NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jul 11, 2019 11:31:52 GMT -5
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cosmetal
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2018
Posts: 115
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Post by cosmetal on Jul 11, 2019 11:35:00 GMT -5
Thank you. No turning back on the pliers now. Surprised the Rio Grande would charge 16 bucks sales tax, even when they were in another state. They must have a Nevada location to do that. <snip>
"On June 21, 2018, the United States Supreme Court fundamentally changed the rules for collection of sales tax by Internet-based retailers." Internet Sales TaxAlso, check the link within the article to view your state's tax legislation on remote sellers. James |
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jul 11, 2019 11:38:54 GMT -5
Thank you. I've make a hundred internet transactions over the last year, and only noticed the practice on Amazon.
Again. If I had been aware of the Sales Tax before or during the transaction, I think that it would have greatly improved my opinion of Rio Grande.
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cosmetal
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2018
Posts: 115
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Post by cosmetal on Jul 11, 2019 11:56:40 GMT -5
Thank you. I've make a hundred internet transactions over the last year, and only noticed the practice on Amazon. Again. If I had been aware of the Sales Tax before or during the transaction, I think that it would have greatly improved my opinion of Rio Grande. Nevada appears to have even stricter requirements than CA. They recently passed a law that allows their tax revenue department to go after internet "marketplace facilitators" and "marketplace referrers". I believe that they are referring to any internet site such as RTH that gets commissions from internet sales of their members. "A.B. 445 – would require marketplace facilitators to collect tax and marketplace referrers to either collect tax or comply with notice and reporting requirements effective July 1, 2019 (Signed by the Governor on June 12, 2019)" Nevada A.B. 445
James |
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jul 11, 2019 22:07:28 GMT -5
Rather than engage in a boring debate over the particular of state taxes. Back to the subject of tools. The new pliers came in today. And they look like they would have been perfect for making the pendant project the other night.  Thank you especially to Rockjunquie and Pat for the great recommendations. I appreciate your time very much! |
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Post by drocknut on Jul 15, 2019 15:19:53 GMT -5
Has anyone found a pair of truly 100% flush cutters? I’d sure like a pair!! I think Xuron makes a full flush cutter but never tried it. |
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Post by drocknut on Jul 15, 2019 15:35:20 GMT -5
I am hesitant to return to Rio Grande, even with the mentions above. We will see. They do not have a store presence in my state (Nevada). And it is not just the fact they charged State Sales Tax, but the manner in which they did. If you use Paypal for the transaction as I did (can't speak for credit card, etc), there is absolutely no mention of Sales Tax during any of the screens, leading up to the transaction, or the Paypal transaction. There is no special mention of it either. You are only aware that there has been a tax, AFTER your whole transaction is complete, and you are sent a receipt with the charge included. In my case 16.50 or so. In order to not be charged Tax, you need to fill out some special form, and apply for a Tax Free exemption, and be granted one (PRIOR) to your transaction. And it cannot be applied to any transaction made before this is done. Not only is the practice unheard of, but the method in which Rio Grande slipped in the Sales Tax, is downright shady. Know this if you have not used them before. I believe you are referring to a resale license or what we call a TPT license in Arizona. It is basically a piece of paper from the state that says you are a business buying items and not subject to tax on the items. You are most likely paying retail prices as a customer so the sales tax had to be charged. Amazon does the same thing to me sometimes on things I order that come from certain places. The sales tax is always calculated after the purchase and added to the total on the receipt, at least that has been my experience. |
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Post by Pat on Jul 15, 2019 15:40:48 GMT -5
Has anyone found a pair of truly 100% flush cutters? I’d sure like a pair!! I think Xuron makes a full flush cutter but never tried it. Lapidary Journal touted the Xuron cutters. I bought a pair. It truly was NOT full flush. . Wrote their tools author. No response. Don’t bother. |
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Post by drocknut on Jul 15, 2019 15:42:26 GMT -5
I didn't see anyone mention it (or I missed it), but I also coat all of the tips of my pliers in a plastic coating to reduce the amount of tool marks on the metal. I have used Tool Magic in the past, but I am transitioning to Plastidip because I hear it's more durable an lasts longer in the can (after you open the jar, over time TM starts to thicken and really unusable after a few months - and I don't go through that much in a few months). I just condition all my tools. I sand them down nice and smooth and make sure all the edges have been rounded over a hair. Some people use tape, too. I do the same, file them down to make the edges rounded slightly. I also try to use a lighter hand when using the pliers and also use my hands to do the wire bending when possible. I also use a small diameter dowel rod cut into a 3 inch piece for forming my bail wires. One of these days I hope to be able to get a good bail making plier but the dowel rod works great for me and I can keep it in place in the bail while I finish the wrapping so the bail stays rounded and doesn't get squished. Just my 2cents worth. |
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Post by drocknut on Jul 15, 2019 15:43:53 GMT -5
I think Xuron makes a full flush cutter but never tried it. Lapidary Journal touted the Xuron cutters. I bought a pair. It truly was NOT full flush. . Wrote their tools author. No response. Don’t bother. Thanks for the info. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 15, 2019 15:48:07 GMT -5
I like the xuron needle nose pliers. Use them on every wrap.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Aug 20, 2019 14:19:43 GMT -5
The Swanstrom pliers have turned out to be every bit as good as I was hoping they would be. The cutters will handle 16 gauge easily and I don't have anything thicker right now.
RioGrande sent the wrong pair of Round Nose pliers with the kit. Can be seen in the picture, the handles are too thin. So I had a chance to test their RMA process. I am happy to report they have good customer service at Rio Grande, and I had the correct pair of pliers in my hand the next day actually.
I have bought other Swanstrom pliers from Rio Grande (such as the parallel bail forming pliers, and Delrin jaw pliers, as well as some other tools and materials now also.
I am starting to experiment with chain mail now, so there will likely be other tools to buy for that in the future as well.
I appreciate all of the recommendations here. Thank you.
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julieooly
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2018
Posts: 721 
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Post by julieooly on Aug 22, 2019 12:45:12 GMT -5
I started collecting tools last year but have yet to begin any jewelry projects. I simply couldn't afford the pricey ones recommended to me but got a great deal on Ebay for a set of 4 red-handled German Gesswein pliers. www.gesswein.com/p-3363-german-standard-weight-pliers-set-of-4.aspxI also picked up two tools by Xuron with blue handles, I believe one is a flush cutter. I think one of the best things you can do is to begin with quality tools vs what you might get at a craft store. There's probably a reason why your neighbor had a big collection of tools, some of them were probably crappy things she started with. |
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Aug 26, 2019 11:38:35 GMT -5
Thank you for the nice pliers recommend, julieooly . I think those look like they would work really nice. rockjunquie , I am wondering about something you wrote earlier, which I am just returning to now: " I just condition all my tools. I sand them down nice and smooth and make sure all the edges have been rounded over a hair. Some people use tape, too."
I have used Tool Magic now, and I don't like it personally. I've used various tapes, and also heat shrink wrap on a tool. But I don't like the coatings at all. I prefer the precision of the grabbing action of the pliers themselves, over something with a coating. Pliers just have better precision for grabbing at odd angles, when they are not coated. None of mine are coated at the moment for that reason.
I have a lot of sandpaper, and files around of various grit. What would you recommend for taking the edges off? Any particular grit? Not asking you to be an expert on the subject or anything.
I ask because it occurred to me that I might mar things a lot less, if the sides of the pliers were just rounded a bit. Not too much. But most of my mars come from the sides.
On a side note, the Swanstrom Parallel bail forming pliers
are going to have many uses it turns out. More than I thought. But the metal piece which sticks out the side, that aides that parallel action, gets in the way a lot. More than I had hoped. I am probably doing something wrong, but when forming a bail, the last thing I need in my life, is another thing in the way. Hehe.
Regardless, they are really well made, and could also be used to form a few chainmail links too.
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 26, 2019 11:51:06 GMT -5
NevadaBill I use a coarse emery board and gently round all the edges. I also smooth the throat.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Aug 26, 2019 11:54:56 GMT -5
Perfect! I have a couple course emery boards at my disposal (wife will never suspect I used them on tools!).
I think I can imagine where the "throat" part of the plier is. But it escapes me why we would want to sand (create small scratches in) an already perfectly flat surface? Maybe I can't picture this properly.
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 26, 2019 13:11:03 GMT -5
Not all of them are smooth. If yours are, then that's good.  |
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