All I want is a table saw. Here's what that is like when you live outside the 48

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Nice saw! And nice shop in the background!

I lived in Puerto Rico 2 years, another US territory. It can be a PITA sometimes - and when you are feeling frustrated I recommend a retreat to the beach. Dont get in a hurry for things and adapt, else you will pull your hair out.

Your shop looks well conditioned. That is the other key. The house I lived in had no window glass (hurricane shutters then later I added screens to keep the mosquitos down). Which meant every thing rusts in a ocean mist/salt. Electronics are on a short lifecycle and essentially throw aways after 2-3 years.

All my hand tools I used infrequently I vacuum packed with a food saver (Crazy huh, but I didnt want nice planes turning into a pile of rust!). Put a little oil in with them, and sucked the air out. They then sat in storage a while when I returned to the states and once I finally did break them open not a bit of rust.

Enjoy the saw, but dont forget to carve some time out to appreciate living on an island while there!

I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans. They know how to enjoy life. (Exception- I don't like them as much when they get in boats. Boats should be quiet, not Regaeton dance halls.)

My upstairs is air conditioned but we don't use it unless we have guests. The upstairs has glass windows. Downstairs is just open air with shutters. I am very careful to keep tools oiled and use camphor blocks in the toolboxes. I actually get very little rust.

The saw is going to be used to build a sailboat so I can enjoy the water. I prefer to be on the water looking at the beach as opposed to the reverse.

[Alex Zeller]

I live in Ontario, Canada and get somewhat of the same thing with about 90% of the items I want to order off of Amazon. I get the famous "this item does not ship to Canada because we are too stupid to figure it out" (possible adlib there)...drives me nuts....I recently ordered some relays from China and they can figure out how to ship them to Canada for a shipping charge of 59 cents!!!... yes ... that is correct... 59 cents and I got the order in about 10 days..... and I can't get something shipped from Buffalo which is about 10 minutes south of the border...

Actually you paid more. China is taking advantage of still being classified as a developing country. Thanks to the UN they get discounted shipping rates for small packages. Of course that comes at a cost. It's either paid by your postal service or through the money you pay to the UN. Once it's mailed at a discount and arrives in the hands of your postal service (or ours for that matter) they can't add any charges so the post office has to raise the rates on everything you mail to cover the cost. I may not be exact but I'm pretty close. Read up on United Nations Universal Postal Union and China.

[Barry McFadden]

Actually you paid more. China is taking advantage of still being classified as a developing country. Thanks to the UN they get discounted shipping rates for small packages. Of course that comes at a cost. It's either paid by your postal service or through the money you pay to the UN. Once it's mailed at a discount and arrives in the hands of your postal service (or ours for that matter) they can't add any charges so the post office has to raise the rates on everything you mail to cover the cost. I may not be exact but I'm pretty close. Read up on United Nations Universal Postal Union and China.

Postal rates are very reasonable around here so as long as I get my 59 cents shipping I'm happy and really don't care who pays what to the UN......

[Terry Wawro]

There are plenty of freight forwarders who will ship items you purchase and help you navigate the maze of international regs...

This. I have friends that live on St. Croix and Grand Cayman. This is how they order things from the states.

[Howard Rosenberg]

Contact Atlas Machinery in Toronto. Ask for Mike Edermann the pres and explain what you need. He might be able to get it to work for you. Plus, you will also benefit from a $C to USD 35% advantage too.