods. I have a copy of their 2003 catalogue, they are listed in that, I thought maybe you had contacted them and they no longer stocked those items.

Hard copy is easier to navigate than many websites I feel.

Another old fart ...

Regards

Dave. Bluechip ...

 

[Brass_Machine]

Dunno if you guys missed this... but I offered to ship to the UK for you to save over the vendor's ship price. If you can find a comparable belt from McMaster Carr I can pick it up locally.

If I can help, let me know

Eric

 

[CrewCab]

Thanks Eric .......... you have mail ;D

CC

 

[littlechuffer]

hi people
just a thought chronos engineering suplies stock a good range of replacement
drive belts
reasonable too, might be worth a look, uk company, just google the name
regards to all
mick.