importing machines [Archive]

fanlee

4th March 2017, 04:45 AM

aldav

4th March 2017, 06:25 PM

Size and cost of the machine will have a huge impact on the costs and obstacles you will encounter. Can you give us some clues?

elanjacobs

4th March 2017, 09:28 PM

Might be worth getting quotes from customs brokers to take care of all the BS for you

fanlee

5th March 2017, 05:02 AM

Size and cost of the machine will have a huge impact on the costs and obstacles you will encounter. Can you give us some clues?

6090 benchtop for $3-5K

:)

fanlee

5th March 2017, 05:04 AM

Might be worth getting quotes from customs brokers to take care of all the BS for you

I agree - I've started looking since I saw the same suggestion elsewhere during my ferreting.

aldav

5th March 2017, 10:32 AM

6090 benchtop for $3-5K

:)

Right, that's a largish machine then. I've had a look at a few offers from sellers of these machines and they seem to offer a variety of shipping methods including air freight (TNT, Toll, etc.) and sea freight (although it is unclear whether this is China Post Ocean Freight or LCL container freight). There are a lot of variables here, I'll send you a PM.

Cheers,
David

pootaholic

6th March 2017, 09:31 PM

fanlee

7th March 2017, 11:54 PM

Check out Roger Webb on Youtube. He is now manufacturing 6090 machines (made in China) but sells under the name of Pacific Tooling.

Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z70rdtqWmYg

Cheers ... Dave

I emailed Roger some time ago but he doesn't do a benchtop model that size.

pippin88

8th March 2017, 08:54 AM

Pity about the round rails

fanlee

8th March 2017, 09:03 AM

Pity about the round rails

...er...which machine do you mean?

Regards,
Rob.

pippin88

8th March 2017, 09:10 AM

Roger / Pacific Machines. The video above

foobillious

8th March 2017, 09:35 AM

At that price range you'll definitely need to pay some import duties on it.

The custom's staff are generally very helpful, and provide excellent general advice, but unfortunately the team that can provide advice about which particular code to use has apparently been gutted by the idiotic Public Service Staff cuts and will take ages (around 4 weeks) to get back to you. So, the advice to engage a custom's broker is good. They should be able to identify the correct code and their professional indemnity insurance should cover you from the fines in the event they screw up and get it wrong.

aldav

12th March 2017, 06:44 PM

So, the advice to engage a custom's broker is good. They should be able to identify the correct code and their professional indemnity insurance should cover you from the fines in the event they screw up and get it wrong.

Which they do! Of course if its in your favour - WHOOPEE! :D And don't forget we're only talking about 5% here. :C Now if you didn't have to pay the GST, but it's never going to happen. :no:

nivlek

13th March 2017, 02:43 PM

I had a special sanding machine sent from China, just recently.
It was 80kg in weight and the packed size was 105x55x30cm

The machine cost approximately Aus $ 80.00 but the freight, customs duty and tax was approximately Aus $ 750.00

On the company rate, it would have been cheaper to send it via DHL at the company rate.

I would suggest to be careful with freight costs from overseas.

Regards
Kel

aldav

13th March 2017, 03:53 PM

How was it sent nivlek, who handled the freight? For an $80 (is that right?) machine those costs are extraordinary. :oo:

nivlek

13th March 2017, 04:19 PM

I spend about 8 months a year in China and export a lot of consignments around the world.
But personal ones, I either carry back in hand luggage or ship them.

This was the first time, to pay for the consignment totally in Australia, rather than paying for it in China (lesson learnt, the hard way)

It was sent via sea freight as a LCL. Which means it was packed into a container with other goods.

The freight forwarder in Sydney was new to me and charged me the minimum charge of Au $ 350.00 for the consignment. Balance was for the other things mentioned.

So a number of things caused the blow out in the price.

Lesson learnt
Kel

aldav

13th March 2017, 08:41 PM

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. :D

nivlek

14th March 2017, 11:07 AM

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

fanlee

25th March 2017, 12:12 PM

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.

DaveVman

24th April 2017, 01:28 PM

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

fanlee

24th April 2017, 02:33 PM

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-detail/Jinan-sudiao-3d-cnc-router-small_60213451850.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/

fanlee

21st June 2017, 11:23 AM

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 :o) .

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

fanlee

21st June 2017, 11:30 AM

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.

woodPixel

21st June 2017, 03:57 PM

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.

ian

21st June 2017, 04:42 PM

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.

aldav

21st June 2017, 06:52 PM

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. :2tsup:

fanlee

21st June 2017, 11:58 PM

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.:U

Dougsshed

22nd February 2018, 06:42 PM

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 :B The whole process is fraught and a little help can save much heartache.

Dougsshed

22nd February 2018, 06:49 PM

DaveVman

23rd February 2018, 01:06 AM

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.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Dougsshed

23rd February 2018, 08:37 AM

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

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Hi Dave,
As I said, I'll be posting my experience in some detail in a couple of weeks depending on when a few issues are resolved. However, if you need more urgent info/advice, please PM me with your phone number and I'll give you a call.
Doug

DaveVman

23rd February 2018, 12:29 PM

Hi Dave,
As I said, I'll be posting my experience in some detail in a couple of weeks depending on when a few issues are resolved. However, if you need more urgent info/advice, please PM me with your phone number and I'll give you a call.
DougThanks for the offer Doug but realistically it will be a couple of years before I have the space and money for such a machine. Hence there's no hurry at all.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

DaveVman

27th February 2018, 05:27 PM

Thanks for the offer Doug but realistically it will be a couple of years before I have the space and money for such a machine. Hence there's no hurry at all.

Sent from my SM-G935F using TapatalkP.S. I have some money but I think it's not enough so one of the things I'm interested in, is how much on top of the machine price everything ends up costing you. That plus what all the steps are. It's been 30 years since I imported a container and I had help from an agent.
I thought about doing it 10 years ago for some used tools and stuff I had but the costs were not worth it for me for used stuff. Ended up bringing somethings as baggage and gave away all the rest. Anyway I digress.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Bob Willson

22nd March 2018, 05:33 PM

Check out Roger Webb on Youtube. He is now manufacturing 6090 machines (made in China) but sells under the name of Pacific Tooling.

Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z70rdtqWmYg

Cheers ... Dave

And then, after you have looked up all the information on Roger Webb, use it to ensure that you NEVER buy anything from him, his wife, or Pacific Tooling.

ericks2

22nd March 2018, 08:52 PM

I bought a cnc router 6040 a few years back. It cost me more than the original price to get it to work properly.

KBs PensNmore

23rd March 2018, 12:44 AM

Have heard similar stories to Erick, from a couple of other people.

DaveVman

23rd March 2018, 08:07 AM

And then, after you have looked up all the information on Roger Webb, use it to ensure that you NEVER buy anything from him, his wife, or Pacific Tooling.Bob, did you buy from Pacific Tooling? If so, can you direct me to your review?
To be honest, I've only found one review of someone who actually purchased from him.

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robroyaus

13th August 2018, 06:20 PM

Bob, did you buy from Pacific Tooling? If so, can you direct me to your review?

For the benefit of anyone stumbling onto this thread, I think this is the review you were looking for http://www.woodworkforums.com/f170/importing-chinese-machine-roger-webb-pacific-tooling-cnc-router-220322

Spoiler Alert: It makes for sobering reading.