buying supplies

[rvieceli]

Anybody else hate buying supplies for the shop? by supplies I mean, sandpaper, screws, nuts, bolts and other sundry stuff you need to make whatever you make.

Just dropped a not insignificant amount on that kind of stuff. It's never fun and always expensive. But I need to have said stuff in the shop so I don't have to wait to get things delivered.

Buying tools is fun. Buying wood is enjoyable. this stuff is just tedious.

Ron

 

[Sparktrician]

I have to agree.  That said, one thing that annoys me about big box stores is seeing something online, checking local quantities, and getting to the store only to find an empty shelf, or finding the item boxed, only to open it and find that the item is damaged, missing parts, or used (as in, someone "swapped out" a damaged or defective part for a free replacement at the store's expense).  [mad]

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Just imagine what it's like for guys like me who do this for a living, 50 hours a week ..........

 

[Holzhacker]

In general I like buying supplies. What I don't like about it is that even though I have a list, it always costs more than I budgeted. Somehow other stuff falls into the cart.  ;D  [unsure]

 

[squall_line]

I think the key if you hobby enough or if you mainly work on new items is to standardize as much as possible to limit how many different types of hardware/supplies/etc you need.  For example: only one or two threaded insert sizes along with their respective screws, confirmat screws in only one or two sizes, etc.

If you're working in remodeling or repair, you have a completely different set of concerns, in which case I would probably be constantly salvaging and scavenging to keep all of the weird odd bits on hand that you never know may come in handy on another site.  Then it's a matter of organization, which is another ball of wax entirely...

 

[luvmytoolz]

I love buying supplies and pretty much do it anytime I see anything I know I'll use in quantity, or will likely need at some point. Being a sucker for a bargain also helps greatly. I'm still using Festool sandpaper I bought 40 years ago!

And there's nothing more satisfying than getting out that left hand thread vari-headed combobulator you bought 3 years ago just in case...!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Just imagine what it's like for guys like me who do this for a living, 50 hours a week ..........

Yeah. The best thing the shop where I work has done lately is to hire a specific shipping/receiving/inventory control person. She keeps all of it straight.
We used to "somewhat" keep track of things in different departments. It was far more out of control than anyone really knew.
The storage system keeps the sheet goods right and she has everything else. It took a while to get everything organized and counted, but now there are re-order minimum quantity points in an actual data-base. Products that are ordered for specific jobs are marked with that number and stored in a certain area. "Stock" items, that we all use, have a store-room space/shelf. The amount of time saved and frustration cut out is enormous.

I have to agree.  That said, one thing that annoys me about big box stores is seeing something online, checking local quantities, and getting to the store only to find an empty shelf, or finding the item boxed, only to open it and find that the item is damaged, missing parts, or used (as in, someone "swapped out" a damaged or defective part for a free replacement at the store's expense).  [mad]

The store and everyone who shops there. That's a downright dirty thing to do.

I love buying supplies and pretty much do it anytime I see anything I know I'll use in quantity, or will likely need at some point. Being a sucker for a bargain also helps greatly. I'm still using Festool sandpaper I bought 40 years ago!

And there's nothing more satisfying than getting out that left hand thread vari-headed combobulator you bought 3 years ago just in case...!

40 years is a bit ambitious  [scared] but I definitely get it.
I have bought many tools because of need, where it was too late at the time, knowing that it would come back up again. In those cases, I would find some kind of workaround and be ready for next time. Router bits are especially susceptible to this.

 

[rmwarren]

Yea... every time I need (2) M6 by 25 aircraft-grade-Govt.-spec-unobtanium fasteners I succumb and buy a box of twenty-five then end up with yet another addition to the future estate sale inventory.

There are rare times that I need a particular fastener and find, to my utter amazement, I have it on hand. Don't get me started on sanding disks [member=44099]Cheese[/member] [dead horse]

Kinda evens out.

RMW

 

[woodferret]

I don't mind supplies as much as they can be ferreted away somewhere in both short and long term storage.  Wood tends to eat up more dedicated 'climate-controlled' space so that irritates me more than sundries as it's way more lean than I'm comfortable with.  It pays however to find a good short list of online suppliers for the various things so you can just build a shopping list.  Things get added to the list if I can see the bottom of the box in cold storage.  If anything hits bingo-fuel, that list gets purchased.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I don't mind supplies as much as they can be ferreted away somewhere....

[big grin] I see what you did there

 

[Packard]

[…]Buying tools is fun. Buying wood is enjoyable. this stuff is just tedious.

Ron

Buying a new Porsche 911 Turbo is fun.  Driving at 180 mph is enjoyable.  Buying gasoline is tedious.

I don’t buy $200.00 worth of sandpaper at a time.  When I run low on one grit, I order more.  (I thank Prime for that convenience.)

When I need a special router bit, I thank Prime again. 

Maybe it is the small nibbles at the feed trough that makes this OK for me.  I would resent having to spend $200.00 for sandpaper though.

 

[xedos]

Guess ya shoulda bought a Taycan.  Then you wouldn't have to buy gas ever again.

and I always though an 80's 911 turbo was kinda terrifying to push hard.

 

[sancho57]

i always buy in large enough qtys so I dont have to go through that conumdrum of buying nit noid things. It does cost more up front, but for me it saves me money as I dont sweat price increases as I always have enough, that it until I have to buy more.

ya get better prices buying in qtys

my mentor "Mr P" RIP were talking to a couple of contractors One was a friend the other was my contractor friends buddy who was also a snob. If you werent a pro hejust well ignored me like i wasnt there sort of thing.

Well the subject got on buying euro hinges. So this guy said he buys his hinges from xyz and biys this type because they are cheap and he charges his customers and premium price for them.

Mr P waited until the snob finished his spiel and said, Hell I buy premium hinges by the case as Im going to use them anyway, cheaper to buy that way and charge the customer the regular price for each hinge.
I still remember the look on the snobs face and then he started trying to pick Mr Ps brains and he being Mr P just sort of ignored him.
man I miss Mr P

 

[Packard]

I buy my sanding discs (5”) in lots of 100 pieces from Amazon for $19.99/hundred.  But I only buy the particular grit that I need.

These discs cut as well, and seem to last as long as the Gator discs I get locally at much higher per piece pricing. 

I keep about 6 different grits in stock, but I have never ordered more than one at a time. 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I buy my sanding discs (5”) in lots of 100 pieces from Amazon for $19.99/hundred.  But I only buy the particular grit that I need.

These discs cut as well, and seem to last as long as the Gator discs I get locally at much higher per piece pricing. 

I keep about 6 different grits in stock, but I have never ordered more than one at a time.

I have some of those Power Tech branded (Amazon) for my RTS400. They seem to work fine, but I don't use it nearly as much as the Rotex's or the ETS EC 125. I only have 120 and 220 for that one.
For 5" discs, I keep some Granat in the medium grits, which are the ones I use the most.  (80, 120, 150) Above or below that, it's Klingspor. We have a rep that comes in every couple of weeks to keep everybody topped-up.
I have experimented with Mirka Abranet, 3M Cubritron, and some foam backed stuff from Klingspor for working with solid surface (Corian and the like)
Between the different sanders/sizes I have everything from 40 to 500 in regular discs and up to 3500 in net or foam pads.
60, 100, and 120 for the RAS115. 40, 80, and 120 in the big 8" PSA geared-orbital sanders. Those are all from the Klingspor guy too. It's mostly about simplicity. He comes around and it's just easy, comes in 2 days.