US CUSTOMS...HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE

[flyncowboy]

I just looked for my order for HongKong, its made it to US customs yesterday, how long now?

[akent]

It seems to be all over the map.
I seem to have the best luck when a shipment is marked 'toys'.

I have only had one that took a very long time, and it was marked RC Helicopter parts.

But, I'm not sure that's what the difference was.

Maybe it's just a way for them to just make our lives miserable.
Kent

[ranben]

My order from Hobby City took 17 days just to get to the US.
Still have not received it in Alabama.

The tracking they provide will show when it leaves HK but you wont see another post until it gets into the US.

[flyncowboy]

mine shows to be in customs, only took 3 days from HC, but now who knows???

[Solitaire]

I was reading on another forum about a package from China that bounced back and forth between Atlanta and Charleston for almost a month.

I guess it was shipped with string on the box that partially covered the bar code and the computers at USPS didn't know what to do with it. Happened to a couple of guys, actually...both shipments from HobbyCity.

Thought I'd add that cowboy, just to get your heart pumpin' a bit ;D

[flyncowboy]

Man your too kind, has my new charger and some cheapo batts, need more batts to fly more/crash more, learn new ways to build more, hmmm looks like beer thirty!!!

[ranben]

Heres a copy of the tracking on mine. Of course the most recent is at the top.

Processed, March 14, 2009, 12:37 am, JAMAICA, NY 11405
Foreign International Dispatch, February 27, 2009, 1:15 pm, HONG KONG AIR MAIL CENTRE, HONG KONG
Foreign Acceptance, February 26, 2009, 3:40 pm, HONG KONG

[Solitaire]

Well, I've heard of "A slow boat from China", but 15 days to get to NY?

[ranben]

Yep...........guess it will go from New York to Alabama on the mule wagon. ;D

[akent]

Wow, Ranben!!
I guess that shipment has your servos and other parts?

Those guys were pretty quick to me at 14 days or so.

I don't understand why they have such variable shipping times. Surely it's not our side causing this, one would wonder.

So, once you get that shipment, what else are you lacking for your build? Did you get your radio back yet?

Oh, and I did happen to buy a KA400H 3500kv motor from Hobbyking (hobbycity). Plugged it in and it sang the ESC tune, and then proceeded to melt on my table, barely able to hit 1k rpm. I do like to zing up a motor just a little before installation. The sparks were cool, but they didn't smell very good. I wouldn't recommend one of those $12 brushless motors.

I am rapidly becoming turned off to some of these Chinese 'deals'. It takes someone like me to buy one though to warn others.

Take care,
Kent

[Solitaire]

I'm still waiting for two of the Alpha 400's I ordered with the EXI, so in the meantime I ordered this:

store.rcsupersales.net/servlet/-strse-1011/450HDX-3550KV-Brushless-Motors/Detail

If it's anything like the 300HDX I have on the Neon, it'll be a good add for the EXI

[Tony]

A few months ago I had an order from Miracle Mart take almost three weeks thanks to U.S. Customs. The package made it from Hong Kong to NY in 4 days and then sat there for over 2 weeks, and it was the Jamaica, NY facility too.

[ranben]

LOL............well, I thought I would have everything when the package arrives but so far based on your reports, I will still have to buy another motor and the cyclic servo's. I bought that same KA400H motor (it had great reviews) and Tower Pro SG90 servo's.

Still dont have the TX back yet, plan on calling them tomorrow. They said 7 to 10 days. Should be about time.

[akent]

Ok, Ranben, it's probably partly my fault, if I recommended that motor and servos. I don't remember.

Yes it had great reviews. But I'm guessing that I just got a bad one. It happens. There is a lot of wire inside that motor! I could just pull it apart, too. Pulled the whole outer rotating body off the motor. That was odd. The Alpha doesn't do that.

Did I recommend the SG90's? Ugh. You might be Ok, if you do the static boom mod, and I could send you four spares for free. But that's a moot point if any of them fail.

Argh. I hate having tried to do a super cheap build with super cheap crap that doesn't work.
Kent

[mtnmole]

My worst shipment from Hobbycity got stuck in Jamaica NY. for 5 weeks. Bounced back and forth between 2 customs offices 4 times before being released. But that was that was the worst. 15-18 days seems about average for me unless I use EMS. Then it really is 4-5 days, but pricey.