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Aliexpress

Tom.1946

Graduate Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Posts
611
Location
Northern Ireland
First Name
Tom
Have a set of carbide tools on it's way to me from aliexpress. 1. Can anyone advise me if any good? 2. Will the carbide bits for sale in the UK fit them and if not can any advise which ones to buy from the same company.

Tom
 

Pensman

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Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Posts
40
Location
West Sussex
First Name
Gman
Personally, I don’t even rate the sandpaper on Aliexpress but that’s my personal view. However, I would recommend investing in the best tools that you possibly can buy. Their blades don’t hold an edge at all and before used my one any only blade purchase from the, I sharpened the blades to get a better edge. But the blades don’t seem to hold an edge for me. Just my opinion.
 

Tom.1946

Graduate Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Posts
611
Location
Northern Ireland
First Name
Tom
Personally, I don’t even rate the sandpaper on Aliexpress but that’s my personal view. However, I would recommend investing in the best tools that you possibly can buy. Their blades don’t hold an edge at all and before used my one any only blade purchase from the, I sharpened the blades to get a better edge. But the blades don’t seem to hold an edge for me. Just my opinion.
Fair comment but unfortunately these where I could afford at present. However what I was wondering was if I purchased blades as you called them, would they fit the the tools I have bought??
 

Ballistol

Full Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2023
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38
Location
Tyne & Wear
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Garry
Have a set of carbide tools on it's way to me from aliexpress. 1. Can anyone advise me if any good? 2. Will the carbide bits for sale in the UK fit them and if not can any advise which ones to buy from the same company.

Tom
I bought a set of these and to be fair they’re not bad. The big thing for me was that I wouldn’t need to sharpen them, just turn the carbide when required. They gave me the confidence to have a go, and are pretty easy to get decent results from with little prior knowledge.
I later bought a set of conventional chisels and am slowly learning how to use them properly. After using them for a while, I now appreciate the difference between them, and much prefer to use the conventional chisels, albeit they need more effort to maintain a good edge.
Just have a go with the carbides and start to develop your skills.
 

alpha1

Fellow
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Posts
1,269
Location
middlesbrough
First Name
Dave
I have a set of carbide chisels bought in the UK. I used them for a while then went back to wood gouges that I much now prefer. The carbides sit in a drawer they not likely to be out of the drawer any time soon.
 

mChavez

Full Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2024
Posts
42
Location
Scotland
First Name
R
I've been using Ali long before it became mainstream and rate it very highly. And I'm typing this message on a PC built almost entirely out of Aliexpress parts.
But you need to know how to use it and what to buy. You need to understand what you are looking for and ignore all the advertising nonsense.

Some things are of really high quality, others are not worth the price of petrol to take them to the tip.
For carbide-tipped tooling bits, the Huhao brand is top quality. Had their TCT-tipped drill bits and router bits for over a decade of reasonably hard use and they are excellent and about 1/10 price of similar stuff here.
For tct inserts, just look at the specs and buy what you need. Don't just buy the first listing that says they are for woodworking (they might not be or they might be priced at 3x markup because of the way they are marketed). You'll get the same bits from the same factory at 5x-20x price markup here. It's incredible just how greedy some UK vendors can get when re-selling drop-shipped Chinese parts.
And I'm assuming you're making your own handles for them, because, why wouldn't you?
As a rule of thumb, avoid the cheapest and the second cheapest options. If you go for medium-priced stuff, you tend to get a lot more value for your money compared to buying in the UK.

I've bought drill bits in .1 increments and they seem to be of good quality and work just fine. Not much cheaper than buying from Beufort to be honest, but I needed to spend a few more £ to get free shipping from China so added them to my basket. Some of the sheapest drill bits sold on Ali can be unusable.
I've treated myself to a set of ER32 and ER20 collets ("AA" quality, i.e. second best grade, whatever than means) and an MT1-ER20 collet chuck. Haven't used them much, but I can't say anything bad about them so far.
Taps & dies are taps & dies. Cheap & they work.

PS I don't rate most sandpaper, regardless of where it was bought. Most of it is such poor quality these days, I wouldn't care to wipe my butt with it. Just buy a few rolls of professional grade stuff, for example SIA from BND abrasives. At least you'll only cry once - when you're paying for it.
 

mChavez

Full Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2024
Posts
42
Location
Scotland
First Name
R
As far as woodwroking high carbon blades go, the Chinese Luban/Quangsheng T10 steel is by far the best product in terms of price/quality. Over the years I've treated myself to a couple Ron Hock plane irons and Ashley Iles chisels, so I know what world's best tooling looks and feels like, but I'll trust a T10 edge any time, and they are a fraction of the price of the top-tier brands.
 

MikeO

Full Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2023
Posts
35
Location
Telford
First Name
Michael
I use an online company called Ride the Bevel to buy tips of all shapes and sizes and the screws too. They are good and cheaper than elsewhere.
 

Meisear

Full Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2023
Posts
19
Location
Suffolk
First Name
Tim
Have a set of carbide tools on it's way to me from aliexpress. 1. Can anyone advise me if any good? 2. Will the carbide bits for sale in the UK fit them and if not can any advise which ones to buy from the same company.

Tom
I have a set from Ali and I’ve been impressed by them. I also use their replacement carbide tips which again I’m impressed with. Ok they might be slightly inferior tips although I personally don’t believe this, but the handles and shafts are awesome and definitely worth the money. So much cheaper than uk sourced ones most of which are Chinese anyway and the tips might be cheap but the quality isn’t. All in all I’d recommend them if you are in a budget.
 

paspa2

Apprentice Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2024
Posts
2
Location
Walsall, England
First Name
Rich
Have a set of carbide tools on it's way to me from aliexpress. 1. Can anyone advise me if any good? 2. Will the carbide bits for sale in the UK fit them and if not can any advise which ones to buy from the same company.

Tom
I haven't had much success buying from AliExpress or Temu. Prices are extremely attractive but reality of what I've received usually falls short. I either buy off eBay or save up and buy quality new from established craftsmen suppliers.
 

Meisear

Full Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2023
Posts
19
Location
Suffolk
First Name
Tim
I got these from Ali express. Are they top notch ? No. Do they do the job? Hell yes. Are they worth the cost? Absolutely. I suppose you could get better quality tips for them but I’ve never had any problems with the ones I got or the extras I Iordered.
IMG_1204.jpeg
 

Tom.1946

Graduate Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Posts
611
Location
Northern Ireland
First Name
Tom
I got these from Ali express. Are they top notch ? No. Do they do the job? Hell yes. Are they worth the cost? Absolutely. I suppose you could get better quality tips for them but I’ve never had any problems with the ones I got or the extras I Iordered.
View attachment 52977
This is the set I purchased however I haven't used as yet as I haven't got back into the shed except to make 2 pens so far. I have one or two single kits but have to get the blanks cut as I have no bandsaw and haven't got back to the Men's Shed as yet to get them cut.......
 

MikeO

Full Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2023
Posts
35
Location
Telford
First Name
Michael
I use a company called ride the bevel online to buy tips and screws very good value. I like Glen Teagle chisels too.
 
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