# Buying tools off shore



## Dusty (Aug 21, 2019)

A friend asked me how safe is it to by tools from Banggood.com using a credit card. That I can't answer so I'm posting the question here looking for your experience with Banggood.com and seeking answers. 

The item in question is this. 

https://www.banggood.com/7pcs-12mm-...=cpc&utm_content=all&utm_campaign=tools-ca-en

What is your experience with Banggood.com? Is their website safe to use? Perhaps they take pay pal?

Common sense tells me don't go there.

What say you!

Bill


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## Brent H (Aug 22, 2019)

Hi Bill, not sure I would buy off the site.  Similar set on Amazon : 




Looks even $10 cheaper ?


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## trlvn (Aug 22, 2019)

I've only ordered once through Banggood but I didn't have any problems.  

On Youtube, they supply products to several content creators for review (eg Rollingmetal).  AFAICT, the reviewers are free to give their honest opinions but they do get a small commission for sales generated on links from their videos.  

However, one thing that seems to come up regularly is packaging...or the lack thereof.  Small products are just in a plastic bag inside a padded envelope.  Often the packaging is beat up and sometimes parts are missing.  Banggood seems to be good about supplying replacements but it often takes a fairly long time to get both the original and the replacement.  If you need to have something right now, you would likely be better to order elsewhere.

Regarding the credit card, I think you are more likely to have it compromised at the local gas station.  Over the last 15-20 years, I've had to have my card replaced 3 or 4 times and I think that has generally been the source of the problem.  (And I switched gas stations twice!)  The credit card company (Mastercard) gave me no grief at all about reversing the fraudulent charges.  Another strategy is to get a low-limit card strictly for online purchases.

HTH,

Craig


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## Johnwa (Aug 22, 2019)

I’ve purchased a fair amount on aliexpress.  Mostly electronics stuff but a few tools.  I’ve never had any problems.  Even so I use a low limit credit card and I don’t save it on their site.  I’ve also ordered a few things from banggood, good luck buy, and a few others without any problem.


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## Dusty (Aug 22, 2019)

Brent H said:


> Hi Bill, not sure I would buy off the site.  Similar set on Amazon : View attachment 5745
> 
> Looks even $10 cheaper ?



Hi Bret, tried to locate this item on amazon.ca, no luck for us.  Clearly we're using the wrong wording for their search engine.

Help please!!

Bill


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## Crankit (Aug 22, 2019)

Your going to find a lot of re-branded items under different names on Banggood and Amazon. HHIP and Accusize and a bunch of others. As you can see this link and Brent's....lots to choose from. I signed up with Banggood but haven't ordered from them but I will say this...the incredible amount of emails from them are through the roof!!

https://www.amazon.ca/Turning-Boring-Holder-Carbide-Inserts/dp/B078J4QY4K/ref=sr_1_63?crid=3VZR7A628C2WH&keywords=accusize+boring+bar&qid=1566514302&s=gateway&sprefix=accusize,aps,220&sr=8-63


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## Johnwa (Aug 22, 2019)

Look at the delivery times, those items are likely coming from Chinese sellers anyway.  Some North American sellers are using drop shipping, you order from them, they order from China and it is shipped to you.


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## Brent H (Aug 22, 2019)

Hi William,

On Amazon.ca type in  - lathe tools lc tools   For the search


Should come up


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## Alexander (Aug 22, 2019)

I order some toys on bangood and have never been disappointed. I attached a photo of the rc car parts that arrived today from bangood. Don't believe the shipping time they quote you these are a few weeks late but the quality is good so I don't mind.


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## Dusty (Aug 23, 2019)

Hi list, passed your good advise on to my friend for him to digest.

Like the idea of a low credit card limit definitely takes most of the sting out of a scam. Must look into that.

Much appreciated, Bill


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## PeterT (Aug 23, 2019)

I've used AliExpress quite a bit & generally been very pleased with service. Legitimate sellers seem quite receptive to any problems meaning they don't want to have degraded ratings. So often times I will contact them beforehand & they will attempt to resolve so as not to lose their star rating or have a bad comment. I have ordered some tooling & things like carbide end mills & insert tool holders which are excellent value IMO. Pretty sure in some cases it sthe same/comparable stuff sold by NAm dealers under their house name but generally higher cost. The devil is in the details though. Generally I try to buy from a 'store' that specializes in what I'm after. Example buy drills or cutters from a machining seller rather than 'Ricks Emporium' which also lists Iphone cases & USB cords. Sometimes that is possible, sometimes not, depends on the item.

I haven't used Bangood as much, for no particular reason as it seems to be much of the same stuff. There are scams on all sites so you have to be careful. I find Ebay is no different (if not a bit worse). On Ebay my PayPal is assigned payment method, so you have their resolution center. But pay attention to max time duration before its too late. I enter a date in my Outlook calendar to remind me. Maybe 1/100 transactions I have been scammed by a bogus sellers that had no intention of ever shipping. Most times its legitimately stuck somewhere (like Canada customs). The other issue is counterfeits. Look for a post here where the Mitutoyo caliper was a clever knockoff.


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## PeterT (Aug 24, 2019)

Just happened onto this YouTube channel. Type Bangood into the search window & he has some interesting observations of a few offshore products that came his way. Not meant to be a slag, but more indicative of QC issues that come with offshore products. Like I said, I have had some exceptional deals & others that were..... ok, ya got me on that one

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-jfbhTrcOC0XAJjIMZvkmg/videos


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## Brian H (Aug 25, 2019)

I have purchased quite o bit of my tooling from banggood.  I do use a paypal account for peace of mind (so my CC # stays "safe"). I have had a few issues, only one shipment never arrived and they immediately refunded my money. I had a few pieces that didn't meet the quality/description they stated and they were replaced free of charge. I have received some pieces that were just plain crap, but, because of the cost(under $5) I didn't bother doing anything other than giving them a poor review and stating the issues I had.
Over all, I've had very good luck. You just need to remember you will get what you pay for.


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## frankcal (Aug 29, 2019)

I find Banggood to have less selection and higher prices than Aliexpress. However, if they have something Aliexpress doesn't or they have a deal on a specific tool then of course that puts them first.

Delivery with both is spotty; cheap items usually get shipped via SunYou or Yanwen economic shipping and you can expect things to arrive up to 3 months later....or never. Very frustrating on the 'never' front because its such a long lag to wait...then file dispute...then wait...then re-order...

I've had better luck with eBay because there are a lot of these sellers there too and they sell for the same prices; sellers seem motivated to ship faster due to stricter guidelines on eBay and the dispute process isn't as painful.  Shop around...


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## Dusty (Aug 31, 2019)

An update re: my friend looking for advise buying off shore tools.  A much younger man than I starting out with a lathe passed down from an elderly family member.  Tooling that came with it are short carbide chunks not worth regrinding so he's decided to change over to indexable tooling after watching me in action.  After letting him read the messages from this forum on this topic he made up a list of pro's and cons. Needless to say the con's won hands down so he's willing to bite the bullet and is presently checking out tooling from Busy Bee, Accusize and KBC. As a learning experience I sat back allowing him to agonize over best quality, bang for the buck, and shipping offering advice when asked. The biggest road block is they've been stung before with credit-c purchases.

That said, and changing the topic slightly I downloaded and saved AliExpress.com. Problem is after their home page loads and when I type something into their search engine like lathe tools then select tools as the category and enter the next page (header and footer) sits there as if it's loading something but nothing happens other than a small star like image going around and around in the centre of the page.

Is their system down???

Bill


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## Hruul (Sep 4, 2019)

I have purchased a couple sets of indexable cutting tools from Banggood as well as replacement inserts.  They have all arrived in the little plastic tubes with the tool to remove the screw for the insert and i have not had any parts missing so far.  I use paypal for all transactions through them.  So far i really like the inserts on the mystery steel i have used them on.  I also just got some of the aluminum inserts to try them out the next time I am working on aluminum.   There does not seem to be a place locally (Regina) that sells insert tooling that is in the hobby market price range.  In fact I only know of one place that even sells insert tooling in Regina.


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## Dusty (Sep 5, 2019)

Hruul, check your PM's.


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## Blouin55 (Jun 27, 2022)

Hruul said:


> I have purchased a couple sets of indexable cutting tools from Banggood as well as replacement inserts.  They have all arrived in the little plastic tubes with the tool to remove the screw for the insert and i have not had any parts missing so far.  I use paypal for all transactions through them.  So far i really like the inserts on the mystery steel i have used them on.  I also just got some of the aluminum inserts to try them out the next time I am working on aluminum.   There does not seem to be a place locally (Regina) that sells insert tooling that is in the hobby market price range.  In fact I only know of one place that even sells insert tooling in Regina.


I want to buy some replacement inserts for my tooling set (tcmt110204) but i have to choose vp15tf or ue6020 or us735...what is the best for mild steel turning?


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## phaxtris (Jun 27, 2022)

i have spent literally thousands of dollars on both ali and banggood with a credit card and have never had a problem


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## David_R8 (Jun 27, 2022)

I have ordered well over a thousand dollars worth of parts from Banggood and Aliexpress. All of my CNC router parts came from Aliexpress.  I've never had worry or a problem. If they scammed people they wouldn't be around long...


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## Tom Kitta (Jun 27, 2022)

Brent H said:


> Hi Bill, not sure I would buy off the site.  Similar set on Amazon : View attachment 5745
> 
> Looks even $10 cheaper ?



This is a scam. Do not buy. I tested this out with few items and all were a scam.


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## Dabbler (Jun 27, 2022)

Another pointer for those wanting to limit exposure on the internet:

I use a *prepaid* mastercard that costs me 10$ every 2 years to maintain.  I have the luxury of planning my internet purchases, and I only leave about 100$ on the card when idle, but i goose it up when planning a big purchase.

Using paypal with the prepaid card gives you another level of indirect, but I don't use it.  

I don't use Paypal because Paypal is a huge target and it has been compromised many times.  When I was doing computer security for the City of Calgary, Paypal lost 2 million credit cards over 2 breakins over one 9 month period.  Their notification record was abysimal.

I truly hope their security record has improved.  

BTW I have ordered hundreds of dollars (thousand?) from Banggood, in dozens of orders over 6 years, and I've had no problems, and the quality has been better than expected.


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## VicHobbyGuy (Jun 27, 2022)

Blouin55 said:


> I want to buy some replacement inserts for my tooling set (tcmt110204) but i have to choose vp15tf or ue6020 or us735...what is the best for mild steel turning?


I'm interested in the answer to this question on insert coatings as well...perhaps a new thread? BTW, I'm having pretty good results using 'wrong' inserts - for aluminum - on steel  in my 7x14 mini lathe. They are a lot sharper and seem to perform better with the light cuts I take. On topic: all my tooling is from Ali/Banggood and I've never found a scammer there. A few 'confused sellers' and bad descriptions but really a low % of unsatisfactory orders - perhaps 2 or 3 in many dozens of orders (and a lot of $$ - I don't save receipts!  )


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## Susquatch (Jun 28, 2022)

Blouin55 said:


> I want to buy some replacement inserts for my tooling set (tcmt110204) but i have to choose vp15tf or ue6020 or us735...what is the best for mild steel turning?



I feel your pain. Too many choices, too many differences, too many details.

If you are just cutting mild steel, I'd just get the cheapest ones you can find. IMHO, they will all work. I generally avoid inserts for Aluminium or Stainless but sometimes even they work quite well. 

I searched your original inserts and found lots available at reasonable prices.


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## LenVW (Jun 28, 2022)

I bought a little Bandsander from Banggood & belts in January 2022.
Great little unit and transaction was quick and easy.
See attached photo.


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## trlvn (Jun 28, 2022)

LenVW said:


> I bought a little Bandsander from Banggood & belts in January 2022.
> Great little unit and transaction was quick and easy.
> See attached photo.


Could you post a link to it?

How is the noise level?  I have a 1X30 sander that is great except that the universal motor screams like a banshee.  Have to put on ear muffs before starting it up.

Craig


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## gerritv (Jun 28, 2022)

Blouin55 said:


> I want to buy some replacement inserts for my tooling set (tcmt110204) but i have to choose vp15tf or ue6020 or us735...what is the best for mild steel turning?


Do a search on grades here: https://www.machiningdoctor.com/charts/carbide-grades-chart/ The grades might also give a hint as to the brand of insert you are getting.

The main page for this topic is :https://www.machiningdoctor.com/grades/


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## LenVW (Jun 28, 2022)

I actually bought from Amazon.ca.

You can find a number of mini-beltsanders by doing a Google search:   Banggood.com/bandsander

This one was about C$45 including shipping and I had it in hand within 3 weeks.


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## 6.5 Fan (Jun 29, 2022)

I have been watching for Accusize stuff on Amazon, Got a Accusize drill chuck and arbor for a reduced price and free shipping. It gives me a little more peace of mind than trying to deal with crappy web sights and possible scams. I get to use tool purchases for tax write off so  slightly higher price is not a big problem, don't like the high shipping charges some places charge though.


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## phaxtris (Jun 29, 2022)

LenVW said:


> I actually bought from Amazon.ca.
> 
> You can find a number of mini-beltsanders by doing a Google search:   Banggood.com/bandsander
> 
> ...


You have to post a picture of this thing...with a pop can for scale


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## VicHobbyGuy (Jun 29, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> You have to post a picture of this thing...with a pop can for scale


And prices and availability of sanding belts...With such short belts don't they wear out quickly?


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## chip4charlie (Jun 29, 2022)

I'm still a big fan of the Viel S-5 sander. Price has gone up though (what hasn't? Oh yeah, my income). From Lee Valley or from Viel direct. 1" x 42" belts, high resale value. Use an old furnace motor or do what I did, a VFD motor (so I don't burn blade tips when profiling knife edges).


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## LenVW (Jun 29, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> You have to post a picture of this thing...with a pop can for scale


Here ya go . . . 
They belts do tend to wear quite fast, the unit came with 9 belts.
I ordered 10 more from Amazon for $20 after.


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## gerritv (Jun 29, 2022)

Or $7.77, free shipping from Aliexpress.com, which I suppose unintentionally illustrates the Amazon tax


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## phaxtris (Jun 29, 2022)

LenVW said:


> Here ya go . . .
> They belts do tend to wear quite fast, the unit came with 9 belts.
> I ordered 10 more from Amazon for $20 after.



Wow that's tiny, what do you use it for ??


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## LenVW (Jun 29, 2022)

The first thing I did was sharpen ’all’ of my drill bits.
1/4” to 3/4” - I have about 50 drill bits from my tool making days with Ex-Cell-O.
It has a vertical backing plate that supports the belt and acts as a straight grinding plane to push against.
It is super handy for deburring edges of milled pieces.


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## Susquatch (Jun 29, 2022)

VicHobbyGuy said:


> I'm interested in the answer to this question on insert coatings as well...perhaps a new thread? BTW, I'm having pretty good results using 'wrong' inserts - for aluminum - on steel in my 7x14 mini lathe. They are a lot sharper and seem to perform better with the light cuts I take.



I like this idea. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here. A good thread on this topic would be appreciated. My eyes start glazing over when I read the insert company info pdfs and let's face it - they are biased to promote and sell their own products. I'd personally like to see something really simple.

A good healthy debate on least costly, most available, best chip breaking, nicest cut, durability, etc. Of course, that should go hand in hand with a discussion of insert holders. I have no interest in a 3 thousand dollar holder even if it does take 5 cent inserts.


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## LenVW (Jun 29, 2022)

Just look at some websites from carbide insert companies.
WIDIA has a very informative site.
https://www.widia.com/ca/en/products/

Do a little surfing on the web and see what you find.
Use specific terms like . . .
1.  Aluminum cutting carbide inserts
2.  Non-ferrous machining tools
3.  Positive Rack carbide insert
4.  Coated carbide inserts for Aluminum


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## VicHobbyGuy (Jun 29, 2022)

LenVW said:


> Just look at some websites from carbide insert companies.
> WIDIA has a very informative site.
> https://www.widia.com/ca/en/products/





> The requested URL /content/widia/ca/en/products/ was not found on this server


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## Susquatch (Jun 29, 2022)

LenVW said:


> Just look at some websites from carbide insert companies.
> WIDIA has a very informative site.
> https://www.widia.com/ca/en/products/
> 
> ...



To be honest with you Len, that's exactly the kind of info I'm trying to avoid.

Anyways, this is all off topic in this thread. So I started a new thread here:

Thread 'What inserts do you like and why?' https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/what-inserts-do-you-like-and-why.5495/


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## LenVW (Jun 30, 2022)

The WIDIA site has a RESOURCES page where you can ‘search’ into machining applications.
Turning, milling, drilling of all types of materials.

Be specific and drill down into the page to ‘geometry, coatings, etc’.

You will run into embedded ads on most sites.
Suppliers are always looking to advertise and recoup some development costs.


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