DSF

If you order from outside UK, you pay import duty, which is variable depending on the type of product(s) you are importing. You then pay VAT on top of this (on the total value of the order including what you've paid to ship it.
The Chinese factories usually declare the value of the items a lot lower than they actually are to help you out in this, and sometimes declare them as other product types too so that you pay less duty.

The appear to back on the coralgraph website as well now.

We had problems with the Coralgraph slates not being the nice glossy finish usually found on the slates - unless Coralgraph have changed their stock/supplier, they say in the description that they are "matt", for us though it wasn't just the lack of glossyness, it was that the colours didn't print properly, the colours came out quite muted/faded compared to how slates we usually print from other suppliers.
This is discussed in another thread if you search for slate you may find it, it was fairly recent.

We have used a fair few of them from Coralgraph and they sell both the matt and glossy ones. I am not sure if we have had any from elsewhere in the past, but have no issues with the coralgraph ones we have used so far. The glossy ones have lovely sharp colours for us. I may get some from elsewhere with my next order just to compare though

They must have got new stock in, as when we ordered ours they only had matt

Coralgraph is where i got mine from too, but i wanted the different designs they have in the 1st link i put up. i'll just have to stick with rectangle and square.

Also i posted about the "A" Pad for the slates too, can i use anything else? I've seen the baking silicon mats but most if not all are textured so i want a smooth finish one. any ideas?

Coralgraph have the square rectangle and bell shaped ones in at the moment.
I dont use a sheet with mine, just the general protective sheets

Karen.;79421 wrote:Coralgraph have the square rectangle and bell shaped ones in at the moment.
I dont use a sheet with mine, just the general protective sheets

Now the small square ones gone lol, it's a large square one.

I used the photo facing down on the slate and placed a teflon sheet on top of the paper but the texture of the teflon sheet went through to the picture and ruined it

We just use the cheap baking sheets to stop ink transfer onto the press plate etc.

baracus;79419 wrote: Also i posted about the "A" Pad for the slates too, can i use anything else? I've seen the baking silicon mats but most if not all are textured so i want a smooth finish one. any ideas?

here it is: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X-Large-Silic ... 460170f855
not textured, perfect for slates. used one in this video: