Buying from China

[jordan1]

Needed a few black M5 machine screws, £2 for 50 including delivery from China, how do they do it. I have had such things from there before and find they are ok. Had some carbon brushes a while back, similar price for a pack. You just don't need to need them quickly though.

 

[Llama]

Tell us where!

 

[jordan1]

Tell us where!

Ebay links not allowed on here, check it out.

 

[Robotstar5]

Ebay links not allowed on here, check it out.

I think you can link to a useful resource, but not allowed to link to something you are selling?, contact one of the mods.

 

[rtbcomp]

Yeah, put the link up.

A customer of mine bought some threaded brake adjusters for a Lambretta for a fiver from China. The thread stripped the first time the brakes were applied. The Italian ones were £15 and worked fine.

Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[Keith 66]

The answer is quality or lack of it. You take pot luck with far eastern stuff, some is good a lot more is not. A recent experience with a lathe, brand new & good service from the supplier. But the machine's headstock gear selector mechanism was so dreadfully made it would not engage the gears half the time. It went back under warranty to be replaced. I asked what would happen to it to be told it would be cannibalised & scrapped.

 

[Llama]

If I was running a business or something safety critical I would probably prefer a local supplier, but there are some applications when anything suitable will do.

 

[jordan1]

The answer is quality or lack of it. You take pot luck with far eastern stuff, some is good a lot more is not. A recent experience with a lathe, brand new & good service from the supplier. But the machine's headstock gear selector mechanism was so dreadfully made it would not engage the gears half the time. It went back under warranty to be replaced. I asked what would happen to it to be told it would be cannibalised & scrapped.

Yes, I wouldn't buy anything that couldn't be binned if of no use, I try to be selective and been luck so far.

 

[jordan1]

Yeah, put the link up.

A customer of mine bought some threaded brake adjusters for a Lambretta for a fiver from China. The thread stripped the first time the brakes were applied. The Italian ones were £15 and worked fine.

Just thought I'd mention it.

Could it be he was a bit heavy handed, ham fited like

 

[jordan1]

Links

Hope this works:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270872008253?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121148945739?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

They have all sizes of brushes, may not be the same carbon as more expensive but I have used them on bikes starter motors, seem to last ok with no damage to comm.

 

[madkayaker]

those machine screws look poorly threaded to me

 

[jordan1]

those machine screws look poorly threaded to me

You could be right, but will be fine for what I need them for. Can run them through a die if necessary.

 

[Paul.]

The brushes are a good price, well worth buying a few, they can be easily modified to suit most small tools,

The screws are hardly any cheaper than I pay from an industrial fastener supplier, Just had a look at a recent invoice, M5 x 30 socket button BZP, £5.30 per hundred, and with a cert of conformity as well,
I have bought cheap imported fasteners in the past, particularly stainless ones and have had loads of problems with poorly formed threads that gall or strip, heads shearing off cap screws, and nuts with no threads. for a non critical diy application they are probably ok, but not for me

 

[jordan1]

The brushes are a good price, well worth buying a few, they can be easily modified to suit most small tools,

The screws are hardly any cheaper than I pay from an industrial fastener supplier, Just had a look at a recent invoice, M5 x 30 socket button BZP, £5.30 per hundred, and with a cert of conformity as well,
I have bought cheap imported fasteners in the past, particularly stainless ones and have had loads of problems with poorly formed threads that gall or strip, heads shearing off cap screws, and nuts with no threads. for a non critical diy application they are probably ok, but not for me

Yes I bought a few different sizes to go in the drawer, I needed black screws, seem cheap enough, I don't have an account as you probably do and we don't have any local suppliers on the coast. I'll see what they are like when they arrive and pop a post on.

 

[arceyered]

Why buy British ? when you can buy cr-p and feed a china man.
Oh but we don,t make anything anymore I wonder why

 

[jordan1]

Why buy British ? when you can buy cr-p and feed a china man.
Oh but we don,t make anything anymore I wonder why

So you always buy British, irrespective?

 

[arceyered]

So you always buy British, irrespective?

irrespective of what? price, quality, availiabilty,saving a british job .

 

[steveo3002]

saving a english job thats been giving to polish workers more like

 

[jordan1]

irrespective of what? price, quality, availiabilty,saving a british job .

Irrespective of anything, buy British whatever.

 

[ronan]

Irrespective of anything, buy British whatever.

Sorry, I know your heart is in the right place , but years of buying spare parts for classic motorcycles supposedly made in England , complete with lovely union flag stickers and "made in England" on the wrapper and then it turns out the stuff was made in China, India, Taiwan or somewhere else has made me wary of where things are made, because often they are not. Buy a new Bridgeport mill or Colchester lathe , where are they made ? yup china.

http://www.aliexpress.com/