small router/end mill bits

[kiwigeo]

Kim wrote:

P.S. I have edited out some of the harsher expletives from this post that had been included earlier to reflect the true depth of disdain I hold for international shipping agency's and carriers alike.

I thought you were unusually restrained. In fact I was going to ring you up and ask you if you were feeling all right.

[Bob Connor]

Nothing has gone missing for me using USPS.

I, like Kim, refuse to use Fedex/UPS/DHL.

[Lillian]

Fran is the shipping department for the bookshop. They deal in collectibles, mainly signed first editions. They have customers around the world as well as around the US.

The larger publishing houses have stopped using DHL and FedEx because of mishandling and tracking/delivery issues. UPS is only used to the shop, they rarely ship out with UPS, unless it is to return books to the publisher that came in via UPS.

When things are sent to customers, they are always shipped USPS. In the past six years they have never lost an book sent internationally. One sent to Italy took six weeks to be delivered, but it made it.

DHL is the worst offender out of the bunch, hands down. A driver dumped a box of books in a puddle while unloading in front of the shop. The owner, Fran and a customer watched him do it, expecting him to put it back on the truck. It was obviously damaged and wet. You could see that from inside the shop. The driver brought it in and tried to deliver it. Got bent out of shape when the owner refused delivery. The driver lit into him and was going strong until the customer stepped up and said that they had all watched him do it. The box broke and the books were dunked. There was no way he could say they were shipped that way. That wasn't the last delivery that DHL made to the shop. It took another three weeks to get all the publishing houses to drop them, not that it took an effort to convenience them, just time to get the boxes through DHL's system.

[Allen]

Have you ever got stung by DHL Jeff? I've noticed that all my Stewmac orders have taken ages of late. Though they always arrive.

[liam_fnq]

I've probably had a dozen or more packages come from the US now. None have gone missing yet (touch wood ). This is probably why i haven't taken much notice who the shipper is.

The issue that irks me far more is why my parcels take a month to arrive?

Surely a whole bunch of flights leave the US for Australia each day?

Why cant the package take 2 days to get to LAX then 2 days to get to Sydney or Brisbane then 2 more days to get to the extreme backwater of Cairns (population 150,000).

driving to the US in a month could be given a red hot go. probably need to stock up on some decent beer before leaving though

[jeffhigh]

DHL from Stewmac has never been a problem for me
The last one took 4 days including a weekend and the tracking told me when it was being delivered.
Never any extra charges
The last Stewmac order by USPS took 5 weeks and I was ready to put a claim in at 4 weeks they told me to wait a little longer.
Everyone else I use USPS if they will and It takes a maximum or 10 days

[Nick]

Same experience as Jeff for me. StewMac is the only company I will allow to ship DHL as everything I've had shipped this ways has only taken 3-6 days, don't know if DHL make sure they get things right for StewMac as I imagine it's a fairly lucrative contract for them plus StewMacs always ask for feedback on their shipping contractors. Sometimes the DHL option is actually cheaper than the postal option Shocked depending on the order size.
But most other Stateside shipping I try to get USPS, economical and it always gets here.

[Kim]

The recent delays experienced by 'all' carrier is quite understandable given the effects of the Iceland volcano and the back log of air freight that would have built up during the airport closures.

Cheers

Kim

[Allen]

This started long before that Kim. Going back into late last year I've had orders like Jeff said were 4 weeks and counting. I'm going to give DHL a try the next time I shop at StewMac.

[Kim]

I must admit that my importation frequency from the USA has tapered off dramatically since around November last so maybe I missed a bad spell.

I will say that on the 23rd of this month (22nd in the USA) I received notification from Paypal that Dave Fifield from the OLF had shipped an item from the USA to me via USPS using a standard International priority, large "flat-rate" box. Here is a copy and paste of the shipping details contained in that email.

Postage details
Postal date: 22 May 2010
Sender: US Postal Service
Tracking number: CQ006513737US
Service type: Priority Mail International®
Delivery Status: Posted

Here is a screen capture from the USPS website taken this evening showing tracking details.

~image~

Feel free to copy and paste the tracking number into the USPS website yourself to check the validity if you wish.

http://trkcnfrm1.smi.usps.com/PTSInternetWeb/index.jsp

These details reflect eastern standard time, the actual delivery time for this parcel was just past 10am this morning here in the west...that is just 4 days. It generally takes around 8 days for a parcel to get here from the east coast of Australia!

I am not suggesting that this is the norm as I have also had USPS EMS (Express Mail Service) items take over a week. But to be honest and fair I can say that for 'standard' airfreight deliveries it averages around 8 to 10 working days as advertised, and that ain't half bad.

I notice that noone has piped up yet to state that they have had issues with not receiving their goods. That's my point, it simply is not happening in AU anywhere near as much as had been implied, and i for one take exception to people using their own prejudices as an excuse for their laziness and petty mistrust of others and the sooner they go bust and make room for people who do know how to run a business, the better off we shall all be.

Cheers

Kim

[HiString]

Kim wrote:

I notice that noone has piped up yet to state that they have had issues with not receiving their goods. That's my point, it simply is not happening in AU anywhere near as much as had been implied, and i for one take exception to people using their own prejudices as an excuse for their laziness and petty mistrust of others and the sooner they go bust and make room for people who do know how to run a business, the better off we shall all be.

Cheers

Kim

I've struck a number of US sellers who just don't want to be bothered with the paperwork involved in o/seas shipping

DHL.........from our experiences I can't speak highly enough of them, 10 of the guitars in this pic came via DHL (plus others not shown) without any problems.

Cool ~image~

[Richard]

Last week a package of mine left Boston on Wednesday morning (our time) via DHL. It was in my hands Friday afternoon. I find Stewmac orders placed early Saturday morning generally arrive the following Monday. Where I am (Brisbane -- so most packages I get from the US land one short ride in the back of a van from me), I'm essentially guaranteed about a 3 day turnaround for DHL and 4 days for USPS Express.

I'd say I average 1-2 international parcels a week so I've got a pretty good feel for when I should place an order to have it in time. Of course there are occasional exceptions, but for me it's rarely a delay of more than maybe a day or so on top of the above estimates.

With Stewmac I've always gone with the DHL option. As far as I know their normal airmail option is neither Express nor Priority so I don't think it's tracked nor guaranteed to be quick. Given DHL is generally cheaper for large orders and customs fees don't apply to sub-$1000 orders, it's a no-brainer to me.

[Craig]

I've found an Australian supplier for very small end mill cutters
http://www.satcam.com.au/tools.html

Hoping this may be of help to any others trying to source these small bits locally . They have bits as small as .01" ( .25 mm. ) . other sizes ; .015, ( .038 mm.) , .031 " ( .79 mm.) , .0625 " ( 1.59 mm. )

These are used in cutting copper , but a representative of the company tells me he has used them on wood with good results. I'm waiting on an Email from them regarding minimum order requirements.

The only alternate I can find at the moment is Precise Bits ( USA ) but their only shipping option at the moment is the dreaded " Fedex ".

I'm hoping this thread is able to shed some light for our American suppliers, on shipping problems we experience here in Australia , and that ' Precise Bits' can see that USPS works best for Australian customers as can be seen by all the former posts.

[Allen]

Thanks for the link Craig.

Has anyone been stung by extra fees by using DHL from any vendor on orders under $1,000 threshold?

I was once bitten by them when I lived in Canada. Just shy of $100 for brokerage and duty on an item that was valued at $50 and would not have had either applied if shipped via the post office. It's left a very sour taste in my mouth.

[jeffhigh]

No problems here with DHL from Stewmac But I think quite a few years ago the threshold was lower(about $400) and there was a distinction between post and other couriers as far as the elegibility for the threshold.

Where I have had problems in the past was with UPS and Fedex being more likely to have quarantine inspections and pass on the costs.
I imported some white powder recently by post (super blonde shellac)
Had it opened but no charges.

[dennis]

Another USPS test in progress. Small box to Craig left here today (Friday in the US), on a holiday weekend (no mail will move on Monday.) USPS agent told me the time to AU was the same for 1st Class Mail (~$7US) or for Priority Express Mail (~$15US.) They all fly on the same jets. So, I used 1st Class Mail. Craig can let us know how this one goes. Even with the holiday, I'm betting on 8 to 10 calendar days.

Dennis

[Craig]

Many thanks for this Dennis. I'll report back on this thread when it arrives.

[Craig]

I'm very pleased to advise that my small router bits arrived in today's mail ( USPS) . Thanks Dennis . I'm sending a small parcel your way

The shipping cost : $ 6.85 ( US )

Precise Bits quoted around $43 ( US) ( Sent via Fedex )

~image~

THREE ROUTERBITS@1.jpg (48.17 KiB) Viewed 17422 times

This confirms what we have all been saying about USPS parcels to Australia being reliable,,, and prompt ! Please take note " Precise Bits "

For those interested , here's a pic of some bits I received :

From left 1/8th ,, 0.8mm. , 0.58mm. , 0.40mm.

~image~

THREE ROUTERBITS11.jpg (25.73 KiB) Viewed 17422 times

The smaller ones are 3 flute up spiral design . Haven't got to use them yet so I can't comment on their performance.

Again , Many thanks Dennis . You're a bloody beauty

[Nick]

Hmmm hatching a few idea's in my swede at the moment, bits like these could just open up the thought processes to even more options. Thanks for posting the follow up Craig.
After a not too happy experience with my Dremel (will post my sorry tale soon), I'm lashing out and getting a Foredom for the rosette work I'm working on on my two latest builds (although one is already past redemption).With it's accuracy and these bits....well the rosette world's my oyster

[Mike Thomas]

The bits look like solid carbide. They cut beautifully, but they are brittle, and the small ones will break very easily if you put too much of a side load on them when cutting. If you go slowly, they work really well.

[Craig]

Mike Thomas wrote:
The bits look like solid carbide..

They're described as Solid Submicrograin Carbide Mike. Anticipated life , 8000 linear inches ( maple , CNC milling ) . There is a cutter even smaller @ .25 mm. but I didn't bother getting it as it's depth of cut is limiting and I thought it would have to be fairly fragile . Breaking the very thin ones could end up a tad expensive.

I've given the two smallest ones ( .58mm & .4mm. ) a quick trial and the slots look clean and perfect . A feeler guage in the slot checks out perfect . Zero runout .

Satcam got back to me saying they don't have a strict minimum order but do like it to be $100 or more . ( which you can quickly spend ) Their sizes are similar to " Precise Bits" and are in fact made in America

Yes Nick , I know exactly where you're coming from . Only limit is the imagination . I'm quite excited about them with all sorts of ideas . I might inlay that bloody match tomorrow for a bit of fun !

[Lillian]

Reply by "Gusset"

you can get solid carbide downcut bits from 2.4 to 1mm at small wonder music company for around $10.

http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop ... ry=related

[kiwigeo]

Nick O wrote:


....well the rosette world's my oyster Twisted Evil

Had a few of those tastey molluscan delights at a restaurant in Sumner the other night...the Chef believed my homesick Kiwi routine and cooked them up in batter even though it wasnt on the menu.

[Dennis Leahy]

Craig wrote:
I'm very pleased to advise that my small router bits arrived in today's mail ( USPS) . Thanks Dennis . I'm sending a small parcel your way

The shipping cost : $ 6.85 ( US )

Precise Bits quoted around $43 ( US) ( Sent via Fedex )

...
This confirms what we have all been saying about USPS parcels to Australia being reliable,,, and prompt ! Please take note " Precise Bits "
...

Again , Many thanks Dennis . You're a bloody beauty

Craig,
Glad they got there. Just slightly longer than I predicted. USPS clerks must have gotten bloated and waterlogged on Miller Light beer over the US Memorial Day holiday.

If you're sending me a small box of roo poo, well, Kim already sent me a lifetime supply. It is hard to believe that all of you guys put a small piece in each nostril before going to bed every night, but I know Kim wouldn't lie to me, so I've been doing it faithfully, every night. Kim told me it's the only real way for someone on another continent to assimilate the Australian culture. Kim said in less than two years I'll be able to say "g'day!" and not sound like an American on holiday to Oz.

-----------------------

Wow, I can't get over the price FedEx is charging: six times more than USPS, and both packages have to fly to get there. Would FedEx then shake you down for some trumped-up "duty" or VAT or handling charge as well? Crikey! (um, still sounds like an American on holiday. More roo poo!)

Dennis

[Nick]

kiwigeo wrote:

Nick O wrote:


....well the rosette world's my oyster Twisted Evil

Had a few of those tastey molluscan delights at a restaurant in Sumner the other night...the Chef believed my homesick Kiwi routine and cooked them up in batter even though it wasnt on the menu.

Good onya. They've had a good season this year after a bug threatened to wipe out the beds a couple of years ago.

Dennis Leahy wrote:

If you're sending me a small box of roo poo, well, Kim already sent me a lifetime supply. It is hard to believe that all of you guys put a small piece in each nostril before going to bed every night, but I know Kim wouldn't lie to me, so I've been doing it faithfully, every night. Kim told me it's the only real way for someone on another continent to assimilate the Australian culture. Kim said in less than two years I'll be able to say "g'day!" and not sound like an American on holiday to Oz.
Dennis

You have to inhale deeply too Dennis(but not too deep as to get lodged in your throat)! doesn't work otherwise.

This is the final re-constructed message of this topic posted by the ANZLF help team.