Hi all. As before i'm lining up to go professional (last chance hotel at 53 having come into some money, got the kids off my hands and needing an earner that could run on into retirement while giving back a bit more by way of relaxation than my prior management and engineering consulting), and am upgrading my shop accordingly. (from DIY and dabbler status)
Meaning i'm buying some machines (stand alone Hammer panel saw, planer thicknesser and spindle moulder), and a selection of hand tools and other equipment like a router and other Festool stuff, more router cutters, some decent quality hand planes, scraping kit, spokeshaves, some Japanese chisels, a variety of rasps and shaping tools, good quality forstner bits, a nail gun, a decent selection of clamps (been skimping for too long), some Incra measuring and fixturing stuff, an Incra TS-LS incrementally positioned fence system for the panel saw and so on.
I've also got to get stuck into setting up the shop - building a bench, dust system (the Bill Pentz/Clear Vue system), setting up racking and so on.
My question relates to this. Do any of you guys have any views on the best way to buy this sort of stuff? The situation on the machines seems fairly restricted, in that they are sold via manufacturer controlled subsidiaries, and the discount is whatever the factory are offering. Or is it just a case of needing to push a bit harder?
I thought there should be decent discount going on hand tools (Lie Nielsen, Veritas etc) and related equipment, but so far i've not had much luck despite a potential order if single sourced of well over £5,000. Pretty frustrating when these guys often don't have stock, and will just turn around and order it from the US.
Do i have to hawk each block of stuff around, and buy from individual suppliers offering the best deal on specific maker's items, or am i just talking to the wrong suppliers? Or do the better brands have it stitched up to the point that they don't allow discounting?
I'm seriously thinking of breaking the order up, and even of buying from the US. I'll get nailed for VAT on importation for some proportion of the stuff, but probably only 25 or 30% of it (in Ireland) and in the meantime would get the benefit of very keen US prices. The downside is shipping, if i break the order enough to reduce the risk of taxes the cost of shipping could start to get a bit hairy....
TA
ian
Meaning i'm buying some machines (stand alone Hammer panel saw, planer thicknesser and spindle moulder), and a selection of hand tools and other equipment like a router and other Festool stuff, more router cutters, some decent quality hand planes, scraping kit, spokeshaves, some Japanese chisels, a variety of rasps and shaping tools, good quality forstner bits, a nail gun, a decent selection of clamps (been skimping for too long), some Incra measuring and fixturing stuff, an Incra TS-LS incrementally positioned fence system for the panel saw and so on.
I've also got to get stuck into setting up the shop - building a bench, dust system (the Bill Pentz/Clear Vue system), setting up racking and so on.
My question relates to this. Do any of you guys have any views on the best way to buy this sort of stuff? The situation on the machines seems fairly restricted, in that they are sold via manufacturer controlled subsidiaries, and the discount is whatever the factory are offering. Or is it just a case of needing to push a bit harder?
I thought there should be decent discount going on hand tools (Lie Nielsen, Veritas etc) and related equipment, but so far i've not had much luck despite a potential order if single sourced of well over £5,000. Pretty frustrating when these guys often don't have stock, and will just turn around and order it from the US.
Do i have to hawk each block of stuff around, and buy from individual suppliers offering the best deal on specific maker's items, or am i just talking to the wrong suppliers? Or do the better brands have it stitched up to the point that they don't allow discounting?
I'm seriously thinking of breaking the order up, and even of buying from the US. I'll get nailed for VAT on importation for some proportion of the stuff, but probably only 25 or 30% of it (in Ireland) and in the meantime would get the benefit of very keen US prices. The downside is shipping, if i break the order enough to reduce the risk of taxes the cost of shipping could start to get a bit hairy....
TA
ian
