Sometimes buying parts just plain *****.

[Alchymist]

Item in question - Harbor Freight 3X21 belt sander. Small drive belt, PN 106XL031. Not available from HF, extensive googlefu finds most links to overseas companies, the two or three US companies want either $8-10 shipping on a $3 part, or a minimum order of $25. Guess I'll just buy another sander @ $29.99.

 

[7th Kahuna]

That *****. How hard is it to drop a drive belt in a padded mailer? Reminds me of a quote from a guy on here who said he loved HF tools because he could throw them away when they got dirty. Perhaps he was on to something.

 

[jweller]

Without any idea what the belt in question looks like, but just a guess, have you tried stopping in a local sew and vac repair place. They tend to use small belts, and might have an equivalent substitute.

 

[7th Kahuna]

I checked a few of my resources, same result. I think jweller may be on to something there. Nothing special about the belt, so the question is, who in your area would already be doing business with the belt dealers?

 

[jakemac]

It's not just HF. I've ordered small parts for some of my name brand tools, and had to pay more for shipping than the cost of the parts.

As far as parts costing more than a new tool, that's an unfortunate turn that our society has taken. We now live in a disposable society. Fewer people do their own repairs, even if you can find a repair service near you, the labor can cost more than a new item. I remember when there was a repair shop for just about anything within a short distance, no matter where you lived. Now, just try to find a repairman for a TV, vacuum cleaner, radio, or sewing machine. They're all gone. You can't even find someone to rebuild electric motors anymore.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

3x21 sanding belt is a fairly common size, have you looked at Home Depot and Lowes?

http://www.homedepot.com/s/belt+sander+belts?NCNI-5
Charles

 

[4x4_G30_Sportvan]

He needs the drive belt, not the sanding belt.

 

[larry_g]

You should be able to walk into power transmission store and get one of those. Standard stuff in the industrial world.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[nickleone]

I have been in the shipping business since 1997.
Customer comes in with an item to ship across the country. It weighs 5#.
They balk at the price of $20.00. Their response is that it only cost $4.00!
I usually remark that 5 carat diamond rings ship cheap LOL.

Nick

 

[aoleg]

Shipping a 2kg packet costs 3.90 EUR in Germany... a 10kg packet would be 5.90 EUR. I would balk at $20 for sure

 

[Davefr]

That's one of my pet peeves when companies are too stupid to offer USPS first class parcel rates on small parts.

I tried to order a very small drill bit the other day and they only offered ultra expensive/uncompetitive UPS at around $15 for something that could ship USPS for $1.68.

 

[RECox286]

I have found it best to deal with local mom and pop stores, and

to purchase good name brand items. I have always had better

satisfaction dealing with pop than I have dealing with some over

seas ??? who doesn't speak the language. Also I find that sticking

with Milwaukee or Makita makes getting replacement parts a lot

easier. It seems that it was always worth spending the money up

front, rather than having to tear my hair out later. (Just an observation.)

Uncle Bob

 

[2oolhound]

Ya see. You shoulda bought the extended warranty for $39.95, they would have just passed you a new one over the counter. Likely right after you fix the belt drive the switch will go...

 

[rlitman]

Likely right after you fix the belt drive the switch will go...

LOL.
I had a bench mounted 4x36 HF sander I got for free. I was picking up something I bought on CL, and the guy had it rusting in his driveway. He was happy to be rid of it.

The drive belt failed. It was a mini-cogged belt, much like you'd find in a vacuum, but as the belt failed, it tore up the plastic pulleys. I replaced them with aluminum pulleys and a real v belt. Then I riveted on a sheet steel belt guard.

Then the switch failed, and I replaced that. Now the bearings make an awful squeal, but otherwise it's still relatively useful.

 

[nickleone]

Shipping a 2kg packet costs 3.90 EUR in Germany... a 10kg packet would be 5.90 EUR. I would balk at $20 for sure

But Germany is only about 400 miles wide. The USA from Denver Colorado to
the east coast is about 1800 miles. Distance is calculated into that price.

Nick

 

[Alchymist]

That *****. How hard is it to drop a drive belt in a padded mailer? Reminds me of a quote from a guy on here who said he loved HF tools because he could throw them away when they got dirty. Perhaps he was on to something.

The belt in question is about 1/4" wide, and too small to slip over my wrist. Must weigh all of a quarter ounce. The tool owes me nothing - I have used it long and hard. But for a $3 belt, and removing three screws.......only to have shipping kill it.

Without any idea what the belt in question looks like, but just a guess, have you tried stopping in a local sew and vac repair place. They tend to use small belts, and might have an equivalent substitute.

No local places ...nearest would be 40 miles away....

It's not just HF. I've ordered small parts for some of my name brand tools, and had to pay more for shipping than the cost of the parts.

As far as parts costing more than a new tool, that's an unfortunate turn that our society has taken. We now live in a disposable society. Fewer people do their own repairs, even if you can find a repair service near you, the labor can cost more than a new item. I remember when there was a repair shop for just about anything within a short distance, no matter where you lived. Now, just try to find a repairman for a TV, vacuum cleaner, radio, or sewing machine. They're all gone. You can't even find someone to rebuild electric motors anymore.

Back when our furnace quit, I needed a control circuit board - prices ranged from $200 from the manufacturer to $40 from an online parts place. Same board, same part number.

You should be able to walk into power transmission store and get one of those. Standard stuff in the industrial world.

lg
no neat sig line

See previous comment - 40 miles away!

I have been in the shipping business since 1997.
Customer comes in with an item to ship across the country. It weighs 5#.
They balk at the price of $20.00. Their response is that it only cost $4.00!
I usually remark that 5 carat diamond rings ship cheap LOL.

Nick

Even $4 would have been doable, but $20 for a 1/4 ounce part?

Ya see. You shoulda bought the extended warranty for $39.95, they would have just passed you a new one over the counter. Likely right after you fix the belt drive the switch will go...

Na, like I said, it owes me nothing......will buy again. Just pains me to see a tool trashed because of a $2 part. And it isn't just HF.

 

[2oolhound]

LOL.
I had a bench mounted 4x36 HF sander I got for free. I was picking up something I bought on CL, and the guy had it rusting in his driveway. He was happy to be rid of it.

The drive belt failed. It was a mini-cogged belt, much like you'd find in a vacuum, but as the belt failed, it tore up the plastic pulleys. I replaced them with aluminum pulleys and a real v belt. Then I riveted on a sheet steel belt guard.

Then the switch failed, and I replaced that. Now the bearings make an awful squeal, but otherwise it's still relatively useful.

The best part of that is pretty soon the coo will be USA!

By making parts hard to find or expensive to obtain manufacturers are conditioning us to just replace or buy those extended warranties. I guess when they are mass producing hundreds of thousands it makes good economic sense to do a run of another 10 or 15% extra just to cover warranty issues and eliminate the high cost of packaging and maintaining an inventory of spare parts. They just have to wean us older consumers off the idea of the longevity of tools and the concept of repairing them.

 

[aoleg]

But Germany is only about 400 miles wide. The USA from Denver Colorado to
the east coast is about 1800 miles. Distance is calculated into that price.

Nick

OK, it will cost me 16.90 EUR ($23) to ship a 2kg packet from Germany to anywhere in the world - USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia... tracked and insured. $13 for a 1kg packet, same level of service. 1800 miles you say?

 

[offroadford4x4]

You can't even find someone to rebuild electric motors anymore.

Thats how I make my living everyday. But ten again I work for an industrial repair facility but we do everyting from fractional HP 1phase and 3phase up to multiple thousands of HP sucking up 4160volts.

 

[larry_g]

See previous comment - 40 miles away!

So you think it is outrageous to pay $8-10 to save you 40 miles of driving? That doesn't compute in my book. Living in the sticks has its advantages and its costs. You pays your money and makes your choice.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Alchymist]

So you think it is outrageous to pay $8-10 to save you 40 miles of driving? That doesn't compute in my book. Living in the sticks has its advantages and its costs. You pays your money and makes your choice.

lg
no neat sig line

Nope, not driving 40 miles OR paying exorbitant shipping. He11, I can buy the whole sander and the shipping is only $6.99. I don't buy a lot of stuff online, but what I do buy goes to the companies that don't charge out of line shipping. You can see a $5-10 difference in shipping for the same item depending on who you buy it from.

 

[2oolhound]

Yep, you gotta consider the shipping cost when shopping on line. Can you believe you can buy groceries on amazon? Walmart is looking at doing it too as are the larger major grocery chains who have more experience dealing with perishable and dated foodstuffs. Nowadays multi-national conglomerates may own giants like amazon AND ups so they figure "the planes have to fly whether they are 1/2 full or full, so might as well make sure it's a full payload on board".

 

[ChevyEFI]

Two thoughts:

Stop at a vaccuum supply place. The one I use in Phx on Bell is across from HF IIRC, and a couple belts for a vac. were < $5. Maybe they'll have one that works.

Contact the suppliers and "will you ship USPS on low volume orders please." Maybe you'll luck out.

 

[Farmall450]

That's one of my pet peeves when companies are too stupid to offer USPS first class parcel rates on small parts.

I tried to order a very small drill bit the other day and they only offered ultra expensive/uncompetitive UPS at around $15 for something that could ship USPS for $1.68.

But wait, it'll get there 12 hours sooner

 

[ZRX61]

try your local Motion Industries.

 

[theknurl]

try McMaster-Carr shipping will be $4.25

ZRX61;
Motion Industries get ~$95 for a 3810-2RS bearing before tax, I sell the same one on the MV Agusta Forum for $34

I ship stuff for 3 motorcycle Forums, Worldwide

 

[Alchymist]

Neither Grainger nor McMaster Carr list it.

 

[theknurl]

Neither Grainger nor McMaster Carr list it.

well, since you didn't list a length, width or pitch.......

try these;
http://www.mcmaster.com/#timing-belts/=p8myg6

 

[Alchymist]

well, since you didn't list a length, width or pitch.......

try these;
http://www.mcmaster.com/#timing-belts/=p8myg6

Posted this in the OP: 106XL031

Here's what I'm talking about - a belt that must weigh all of 1/4 ounce -

 

[srmofo]

I say buy another sander and keep the old one for parts...so you dont end up in this position again....or do like all the jackasses in my area do and return the old one in the new box (happened to me once) or be remove said belt and return new sander (also happened to me)


j/k

 

[deltaphisig]

Might try these people... http://stores.ebay.com/Polybelt

 

[deltaphisig]

Also, count those cogs and make sure the length is right. A quick google search suggests you night be looking for a 130-XL-031, which can be had for less than $10 shipped.

 

[CWP1616L]

Guess I'll just buy another sander @ $29.99.

Or pay a little bit more for a Porter-Cable that you can get parts for.

 

[bmxr4life87]

Would a large durometer o ring work in place of the belt?

 

[Alchymist]

I say buy another sander and keep the old one for parts...so you dont end up in this position again....or do like all the jackasses in my area do and return the old one in the new box (happened to me once) or be remove said belt and return new sander (also happened to me)


j/k

Only problem with this is I suspect after a while the new one would break the drive belt!

Also, count those cogs and make sure the length is right. A quick google search suggests you night be looking for a 130-XL-031, which can be had for less than $10 shipped.

See post #1 - 106XL is the correct length

Would a large durometer o ring work in place of the belt?

I doubt it, the pulleys are cogged.


Interesting reverse - $10.95 for the belt, $2.00 shipping:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicago-Ele...178?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d84e4b2a

Point being, spending half the cost of a new sander for a drive belt isn't happening.

 

[Davefr]

Posted this in the OP: 106XL031

Here's what I'm talking about - a belt that must weigh all of 1/4 ounce -

One of many examples.

Can anyone explain the logic behind these idiotic suppliers that would rather loose business then offer shipping alternatives other then ultra expensive/uncompetitive UPS.

I swear they care more about UPS's bottom line then their own.

P.S. Have you tried ereplacementparts.com? They have inexpensive shipping on small items.

 

[7th Kahuna]

One of many examples.

Can anyone explain the logic behind these idiotic suppliers that would rather loose business then offer shipping alternatives other then ultra expensive/uncompetitive UPS.

I swear they care more about UPS's bottom line then their own.

I think their concern is profit rather than customers. Could it be that they don't want to busy their employees with these small orders? Years ago I worked for a company that recognized the value of doing the small, limited profit jobs that other companies wouldn't take on. We undertook them with the same professionalism and speed as the big jobs. At first we approached it as advertising, thinking if we just broke even on the small jobs some portion of those clients would come back with big jobs. Turned out we were wrong.

As advertising it worked, but we REALLY misjudged demand. I ran that division of the company for two years. During that time, those (reasonably priced) small jobs which our competitors so easily passed on, not only paid for themselves but in fact covered the overhead costs for the entire company. Our larger jobs then fed straight into profit. A couple years after I left that company it was bought by a large regional firm specifically because of that ability to profitably handle the small jobs. Now we weren't a retail operation, but I think the message is still relevant. Take care of the customers and profit follows.

 

[joe_padavano]

I say buy another sander and keep the old one for parts...so you dont end up in this position again....

Unless the same belt on the new one goes bad...

To the folks complaining about the shipping cost, keep in mind that the $8-10 is not just the cost of the flat rate mailer, it's also the cost to pay someone to look up the P/N, walk to the warehouse, pull the item, fill out the shipping label, process the sale, and THEN drop the belt into the envelope.

 

[Alchymist]

Unless the same belt on the new one goes bad...

To the folks complaining about the shipping cost, keep in mind that the $8-10 is not just the cost of the flat rate mailer, it's also the cost to pay someone to look up the P/N, walk to the warehouse, pull the item, fill out the shipping label, process the sale, and THEN drop the belt into the envelope.

And how many of those could one person do in an hour? Here's a shocker - put the computer and the printer IN THE WAREHOUSE - print the shipping label and stick it to the mailer......drop in the part, seal, and drop it in the outgoing bin.

 

[GreenNV]

Many of the Top-Sellers on eBay sell items at reasonable prices, include shipping at no cost, and turnaround the item in one day by printing the shipping label and having the part already packaged. This is my go-to place when I need a special part, many of which are sold by cottage entrepreneurs.