International shipping w/o UPS or USPS modules

HI!
I'm selling through a dropshipper and really don't have much control over actual shipping method, I just want to charge enough to cover what the wholesaler is going to charge me.
Right now I have shipping charges set up as table rate, $5.50 as handling charge on first item with 0 shipping and $1.75 per item thereafter for shipping. Which equals my policy of $5.50 for first item and $1.75 for each additional item.
And I have free shipping kicking in at $75 order total.
All that works great but I can't figure out how to make international charges kick in on top of that.
I have the UPS and USPS modules disabled.
I was thinking I could try using the zone module, similar to an answer found here; http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69954 to define international rates.
Will the table and zone modules work together like that or will they conflict?
My webmaster tells me that it's possible the cart will display both as shipping options. If so it would display the US zone as free on all orders in that zone and display what amounts to a flat fee for all international orders. Along with displaying the table rate options. I'm assuming anyway...
And after I get this straighened out I need to try to set up Express and Overnight shipping options...

In short, my current shipping policy is:
We charge $5.50 for the first item and $1.75 for each additional item. 2nd day shipping is $15 extra and overnight shipping is $25 extra. International Airmail is $38 extra. UPS international is at least $50 extra and possibly more, depending on what you are ordering.

These charges are based on what my wholesaler is charging me, plus a few cents...

Can the cart be configured to do this? Or would I be better off overhauling my policies and go by zone based flat rates?

TIA, any input
Kerry

Per Item shipping ...
Handling Fee: 5.50
Per Item: 1.75

If all orders over $75.00 are free, then use the Modules ... Order Total ... Shipping ot_shipping and set the setting for Free Shipping on orders over 75.00 ...

You can clone the Per Item item shipping module to create your 2nd day and another clone for overnight and just adjust the handling fee ...

Or you could add a handling fee to UPS or USPS and work from those rate quotes based on weight ...

I forwarded your reply to my webmaster and between the two of us maybe we can royaly bugger it up.

On my free shipping over $75, I exclude international orders and bulky/heavy items. That's just too narrow a margin...
Not that I have many heavy/bulky items, just enough to throw everything off. Those are the only items I have weights for.

Would the free shipping setting over ride the international shipping charges? I'm not clear on which modules take precedence and when they will conflict with one another.

IF you setup a Free Shipping on orders over $75 for National, then Internation will not have this option ...

The problem with 0 weight or Always Free Shipping is those are meant for All ...

You could use something like UPS or USPS and Free Shipping Options freeoptions where Free Options display on orders with a Total >= 75.00 but set the Zone to that for only those allowed to have Free Shipping when >= 0 ...

What this does is show UPS and Free Shipping on orders over $75.00 to everyone except international ...

That means if you have a product with weight ... and the customer wants a faster shipping method ... then they can pick a method from UPS (or USPS etc.)