Sourcing tooling
- Thread starter bishop
- Start date
140mower
Don
There's places like AliExpress and bangood that are supposed to have cheap tooling with mixed reviews. I haven't tried them yet. I have used accusize here in Canada a few times now and have been more than satisfied with the service and product. Kind of middle of the road price-wise, but the customer service is here.....in Canada, and actually quite good.
Aside from that I got a lot of my stuff off Craigslist and Kijiji, the fine folks here often have something listed on the classifieds, or put up a wanted ad if it's something specific you are looking for, sometimes one of us will have an extra.....
Aside from that I got a lot of my stuff off Craigslist and Kijiji, the fine folks here often have something listed on the classifieds, or put up a wanted ad if it's something specific you are looking for, sometimes one of us will have an extra.....
I've bought some stuff through Amazon, as well as through Accusize Tools in Ontario. In fact sometimes getting Accusize tooling through their Amazon store saves a bit on shipping. A lot of my tooling was gotten from eBay some years ago before shipping went stupid but maybe you can still find a few bargains. I got a gear tooth caliper from the UK for a reasonable price a few months ago that way. As for AliExpress or BangGood, I have not tried them so others' experiences would be good to hear.
Lol, as I was typing this, @140mower's comment popped up. Ditto to what he says about putting out the feelers here, lots of people to "horse trade" with for tools and stuff.
Lol, as I was typing this, @140mower's comment popped up. Ditto to what he says about putting out the feelers here, lots of people to "horse trade" with for tools and stuff.
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...
KTS Tooling Supply
I'll chime in with my experience with imported carbide insert tooling. I bought a set of holders from Banggood, CCMT and DCMT style inserts. Bought a bunch of inserts to go with them.
The tool holders are ok but not amazing. The inserts are about as hard as cheese.
More recently I bought a Micro100 CCMT holder from KBC and some Iskar inserts. The combination is in a completely different league from the Banggood tooling. Way more expensive but the quality of both the product and the results are worth it to me.
The tool holders are ok but not amazing. The inserts are about as hard as cheese.
More recently I bought a Micro100 CCMT holder from KBC and some Iskar inserts. The combination is in a completely different league from the Banggood tooling. Way more expensive but the quality of both the product and the results are worth it to me.
SomeGuy
Hobbyist
KBC is outstanding and carries literally everything...but a lot of what they sell is name brand stuff so it's certainly not cheap, though their KBC branded stuff is ok too.
I've got some stuff on amazon, works...accusize and hhip and whatnot are kind of middle of the road decentish.
I've got some stuff on amazon, works...accusize and hhip and whatnot are kind of middle of the road decentish.
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
Buying Chinese is always a lottery. Some of their inserts are almost on par with US stuff. Some I think are for aluminum and last maybe touch longer then HSS (!!!).
Accusize is more or less peddler of Chinese stuff from aliexpress at 2x or more price. Maybe they pick better stuff of aliexpress, maybe not. I would not pay more for their stuff then Aliexpress. As in China, you either go cheap or expensive, there is little or no middle in China. So either go with cheap inserts or go with brand name stuff from US / Europe etc. I.e. if you ever go to China you see companies compete either on price or on quality.
Accusize is more or less peddler of Chinese stuff from aliexpress at 2x or more price. Maybe they pick better stuff of aliexpress, maybe not. I would not pay more for their stuff then Aliexpress. As in China, you either go cheap or expensive, there is little or no middle in China. So either go with cheap inserts or go with brand name stuff from US / Europe etc. I.e. if you ever go to China you see companies compete either on price or on quality.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
I do buy cheap inserts for some of my work, but I find that my kinemetal inserts are always worth the price. And their prices have dropped a lot over the past 7 years or so. Don't get me wrong - a CCMT will still cost you over 8 bucks (depending on a lot of details) - They last a very long time, and can be touched up with a diamond hone for even longer.
When I buy a *very cheap* insert, the edge doesn't last well when honed, no matter how well it did in the first place.
When I buy a *very cheap* insert, the edge doesn't last well when honed, no matter how well it did in the first place.
They seem to have some good prices.KTS Tooling Supply
ktstooling.com
I looked up the Palmgren Grinder that I ordered from Acklands Grainger- $334 when I ordered it November last year, $515 today. Ready for pickup Dec 01, 2021, likely pickup July 2022…
KTS currently has what looks to be the same grinder for $375.
KBC $421
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Former Member
Guest
I am a good customer of KBC, though I consider their selection near the entry level of commercial machining (now that I've been sourcing better tooling) there is better tooling out there at similar pricing.
For the hobbyist KBC is a big step upwards.
For those that don't know some stuff you buy at KBC is from Accusize except it costs more from KBC.
Former Member
Guest
Caliber Tools, Try Hard Industrial, Maple Tool Supply are other shops in Mississauga.
All 5 are within easy driving (30-45 minutes) for me so I have a good choice. Caliber has a very good cutter selection.
I also have a Harvey Tool Catalog and it's very competitive, except for shipping (guess I try my US address after I figure out which duty codes are needed).
All 5 are within easy driving (30-45 minutes) for me so I have a good choice. Caliber has a very good cutter selection.
I also have a Harvey Tool Catalog and it's very competitive, except for shipping (guess I try my US address after I figure out which duty codes are needed).
I bought a scissor knurling tool from India via eBay. It sure works a lot better than the bump knurler I got with the BXA tool set from Precision Matthews.
Fit and finish leave a bit to be desired, but it was 1/5 the cost of a USA made one and 1/2 the cost of the KBC branded one.
Fit and finish leave a bit to be desired, but it was 1/5 the cost of a USA made one and 1/2 the cost of the KBC branded one.
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
I recently got a floating die holder from India. Finish was 1990s or 1980s China. Quality sort of similar overall. As long as you stay away from anything "precision needed" India may be a good choice. Also expect total POS early China - you may be surprised if its decent. I think India will be viable alternative in about 30 years - they should be then be about where China is now - if things go well.
Tooling and cutters are everywhere.
My AliExpress Center Drills are garbage, but BangGood has some good quality cutters and mini-bandsanders that have worked very well.
KBC Tools is a distributor but has access to a variety of cutters & carbides.
Accusize in Toronto has nice indexable flycutters but I buy carbide inserts from a little supply shop in Cambridge (Culler Tools - saves me the shipping cost by using Culler’s truck).
I still have a crib full of HSS End Mills from my machining days.
Sometimes the best deals are found at Machine Shop Auctions, if you are close enough to go look at the tooling lots that put up for sale.
My AliExpress Center Drills are garbage, but BangGood has some good quality cutters and mini-bandsanders that have worked very well.
KBC Tools is a distributor but has access to a variety of cutters & carbides.
Accusize in Toronto has nice indexable flycutters but I buy carbide inserts from a little supply shop in Cambridge (Culler Tools - saves me the shipping cost by using Culler’s truck).
I still have a crib full of HSS End Mills from my machining days.
Sometimes the best deals are found at Machine Shop Auctions, if you are close enough to go look at the tooling lots that put up for sale.
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
Just buy stuff from different supplier on aliexpress. Some are garbage, some are good. I got two boxes of center drills from Ali few years ago and they are very good. But I also got some tooling that was ... well... garbage.