Sourcing machine-tool steady rests from China

Zero duty, with classification to confirm

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 October 2026, heading 8466 covers machine-tool parts and accessories, including work holders and special attachments. All its listed lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspensions.

The table gives classification routes to check, rather than interchangeable codes for the same steady rest. Start with work holders for lathes for a complete lathe support; distinguish dedicated fixtures, supports for other machines and separately supplied parts. The tariff attaches fluorinated greenhouse gas import control to 8466 93 60 00 and 8466 93 40 00. The importer should confirm the applicable requirement with their customs broker if either line is used.

Provide drawings, the host machine's function and details of whether the shipment contains complete rests or spare parts when confirming the commodity code. For wider workholding coverage, see CNC machine vices.

Specify the bed mounting and support geometry

State whether you need a fixed steady rest or a travelling follower rest. Supply the machine model and a mounting drawing showing bed profile, locating faces, clamp arrangement and centre height. Agree the supported workpiece diameter range, available tool clearance and how the rest opens for loading.

Specify sliding pads or rollers, contact material, lubrication, adjustment travel and replaceable wear parts. For hydraulic models, agree the operating pressure, connections, clamping behaviour and response to loss of pressure with the machine builder.

Work-equipment duties apply to businesses that own, operate or control the equipment. Accessories that alter workholding or guarding can affect machine conformity, so ask the machine builder or safety adviser to confirm compatibility before purchase. Agree installation, adjustment and maintenance instructions with the supplier.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of manual lathe steady rests under 8466 20 91 00, invoiced at £4,980 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,880. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,880, so it is £1,176. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mounting: compare the base, locating faces and clamp hardware with the approved drawing; check seating and centre alignment on the intended machine.

Contacts: check rollers turn smoothly without looseness, pads have the agreed material and finish, and lubrication reaches the contact points.

Adjustment: check the agreed diameter range, locking action, opening clearance and repeatability after releasing and resetting the support.

Condition: inspect castings, threads and machined faces for cracks, burrs and corrosion; check supplied wear parts and protective packing.

What goes wrong

A rest advertised for the same lathe size can still have the wrong bed profile or centre height. Packing under a mismatched base can conceal poor seating. Ask for a mounting drawing and trial-fit a sample before accepting the batch.

Rough rollers, loose bearings and uneven pad adjustment can mark the workpiece or give inconsistent support. Missing lubrication and inaccessible adjustment screws make the problem harder to correct. Agree acceptance checks and replacement contact parts before shipment; use quality inspection guidance to document the results.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.