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  1. #1
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    Sep 2015
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    Default Tools only sold in USA that you couldn't do without?

    Watching a lot of YouTube videos on making furniture and stuff and every now and again they are using some you-beaut tool or jig which is either totally unavailable in Australia, or super overpriced.

    So I'm thinking to order a few things from the US off Amazon and thought I'd check and see if anyone had any suggestions on handy tools to grab while I'm at it? (Postage is free once you go over a certain amount)

    For example, one thing that seems really handy is a 90 degree positioning square which you clamp into place to keep your joinery at right angles. Or there's this right angle corner clamp that does a similar job.

    Any other ideas?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Woodstock (Cowra)
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    74
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    3,372

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    Why don't you simply make them yourself, there is an absolute plethora of designs, YT how to make these and many more jigs, its a no brainer, satisfaction value of making your own 110%, cost saving will by a few of your favourite tipple
    The person who never made a mistake never made anything

    Cheers
    Ray

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    6,973

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post
    Watching a lot of YouTube videos on making furniture and stuff and every now and again they are using some you-beaut tool or jig which is either totally unavailable in Australia, or super overpriced.

    So I'm thinking to order a few things from the US off Amazon and thought I'd check and see if anyone had any suggestions on handy tools to grab while I'm at it? (Postage is free once you go over a certain amount)

    For example, one thing that seems really handy is a 90 degree positioning square which you clamp into place to keep your joinery at right angles. Or there's this right angle corner clamp that does a similar job.

    Any other ideas?
    If you break some of those designs down,you may find there basic shapes you can recreate yourself,

    Tho that depends weather you enjoy building tools an jigs tho?
    It’s not everyone’s cup of Tea.

    Cheers Matt.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Sydney Upper North Shore
    Posts
    4,464

    Default

    Ahhh, the old jig building routine. When I started wood working I would see a need for a jig which I’d build, then I’d see another need for another jig and on it went. Got to the point I was building more jigs that actual items

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Sunbury, Vic
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    84
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    2,713

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    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post

    For example, one thing that seems really handy is a 90 degree positioning square which you clamp into place to keep your joinery at right angles. Or there's this right angle corner clamp that does a similar job.

    Any other ideas?
    Both of those, or very similar, are available locally from Carbatec and/or Timbecon.
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Redlands area, Brisbane
    Posts
    1,489

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post
    Watching a lot of YouTube videos on making furniture and stuff and every now and again they are using some you-beaut tool or jig which is either totally unavailable in Australia, or super overpriced.

    So I'm thinking to order a few things from the US off Amazon and thought I'd check and see if anyone had any suggestions on handy tools to grab while I'm at it? (Postage is free once you go over a certain amount)

    For example, one thing that seems really handy is a 90 degree positioning square which you clamp into place to keep your joinery at right angles. Or there's this right angle corner clamp that does a similar job.

    Any other ideas?
    As others have noted, there are similar tools available from local suppliers.

    You can also buy the same things from BangGood or Ali Express that, no doubt, originated from the same factory. You do have to be a bit patient at the moment with delivery times but things are coming through.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    237

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    You can buy these here but they're made in the USA. A woodpeckers T-Square has been awesome to use. It's one of those nice to have tools. Definitely not necessary but really handy

    T Square 600mm w/- case- Woodpecker woodworksupplies.com.au.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Hunter Valley
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,342

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    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post
    For example, one thing that seems really handy is a 90 degree positioning square which you clamp into place to keep your joinery at right angles.
    Rockler Clamp-It Assembly Square | Carbatec with Carbatec Universal Fence Clamps - Pair | Carbatec and optionally Rockler Clamp-It Corner Clamping Jig | Carbatec

    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post
    Or there's this right angle corner clamp that does a similar job.
    https://www.carbatec.com.au/angle-clamp-30-x-55-bessey

    There's been some stock shortages, obviously, these items are normally all in stock, the "Coming Soon" seems to indicate they're temporarily out of stock (likely due to COVID).

    Personally speaking, if I was to look to the USA for supplies of unique stuff (some of which may not be unique, but far superior quality than the cheap stuff often sold here), I'd look at Rockler, Lee Valley, Lie Nielsen, Woodcraft first. Whilst Amazon have some neat stuff, you'd find more woodwork focussed stuff at the other destinations.

  10. #9
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    Apr 2020
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    Seaford, Vic
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    397

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    Up until COVID hit and the Aussie dollar starting falling away against the US$ I used to import various bits from the U.S. for my business on a regular basis using a consolidator/forwarder in Los Angeles - mainly because the Australian agents never had enough spares in stock. Getting everything sent to the consolidator/forwarder used to save a lot of money in freight costs.

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by RSD View Post
    Up until COVID hit and the Aussie dollar starting falling away against the US$ I used to import various bits from the U.S. for my business on a regular basis using a consolidator/forwarder in Los Angeles - mainly because the Australian agents never had enough spares in stock. Getting everything sent to the consolidator/forwarder used to save a lot of money in freight costs.
    Mind sharing (PM is fine) who you use? I have a list of a few small things I want to get from a few places, and the shipping is holding me back

  12. #11
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    Apr 2020
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    Seaford, Vic
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    Quote Originally Posted by Midnight Man View Post
    Mind sharing (PM is fine) who you use? I have a list of a few small things I want to get from a few places, and the shipping is holding me back
    I use Shipito in Hawthorne, they are very close to LAX airport - Shipito | Shop In The US & Ship Anywhere | Free US Address

  13. #12
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    Jul 2015
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    Quote Originally Posted by RSD View Post
    I use Shipito in Hawthorne, they are very close to LAX airport - Shipito | Shop In The US & Ship Anywhere | Free US Address
    Many thanks!

  14. #13
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    Nov 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by grapeseed View Post
    Watching a lot of YouTube videos on making furniture and stuff and every now and again they are using some you-beaut tool or jig which is either totally unavailable in Australia, or super overpriced.
    Places that I go online are:
    Local:
    Just tools,
    C&L tools
    Carbatec
    McJing
    Hares and Forbes
    bestbuytradesupplies.com.au for paints/varnish/finishes
    Scrooz for screws and fasteners
    Amazon.com.au
    Overseas:
    Amazon.com.au with prime membership gives me free shipping over $50
    Axminister to Veritas tools and other fine tools
    Banggood and Aliexpress for small tools from China such as Mitre measuring squares, handheld countersink, A T-ruler, and right-angle clamp ruler.
    Hardwaresales.com for Power tools or Kreg Jigs
    Workshop heaven for fine tools. A good place to get Honerite, half the price than a particular Australian supplier.

    In general, I feel that tools and supplies are reasonably priced in Australia, with one exception, Festool. Festool's discriminatory regional pricing strategy is the reason that I don't buy Festool, not even the domino.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Redlands area, Brisbane
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    1,489

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    Quote Originally Posted by justonething View Post

    In general, I feel that tools and supplies are reasonably priced in Australia, with one exception, Festool. Festool's discriminatory regional pricing strategy is the reason that I don't buy Festool, not even the domino.
    Couple of great links to places I didn't know about in there. Thanks.

    I feel the same about Festool. I like their abrasives line. I bought a heap from Woodcraft when I was in the US some years back. IIRC, it was about 1/3 the price of buying it locally; and AUD was very strong at that time. Now it's probably only 2/3 the price, but still cheap enough to justify not buying it here from Festool.

    I recently bought a new ROS. I was very happy with my old Makita BO6030 but it was trashed when I lent it to one of my adult children (we've since had that talk...). I thought about a Festool for a whole New York minute, then bought a Makita BO6050J. It may not be as good as the Festool, and if I was using a ROS in units of time measured in shifts, I might have bought a Festool. Vibration is higher than the 6030, but for the length of time I use a ROS; it's good enough. The 6050 also has the dual mode for when you really want remove some extra material and it works great. Dust extraction probably is as near to 100% as you can probably get. I sincerely doubt the Festool could be perceptibly better.

    I did just suck it up and bought a Domino machine. Which I would not have done had I bought the Festool ROS; cos I would not have had the money... Axminster don't have stock otherwise I would have bought it from them and saved a few hundred dollars!

  16. #15
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    Jul 2015
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    Quote Originally Posted by justonething View Post
    In general, I feel that tools and supplies are reasonably priced in Australia, with one exception, Festool. Festool's discriminatory regional pricing strategy is the reason that I don't buy Festool, not even the domino.
    This has been discussed before on these forums, and from memory, was shown to not be the case. For what it's worth, I did a bit of a simple comparison using a couple of tools (and I agree, it's not exhaustive, and there may be outlying exceptions):

    A domino 500 Plus in Germany costs 963.96 Euros: https://www.festool.de/produkte/domi...-df-500-q-plus That works out today to $1592.78 Australian.
    A domino 500 plus in Australia costs $1699.01, so here it is about $106 more expensive: DF 500 DOMINO Joining Machine Plus

    A Kapex 120 REB in Germany costs 1541.64 Euros: https://www.festool.de/produkte/saeg...2---ks-120-reb That works out today to $2547.12 Australian.
    A Kapex 120 REB in Australia costs $2065.00, so here this tool is cheaper by $482 than in the place of manufacture: KS 120 R KAPEX 260 mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw

    An ETS EC 150/3 sander in Germany costs 640.32 Euros: Festool Exzenterschleifer ETS EC 150/3 EQ-Plus online That works out to $1058.17 Australian
    An ETS EC 150/3 sander in Australia costs $1024.00, so here this tool is cheaper by $34 than in the place of manufacture: https://www.festool.com.au/ets-ec-15...us_576324.html

    I intentionally set out to just show three products I happen to own, and made sure to get the same "level of set" for each of these tools - in case you're not aware, Festool sometimes bundle extra items with a tool and package it up as a "Set" or "Plus Set" etc. I did not pre-check any of these prices, I write out the above as searched out the products and links, so it's not "stacked" data to make an argument one way or another.

    I don't believe this shows any price bias in Australia. There will always be minor differences in price simply due to exchange rates and potentially shipping costs - in one case as we see above there is a considerable price difference in *favour* of Australia, and overall, 2 of 3 products are cheaper here.

    Yes, Festool is a more expensive product than the competition. Only the user can decide if that, and their "system" approach, is worth it for themselves.

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