Browsing the web - Grizzly lathes

[Mike313]

Hi all,
I was browsing the web yesterday for nothing in particular and happened across the Grizzly Industrial Company website. This American company product a range of wood lathes and say they ship to the UK (although I imagine the cost of shipping a lathe would be eye-watering). I'm not actually looking for a lathe    but as it's a make I'd never heard of before, I thought expand my knowledge by asking - does anyone on here use one and are they good, bad or indifferent?
Mike.

[bodrighywood]

You see them a lot on the American sites and they seem to have a decent reputation. Can't begin to imagine the cost of shipping to the UK though.

Pete

[Derwent Woodturning club]

And remember it's not just the actual shipping cost, you will have to pay import duty and VAT on all of it; cost of lathe, cost of shipping and the duty.

[APH]

You might find the cost of shipping isn't as bad as you think, but anything cheap will be by sea and take a long time. Also whilst they might offer to ship to the UK will that be a 240v model or will you need a voltage converter or new motor ?

Looking at the web site they mostly look like they've come out of the same factory as the Jet/Powermatic lathes.

I really can't see why you'd bother to import something like this when you can buy effectively the same thing from a reputable UK supplier with less trouble and delay. If you needed to send something back under warranty it would cost a fair bit and you might be without a working lathe for some time.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Orrr.... go on holiday to the states with a few friends and get them to each put a piece in their luggage to bring back. At customs just say it is a piece of tribal art. That should work!