Thread: Granite references: importing or not

I will be watching your progress with interest.
I now Mark bought some gear from Alibaba.

Dave

Originally Posted by Bryan

I've enquired about these: Granite straight edge products, buy Granite straight edge products from alibaba.com. I've been quoted $154 and $183 for the 500 & 1000mm ones respectively, in 00 grade. Waiting for further info on shipping, customs etc. Could be a headache. First time I've used Alibaba. Any traps I should be aware of?

Shipping wise, the wood packing may cause problems, also weight?



Some of those cast iron bed plates they sell look like they'd be a good base for a cnc machine or a welding table although the price doesnt look quite right.

T-slotted Cast Iron Bed Plate - Detailed info for T-slotted Cast Iron Bed Plate,cast iron bed plate,T-slotted Cast Iron Bed Plate,1500x1000mm on Alibaba.com

RG machine tools on the Gold Coast can supply granite straight edges...

Be aware that freight forwarding company costs can be severe.. Make sure you get a firm quote before proceeding...

dont get it via water...it will cost heaps to get it thru
if you can afford get it airmail...just make sure the total cost is less than a grand

I got a straight edge off them and getting it thru customs and including the port charges was costly...(Port charges and so called incidentals for P & O ) cost me more than the straight edge...if I recall P&O's first lot at sending an invoice was over 400 smakeroos...ended up getting getting it thru for 330 or thereabouts

and yes Dave, I have 3

Ms Qu is telling me $45 and 39 days to Port Adelaide.

Eskimo I don't understand about customs. Their website says no duties are payable if the value is under $1000. Was your shipment more than that, or are there other customs charges I haven't discovered yet? And who do I need to ask about these 'incidental' charges? You mention P&O. Did they actually carry your stuff or are they involved in some other way? Thanks.

BTW I'm waiting to hear back from RG tools about their pricing - thanks RC.

{EDIT}
Probably best to ignore my post, I was thinking it was the same as how I import but then I remembered you can import via the postal system so the charges would be different.

GULP. Thanks for the info Ch4is.

Edit: It just gets more confusing.

Originally Posted by Bryan

Ms Qu is telling me $45 and 39 days to Port Adelaide.

Eskimo I don't understand about customs. Their website says no duties are payable if the value is under $1000.

It is not duties, it is the freight forwading costs...

let me list the fees applied to my surface plate..

CMR Fee
Delivery order fee
carrier document fee
admin fee
port service charge
port security fee
sea cargo automation fee
terminal handling charge
for a total of $327

Plus another $250 actual freight cost

Plus the fee charged by the freight forwarder which was supposed to be $110

all for one pallet sized item...

Ok thanks RC. I may have misinterpreted Eskimo's reply.

With my order the quote was stuffed up by the business I bought it from, they only included the $250 for freight, that was why I went ahead with it (they forgot about the extra costs).... If they had have given me the extra costs I would never have bought it...

In the end we came to a deal about the total freight cost...

Defunct comment, more worthy contribution /better articulated by others
.

Originally Posted by .RC.

It is not duties, it is the freight forwading costs...

let me list the fees applied to my surface plate..

CMR Fee
Delivery order fee
carrier document fee
admin fee
port service charge
port security fee
sea cargo automation fee
terminal handling charge
for a total of $327

Plus another $250 actual freight cost

Plus the fee charged by the freight forwarder which was supposed to be $110

all for one pallet sized item...

I think you got most of it RC
but there is a customs fee as they need to inspect ( they probably dont but the neccessary paperwork still needs to be completed) it is a real pain in the butt...especially if you dont know what your doing

thats why its best to get it in via mail.

Originally Posted by Ch4iS

the wood packing may cause problems

the wood packing will be an Aqis problem

did RC mention Aqis costs/paperwork???

Originally Posted by Bryan

Ms Qu is telling me $45 and 39 days to Port Adelaide.

Eskimo I don't understand about customs. Their website says no duties are payable if the value is under $1000. Was your shipment more than that, or are there other customs charges I haven't discovered yet? And who do I need to ask about these 'incidental' charges? You mention P&O. Did they actually carry your stuff or are they involved in some other way? Thanks.

BTW I'm waiting to hear back from RG tools about their pricing - thanks RC.

P&O or PORTA Global as they are known are the port managers or something...throw in paperwork for Customs, AQIS and all P&O's running around and rip off pricing and you must understand that its will be most likely cheaper to get it via air...ask Jingda for a postage cost....

The price i got for airmail for the Camelback was cheaper than what I ended up paying