Canadians Purchasing Tools in the United States

[Brye Goodspeed]

As a Canadian its difficult to get local suppliers to bring in the variety available in the United States. In some cases the supplier does not offer a CSA Certified version for the Canadian market.

Question is, have any Canadians opted to pick up tools state side? If so, what issues if any have you experienced?

[Myk Rian]

I do know that you tell customs the machines are for hobby use.

[Lee Schierer]

As a product engineer in a former employment, we used to obtain UL and CSA listings on the equipment we manufactured. ETL and EU have also entered the world of manufacturing approvals. However, the costs and differing electrical codes have driven the manufacturers away form obtaining multiple listings. I purchased a Delta Band saw in Canada and brought it home with no problems. I don't know about taking tools the other way if you are not planning on returning to the US.

[Mark Kornell]

I'm Canadian, have a bunch of Grizzly tools in my shop. Pick some up and brought them back myself, others I had shipped.

No issues either way. While they may ask you as the border if it is for hobby or business use, that only affects how the import classified for duty purposes. You don't get the personal exemption for business imports. But you can still import.

The CSA listing is an electrical code and possibly insurance issue. You can import regardless - CBSA won't check and doesn't care. You use a non-CSA tool at your own risk, though. Electricians are not supposed to hook up a non-CSA devise, and most insurance policies will exclude based on the electrical code violation if the device ever causes a claim.

It is possible to have devices individually CSA certified once they are in Canada. Not sure how to go about getting this done, though.

[mreza Salav]

What machines are you talking about? You can find similar machines (or identical ones) and given the $ ratio it doesn't seem very attractive to shop south of the border (not as much as it used to be).

[Rick Fisher]

Border doesn't care about CSA.. They will want the country of origin if the value exceeds the exemption.

[Craig Hoehn]

You can get the electrical certification done yourself, but its a little risky because they will likely find a few things that would need to be replaced. The electrical certification is a provincial requirement and typically the provincial electrical inspector will list all the companies that they deem qualified to do a certification. Companies like CSA, Intertek, ULC, ESA, and a few others will do the certification to CSA-SPE-1000. Ive heard prices range from 400 to 4000 depending on the complexity of the equipment, and where the inspector is located. If you can find an inspector in your city it should be fairly easy and there are actually quite a few electricians that can do the certification. Here are the interpretations for Saskatchewan, read page 13. http://www.saskpower.com/wp-content/...ions-FINAL.pdf Each Provence should have something similar.

[Dan Hintz]

I'd love some clarifications from the CA folk (or at least folks who have crossed the border, never having done so myself).

I was told the border patrol were really only on a few main roads... taking a back road (albeit somewhat longer trip) would avoid all of that. Do said backroads exist? If so, it would seem a huge oversight, but then again, it's a huge border, and it's not like us 'mericans are doing that great patrolling the Mexican border.

[Harvey Miller]

I'd love some clarifications from the CA folk (or at least folks who have crossed the border, never having done so myself).

I was told the border patrol were really only on a few main roads... taking a back road (albeit somewhat longer trip) would avoid all of that. Do said backroads exist? If so, it would seem a huge oversight, but then again, it's a huge border, and it's not like us 'mericans are doing that great patrolling the Mexican border.

Forty years ago that was true- I know at least one place where the road across the border was blocked by a swing down post with a border sign, and cross border towns that were pretty informal, but I doubt anything like that exists today. At the very least they would have sensors to detect traffic- both on the roads and the surrounding woods.

[Brye Goodspeed]

Mreza, I am considering a few actually. Benchtop Mortiser, Drill Press (Floor) 15" Planer, and a 10" Cabinet Saw.

Even with the current exchange rate, and the potential for duty at the border some of these machines are still a better buy. It's not just the dollar though, its quality vs. the dollars spent too.

[David Masters]

I don't know about roads unmanned by border agents, but Canada does have a remote border crossing permit that the last time I obtained one, was good for two years. I've used it to cross the border in a canoe or when hiking in areas where Canada no longer kept border or customs stations in the area.

[Gregory King]

Bought a Delta drill press about 5 years ago, when the exchange rate was close to par. Had it shipped to the nearest Maine border point. Tracked the shipping and called the receiver on a Thursday when it arrived. I picked up on the following Saturday AM. Brought the item info to the custom office and paid the GST. 13%. Slick way to do business. Company shipped to all states for the same rate. Greg

[Phil Thien]

At the very least they would have sensors to detect traffic- both on the roads and the surrounding woods.

Seriously?

Can anyone confirm that?

[Harvey Miller]

Here's one example
"The last time a guy he knew walked across the line nearby, the U.S. Border Patrol chopper was overhead in two minutes, and some witless creep with a bullhorn was shouting down at the guy, telling him to report to the patrol post right friggin’ now"
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/mag...order-town.asp

[Peter Kelly]

Load it all onto a boat and sail across Lake Ontario / Huron / Superior.