Sourcing quick-change lathe tool posts from China

Duty and the lathe tool-holder code

Heading 8466 covers machine-tool parts and accessories, including tool holders. Quick-change lathe tool posts and their tool holders are candidates for 8466 10 31 00, covering other tool holders for lathes. The table shows product variants within this same tariff line. Cutting inserts are separate goods; see the wider machine-tool accessories guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the lathe tool-holder line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or import control for this line. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code using drawings, the locking mechanism, the intended lathe and the contents of each set. Ask your customs broker to check separately supplied mounting parts and cutting tools rather than applying the tool-post code to every item.

Specify the mounting and holder interface

Specify wedge or piston locking, the post mounting bore, stud thread, mounting plate shape and available space on the compound slide. State the tool-shank range, boring-bar bore and achievable cutting-edge height. Check that the holder can reach spindle centre height without its adjustment running out.

Provide dimensioned drawings of the dovetail and mating holders. Agree material, heat treatment, ground contact surfaces, locking action and a repeatability acceptance method. A supplier's size designation alone does not establish interchangeability. Approve a sample fitted to the intended lathe before releasing the production order.

Suppliers must supply safe work equipment. Request fitting and operating instructions, and have the machine builder or safety adviser review compatibility where the attachment changes guarding or tool holding.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 500 replacement quick-change lathe tool holders under 8466 10 31 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,900, so it is £1,180. 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: check the bore, stud thread, mounting plate and seating face against the drawing; trial-fit on the intended compound slide.

Locking: check dovetail contact, holder seating and handle clearance; look for movement after locking and burrs that prevent full engagement.

Repeatability: remove and refit a holder with a test tool, measuring cutting-edge position against the agreed acceptance criteria; check the height adjuster stays secured.

Condition: check clamping screws, boring-bar bores, contact-surface finish and agreed hardness evidence; inspect protective oil and individual packing for rust or impact damage.

What goes wrong

A post can fit the mounting stud yet leave the tool above spindle centre height. Holders sold under matching size names can have different dovetail profiles, leaving partial contact or preventing insertion. A locking handle may also foul the chuck guard or nearby controls.

Poorly finished contact faces, loose height-adjuster nuts and clamping screws that bottom out can allow the cutting edge to move. Compare the delivered batch with the approved sample, repeat the fitting and locking checks, and separate suspect holders before use.

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.