Subject: British mail-order firm

From: Andrew Tune <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 17:42:33 +1000

Hi!

I'm interesting in mail-ordering some British tools, and it seems that
the most sensible approach would be to order them from a British firm.

Can anyone point to a reputable British firm that provides a mail-order
service for woodworking tools (and possibly hardware)?  Preferably
(though not essentially) on the Internet...

Before someone asks, I know of a number of good US firms, but it seems
intuitively obvious that buying from the country of origin should be 
cheaper.  In any case, I have the US catalogues and will be able to
compare.

Andrew.
--
Andrew Tune                                     Technix Consulting Group
[email-masked]                         Level 5, 695 Burke Rd
Phone: +61 3 9882 2333                                  Camberwell, 3124
Fax:   +61 3 9882 4799                    URL: http://www.technix.com.au
              "What if there were no hypothetical situations?"

---

From: kevin holohan <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 12:51:53 +0000

> cheaper.  In any case, I have the US catalogues and will be able to
G'day Andy

One of the best mail order tool companies in the UK is Axminster Power
Tools. Don't be put off by the name as they do a complete list of all
woodworking tools. Unfortunately they are not on the WWW.

Their address is:

Axminster Power Tools
Millway Rise Industrial Estate
Axminster
Devon
EX13 5HU

Tel +44 1297 33656.

Craft Supplies also have a mail order service, and are perhaps better
known for timber, and for turning in particular. Their address is:

Craft Supplies Ltd
The Mill 
Millers Dale 
Buxton 
Derbyshire
SK17 8SN

Tel +44 1298 871636

Good Luck!

Kevin

PS These are my opinions and not those of my employer

---

From: [email-masked] (DavidSloan)
Date: 11 Feb 1997 23:23:18 GMT

<<Can anyone point to a reputable British firm that provides a mail-order
service for woodworking tools (and possibly hardware)? >>

Your best bet is to pick up a copy of one of the British woodworking
magazines on the newstand:   Good Woodworking, Woodworker, Practical
Woodworking, Furniture & Cabinetmaking, etc.   All of the major UK
mail-order houses advertise in these magazines.

Many of these companies will also be exhibiting at the big, "Practical
Woodworking" Show at Wembley (London) February 27 through March 1.

David Sloan
editor & publisher
American Woodworker magazine

---

From: [email-masked] (Computer Systems Manager)
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 10:53:09 +1100

[This followup was posted to rec.woodworking and a copy was sent to the 
cited author.]

In article <[email-masked]>, Andrew Tune says...

> cheaper.  In any case, I have the US catalogues and will be able to

Hi Andrew,

I have not sent to Britain for any stuff, but one address that keeps 
popping up in British magazines is 

Tools by Post
DEPT PW, Flex Meadows,
The Pinnacles, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5TJ
Tel. 1279 418333 Fax. 1279 418339

They don't advertise a www site, so probably can't be accessed that way.

I have irregularly sent to the States over many years for goods and 
books, the main reason being cost.  I can get items delivered to my front 
door, including postage and duties (if any), for less than the local shop 
prices.  I know I should support our economy by buying local, but I don't 
have that much money to spare.

I am currently looking to buy "The Workbench Book" by Landis.  The 
publisher's web site in the States tells me the book price, which, with 
postage is going to set me back about $(Aus)55.  I rang a woodworking 
shop in Sydney and they quoted $(Aus)75 ... and I get the added privelege 
of a 200 kilometre round trip just to pick it up!  The local guys 
will miss out.

>From  the prices quoted in British ads, and given the exchange rate, I 
don't see that there would be a saving for you.

Maybe you could let me know how you get on.
-- 
Regards, Rick

To email me first remove the * from the email address shown above.

---

From: "David Harris" <[email-masked]>
Date: 12 Feb 1997 12:34:47 GMT

kevin holohan <[email-masked]> wrote in article
<[email-masked]>...
> > cheaper.  In any case, I have the US catalogues and will be able to
Good luck on the prices ! 
I'm a Brit living in the US and have found a good range of British tools
available over here (Woodcraft, Garrett-Wade, etc.). When I visited the
motherland, I thought that I would pick up some tools and save myself a bob
or two. To my dismay, the tools were priced above what I could get them for
here in the US ! If you are going to buy them by mail order, then you have
also got to add the shipping charges. My advice is to source the tools here
in the US unless you are looking for something very specific that is not
available here.
Cheers,
          Dave Harris

---

From: Douglas Fisher <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 21:34:45 +0000

>> cheaper.  In any case, I have the US catalogues and will be able to
In addition to Kevin's post:-

Axminster's email was in Dec96:- [email-masked]
------------
Isaac Lord      http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/mlord
------------
Kendal Tools & Machinery
Unit 10,
Lake District Business Park
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 6NH
Tel: 01539 733774
Fax: 01539 740634
-----------
Tools by Post
Tel: 01279 418333
Fax: 01279 418339
-----------

Surely there must be more ?

-- 
Douglas Fisher
Cumbria

---

From: Ken McNair <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:35:33 -0500

> in the US unless you are looking for something very specific that is not

I had the same experience - I can buy British tools cheaper in Lee Valley
here in Canada then I could in Britain.
Visited Buck & Ryan, Tyzack, and Isaac Lord but didn't buy much.
The only tools to buy are unique tools not imported to North America (although
in my experience they are usually imports from Germany or other European
countries) or nice antique tools.