what is up with bridge city!!!!!!!

[tallgrass]

What is up with bridge city tools?
There stuff looks great but is never in stock.It is as if they are taking the Festool not available in North America to its logical end..not available ever, unless you pay them to have the pleasure of waiting for the possibility, to maybe on the full moon, to buy there stuff.

Do not get me wrong their stuff looks awesome and i like it a great deal but it is just so irritating that they have vastly more stuff not for sale than for sale. [embarassed]

 

[peter halle]

Bridge City Tools has gone the route of taking orders and then having the products manufactured.  This is in response to the economy.  They have fabulous tools, but buying on impulse and expecting them in a week or less is not for most cases going to happen.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Yup, I waited nearly a year for the JMPv2; I think John waited over a year (though he might have one in some unopened boxes )

Fortunately they started a Bridge City Essentials for the very useful stuff like KM-1, TM-2, marking gauges and I think the JMP will be doing a yearly run (in fact, once their new web site settles, I believe preordering for the next round will be up; this run should ship quicker as the process is in place; the last run was the first for the v2).

I believe the KM-1 (KerfMaker) is available now; ridiculously useful for dead-nuts dados and other sizing operations.  Their non-glare bench rule combo set is a steal at $20.

 

[joraft]

What is up with bridge city tools?
There stuff looks great but is never in stock.It is as if they are taking the Festool not available in North America to its logical end..not available ever, unless you pay them to have the pleasure of waiting for the possibility, to maybe on the full moon, to buy there stuff.

Do not get me wrong their stuff looks awesome and i like it a great deal but it is just so irritating that they have vastly more stuff not for sale than for sale. [embarassed]

Bridge City designs and builds very unique tools. They announce a new creation, give everyone a few months to pre-order, then build only enough for those who ordered.

Yeah, all the waiting can be tough, but on the upside, while Festool products hold their value well, Bridge City stuff often sells for MORE than the original price.  [smile]

 

[RONWEN]

I can't remember the last time I didn't have some BCT tool on order...  [unsure]

 

[tallgrass]

i know why they do it. i do not know why thy do not have a quicker stocking policy. i know they do not do the manufacturing so they they do not have to sit on the manufacturing costs. i love their stuff, but the inability to get the tools in a timely fashion leads me to look elsewhere. or make them for myself using their tools as the idea.

 

[upscale]

Yup, I waited nearly a year for the JMPv2; I think John waited over a year (though he might have one in some unopened boxes )lare bench rule combo set is a steal at $20.

I ordered by JMPV2 last August just before they started shipping reserved stock. I had my name put on the waiting list, expecting to be contacted about a year later. Apparently someone changed their mind and I got my JMPV2 about two months later. I was really lucky.

All I can suggest for anyone so interested is to have your name put on the waiting list and before they ship, they will contact you to see if you're still interested and to arrange payment.

 

[RONWEN]

i know why they do it. i do not know why thy do not have a quicker stocking policy. i know they do not do the manufacturing so they they do not have to sit on the manufacturing costs. i love their stuff, but the inability to get the tools in a timely fashion leads me to look elsewhere. or make them for myself using their tools as the idea.

I've had this conversation with John -- he holds his orders until he has large run quantities for the best pricing from his suppliers.  In this day of CNC manufacturing & fast setups large quantities aren't necessary for economic manufacturing costs.  However with that said John knows how to effectively operate his business.  I don't earn money from my tools so I patiently wait for the UPS truck to bring them months after I order them.  [tongue]

 

[tallgrass]

that is right...with today's manufacturing processes what he is doing just seems a little odd. i think that there is a certain intent to everything being hurry up before it goes. if i were him i would have a minimum of inventory....i think he looses more money buy not having product than sitting on inventory.

 

[RONWEN]

that is right...with today's manufacturing processes what he is doing just seems a little odd. i think that there is a certain intent to everything being hurry up before it goes. if i were him i would have a minimum of inventory....i think he looses more money buy not having product than sitting on inventory.

Inventory is a NASTY word in business however lose of sales is worse -- there is a fine balance between too little and too much inventory.  Most consumers have come to expect receipt of an order within a few days of ordering however Bridge City has a unique market.

 

[fritter63]

I pre-ordered the DJ-1. Originally it said it would ship in Feb. Now they tell me "end of March". Hope they
aren't playing the same "don't worry, next week" our architect played on us for 6 months straight....

And yes, to an earlier post, I recently eBayed my never used BCTW double mortise marker for about what I paid for
it 20 years ago!

 

[PaulMarcel]

I pre-ordered the DJ-1. Originally it said it would ship in Feb. Now they tell me "end of March". Hope they
aren't playing the same "don't worry, next week" our architect played on us for 6 months straight....

And yes, to an earlier post, I recently eBayed my never used BCTW double mortise marker for about what I paid for
it 20 years ago!

If you like those extension jaws in the kit, you might want to get on that list.  Though pre-ordering is over (I believe; site is still in maintenance...) they will certainly have extras for list people.  You could get them both at once

 

[fritter63]

I pre-ordered the DJ-1. Originally it said it would ship in Feb. Now they tell me "end of March". Hope they
aren't playing the same "don't worry, next week" our architect played on us for 6 months straight....

And yes, to an earlier post, I recently eBayed my never used BCTW double mortise marker for about what I paid for
it 20 years ago!

If you like those extension jaws in the kit, you might want to get on that list.  Though pre-ordering is over (I believe; site is still in maintenance...) they will certainly have extras for list people.  You could get them both at once

Seems to they're only good for making wheels for toys?

If so , I think I'm done with that till we have grandkids!

 

[tallgrass]

Quote from: tallgrass on March 20, 2011, 06:24 PM
that is right...with today's manufacturing processes what he is doing just seems a little odd. i think that there is a certain intent to everything being hurry up before it goes. if i were him i would have a minimum of inventory....i think he looses more money buy not having product than sitting on inventory.

Inventory is a NASTY word in business however lose of sales is worse -- there is a fine balance between too little and too much inventory.  Most consumers have come to expect receipt of an order within a few days of ordering however Bridge City has a unique market.

i understand the problems that inventory incur, but i would not suggest a large inventory but a number that would allow only a short back order. I understand that they have a unique clientele. i have to admit that i look only irregularly now because of the fact that they are always out.  Believe me as a festool junkie i am not shy on buying tools. i would most likely have a collection of his tools if i could, but noooooo they are always sold out.....that is the normal condition. Sold out.

 

[RONWEN]

Quote from: tallgrass on March 20, 2011, 06:24 PM
that is right...with today's manufacturing processes what he is doing just seems a little odd. i think that there is a certain intent to everything being hurry up before it goes. if i were him i would have a minimum of inventory....i think he looses more money buy not having product than sitting on inventory.

Inventory is a NASTY word in business however lose of sales is worse -- there is a fine balance between too little and too much inventory.  Most consumers have come to expect receipt of an order within a few days of ordering however Bridge City has a unique market.

i understand the problems that inventory incur, but i would not suggest a large inventory but a number that would allow only a short back order. I understand that they have a unique clientele. i have to admit that i look only irregularly now because of the fact that they are always out.  Believe me as a festool junkie i am not shy on buying tools. i would most likely have a collection of his tools if i could, but noooooo they are always sold out.....that is the normal condition. Sold out.

Exactly, there must be hundred's of orders they loose for the same reason.  Those orders could be had by smaller run quantities and reasonable stock levels. As I've said John understands his business better than we do so I presume those lost orders don't bother him.  [unsure]

 

[tallgrass]

well, they should.......i have half a mind to start selling expensive nock offs...our car companies were once so prosperous that they did not have to work for their money....that worked out well.

 

[peter halle]

well, they should.......i have half a mind to start selling expensive nock offs...our car companies were once so prosperous that they did not have to work for their money....that worked out well.

If you go that route, let us know how that turned out.

Peter

 

[tallgrass]

i am not really serious.....unless i get off the web page and then i think about it until i cool off. [cool] [cool]

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Guess it matters what you are ordering.  I placed an order this morning and it was shipped this afternoon.  Of course if you are ordering things listed as "Out of Stock" or "In Production" you might get a different result.

 

[tallgrass]

yea the stuff that is in stock. i have ordered stuff and it was great...it is just that sooooo much of the cool stuff is out of stock.