# Best place for economical tools



## DHHok (Mar 2, 2022)

I am sure this question has been asked many times, but I can't narrow the threads down using the search field.  Searching "tools" just brings up my user name.  

I'm at that point (already) where I have the feeling that I need to buy some tools/accessories for my metal lathe.
At the moment, I just want to get a decent set of bits, but there are so many online sellers that it's tough to know who's reliable and if their product is actually any good.
As you can tell by the title, I've been looking at mostly Chinese stuff, (even though a lot of it ships from North America).
I'm looking at the chinese tools because,
A) well....it's cheap
B) well....I'm cheap
C) Although I can afford to buy name brand quality that will last a lifetime, I don't foresee using my lathe regularly, and at my age, "lifetime" isn't that long. 

Soooo.......what have you bought that you are happy with, and from where?

I should mention that I'm interest in not just sources for tooling, but items such as 1ph to 3ph VFD's, RDO's....and pretty much anything lathe associated.

Thanks in advance.


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## Tom Kitta (Mar 2, 2022)

Aliexpress? Ebay? Amazon?


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## Chicken lights (Mar 2, 2022)

For taps and dies I’ve had good luck with Sowa. They have different brands depending on your budget. For drill bits I’ve had good luck with Rigid bits from Home Depot. They’re cheap enough that it doesn’t hurt if you break one, but still cut decent.


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## DHHok (Mar 2, 2022)

Thanks Tom, but I am looking for something more specific; such as which Vender on Ali, Amazon, etc.

Chicken lights; thank you.  Never heard of Sowa before.  I'll keep it on file, but for what I am looking for at the moment, it's not in the price range.


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## combustable herbage (Mar 2, 2022)

I am a fan of banggood, the odd time you get something above expectations most of the time its usually what you expected for the money and so far I haven't had any real duds yet.  
walmart.ca has a lot of cheaper stuff as well, and I got my parallels from home depot of all places.
Don't forget about Kijiji as well often times you get something way better quality for equal or a bit more money.


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## boilerhouse (Mar 2, 2022)

Busy Bee has some metal working accessories.  Tomorrow I plan on checking out some 1-2-3 blocks, and granite plate which are currently on sale, and maybe a few other things.


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## DHHok (Mar 2, 2022)

All good responses guys.  Thanks.
However, I would never order the chinese tools from any of the places mentioned, unless I was confident the product was decent.  As "combustable herbage" said in regards to Banggood; _"...most of the time its usually what you expected for the money...".  _That's exactly my concern.  I expect the cheap chinese stuff to last one or two uses at best.

I guess my question was too vague.  I'm not looking for places (like banggood, ali, etc) to look for tools,  I want to know what you bought and what brand and/or from what seller, that works well or was better than expected.

An example of what I'm looking at right now are 5~7 piece sets of carbide bit holders (& bits).  I see a bunch of them for less than $200, but are any of them ok?
Keep in mind, I'm less than a hobbiest, so I'm not looking to compare to what a competent machinist would use.  I'm not looking to turn to with a 0.001".   This may be a bit exaggerated, but measuring with a tape measure is typically good enough.


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## Tincup (Mar 2, 2022)

There are utube posts comparing brand name, quality machinist tools to inexpensive knock offs. Quite well done I thought. Includes the accuracy and feel in the comparison.


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## terry_g (Mar 2, 2022)

I bought some Chinese HSS tool bits from BusyBee Tools and I was impressed with the quality for the price.
I also bought some 3/8" brazed carbide bits from them that were Asian origin and they are standing up well.


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## YYCHM (Mar 2, 2022)

terry_g said:


> I bought some Chinese HSS tool bits from BusyBee Tools and I was impressed with the quality for the price.
> I also bought some 3/8" brazed carbide bits from them that were Asian origin and they are standing up well.



Same here, no complaints and price was on par with Amazon.


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## Tom Kitta (Mar 2, 2022)

boilerhouse said:


> Busy Bee has some metal working accessories.  Tomorrow I plan on checking out some 1-2-3 blocks, and granite plate which are currently on sale, and maybe a few other things.



i would stay away from BB and KMS - way, way too expensive. I pay like 1/2 for most stuff as compared to BB. 

On amazon I got these items recntly:





						GBJ Woodworking Products 1/32" - 1/2"-Inch （1-13mm）Drill Chuck with #3 Morse Taper Arbor : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific
					

GBJ Woodworking Products 1/32" - 1/2"-Inch （1-13mm）Drill Chuck with #3 Morse Taper Arbor : Amazon.ca: Industrial & Scientific



					www.amazon.ca
				






			https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0000AY61E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
		


The first one was $15 per and 2nd one was like $21 per. I got a chuck and arbor for 15 CAD which as 1.5 runout and is MT3 for 15 CAD - where BB has that? For 1-2-3 blocks I got them for like 21 CAD and are same accuracy as BB stuff - I think  BB are more. 

My favorite carbide EM source - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32896890158.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef18020fKzvZ

Last DRO https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32919941724.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef18020fKzvZ

I did not visit BB in like 3 or 4 years. I only got a felt buffing wheel at KMS in the last year. Way, way too much $$$.


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## Canadium (Mar 2, 2022)

I think there is no simple answer to such a question. It depends on exactly what tool you are looking for and what your needs and expectations are from it. Buying new or second hand? Top quality to last a life time or passable quality for a one off job? I like Kijiji and Facebook marketplace for second hand. You can find lots of barely used power tools there for example that some home owner bought for a one off project and now they are just getting in his way. Or alternatively some old industrial machine that is now obsolete in industry but would be a gem in a home machine shop. Otherwise I often buy on Ebay often direct from China. Chinesium has a bad rep for poor quality but it seems to me their products are improving steadily on the quality front and many are now very passable. Other interesting sources I frequently go to are KBC Tools, Vevor. Princess Auto is a favorite source for me but partly because they are very close to me. I never buy anything retail unless its on a steeply discounted sale or its the only way to get it. I tend to avoid Canadian Tire but even they have decent deals sometimes if you shop carefully. I find just following all the different threads on this forum there are so many great ideas that come up for great purchases that it challenges my budget already! These guys are a bad influence as far as my wallet is concerned.

I've been known to marvel at the way the ladies like to shop. But to be honest I'm no better. The only real difference is that I love looking for tools to add to my workshop! I find its almost half the fun of this hobby!


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## Dan Dubeau (Mar 2, 2022)

Accusize in richmond hill is a dealer of import tooling.  

We've bought quite a bit from them over the years at work, from ID/OD turning tools, to cat-40 holders, and have been satisfied with all of it for the price.  They've got an amazon presence as well.  

https://accusizetools.com/

Vevor Canada is a recent one that came up in some searches too as an importer.  I haven't bought anything from them yet, but have my eye on a few things that I might take a punt on in the near future.   They sell VFDs, but I'm skeptical of them.  Try one and let me know, would ya? 

Have never ordered from aliexpress, but I've bought a bunch of stuff from banggood a few years ago.  Bang, "shit", is the sound that some insert parting blades I bought from them made when I blew up a few in a row a few weeks back.  I'd used some with no issues, then all of a sudden 3 explode upon contact, and the 4th was fine.  Simple 01 partoff job.  Cheap tools..... The cnmg inserts from the same order have been decent.  Not great, but useable.  

Reminds me of a bunch of years ago when there used to be a lot more traveling tool gypsies.  My boss was always a sucker for a good deal, and he bought a bunch of carbide ball endmills from a guy that popped in with a trunk sale.  Ever single one of them exploded on contact.  Great deal....The good news is that cured him of the habit.

Cutting tools and abrasives are something I generally don't scrimp on.  It's a false economy.  But every now and then I still get sucked in....


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## Tom O (Mar 2, 2022)

Here is Doubleboost’s review on Bangood drills.


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## DHHok (Mar 2, 2022)

Thanks guys.  This info is exactly what I was looking for.


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

DHHok said:


> All good responses guys.  Thanks.
> However, I would never order the chinese tools from any of the places mentioned, unless I was confident the product was decent.  As "combustable herbage" said in regards to Banggood; _"...most of the time its usually what you expected for the money...".  _That's exactly my concern.  I expect the cheap chinese stuff to last one or two uses at best.
> 
> I guess my question was too vague.  I'm not looking for places (like banggood, ali, etc) to look for tools,  I want to know what you bought and what brand and/or from what seller, that works well or was better than expected.


Like Dan recommended - Accusize.

That's a specific importer of quality products that are worth the money you pay. Most of what they sell is branded under their own name, and they work hard to build and protect their brand.

Often the quality is far better than you expect. They also have excellent customer service in case you have an issue and need to exchange a product. They maintain exacting quality standards with their suppliers and have a good clear communications with said suppliers that gives them an edge on some other Canadian importers.

I've bought boring bars, end mills, tool post and holders from then, spindexers, granite plates and a bunch of other stuff over the past 5 years or so and have not been disappointed once


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## Dabbler (Mar 2, 2022)

combustable herbage said:


> I am a fan of banggood, the odd time you get something above expectations


me too.


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> me too.


confession time.

I've never ordered anything from banggood.


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## Tom O (Mar 2, 2022)

I’ve bought a fair bit off of Accusize also and have never had a problem.


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## DHHok (Mar 2, 2022)

I had already been looking at Accusize, so it's good to know their product is decent.
I originally saw them on Amazon, then googled and found their website.
Pricing seems to be the same at both places, except if you order from Amazon the shipping is free (at least for what I've been looking at).


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

DHHok said:


> I had already been looking at Accusize, so it's good to know their product is decent.
> I originally saw them on Amazon, then googled and found their website.
> Pricing seems to be the same at both places, except if you order from Amazon the shipping is free (at least for what I've been looking at).


Yeah, if I wasn't local I'd buy their product through amazon since as a prime member I get free shipping... but then I prefer to pick up in person.


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## terry_g (Mar 2, 2022)

I bought an Accusize 4" 4 jaw chuck for my rotary table and I was amazed at the quality for the price.


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## DHHok (Mar 3, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> Yeah, if I wasn't local I'd buy their product through amazon since as a prime member I get free shipping... but then I prefer to pick up in person.


Just for others info.  Accusize ships for free through Amazon, even without Prime.

I ended up ordering a 7 piece indexable tool set from Accusize.  I need tools with replaceable tips, because I just don't have the time right now to learn to grind my own.


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## phaxtris (Mar 3, 2022)

Why buy from accusize/kms/BB if you don't have to, buy AliExpress/banggood....it is literally the exact same product without the accusize/kms/BB lable on the side

The only exception to this imo is if you need imperial sizes, I buy lots of 13/16 annular cutters (and other sizes) from accusize simply because I can't find them on aliexpress, they hold up just fine


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## Dabbler (Mar 3, 2022)

I buy from Accusize occasionally, when the uptick isn't very large, and I have a person I can talk to if something isn't right.  They are also great to talk to about finding out some things about which item has more returns, etc.

Always pleasant to deal with.  It isn't always about that last cent.


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## DHHok (Mar 3, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> Why buy from accusize/kms/BB if you don't have to, buy AliExpress/banggood....it is literally the exact same product without the accusize/kms/BB lable on the side
> 
> The only exception to this imo is if you need imperial sizes, I buy lots of 13/16 annular cutters (and other sizes) from accusize simply because I can't find them on aliexpress, they hold up just fine


I honestly didn't see much of a price difference.  Plus Ail and Banggood have much longer shipping times.
Edit: Ok, so I guess I didn't look too hard.  I looked again and did find what I wanted for less, but I still couldn't work with the shipping times.  I needed it early next week.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 3, 2022)

DHHok said:


> I honestly didn't see much of a price difference.  Plus Ail and Banggood have much longer shipping times.


Accusize seems to me to be a reseller of items available on Banggood, with a markup. So buying through Amazon with free delivery makes sense if the delivery is quick, and I need/want it soon. But there's a real price difference, especially ordering direct from Accusize.
Here's a real example - something I ordered from Banggood a few days ago:





5 pcs OXA tool holders. Banggood $82 CAD shipped.





Accusize for the same 5 toolholders: $130 + $26.40 shipping from the Accusize website, $130 via Amazon Prime.

For me, that's a big difference in price.
EDIT: But, sometimes the difference is negligable. Another example from my recent shopping spree....
Set of HSS lathe tools 5/16"....




$69 via Accusize Amazon, $64 (with fast delivery) from Sputnik Tools (India) via eBay. And the Accusize tools come in a nice box. So I should have bought the Accusize ones. Thanks to the folks who have steered me toward Accusize; I'll definitely do my comparison shoppng more carefully in future.


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## DHHok (Mar 3, 2022)

Looking more, I can definitely see the savings, but the reason I started this thread was because I was looking for references for actual sellers, because my concern with (any) product on Ali & Bang is I didn't know if the products are actually any good.
So, near as I can tell, those of you that use Ali & Bang aren't really concerned who it comes from?  I'm guessing the assumption is that it all comes from one manufacturer anyways?

I knew what I was purchasing from Accusave was a chinese product, but I also knew I'd have someplace to contact if the product was sub-par or defective.  That is worth something to me.  I also needed it next week, so I didn't have a lot of choice.

Now that I know others haven't been horrified by the product received through Ali & Bang, I'll give them a try in the future.

Thanks everyone.


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## phaxtris (Mar 3, 2022)

I understand if a guy needs it now, you gotta do Amazon/kms/BB etc, but if you can wait and are willing to spend a few minutes online looking the savings can be significant, sometimes up to 50% cheaper of you look hard enough

Sometimes not however, there are times when the difference is so slight that it's worth the extra to buy locally


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## Mcgyver (Mar 3, 2022)

kijiji would be my first choice.  My preference is top brands in good condition at off shore prices.  In my experience, they are nicer to use, give better performance and really show no depreciation in value.  When I need new, its amazon, aliexpress, ebay and KBC


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 3, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> Sometimes not however, there are times when the difference is so slight that it's worth the extra to buy locally


I agree. I edited my post #27 above after doing more price checking.
And, it may be possible that Accusize is doing more quality checking on the items they resell from China (or India?), or specifying higher quality from the same manufacturer. Certainly the stories about mini-lathes indicate that versions from different resellers (Vevor,BusyBee,Grizzly, HarborFreight, LMS, Micromark) are not all the same, even if they come from the same factory in China.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 3, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> kijiji would be my first choice.  My preference is top brands in good condition at off shore prices.  In mu experience, they are nicer to use, give better performance and really show no depreciation in value.


Regional variation in online used selling is interesting. In Victoria BC kijiji is 'a big zero', usually, Craigslist is 'very quiet'. usedvictoria is the most active online site IME, with Facebook (ugh) a close second. Not a lot of used machinist stuff anywhere here, though Vancouver is a different story. The downside of living away from a major city, I guess.


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## YYCHM (Mar 3, 2022)

What is it that you need that you can't wait?

I have some Accusize tooling, I don't consider it any better than my AliExpress purchases.  KBC is worth a close examination, shipping is quick and not everything is priced over the top.


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## Degen (Mar 3, 2022)

Accusize tools is a good source, they supply BB and KBC along with a few others.

As I am progressing on the commercial side in machining I am finding the inexpensive does not always equal cost effective.  In most cases it is actually more expensive when you add up tool replacement, down time and such.

Research and choose wisely to save money is the best advice I can give.


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## Dan Dubeau (Mar 3, 2022)

Cheap cutting tools, and abrasives are IMO a false economy when you're trying to make money with them.  Good quality edges while more initially expensive are a much better value.  

Tooling, toolholders, workholding etc is a debatable topic though.....

In the home shop, my wallet drives most decisions.....I have much nicer tools at work lol.


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## LenVW (Mar 3, 2022)

Dan Dubeau said:


> Accusize in richmond hill is a dealer of import tooling.
> 
> We've bought quite a bit from them over the years at work, from ID/OD turning tools, to cat-40 holders, and have been satisfied with all of it for the price.  They've got an amazon presence as well.
> 
> ...


Accusize tooling and others are available from Culler Industrial in Cambridge.
I just picked up a couple #3 Center Drills for $3ea.


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## LenVW (Mar 3, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> me too.


If you are watching and quick.


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## kevin.decelles (Mar 3, 2022)

For end-mills / HSS etc. I typically hit aliexpress, and sort of a standing order (order something every month), thinking about the season coming (summer - outdoors, fixing shafts/machinery etc). vs. winter, quality shop time.  I substitute Banggood for Ali interchangeably

Some items I buy brand name (starrett band saw blades etc.) because, well, they seem to last longer.  Same with Power hacksaw blades -- Sandvik/Starrett

For wrenches/chisels/punches/pliers......    farm auctions/estate sales.  I have a set of good wrenches, and then I have a set of "going to the tall-grass to pull the blade off the bushhog mower wrenches.  I find the steel from 40 years ago holds up fine, especially for bigger wrenches 2" and up.

Measuring tools - Mitutoyo if I know it will be used a lot, but at the same time I have several BB/Ali test-indicators that are equally fine.


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## LenVW (Mar 3, 2022)

Do not abuse you tools and they will last.
I am pulling cutters from my machinist toolbox and the HSS endmills and form cutters are still able to chip that MS like they did in 1980.
Banggood has provided me a good little band sander, 
but their center drills are ‘garbage’.
SOWA have quality CSK and specialty cutters for a high price.


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

I’ll jump on here and recommend accusize as well. Everything I’ve bought from them has been as exactly as good as it should have been for the price. They sell on Amazon too and if you have prime you save on shipping and get stuff very fast. 

One time I bought a 5c spindex from them it was a bit out of the purported tolerance but still good enough for my use and they gave me a partial refund without any hassle.


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## Mcgyver (Mar 3, 2022)

VicHobbyGuy said:


> Accusize seems to me to be a reseller of items available on Banggood, with a markup.



thats always been my impression of Accusize.  The used to be a no label reseller in a RH unit....then one day they started branding the stuff and raised the price quite a bit.  Might still be good value, but still....


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## DHHok (Mar 6, 2022)

VicHobbyGuy said:


> Regional variation in online used selling is interesting. In Victoria BC kijiji is 'a big zero', usually, Craigslist is 'very quiet'. usedvictoria is the most active online site IME, with Facebook (ugh) a close second. Not a lot of used machinist stuff anywhere here, though Vancouver is a different story. The downside of living away from a major city, I guess.


Used machinist equipment available in Vancouver?  I guess the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.  I certainly don't see much in Vancouver, and I'm always looking.
You mentioned LMS.  Never heard of it, and can't find it.  Google just comes up with Learning Management System.  Who/what/where is LMS?


YYCHM said:


> What is it that you need that you can't wait?
> 
> I have some Accusize tooling, I don't consider it any better than my AliExpress purchases.  KBC is worth a close examination, shipping is quick and not everything is priced over the top.


I needed some new cutting tools because I have a project I have to finish by the end of the week.  I destroyed the tip on my cheap HSS and my grinder is dead.
This thread has been good for me.  You just gave me another place to look at with KBC.  Thanks. Never heard of them, yet there is a store close to me in Vancouver.



Rauce said:


> I’ll jump on here and recommend accusize as well. Everything I’ve bought from them has been as exactly as good as it should have been for the price. They sell on Amazon too and if you have prime you save on shipping and get stuff very fast.
> 
> One time I bought a 5c spindex from them it was a bit out of the purported tolerance but still good enough for my use and they gave me a partial refund without any hassle.


This is one of the reasons I have shyed away from Ali & Bang.  I doubt you would have received any compensation from someone in China.


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## PeterT (Mar 6, 2022)

LMS likely means Little Machine Shop (USA).








						Tooling, parts, and accessories for bench top machinists
					

The premier source of tooling, parts, and accessories for bench top machinists.




					littlemachineshop.com
				




KBC website link here (Canada). Note there also main (USA) branches so beware it doesn't default to dot com when price checking. Yes if you live close & can pop in that would be preferable because they recently bumped their min shipping to $25 which is a real bummer, used to be less than half that.





						KBC Tools & Machinery
					

KBC Tools & Machinery is your supplier for all your industrial metalworking tooling and MRO needs. KBC Tools has over 100,000 product from leading vendors to make your more productive and efficient. KBCTools.ca will make your ordering process quick and easy. We offer Live Chat for all your...




					www.kbctools.ca
				



Vancouver Branch, 108-1538 Cliveden Avenue, Delta, BC V3M 6J8, Local Calls: (604) 540-4060

Travers is another machinist supplier. I find they have  a bit more selection than KBC & generally bit higher prices. There shipping prices used to be more than KBC but the pendulum has swung





						Metalworking & Machine Shop Tools | Travers Tool Co., Inc.
					

Job shop & machine shop tools. We offer tooling for professional  and the bench machinist.




					www.traverscanada.com
				




There are also lots of smaller shops maybe less well advertised. In Calgary we have Thomas Skinner, DMH.... others I'm forgetting. Eastern Canada has lots of places. Some cater to machine shops, require accounts etc. Others (maybe its the economy) are figuring out that a hobbyist dollar is worth the same as a shop dollar & becoming more amenable. But many are very antiquated or nonexistent websites so they tend to lurk in the shadows.

I have not had to return/exchange/refund too much on AliExpress but when I did it was actually quite painless. They live & die by ratings so if its not what you ordered or defective, broken, shipping issue I think generally there is recourse. Now if its a case of you are disappointed with the quality, well that's different. That's a fact of life these days. Most of the distributers including aforementioned flog similar stuff. If you want a brand name of course you pay more. You can get burned anywhere these days including Ebay & Amazon, so you have to rely on the strength of the remediation policies of those places. But it always pays to shop around & of course factor full shipping costs.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 6, 2022)

DHHok said:


> Used machinist equipment available in Vancouver?  I guess the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.  I certainly don't see much in Vancouver, and I'm always looking.
> You mentioned LMS.  Never heard of it, and can't find it.  Google just comes up with Learning Management System.  Who/what/where is LMS?


By 'Vancouver' most folks on the Island mean 'anything within 100 miles of Vancouver on the mainland'. Whenever I seach on Facebook Marketplace for 'lathe' or 'milling machine' I get 'Nothing in your area' followed by a string of listings from 'The mainland'. 
I think most participants here have 'small industrial scale' shops from the posts I see, so probably that's the reason for not much mention of Little Machine Shop in the USA. It seems to be a popular place to get parts and tooling for the Chinese mini lathe beginners like me. Frequently online posts use the LMS acronym.


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## DHHok (Mar 6, 2022)

PeterT said:


> I have not had to return/exchange/refund too much on AliExpress but when I did it was actually quite painless. They live & die by ratings so if its not what you ordered or defective, broken, shipping issue I think generally there is recourse.


That is good to know.  


VicHobbyGuy said:


> By 'Vancouver' most folks on the Island mean 'anything within 100 miles of Vancouver on the mainland'. Whenever I seach on Facebook Marketplace for 'lathe' or 'milling machine' I get 'Nothing in your area' followed by a string of listings from 'The mainland'.


And by "Victoria" most folks on the mainland mean "Vancouver Island"  
I still never see much listed in BC, period.  Maybe I need to search from Victoria.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 6, 2022)

PeterT said:


> I have not had to return/exchange/refund too much on AliExpress but when I did it was actually quite painless. They live & die by ratings so if its not what you ordered or defective, broken, shipping issue I think generally there is recourse. Now if its a case of you are disappointed with the quality, well that's different. That's a fact of life these days.


This is timely! I was drilling a 2mm hole on the lathe with my new Banggood chuck last night and noticed that 'things didn't line up'. Short version of the story: the chuck has 0.35mm runout. I just went to banggood to complain. I'll report on the results, but I'm not hopeful.
My basic approach to buying from China is that a return for refund isn't feasible with our shipping costs, so I don't "gamble more than I can afford to lose". But I also whine if the quality is bad and sometimes I get a refund without returning the item.


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## Janger (Mar 6, 2022)

VicHobbyGuy said:


> This is timely! I was drilling a 2mm hole on the lathe with my new Banggood chuck last night and noticed that 'things didn't line up'. Short version of the story: the chuck has 0.35mm runout. I just went to banggood to complain. I'll report on the results, but I'm not hopeful.
> My basic approach to buying from China is that a return for refund isn't feasible with our shipping costs, so I don't "gamble more than I can afford to lose". But I also whine if the quality is bad and sometimes I get a refund without returning the item.


Are you sure the chuck is out and it’s not a mounting problem? I’ve thought I’ve had a bad chuck but no it was me. And another time the arbor was bad not the chuck. Put a dial indicator on the arbor to verify.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 6, 2022)

Janger said:


> Are you sure the chuck is out and it’s not a mounting problem? I’ve thought I’ve had a bad chuck but no it was me. And another time the arbor was bad not the chuck. Put a dial indicator on the arbor to verify.


I don't want to derail this discussion, so I started a new thread on the chuck problem. The arbor where it enters the chuck is running almost perfectly true - .02 mm runout.


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## PeterT (Mar 6, 2022)

I've uploaded pics of an item that was defective & was pleasantly surprised. They said sorry, how can we make it right? Ship another one tomorrow or refund/credit. I've also seen other peoples videos uploaded in review section showing one aspect or another which conveys even more info. Usually return shipping is out of the question. Something that comes free or 5$from China would cost be 20$ to send inside my city. That's why you have to be careful with heavy things & more careful with heavy+high value things.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 10, 2022)

Banggood chuck update....I contacted banggood, explained the excessive runout problem with the chuck, and uploaded pictures of the runout indicated on the DTI. It's impossible to upload a video to banggood, so I couldn't send the 30 second video I'd recorded. Then, no response for 4 days till this morning when I get an email that they will close the 'Ticket' since they haven't heard from me in3 days! So I go to banggood and they want: photos of the original parcel wrapper (which is gone) and a Youtube video! So, an hour plus of faffing around and I have the video uploaded to YouTube and sent banggood the link.





This matches with what I've read online about banggood - lots of promises but when it comes to a real problem they set enough obstacles in the way so that the buyer just gives up. I didn't believe the 'Buyer Protection' BS anyway...


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## YYCHM (Mar 10, 2022)

VicHobbyGuy said:


> Banggood chuck update....I contacted banggood, explained the excessive runout problem with the chuck, and uploaded pictures of the runout indicated on the DTI. It's impossible to upload a video to banggood, so I couldn't send the 30 second video I'd recorded. Then, no response for 4 days till this morning when I get an email that they will close the 'Ticket' since they haven't heard from me in3 days! So I go to banggood and they want: photos of the original parcel wrapper (which is gone) and a Youtube video! So, an hour plus of faffing around and I have the video uploaded to YouTube and sent banggood the link.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I went thru the same song and dance with AliExpress over a VFD that was DOA.  AliExpress demanded a video but allows you to upload video directly. Got a full refund in the end after mailing the item to Vancouver.  AliExpress covered the return postage.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> I went thru the same song and dance with AliExpress over a VFD that was DOA.  AliExpress demanded a video but allows you to upload video directly. Got a full refund in the end after mailing the item to Vancouver.  AliExpress covered the return postage.


Good to hear about the return to Vancouver vs all the way to China. 
I haven't had a 'quality' issue with AliExpress - not that all the stuff I've bought there is high quality; I just haven't bothered to complain as most purchases have only been a few dollars. But on several occasions an item hasn't turned up or the wrong item has been sent, and they've provided a refund quickly. So for now, I'm rating AE higher than Banggood.


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## DPittman (Mar 10, 2022)

Yes I bought a dial test indicator from Aliexpress that was sporadically sticky and of course I could not show that in a video so they declined my request.


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## YYCHM (Mar 10, 2022)

Check this Amazon BS out.....


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## David_R8 (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Check this Amazon BS out.....
> 
> View attachment 21826


Have you received the order because if the order is in transit Amazon won't let you cancel it. It's not yet late so so you can't ask for a refund.


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## YYCHM (Mar 10, 2022)

David_R8 said:


> Have you received the order because if the order is in transit Amazon won't let you cancel it. It's not yet late so so you can't ask for a refund.



Ordered Jan 14, initial expected delivery was Feb 21.  That's come and gone now, still hasn't arrived.  Now they are indicating I have to wait until Mar 17 + 3 days + 2 days (contact seller) before requesting a refund.  Come on now..... either never shipped or lost out there somewhere


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## Gearhead88 (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Initial expected delivery was Feb 21.  That's come and gone now, still hasn't arrived.  Now they are indicating I have to wait until Mar 17 + 3 days + 2 days (contact seller) before requesting a refund.  Come on now..... either never shipped or lost out there somewhere


I had the same thing happen early  last month . I bought an adjustable angle plate off of ebay , it was in Canada already ( or so they said) , coming out of Richmond BC . Should'a been a couple of days via Canada post ( who they claimed to have used ) . It never showed up , checked my mailbox every day then weeks later gave up and put in a request for a refund , I nearly had to beg for my money back . I should have checked the feedback before clicking "buy it now" . I did get a refund , prior to that , the seller wouldn't send out another one to replace the one that was "lost" , they suggested I pay for and order a second one . All of the back n' forth dealings on this were in Chinglish , it was kinda creepy , they had my money right away , I suspected all along that the item was never shipped . They gave me a bogus shipping number ( I checked ) to make it all seem legit but when ebay steps in on behalf of a bidder/buyer they have no choice but to refund money . I can buy the same thing from Amazon for $20 more , I might go that route.

The pic is the slotted , adjustable angle plate I wanted / ordered






This is the first time Canada post has failed to deliver my shit , ever , my gut feeling was the package never left Richmond


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## David_R8 (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Initial expected delivery was Feb 21.  That's come and gone now, still hasn't arrived.  Now they are indicating I have to wait until Mar 17 + 3 days + 2 days (contact seller) before requesting a refund.  Come on now..... either never shipped or lost out there somewhere


I had two shipments from Amazon that sat here in Victoria for a month past their delivery date. I contacted Amazon via their chat service and got shipping refunded on both. The items showed up a couple of days later.
I have never been burned on Amazon.ca or .com now eBay.


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## YYCHM (Mar 10, 2022)

David_R8 said:


> I had two shipments from Amazon that sat here in Victoria for a month past their delivery date. I contacted Amazon via their chat service and got shipping refunded on both. The items showed up a couple of days later.
> I have never been burned on Amazon.ca or .com now eBay.



China Post, no tracking provided.  Haven't a clue where it is.


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## David_R8 (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> China Post, no tracking provided.  Haven't a clue where it is.


You don't have to know and that works in your favour. Just ping them on chat.


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## YYCHM (Mar 10, 2022)

David_R8 said:


> You don't have to know and that works in your favour. Just ping them on chat.



Shipping was zip on this order, so refunding zip ain't going to help.


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## David_R8 (Mar 10, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> Shipping was zip on this order, so refunding zip ain't going to help.


Then you just gotta wait it out.


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## Gearhead88 (Mar 10, 2022)

I fell for the free shipping on any ebay order , too.


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## DPittman (Mar 10, 2022)

Man I've never been burnt by Amazon, yes some of the Chinese retailers didn't deliver but Amazon always stepped right up and refunded me.


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## GlenG (Mar 10, 2022)

I gotta say Amazon (including Accusize) are my go to.  I’ve never had a problem making returns the few times something i got a dud.


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## Crankit (Mar 10, 2022)

I like NOS HSS and measuring tools off of Ebay but it might take digging through many pages of items to find deals, I've picked up some nice stuff around here locally but BC isn't Ontario and you won't stumble across stuff as easy here. FB also has some good deals but I kinda got sick of FB and not really looking around there anymore. Also KBC will have seasonal discounts when you spend a certain amount but those deals aren't as good now as in the past.


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## Darren (Mar 10, 2022)

On Jan 11th i ordered a transmission jack from Amazon. Still waiting, No tracking, Contacted seller, got a BS reply. Eligible for refund March 14th. Pretty disappointing.  But, last time I got a refund, the parts showed up a few weeks later. Why is tracking so hard for stuff from China?

Also, in my experience, anything coming from Richmond BC is not in Canada. They must have a Richmond in China.

Man I really hate myself for buying Chinese stuff.....but you know...


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## PeterT (Mar 10, 2022)

Its not always a international sellers issue. I've had email updates that traced the movement right up to the product has landed in Canada. Then it sits in the Customs black hole hockey arena while they slapshot it around a few weeks or more (depends if its playoffs or not). All the seller can convey is its in your country, they cant trace it inside our system. I'm not taking sides because there are lots of scammers. & the pandemic threw more wrenches into the system where shipping routes & carriers were all messed up. I've noticed more & more of my Ali goodies are arriving via Ontario. Tells me some enterprising sellers have garage inventory to expedite.


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## Gearhead88 (Mar 11, 2022)

Darren said:


> On Jan 11th i ordered a transmission jack from Amazon. Still waiting, No tracking, Contacted seller, got a BS reply. Eligible for refund March 14th. Pretty disappointing.  But, last time I got a refund, the parts showed up a few weeks later. Why is tracking so hard for stuff from China?
> 
> Also, in my experience, anything coming from Richmond BC is not in Canada. They must have a Richmond in China.
> 
> Man I really hate myself for buying Chinese stuff.....but you know...


Some times I too can be a sucker for a good deal , often that comes with a case of buyers remorse when you finally get it and realize the low quality of the item .


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## Gearhead88 (Mar 11, 2022)

Darren said:


> On Jan 11th i ordered a transmission jack from Amazon. Still waiting, No tracking, Contacted seller, got a BS reply. Eligible for refund March 14th. Pretty disappointing.  But, last time I got a refund, the parts showed up a few weeks later. Why is tracking so hard for stuff from China?
> 
> Also, in my experience, anything coming from Richmond BC is not in Canada. They must have a Richmond in China.
> 
> Man I really hate myself for buying Chinese stuff.....but you know...


I was just browsing Amazon for machine tool accessories , this stuff was  allegedly in Richmond Hill  Ont . I'm kinda seeing a pattern here .


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## VicHobbyGuy (Mar 11, 2022)

A bit off topic: I recently 'hit it lucky' with a shipping delay from Amazon. Ordered a $100 LED light panel in December; it still hadn't arrived at the beginning of February. I contacted Amazon (via the website page for problems) and had a full refund within 24 hours. Went back to the amazon website and found the identical item (same supplier) for $55! Ordered it and it arrived 3 days later.

Amazon pricing is peculiar, so it's definitely 'buyer beware' all the time.
About delivery dates- if it says "delivery between xxxx and xxxx+30 days", I assume the more distant date is more likely.
With Chinese sellers having warehousing operations in Canada, sometimes the delivery has been much faster than anticipated....but if I definitely want something quickly I'll pay the higher price to ensure that.


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## Janger (Mar 11, 2022)

Does anyone have one of these R8 ER32 holders from Accusize? Impressions? 

https://www.amazon.ca/Accusize-Collet-Drawbar-D-0223-0232/dp/B07CQ2GG8G/ref=sr_1_6?crid=17L01IPFMDEXN&keywords=ER32+R8&qid=1647044795&sprefix=er32+r8,aps,136&sr=8-6

I'm sure if I was patient I could get something for less from Ali - but I'm not always that patient.


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## Darren (Mar 11, 2022)

Janger said:


> Does anyone have one of these R8 ER32 holders from Accusize? Impressions?
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/Accusize-Collet-Drawbar-D-0223-0232/dp/B07CQ2GG8G/ref=sr_1_6?crid=17L01IPFMDEXN&keywords=ER32+R8&qid=1647044795&sprefix=er32+r8,aps,136&sr=8-6
> 
> I'm sure if I was patient I could get something for less from Ali - but I'm not always that patient.



I do. Its pretty decent. I have found Accusize tools to be on the upper end of the chinese tool choices.


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## Janger (Mar 11, 2022)

Darren said:


> I do. Its pretty decent. I have found Accusize tools to be on the upper end of the chinese tool choices.


Ok I just ordered one too. Thanks Darren.


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## terry_g (Mar 13, 2022)

I see Walmart.ca sells machine tools and accessories. I haven't done any price comparisons.
They have some Accusize items as well. 
I need a slitting saw .032 thick and they are scarce or pricey. Walmart.ca has them but the price
is too good.


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## Kilohertz (Mar 21, 2022)

I don't have time to read the whole thread but in the last year I have found local for sale listings and garage sales have paid off for me. Buying a specific item of course would be more difficult.

cheers


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