Buying power tools from O/S

[TheOtherLeft]

Does anyone buy their power tools from overseas - US???

I'm looking at buying a new cordless impact drill and now looking at buying it from overseas (probably the US) due to the rediculous locol prices, eg http://www.toolbarn.com/power-tools/cor ... oltage=793. Naked tools are around US$100, and kits for around US$200 for Dewalt, Milwaukee etc.

Can anyone recommend other online stores? What do you do about the voltage conversion, 110V-240V?

[BundyRumandCoke]

Not power tools, but a sprinkler controller. Here, about $250.00, from the US, about $75 including freight to my door. Because it was a replacement for my dud one, I already had the 240-24V transformer, so their 110-24V transformer wasnt an issue.

[TheOtherLeft]

I was also thinking about buying a naked tool and battery from overseas, and then buying the charger locally. I think it would stil work out cheaper then buying the lot here, eg, US$170 (+ postage) for a Milwukee 18V impact driver including battery.

[chimpboy]

It's funny, the Milwaukee charger (Charger 48-59-1801) has the same part number here and in the US. I wonder if it accepts both 120V and 240V as some modern chargers do.

Alternatively a definite Aussie version of the charger is $160 delivered anyway.

You really have to wonder; the prices here are pretty mental.

[RED60]

It's funny, the Milwaukee charger (Charger 48-59-1801) has the same part number here and in the US. I wonder if it accepts both 120V and 240V as some modern chargers do.

Alternatively a definite Aussie version of the charger is $160 delivered anyway.

You really have to wonder; the prices here are pretty mental.

While the charger MAY indeed accept either voltage (and I'm no expert) the pin configuration will most likely be different... but adapters are available... try a decent camping outlet... you may even get a group buy interest... if you're game..

[vanbox]

I buy all my Makita 18v/3aH cordless tools from the USA.

http://www.maxtool.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Orders delivered in 4 days.

In september 2009 I bought a 9 piece kit (cant remember the exchange rate landed to my door for $1700 (had to pay gst, and trade fees as it was over $1k so be careful) but the best I could find it for here was, $2250.

a month ago I priced up a new saw, drill and 2 batteries here, at $1150. I went back to maxtool and had them delivered in four days again for....wait for it....$500 neat!

Warranty, who cares!.. Naked tools are approx $100 delivered, batteries are $190 a pair delivered.

When I purchased the initial kit, It cost me a little more than I thought so I went the cheap option and got an inverter, approx $50. I wish I had spent the money and bout an australian charger. I use mine for work, so always bringing it in and out of my ute. The inverters are bloody heavy! An aussie charger is approx $170 and you can even get 12v cigarette powered chargers.

Pick a respectable company and you cant go wrong!

cheers

PAUL

[dad]

Go hitachi, that is all.

[V.W.Dave]

I moved back here from the states 3 years ago. I brought with me a makita impact 2 makita drills 2 lights and a Snapon impact and a few other bits.

If you look at the back of most of the chargers they are made to be able to take 110v too 240v input and they all have 1 through 15amp output. The manufactures do this so they can be made in bulk for world wide and all they have to do is change the plug. The ones that don't the chargers are fairly cheap over here if you know where to look.

I would suggest get the full pack from the US when it gets here have a good look at the charger once it gets here and go from there.

But here is something to think about. If we all start skipping over the middle man here in Australia and send all of our money to the US or to GB or China how long do you think it will be before it comes back and bites us all on the ass?

[sloshy]

Bought a hitachi drill, driver and 3 18v 3ah batteries from the US and then a charger from here, all up cost me $535. Best thing is you don't have to leave your house.

[vanbox]

I moved back here from the states 3 years ago. I brought with me a makita impact 2 makita drills 2 lights and a Snapon impact and a few other bits.

If you look at the back of most of the chargers they are made to be able to take 110v too 240v input and they all have 1 through 15amp output. The manufactures do this so they can be made in bulk for world wide and all they have to do is change the plug. The ones that don't the chargers are fairly cheap over here if you know where to look.

I would suggest get the full pack from the US when it gets here have a good look at the charger once it gets here and go from there.

But here is something to think about. If we all start skipping over the middle man here in Australia and send all of our money to the US or to GB or China how long do you think it will be before it comes back and bites us all on the ass?

Im all for supporting local business. If the margain was 10-15% I would buy locally to avoid any hassles, ease of warranty etc. But in my example above, my recent purchase was over 50%, and i had to pay high shipping costs (25% of total purchase). Now Im only buying one item, so I presume the Australian importer gets a great deal on freight (when he buys a container load) so how can they justify the high price when quite often the local retailer blames high freight costs! What are they doing, buying one tool at a time?

[karol]

I'm buying all my tools from states. it comes almost to half price. u just need to buy aus charger as inverters are just too heavy and bulky to carry around.
by the way the best example of local companies overpricing is arb. just check the prices of their difflocks and shocks in states. and no one is talking more about supporting local companies then them. shocks are made in Thailand, send to US, u buy them pay to sand them back to Australia and after that around the world trip it comes cheaper then to walk into your local arb dealership and buy them. so if you want support local manufacturers buy their stuff from yanks.

[chris_stoffa]

But here is something to think about. If we all start skipping over the middle man here in Australia and send all of our money to the US or to GB or China how long do you think it will be before it comes back and bites us all on the ass?

Wasn't it the great Paul Keating that insisted that Australia become part of the Global Economy, and unless I'm mistaken we have done so for better or worse so................ why is it ok for the Corporate world to take advantage of the "Global Economy" and not the average Joe Dick-In-The-Street.

After all, all Joe Dick is doing is 'competing' in a global economy or is that not Fair.

Cheers

[hilux_bondy_007]

Wats a good site for hitachi tools??

[TheOtherLeft]

I'm buying all my tools from states. it comes almost to half price. u just need to buy aus charger as inverters are just too heavy and bulky to carry around.
by the way the best example of local companies overpricing is arb. just check the prices of their difflocks and shocks in states. and no one is talking more about supporting local companies then them. shocks are made in Thailand, send to US, u buy them pay to sand them back to Australia and after that around the world trip it comes cheaper then to walk into your local arb dealership and buy them. so if you want support local manufacturers buy their stuff from yanks.

Which websites do you buy them from?

[dad]

Wats a good site for hitachi tools??

ebay

[karol]

ebay
some of them are listed as that they post only to US and Canada but if u ask them they always send it to oz.

[hj 45]

Go hitachi, that is all.

I'm partial to Hitachi, have quite a few green power tools. Hilti fairly rocks as well.

[guzzla]

I've bought a 18v Milwaukee rattle gun and drill off these guys and they were good to deal with. http://www.toolstop.co.uk/

So much cheaper than buying them here and all I had to do use the UK style plugs on the chargers was buy a couple of power point adapters for $5 each from Dick Smith. Works a treat and saved me about $500.

Australia can stick their 'buy local' mantra when I can save that much money

[Benszook]

For buying chargers locally if you have a Total Tools close they advertised their brand of charger to suit all the big name cordless tool companies. I looked at the hitachi charger for my tools and the charger is identical to my australian charger with Total Tools sticker on it. Just a way of not getting too ripped off on the charger as well.

I know the makita charger from the states is only 110V as I had a customer that came in with one he had just changed over the plug and tried it in a 240V socket - It wasn't worth fixing and trying to find the right transformer so we found an australian one on ebay.

Cheers,

Ben

[Harb]

I import a lot of stuff, and the trick is to keep the total value including shipping down to less that $1000AU and things will just come straight through in the mail with no extra charges.......