Sourcing tool holders and collets from China
Parts and accessories for machine tools from China, including tool holders, collets, chucks, vices, dividing heads and machine parts, pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Precision, runout and matching the machine's taper standard decide whether they work. Cambridge China Bridge sources machine tool accessories.
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Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, tool holders including arbors, collets and sleeves, self-opening dieheads, work holders including jigs and fixtures, dividing heads and other special attachments, and parts and accessories for machines of headings 8456 to 8465 of heading 8466 carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. For coolant accessories, see our guide to sourcing machine-tool coolant nozzles.
Interchangeable cutting tools such as drills, end mills and inserts are in heading 8207, and complete machine tools in headings 8456 to 8465; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbors, collets and sleeves | 8466 10 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other tool holders for lathes | 8466 10 31 00 | 0% | None |
| Self-opening dieheads | 8466 10 80 00 | 0% | None |
| Jigs and fixtures | 8466 20 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Dividing heads and special attachments | 8466 30 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts for woodworking machines, cast | 8466 91 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts for presses and bending machines | 8466 94 00 00 | 0% | None |
Standards that make parts fit
Tool holders must match the spindle taper: steep taper holders are specified to ISO 7388, HSK holders to ISO 12164, and ER collets and chucks to ISO 15488, with the collet range, runout grade and balance grade stated. Chucks, vices and rotary tables should come with accuracy checks against the maker's stated tolerances. For clamping accessories, see sourcing machine tool clamping kits.
Accessories that change how a machine guards or holds work, such as power chucks and automatic vices, can affect the machine's conformity, so the buyer's machine builder or safety adviser should confirm they are compatible.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 5,000 ER collets and 500 tool holders, entered under 8466 10 20 00: £24,000 free on board plus £900 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £24,900. Collets and tool holders carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £24,900, £4,980, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Runout and fit: runout measured with a test bar and dial indicator against the grade claimed under ISO 15488 for collets and the relevant taper standard for holders, taper contact checked by bluing against a master gauge, and retention knobs checked against ISO 7388-3 or the machine maker's specification.
Balance and hardness: holders sold for high spindle speeds supplied with a balance report to the quality grade stated under ISO 21940-11, and taper and clamping surfaces checked for hardness by Rockwell testing to ISO 6508-1 on samples from each batch.
Workholding accuracy: vices, chucks and rotary tables checked for parallelism, repeatability and clamping force against the supplier's accuracy certificate, with jaws, bores and threads inspected for burrs, and every holder oiled and individually packed to prevent rust and damage in transit.
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What goes wrong
Tool holders and accessories fail on runout, hardness and balance. Collets and holders with runout above the stated grade shorten tool life and spoil surface finish, soft or poorly ground tapers wear and fret in the spindle, and holders not balanced for high speeds vibrate. Vices lose parallelism, chuck jaws are not ground true, and pull studs made to the wrong standard for the machine are dangerous.
Measure runout on samples with a test bar and dial indicator, check taper contact with bluing, check hardness, ask for a balance report for high-speed holders, and confirm pull stud type and thread against the machine maker's specification before ordering.
Cambridge China Bridge sources tool holders, collets, chucks, vices and machine tool spares, with standards, runout checks and pull stud specifications agreed before the order. Read how we source workshop equipment.
Related guides: Sourcing grinding machines from China. For workpiece supports, see our machine-tool steady rests sourcing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on tool holders from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, tool holders, collets, work holders and machine tool parts of heading 8466 carried 0% duty from China.
Which standard covers ER collets?
ISO 15488; steep taper holders follow ISO 7388 and HSK holders ISO 12164.
Where do end mills and drills go?
Interchangeable cutting tools are in heading 8207, not 8466.
How is runout checked?
With a test bar and a dial indicator against the stated runout grade.