Go to stores for tooling in Canada?

[GummyMonster]

Wondering where you fellas most often buy your tooling and such up here in the North part of America?
Almost everything I look and price compare for, I've been ending up at good ole Amazon.ca. I've used eBay a little, but Amazon seems more user friendly. Maybe I need to work at using it more.
Just curious where you guys spend your money?
I'm pretty much stuck with online shopping due to my location.
Thanks,
Ken

 

[YYCHM]

https://www.kbctools.ca/ Sells some good stuff that doesn't break the bank.

 

[kevin.decelles]

Aliexpress, Banggood, ebay, kbctools, mcmaster-carr.... gifts, donations, trades, auctions

I buy cheaper pieces until I develop a proficiency/skill that would benefit from a higher grade of tool. For inspection/measuring though, I've been buying Mitutoyo/Interapid/Starrett etc. and haven't regretted it.

 

[gerritv]

AliExpress, Banggood, KBCTools, https://cuttingtoolpickers.com/, Accusize, basically anyplace except US and Amazon. Amazon is a pathetic site for finding what you really are asking for, they always point you to what they want you to buy. And all too often it is from China anyway, just more $, same delays.

KBCTools has IMO very good choices between brand name and their brand. I buy their brand stub drills, no regrets.

 

[Tom O]

The best thing to do is cover the basics after that you can cherry pick to suit your project.
I watch a few places and keep my eyes open for tooling as some are used often and some might not be used ever but you never know what projects you are going to do.

 

[Tom Kitta]

For new stuff aliexpress. For used stuff auctions (local and eBay). For some cheap stuff princess auto.

 

[Rotaxxx]

Geez, I am surprised at all the recommendations to go buy chinese tooling here. I steer far, far away from anything china made now a days.....

 

[DPittman]

Geez, I am surprised at all the recommendations to go buy chinese tooling here. I steer far, far away from anything china made now a days.....

Well alot of us have a pretty tight hobby budget and there is actually some good value in SOME Chinese stuff. Unfortunately we sometimes get burned with poor quality crap and do in fact have to buy twice. Overal, I have a lot of cheap Asian made tooling that works that I would not be able to afford otherwise if it was north American made. And yes I have had some garbage also.

HOWEVER if I were buying tooling to run a machinery business I would lean strongly towards the good quality the majority of the time.

 

[Tom O]

Actually I have never had a problem with Princess Auto although in the beginning you could walk through and drool but as you acquire enough tools it is more like a walk through to see what a new! Lol

 

[Tom Kitta]

Some Chinese stuff is excellent. For example, I once bought a set of cheap Chinese glass/ ceramic drills - they were 5 or more times cheaper then Bosch and outlasted Bosch at least 3 times.

Endmills in metric sizes - Chinese endmills are as good as US made at 1/5 of the price - I see no reason to ever buy US made stuff. I fully expect Chinese stuff to exceed US in not just price but performance in the future.

DRO - I have no idea why anyone would buy US made DRO when you can get more precise and modern DRO for at most 1/3 of the price form China. If you pay for quality electronics made in China they will out preform and outlast anything made in US - they have better manufacturing facilities and higher technology know how. Stay away from cheap stuff through - its a lottery.

Carbide inserts - many sold from China claim to be made elsewhere and some of them are quite good at fraction of the price of stuff made elsewhere.

I am sure that many people do not realize that Chinese have two settings - either it has to be uber cheap or top quality. There does not seem to be middle. Also Chinese to this day seem to struggle with mechanical stuff but have excellent electronics (if you pay for top quality).

I stay away from most stuff made in India - they are at least a decade behind China in mechanical know how. Only some stuff is OK, the rest is... well... made with mostly a hammer and file. If you ever visit India you will instantly know why ("drill press" == machine shop).

 

[Canadium]

60 years ago the cheap garbage came from Japan. Today Japan is noted as the producer of many high quality products. I'm guessing China will eventually accomplish the same thing and is already heading in that direction. I've even gambled on India and had good experience with a milling attachment for my lathe.

I have had howeveer a bad experience recently with taper pin reamers. I bought a set of straight flute from KBC. The #3 size worked beautifully. The #4 size seemed as dull as dull can be. The reamers were the KBC brand which probably equates to cheap Chinese. I ordered a different #4 spiral flute from Amazon expecting a better experience. I received instead a straight flute as dull as dull can be. Very disappointed in both KBC and Amazon on this score. I wonder what other peoples experience has been with taper pin reamers?

 

[GummyMonster]

Ok, I've actually used most of them, a few new ones to check out. The majority of the tooling I've recently ordered was from AliExpress. I was a little nervous, since I dropped a LOT of coin on tooling, not to mention both machines too. Glad to see others use it.
I've haven't been able to find much on Banggood, maybe I'm wording things wrong. Haven't spent a lot of time there, to be honest.
Garrit,
I'm surprised you dislike Amazon so much. We've been buying things for years off it(mostly non machining stuff until now) and I always compare prices and they are usually less.
I just bought a couple good dial indicators off Ebay. Good quality stuff, brand new and half the price of buying in Canada.
Looks like I've got it mostly covered, just wanted to make sure there wasn't some super good Canadian sites I've been missing.
Thanks,
Ken

 

[Crankit]

Traverscanada and as previously mentioned KBC are good sources for me, some Amazon and ebay.

Cheers

 

[RobinHood]

I started out with a lot of off shore, cheap tooling. It worked well enough for my skill level. As time went on, I started replacing the tools with better quality, used items found at auctions, “all or nothing tool buys”, etc.

I have had howeveer a bad experience recently with taper pin reamers. I bought a set of straight flute from KBC. The #3 size worked beautifully. The #4 size seemed as dull as dull can be.

That’s how I found a practically new set of Butterfield Canada spiral fluted taper reamers. They are razor sharp and work very well. Not sure where you would buy them nowadays and for how much.

 

[GummyMonster]

Oh,I've read the Brownells and Sinclair catalogs numerous times.
I'm certain I'll be buying from them eventually. Their tools are mostly specialized.
For now I'm going to focus on learning as much as possible about many facets of machinist work in as short amount of time as possible.
I have a bigger endgame here.
Thanks for the suggestions,
Ken

 

[GummyMonster]

I'd love to go to auctions for these types of tools. Used to go to farm auctions all the time.
But up here, there's virtually nothing like that. Any machine shop auctions up here would be selling lots in 5 & 6 figures and higher.
Little out of my league...
Ken

 

[YYCHM]

I've had pretty good luck with Canadian Tire tools. Taps in particular. I'd risk buying drill bits there rather than Princess Auto. The Princess Auto punches, center punches, and tap and die set (mind you that was 20 years ago) I got there left a lot to be desired. The tap and die set was useless.

 

[Canadium]

I've had pretty good luck with Canadian Tire tools. Taps in particular. I'd risk buying drill bits there rather than Princess Auto. The Princess Auto punches, center punches, and tap and die set (mind you that was 20 years ago) I got there left a lot to be desired. The tap and die set was useless.

I have to admit I do own a few tools from CT including their tap and die set but after a very bad experience with other products there I now avoid them like the plague.

 

[terry_g]

I bough a couple drill indexes 1/16" to 1/2" from Canadian Tire on sale for a very good price.
I am very impressed with the quality. I picked up a set of King tool end mills 2 and 4 flute from 3/16" to 3/4"
from a local supplier for $80.00 a couple years back. I have not managed to dull one of them yet.
When I bought my mill I ordered a small selection of Niagara HSS end mills from Thomas Skinner.
The Niagara end mills sure have stood up well,11 years and counting.

 

[Swharfin']

Oh,I've read the Brownells and Sinclair catalogs numerous times.
I'm certain I'll be buying from them eventually. Their tools are mostly specialized.
For now I'm going to focus on learning as much as possible about many facets of machinist work in as short amount of time as possible.
I have a bigger endgame here.
Thanks for the suggestions,
Ken

On the button Ken.
The best warrantee is the one you never need.