Thread: importing machines

Gee Kel, you really got ripped-off there, sorry to hear that you were the target of such a rapacious reprobate. I've never paid anything like that. Makes you wonder how some people sleep at night. Certainly brings home the message about finding a good freight forwarder when using LCL or full containers.
So are you in mining? Or maybe wine making? I like wine.

I am into manufacturing electrical products for transmission and distribution lines.

Point is to double check freight forwarders costs before you buy overseas

But I enjoy wood or metal work as a hobby.
I have been in China now for 12 years and have a full suit case (every two months) of tools / trinkets, when I return to Australia.

Kel

hi..an update...

I have ordered a chinese machine using a customs/shipping agent recommended in a pm.

It should be ready early April.

I'll post pictures of it coming over the fence - or through it - and a run down of the expenses and processes in getting it up and running - well assuming all goes at least reasonably well.

Regards,
Rob.

I can't to read this cost breakdown and what steps were involved!
What size machine did you order?

Originally Posted by DaveVman

I can't to read this cost breakdown and what steps were involved!
What size machine did you order?

SD6090 - should arrive May 18 . https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...213451850.html though I ordered direct not via Alibaba.(Details available)
I don't have all the final details, but the machine was $5k mas or menos depending on what day the transfers take place.Port costs ~$300.00 freight SYD to Merimbula $467.
I haven't heard about the china aus cost yet.

I will be hiring a crane and a pallet truck or maybe 3 fit footballers - but I will post the final washup.

Just 1 word of caution. This machine is distributed here for more than $11k , but the distributors have a track record of questionable practices eg selling 2nd hand as new and fitting 2nd hand parts to new parts. I don't want too take this anywhere but it's as well for people to be careful/

OK - all over bar the shouting - I'll tell all generally if anyone wants details I'll re read the invoices.

Cost US $3900.00 (including upgraded Al top $300.00 ) came out to just under $5k.Today it's just over.
Freight Aus $ 215.00
Delivery Aus $ 520.00 to Regional NSW
Other port and and customs charges incl GST and fees brought the total to $1900.00
Crane Aus $150.00

so the machine is on my workbench for $7k

The only comparable DIY setups cost over US$6k (CncRouterParts pro, Oltrogge) and thenj ship etc and assemnble. Also I had had hands on with a couple of these previously. This one is small, 6090, but a 'proper' machine.

Now here's the unexpected!! An industrial strength dust collector was included!! While this is good, it's bad because I have a set up in place and nowhere to put it and it's a two person job too carry it anywhere. There was no mention of this ever. But I'm not sending it back!

what happened next - the supplied clamps didn't fit because of the upgraded Al table top. So I will have a lot of grinding to do . Maybe 1ml off each side.

Setup was straight forward.

First try - there was an issue with the Y axis. It wouldn't home properly and moved only in the Y- direction.

Limit switches all worked.

I contacted SD via Whatsapp and was advised to swap the x and y axes connections as shown. This meant swapping the components because the wiring was cut to length. The components were impossible to remove conventionally because I reckoned they were screwed down with a driver from hell. An engineering friend and I drilled out the screws to do the swap. (this didn't take long) the screwdown will be repaired in a day or two. There was no change.

Next thing advised was to to swap X and Y axes on the controller board as shown. This was fiddly again because the wires were cut to length and the connections are very fiddly for a complete knownothing electronically. (me).

Resetting the wiring was a pain and I soldered the ends to be able to push them into the connectors. This time no Y movement at all. I assume I stuffed up the re-connection.

Then I had to go to the Gold Coast for two weeks to help out my daughter.

Having just returned I decided I'd clean up my sloppy soldering and makes sure I attached things properly before trying anything else. This I did, and lo and behold the thing purrs like a charm in all axes.

The upshot is that somewhere in the board from the Hand held controller or (maybe the plug) there was a dodgy connection. Maybe bumped in shipping - I'll never know - but now the machine homes as it should. In the next few days i'll reset the drivers and do a test cut.

While the kerfuffle was unwelcome it wasn't a terrible thing and the suppliers were very keen to help - all be it from China.

This is what has happened to date. It hasn't put me off at all - rather I am slightly more confident around the machine and I have an extra dust collecting system ) .

The pics came out Right to left maybe because it's a chinese machine.

Also the dust hood supplied is useless and is a pain to remove - necessary for tool changing.
It's supposed to float, but the bristles collapse and occlude the hole. Plus you can't see a thing.

I am making my own out of perspex and that plastic door stuff held by magnets as per countless videos on U tube.

First run Mon next week I think.

Those import charges are terrible. What a country where we "accept" such blatant taxation.

What a shame it doesn't work straight out of the box.

Tell us how it goes. CNC is amazing.

to my mind $1900 is quite reasonable.

a couple of years ago I shared in the import of 3 high value specialist items. The shipment came in air freight and the handling fees were in the order of $2200. To which we had to add GST on teh value of the goods.
However, all up we were individually about $1000 better off compared to buying the same item locally.

The actual shipping, Port costs and GST component seems pretty reasonable to me for a one off import. I calculate those costs out to about A$1,165. Assuming the cost of the machine to be A$4,950 that's about 23.5% of the machine cost. The two Australian freight costs ($215 to get it from the bond store to a freight company? and the $520 freight to Merimbula) could be avoided if you were able to pick the shipment up yourself. $7,000 landed in your shed for an $11,000 machine sounds pretty sweet to me.

yes - no complaints .

I was posting the exercise so other people might see it and decide with some real numbers.

The OSX and Quanterm advice was good. Just pay on time and answer the phone.

Originally Posted by fanlee

Hi.
I am considering importing a machine from US or China.

What's the process like?

Place the order and wait for the truck or are there shitloads of bureaucratic obstacles to overcome?

All advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob.

Hi Rob,

I realise that this thread is nearly a year old but I was wondering if you have made your purchase yet? I have just bought a PT6012 from Pacific Tooling. Since I see quite a few threads on this and other forums along the same lines as yours, it is my intent to post my experience in some detail. In the meantime, if you haven't already made your purchase (I'm notorious for taking a very long time to make this type of decision), I'm happy to offer any advice that you may need The whole process is fraught and a little help can save much heartache.

Originally Posted by fanlee

Hi.
I am considering importing a machine from US or China.

What's the process like?

Place the order and wait for the truck or are there shitloads of bureaucratic obstacles to overcome?

All advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob.

Sorry Rob,

Somehow I missed the 2nd page and I now realise that "It's all over bar the shouting".

Originally Posted by Dougsshed

Sorry Rob,

Somehow I missed the 2nd page and I now realise that "It's all over bar the shouting".

I would be keen to read about the details of your experiences of the process and of Pacific Tooling.

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