Battery Powered Respirators..high cost inOZ

[Paddy]

Having decided to buy a battery powered respirator, before the hot weather returns. Found that the best price I could get in OZ for an Airshield Pro helmet +ear muffs+set of spare filters, was $639 or if I ordered prior to end of June $599.

I have just ordered the same items ex Axminster in the UK at a Total delivered cost of $415 (including $123 freight and ins), with delivery in 2-3 weeks.

How can local suppliers justify their current prices.

[Scott]

How can local suppliers justify their current prices.

Good question.

[Jim Carroll]

Paddy glad to see you are supporting the local economy

When you made your enquiries to the UK did you ask them about warranty .

Not that I am saying there will be anything wrong with the unit you get but just remember you will have to send it back to the UK with you paying the freight both ways.

Local supplier will not repair any units purchased from OS.

Sort of negates the savings.

[Scott]

Jim, I support your call for supporting the local economy, I buy from yourself (placed order the other day) and other woodworkers locally. However it does make me wonder why items overseas are significantly cheaper, especially in the US where our dollar compares favourably. Paddy's Airshield from the UK is another good example.

I think some people are willing to take the risk of warranty issues over price especially when money is tight. I'm not afraid to admit that my wage is no fantastic therefore I will shop around without compromising quality.

I suppose what you are asking for is a sense of commitment from the buyer however the buyer must be safe in the knowledge that they are not being gouged by local suppliers. If we think that we're not getting a fair price then that commitment will be strained and we will go elsewhere.

I know you are respected on these forums and I hope you can take my analysis as constructive.

Regards,
Scott.

[Paddy]

Hi Jim
I rang 3 Victorian suppliers and asked if they could do any better on price and pointed out that I would prefer to purchase locally, but that I was not prepared to spend an additional $200 or roughly a 50% premium for the product. When you consider that i paid retail UK price + air freight for a single item. The premium is unacceptable.

For a $200 saving I am prepared to take a punt on warranty and at a pinch could source some spares ex UK at a competative price if required.

[Handyjack]

A lot if comes down to supply, demand, transport and what people are prepard to pay. We also need to remember that Australia is a small market due to population density and the distance from OS ports. A lot of this has been discussed in other threads.

[piquet]

I found something similar in trying to purchase some copper roves for my clinker boat restoration/rebuild.

I found them to be almost impossible to locate in oz. I even went to the extreme of contacting Otter Nails who have them listed in their catalogue. Eventually I was told that they don't have them anymore as they couldn't get the material!!!

My reply was that seemed strange as we dig it out of the ground at Mt ISA, it's called copper. No answer from Otter Nails


Really it's a case of not enough demand for them as there as there is not a lot of that style of traditional boat building method being carried out any more. That isthe real reason they don't want to stock them. Maybe they should have been honest about it from the start.
Regards
Peter

[Paddy]

Ordered on 21 July arrived 27 July. Works well but find it a bit top heavy, good for upright work such as turning, using router table or saw bench etc
No where near as good as my Kamira belt mounted unit with a very light full face mask, that finaly packed up after 35 years,weed spraying on our farm and woodworking.
Unlike the Triton unit the Kamiras very light full face mask allows complete freedom of movement including bending over your work and you can wear it all day without a problem,