Buying Europe and Foreign Shipping

[Gary Sostrin]

No bashing please. I just was looking at craigslist at work during lunchtime, and I saw an Inca band saw for sale for $200. By the time I got home, the ad was gone. I always wanted an inca machine like a bandsaw and/or a jointer planer and could not afford one in the past. I like there compactness and there quality from what I have read). I did a little searching and found that they still made inca bandsaws and maybe jointer/planers. the company is at http://www.doebeli.ch/v1.x/index.html (click on sieha inca in the left side of the screen). When you get to the tooling screen click the british flag in the upper right hand corner to get english. They state
" To all our customers in the U.S. and Canada:
For insurance reasons we are not able to deliver our products
directly to your country. We would be glad to deliver to any
address you give us in Switzerland or within Europe."

One of these days, I hope to vacation again in Europe, and might want to splurge. So my question to the other members does anyone know of a good swiss/european shipper. And how does one proceed and are there any pitfalls. And yes, I know it will come with a non american motor, and there probably is a workaround.

Thanks for looking

Gary

[Alex Elias]

Can't help with the questions but seems like a lot of work to get a BS when you can get an outstanding band saw here and would not have to worry about the initial set up modifications and future dificulties you might face. Not to mentions the shipping issues even to get it to your house.

[Doug Shepard]

...
"To all our customers in the U.S. and Canada:
For insurance reasons we are not able to deliver our products directly to your country. We would be glad to deliver to any address you give us in Switzerland or within Europe."
...


I take that to mean you'd have to go through the same trip to get any replacement parts as well? Yikes.

[Phil Pritchard]

Hi Gary

The cost of shipping by airfreight is likely to be quite high. A sea shipper, on the other hand may be much more reasonable. The biggest hurdles to overcome are that you will need to pay the shipper clearance fees at the US end and the machine will be subject to import duty (I don't know if Sales Tax also applies). I understand the insurance issues with the USA from a manufacturing point of view - a few years back when I was involved in manufacturing an enquiry about insuring for export to the USA elicited a response from outr product insurers that if we were to do that then our insurance rates would almost double due to the high level of litigation in your country. We decided to pass on that one. If you'd like I'll ask my local freight specialist if they have a contact in Switzerland tht they'd be willing to let me have


And yes, I know it will come with a non american motor, and there probably is a workaround.
All their machines seem to have induction motors, so a 50Hz (EU) motor will run at about 20% higher speed - hardly a killer. You'll need 200volots though, as mains power over here is 220/230volts. In all probability they will be able to supply a 110volt 60Hz motor and switch gear if you ask.

Phil