Sourcing Metal | General Discussion

[CalgaryPT]

I'm sure you are right Tom...I usually do.. Last time I was at Federal they told me their online prices were out of date and charged me more. "Last time" was exactly how I recall the experience, because I haven't been back since.

Worse yet, there was so much rust on the sheet it took me hours to sand so I didn't get charged extra at powder coat. A total waste of time for me.

John, when I was at Steel Inc today he had some 20 and 24 gauge. Hopefully even more selection when he moves.

(Plus, I got to play with his new dog )

 

[Johnwa]

I was there last Friday, it was worth the trip to play with the little pup!


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[CalgaryPT]

Ha ha ha. That's what a thought too John. But he's probably doubled in size since then. Imagine almost 60 lbs @ 12 weeks. I took a pic of him and sent to my wife with the caption 'Think we have our hands full?"

Clearly a soon to be shop-dog!

 

[Alexander]

I bought 2 sheets of 16 gauge at federal metals. It was rust free and straight. The price Tom quoted is correct.

 

[CalgaryPT]

I bought 2 sheets of 16 gauge at federal metals. It was rust free and straight. The price Tom quoted is correct.

I'll go shopping with you guys next time

 

[Jwest7788]

Last I was at federal everything had a bit of surface rust, but I admittedly cannot recall about the status of their sheet or plate stock.

 

[Dieselbenz1]

I purchase lots of auto parts and send them to kinek in Babb. They are very reasonable they will recieve your package on average I pay $5 US per item with free storage for 30 days. I ship from most parts of the US by USPS and when in a rush pay the extra $5 for 2 to 3 day with tracking. I can get parts a week faster than having them ship to my door not to mention my sayings. I was just there yesterday. Kinek has a Web site and have excellent customer service.

 

[Tom Kitta]

There is another service centre for parcels in Sweet Grass MT. They charge $5 per parcel and can hold for free up to 90 days. It is more for heavy or large items. They can even receive LTL shipments through they cost way more than $5. This makes sense if you are actually purchasing a lot of things in the US and don't mind the drive. Or if we got a drive group together and every month or so someone else drove to the border. Note that if you go back to Canada you pay GST on the package contents and the shipping costs (not your stuff or returning same day).

 

[PeterT]

I see lots of these 'holding' places in Montana. But then how are you getting transportation from there to your home in Calgary? Isnt it back to a trucking service & clearing customs etc? For bigger shipments or group buy, it would be worth the round trip in your own vehicle. But I cant see the cost benefit for smaller items, 7-8 hours round trip, tank of gas...

BTW, I'm giving DYK a try on a transaction as we speak. Somewhat similar - you use their Montana address as destination shipping but they pickup daily to Calgary (for a sliding scale fee). So not 1-shot delivery to your door, pickup is from their place in NE Calgary. I'll let you know how it pans out. Anyway, they are in the process of switching to another drop location, similar kind of holding cost structure.
https://www.montanamailbox.com/

 

[Tom Kitta]

OK, let me know how does the DYK work out & their pricing structure.

Yes, you need to buy a lot of stuff over few months to make it worth a whole day and a tank of gas. Or you can make a vacations out of it - go for the weekend and save GST.

 

[Janger]

I see lots of these 'holding' places in Montana. But then how are you getting transportation from there to your home in Calgary? Isnt it back to a trucking service & clearing customs etc? For bigger shipments or group buy, it would be worth the round trip in your own vehicle. But I cant see the cost benefit for smaller items, 7-8 hours round trip, tank of gas...

BTW, I'm giving DYK a try on a transaction as we speak. Somewhat similar - you use their Montana address as destination shipping but they pickup daily to Calgary (for a sliding scale fee). So not 1-shot delivery to your door, pickup is from their place in NE Calgary. I'll let you know how it pans out. Anyway, they are in the process of switching to another drop location, similar kind of holding cost structure.
https://www.montanamailbox.com/

I’ve heard of this through the grape vine I’ll be interested to know how you make out Peter.

 

[jmottle]

As someone who travels across US and international borders extensively, you are not allowed to bring goods across the US border for someone else, you can end up in a lot of hot water trying to do that, especially if you have a NEXUS card. If it's a group buy you'd have to say it all for you and not be obvious that it is not. Also, if you are cross border shopping and your stay is under 24 hours you don't qualify for a personal exemption so you will pay GST on everything including goods + any applicable duties. I've noticed however that CBSA agents are usually quite accommodating with these fees if you are honest. Especially on higher ticket items. I've been over my personal limit by $800+ and they waive me on without paying anything. I've also been over my exception by thousands and technically owe GST and expensive duties. They have often knocked the duties down to the cheapest they can (books category), far below what the actual goods are and sometimes waive certain items.

End of the day, DON'T try to smuggle the goods in. If you're caught you will be blacklisted and guarantee yourself secondary inspection for the foreseeable future, not to mention the fines.

 

[Tom Kitta]

There is no issue bringing goods for someone else per CBSA. My parents brought stuff for me. They declared it to the agent that it is for me. They showed the invoices. No issues. CBSA agent calculated the tax GST on the value + shipping value. There is a strange rule for the shipping. I have given my parents permission to act as my broker in writing.

"Goods you bring in for commercial use or for another person do not qualify for the exemption and are subject to applicable duties and taxes. In all cases, goods you include in your 24-hour exemption (CAN$200) or 48-hour exemption (CAN$800) must be with you upon your arrival in Canada."

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/bgb-rmf-eng.html

For a group buy the person moving it across the border would be essentially a broker for all his friends. As long as the broker service is free I don't see any tax implications.

If the case were to mature to a group buy we can always ask CBSA to clarify.

 

[jmottle]

If the case were to mature to a group buy we can always ask CBSA to clarify.

Typical CBSA...They are really really poor at uniformly enforcing rules. I have literally asked the same question (not this one) to 3 different agents and received three different answers. I personally have seen people turned away for trying to import goods for someone else.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Well I asked in writing why I was charged GST on shipping and they returned with a rule why so multiple people looked at this.

CBSA is a "lazy" institution. If it involves paperwork they will say no. Long time ago they didn't want to let my US plated car in. My parents didn't bend and went on a strike... right at the border. After 1h seeing our resolve grumpy head guy told me ... he forgot how to file the form and I made him read about it. Suddenly not only was it OK, there was a form for it as well.

Lots of stories with good old CBSA... when I had an exemption an agent looked at her falling apart belt and blamed me for it. Like I should pay extra tax.

 

[jmottle]

Lots of stories with good old CBSA... when I had an exemption an agent looked at her falling apart belt and blamed me for it. Like I should pay extra tax.

Sounds about right. I try to use one word replies with CBSA and US customs and have as little interaction with either as possible. One of the reasons I have a NEXUS card, but also the reason I declare everything and try to follow the rules to a T. The penalties for NEXUS members are very severe. 7 year blacklist (read 7 years rubber glove treatment) and potentially losing NEXUS for life.

 

[kevin.decelles]

I can usually justify the trip to babb with one item . Gas to/from babb is about 40-50 bucks cdn$. My next pickup will be implement tires and a vice ( saving my bottles and cans to buy a Kurt )

I also subscribe to following the rules. Nothing worse than someone who is bored and who has the ability to make your life uncomfortable. All in all I find the Canadian folks very pleasant and almost wanting to chit chat about anything




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[PeterT]

So Kevin, you drive to the USA storage place, get your items, grab a burger & U-turn to crossing with paperwork in hand?
I can see the value being straightforward, you have receipts in hand. But do you pre-prepare customs forms? I mean because the US shipper isn't 'exporting' so its now up to you to say this is a USA Kurt vise, this is a stick of aluminum, that is a Chinese tool from Shars USA... That's the part I'm fuzzy on. Most things I looked up were duty free anyway, but that's a moot point. I suspect the border guy wants to see a completed form with believable code numbers etc.

 

[Tom Kitta]

When my parents moved about 2000 CAD contained in multiple parcels across the border the CBSA agent at the border crossing filled the stuff in, and got them to pay. Each time I import various tools its called "tooling" with a source as US and a single code line. Its not detailed out as you say - who would have time?

For example you have $1000 worth of US tooling and $1000 worth of various Chinese tooling. Its 2 lines. You would not list all 100 items 1 by 1 (you will have them listed out on a supporting invoices).

Same thing when you say move from US to Canada - my list was about 1 1/2 pages long and it was "detailed". That is for all items one owns.

At least this has been my experience.

I would think different rules apply for much larger amounts of $, say above 100k. Or if you buy plenty of tooling in just say 4 categories - for example you got $500 drills, $500 cast iron bars, $2500 lathe, $500 DRO - that is 4 lines.

 

[PeterT]

Found this link, seems like pretty well defined rules about eligible amounts based on travel duration. Whether you get lucky & the border guys fail act on them or to what degree is another matter. http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pdt-pdt-eng.html#details-panel1

Tom, do you recall what the specific form you've typically used? I suspect the invoices would constitute most of the backup they would check. I just made up an example like if you had a variety of stuff arriving from different vendors to make the trip worthwhile. I'd guess as long as the sub-totals added up to total declared value that would be the first check. Its just occurs to me that we are dealing with the exact same institution crossing the border as when you ship/receive good through post or courier. They have the ability & right to get into minutia detail & I have seen challenges where they deem it to be X unless you prove otherwise.