Couple of new additions from Axminster UK

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skiprat

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One for the UK guys....

Although nowhere near as good as the stuff from the States, Axminster has a couple of new pens and some new acrylics. They are in the latest catologue and on their site. The site is a bit mixed up and pens and blanks are mixed.
Rutlands also seem to have started giving more plating info.:)
I don't even bother looking at Craft Supplies UK anymore, just junk.

Maybe one day we'll get the better kits too. I have been playing around for the last couple of hours trying to compare UK and USA prices and have decided that it is still cheaper to get ( most )stuff from the USA. Even with import taxes.
 
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I agree Steve, there is a lot of rubbish being offered to UK turners, time we starded a little group to bring better quality, better priced, bigger choice, products over to the UK.
 
Well, Mark we could certainly talk about it over a few beers while we're putting the world to rights at our meet up.[:D]

One of the problems is the amount they charge us here. If we flooded them with requests to improve, we would just end up paying through the nose for stuff. Look at these two comparison prices; ( think they are pretty accurate)
A crappy 24k SL from Rutlands is £2.95 ( $5.90 ) from Axminster it's £2.15 ( $4.30 ) but at CSUSA it is only £1.12 ( $2.25 )
The plat/rhodium Black Top is £8.95 ( $17.90 ) from Rutlands while only £4.60 ( $9.20 ) from CSUSA.

Now I'm REALLY worked up[}:)][:D]
 
I have been thinking of starting some sort of buying group, but it is sharing the cost of import duty, especially if one members order would not have incurred any duty due to the amount being below the limit.
He would be better ordering it himself. That type of thing!

I would gladly empty my workshop to make room for quality penturning stock, any resellers wanting a UK base?
 
Steven, some of the kits on the Axminster site are, I would be willing to bet, CSUSA kits. The Artisan Euro ballpoint shows the typical CSUSA centerband. Maybe they're not getting much of a price break from CS.
 
A UK buying group would be a great idea especially if we could get around the restrictions imposed by AS in not exporting (except via Canada). As you may remember, I have done a group buy from Glimmerznmore and apart from the casting problems they had its working out well.
(Steven and Andrew - the skin blanks are now on their way so I'll bring them along to our meet next week).
As a rough guide I've worked out that ordering from across the pond adds on about a 1/3 to the overall cost, but what price quality compared to the rubbish we generally get here. I've bought blanks from 'Penkits' (double dyed box elder) but they are very expensive and probably fron the US in the first place.
I've made enquiries from CSUSA regarding better group buys equivalent to dealership terms but they need a minimum of $10,000 to do this. Not worth the risk.
Anyway, we can chew the cud at our meet next week.
See you all then.
Ian
 
Originally posted by ligget
<br />
Originally posted by GoodTurns
<br />are import duties required on GIFTS?
Click to expand...

No import duty on gifts or commercial samples, I think!
Click to expand...

...but only upto a set value. If I remember correctly, the current value is $38. Companies like CSUSA will not/cannot list items sold as gifts or otherwise. When getting stuff from individuals, it seems there is a lot of luck involved. I bought some cast resin from an IAP member and had to pay about £18 to the post office, but this included import tax and clearing fees. However, in Andy's recent auction, both his and my parcels weighed about the same. 10kg. The recipient had to pay for Andy's but mine apparently had no extra costs. I have also once or twice not had to pay anything.

Gerry, I'm not sure if CSUSA actually supply our vendors. I reckon both get their stuff from the same manufacturer though. The only vendor here that I know of that actually re-sells USA supplied kits is 'The Pen Kit Company'.co.uk. They re-sell some PSI stuff.
 
Originally posted by gerryr
<br />Steven, some of the kits on the Axminster site are, I would be willing to bet, CSUSA kits. The Artisan Euro ballpoint shows the typical CSUSA centerband. Maybe they're not getting much of a price break from CS.
Click to expand...

I took a look at the Axminster site and, although comparing pens just on the basis of pictures is difficult, if I were guessing, I would agree with Gerry and say the kits were CSUSA kits.....slimelines excepted. It is interesting to note that CSUSA sells Axminster collet chucks. Maybe a little "quid pro quo"?

All slimlines look pretty much the same; but the descriptions all talk about "epoxy coated" hardware. I have never seen CSUSA use that language and PSI does.......I wonder?????
 
The Rutland's kits appear to be PSI kits. They even use some of the same names for their kits and in one case a picture was the same one used in the PSI catalog!!
 
Turners Retreat sells the CSUSA Gentlemans pen in platinum either rollerball or fountain pen.
It is rather big for most folks, the Jr. Gent would have been better.[V]
 
From CSUSA the rhodium gent roller ball is $18.50. Our price $25.00
From CSUSA the rhodium gent Fountain pen is $22.99. Our price $35.00

I may just mention this to Turners Retreat. [}:)]
 
hi guys, sorry for being late, i have been away on health and safety course in oxford all this week. turners get their pen kits from csusa and he also just got in the jr gents and the retros, so he his getting new stock in all the time.
 
Hi Guys
Like Drayman I have just arrived back from Canada bringing a couple of pen kits and enough different varieties of hardwood pieces weighing approx 8kilos to make about 30 pens (TULIP,SEBRANO,BOCATE,NOGAL,RED PALM, PADUKA & PURPLEHEART all obtained from a hardwood merchant as scraps $20 CDN Dollars) I asked WILLIAM WOODRITE to send me an internet order pens and Blanks to my friends in Halifax and I would collect. They gave me a great service! Saved quite a bit on Taxes & Postage. Friend willing to post further requirements as gifts, again no taxes.Morale of this yarn get a friend in North America!!
 
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