I understand that discounted Dewalt branded tools are available on the internet from the US and that these are often made in Mexico or somewhere like that. Does anyone have any experience with these? How does the quality compare with Dewalt tools from Germany? Many thanks.
I bought an 18V top-o'-the-range cordless drill off eBay last year & have had no problems with it. It's of perfectly solid build. The biggest headache is with the battery chargers (110V). I was hoping to be able to adapt the insides to cope with 230V, but it ain't easy because the internal switchmode expects to start with a 110V rectified input. So you either need to buy/have a proper UK charger, or get a cheapo 230-110 stepdown transformer to accompany it. It did save me a fair few quid at the end of the day.
Fine! but was it made in the US or Germany?
On 14 Sep 2005 04:08:15 -0700, "Barnsey" scrawled:
No brainer really, cheap lookalike tools = crap. I use cheap tools, for some things, but I wouldn't condone buying cheap replicas of branded makes.
US ... exact wherabouts unknown.
Shame you didn't use yours then!
The OP said DeWalt branded tools made in Mexico, not cheap lookalikes. A quick look at the DeWalt web site shows they do indeed have a manufacturing plant in Mexico.
MBQ
On 14 Sep 2005 07:30:56 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com scrawled:
Er, oops?
I even read the OP several times to make sure I understood what it said. Forget I said anything then.
So how does it compare with the ones made in Germany?
I have done this with DW and for that matter, Makita products on numerous occasions and the quality has been fine.
However, there are some considerations:
- You will have to pay around 2-3% duty depending on the type of tool plus 17.5% VAT. Also, make sure that the supplier can handle international shipments properly and does not add local sales tax. This can be another 8% or more and they don't need to add it if they are selling outside the US.
- Take a look at shipment costs and timescales. I would never trust postal services unless there is an insurance mechanism. Some suppliers will offer DHL or Fedex shipments but in some cases mark up their costs considerably. It is worth getting a Fedex or DHL account and then simply insisting to the supplier that they use your account number and tick the boxes on the airwaybill to forward charges to you. You will then receive a request for VAT payment when the goods arrive in the UK. After a shipment or two, they will invoice you and you can pay normally in 14 or 28 days. In any case, shipment costs are such that it is often not worth shipping low value or heavy items unless you can buy several items at once.
- U.S. power tools are 110v. Those with universal brushed motors will run OK from a suitable yellow site transformer of adequate capacity. There is another £30-50 of cost there. Be careful with tools with induction motors. Some are only suitable for their specified frequency, whereas others will run OK on 50 or 60Hz. Even so, a 60Hz tool will run slower. Check whether this is an issue.
- Battery chargers are less of an issue and some actually autorange in terms of voltage. Otherwise a transformer is needed.
- Some tools and tool types have certain components localised for their market. For example, power switches on U.S. tools may be just a rocker or paddle type, whereas in Europe they may be a no-volt-release type. There may well be associated mechanical mounting components for them. THe point is that if spares are needed for some of these, they will also have to be imported and although cheap enough, import cost is high because of shipping. However
Generally cordless tools are a good and safe bet. You need to be careful with some types of hand held tools.
Another option to consider is to take a cheap weekend flight to the U.S. That way, you can buy (say) 20kg or possibly more of stuff and put it in checkin luggage or boxes. A point to note is that the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) will open luggage and boxes at the departure airport and inspect it. They do leave a nice calling card, though. The cost of shipping is saved and you get a £140 duty and VAT free allowance on return to the UK, so in effect can save much of the cost of the trip. Of course it does mean having to go to the U.S. ........ Note that Customs may not allow the £140 allowance against a single item costing > £140; however generally I've found them flexible.
I used to trade in the US Dewalt tools on ebay. Buy them cheap from
contact in the US and flog them for twice the price over here. I buil alot of my tool collection up this way, and being cordless it is no effected by the difference in voltage (just buy yourself a 240v charge on ebay or a radio charger - they are cool!). Admitedly the main powered tools are obviously 110v, so like the other posts mention thi needs to be considered when needing to buy a transformer.
What you can do is lob the old US style plug off and re-wire a ne yellow 'site plug' on (£2 max). Purchase a yellow 240v to 110v sit transformer (can pick them up for around £40) and off you go. You ar then set to buy as many tools you want and run them of the singl transformer.
I have not done this however, preferring to use UK 240v tools for eas of plugging in anywhere without needing to hump a transformer around.
I used to sell the US chargers to site blokes by putting the yello site plugs on myself. (Sold the chargers for £18 each which is a craz price for these)
The build quality is identical and I sold over 1000 items to satisfie customers in the building trade. Not one complained that the tool failed or were sub-standard. Mine are still going strong.
The only thing to consider though is that as they are not 'CE' marked you are not covered by the Dewalt servicing centres in the UK. Now wa this up against the fact that Dewalt is quality brand of which yo should have no problems (even though Dewalt is the one and same Blac and Decker company!!
-- Cordless Crazy
Very helpful guys. Thanks.
It's also illegal to resell them in the UK because of this, but not to import for your own use.
I dot one from nepine, took 6 weeks to deliver all the bits, and I was billed customes, which they refunded.
I am very pleased with my tool, and have no idea how it compares with the same tool purchased in the UK. My 18v Drill Driver drilles 1000
10mm holes, put in 1000 7 inch by 9mm coach screws, and 5000 50mm screws in one week, and I naver had a "no charged battery" situation.And all for less than half the UK price.
Rick
So why should quality be worse in mexico than in germany ?
Rick
I never said it was, it may well be better. All sorts of reasons for it to be different, e.g., different component suppliers, differently motivated workforce.
MBQ
And you are (were) breaking the law in selling them.
MBQ
May be illegal, but it made me a small fortune in a few months
-- Cordless Crazy
The maximum fine is =A35,000 for contravening CE marking rules and IMHO from reading the rules you only get that high a fine if you carry on having being told to stop or if you obstruct the trading standards inspectors. So, there could well be a good business case until you get caught;-)
MBQ
or 6 months in the kind of place where it's inadvisable to drop the soap.
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