Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: FullLeatherJacket on March 10, 2009, 08:41:52 pm

Title: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on March 10, 2009, 08:41:52 pm
Total price for 100 each M4 x 16mm BZP Pan head slotted steel screws, full nuts and plain washers from Rapid Electronics - £2.10 (Quite possibly even cheaper from Screwfix etc - I didn't check).
Total price if you were to buy the same number of items in packs of 10 from a certain High Street DIY chain-store - £44.80.

Read that again...........Forty Four Pounds and Eighty Pence.

£44.80

No - I couldn't believe it either!

No names, no pack-drill, or I'll have one of the MBM Dementors on my back again................... %)

FLJ

(Anyone want any M4 x 16mm screws? I've only used four.......  <:()
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: tigertiger on March 11, 2009, 02:22:20 am
If you want rid.
You could put them in little zip lock bags. Sets of 10 (Screw, nut, washer). And have them in your bargain bin at the shows for a bargain price.
Win, win. :-))
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on March 11, 2009, 08:23:17 am
Win, win. :-))

Is this one of your Chinese buddies, Mark, and does he have a family who can pack self-sealing polybags?  We might  be on to a good thing here.....ok2

FLJ

Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Bunkerbarge on March 11, 2009, 11:21:16 am
When I rewired a house about 20 years ago now I bought all my materials from a local electrical wholesaler.  2.5mm flat grey cable clips were in boxes of 500 and cost about £2.50.

At the same time the same cable clips were on sale in probably the same DIY outlet mentioned earlier in packs of 10 for 99p!!
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: maninthestreet on March 11, 2009, 01:39:31 pm
Total price for 100 each M4 x 16mm BZP Pan head slotted steel screws, full nuts and plain washers from Rapid Electronics - £2.10 (Quite possibly even cheaper from Screwfix etc - I didn't check).
Total price if you were to buy the same number of items in packs of 10 from a certain High Street DIY chain-store - £44.80.

Read that again...........Forty Four Pounds and Eighty Pence.

£44.80

No - I couldn't believe it either!

No names, no pack-drill, or I'll have one of the MBM Dementors on my back again................... %)

FLJ

(Anyone want any M4 x 16mm screws? I've only used four.......  <:()


45 pence each? So how much were the little packs of half dozen or so they have hanging up on display?
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on March 11, 2009, 04:52:49 pm
45 pence each? So how much were the little packs of half dozen or so they have hanging up on display?

Packet of ten screws with nuts £2.70
Packet of ten washers £1.78
Total £4.48 for a set of ten screws/nuts/washers; ergo £44.80 for 100 sets.
No bigger (bulk) packs on show, so that's  the price you pay if you want to purchase this size fastener from this outlet.
No wonder they can flog PROC power tools so cheap; the run-of-the-mill hardware is subsidising them something rotten.

Remember when the bloke in the ironmonger's shop wore a brown coat and dispensed screws in single numbers from a large waxed-cardboard box which he reached from a huge wall of them by climbing an impossibly tall stepladder?

Poetry.................

FLJ

Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: funtimefrankie on March 11, 2009, 04:56:19 pm
45 pence each? So how much were the little packs of half dozen or so they have hanging up on display?



Remember when the bloke in the ironmonger's shop wore a brown coat and dispensed screws in single numbers from a large waxed-cardboard box which he reached from a huge wall of them by climbing an impossibly tall stepladder?

Poetry.................

FLJ


No........... Tap washers  and four candles
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: toesupwa on March 11, 2009, 06:34:52 pm


No........... Tap washers  and four candles

Got any 'O's?
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: BarryM on March 13, 2009, 09:41:17 am
Recent Experiences.

2 to 4 gang socket converter? B&Q - £18.98. Screwfix £7.82

5.5mm HSS drill B&Q £5.08. Screwfix £3.71 (for 5!!)

The only recommendation I have for our B&Q is that it stocks offcuts for next-to-nothing.

Barry M
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Circlip on March 13, 2009, 12:22:35 pm
Found three prices for the blister pack Badger 250-2 airbrush £11 to£22   O0
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Bunkerbarge on March 13, 2009, 01:02:12 pm
Recent Experiences.

2 to 4 gang socket converter? B&Q - £18.98. Screwfix £7.82

5.5mm HSS drill B&Q £5.08. Screwfix £3.71 (for 5!!)

The only recommendation I have for our B&Q is that it stocks offcuts for next-to-nothing.

Barry M

You also need to be aware that there are advantages of the big outlets such as B&Q, which are there to make the most of.  B&Q do an excellent wood cutting service so for small projects it is well worthwhikle getting the wood you buy cut to exactly the sizes you want.
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: BarryM on March 13, 2009, 01:08:54 pm
Where do you think my offcuts come from? They're all the bits that people have paid for but then discarded after using the wood-cutting service. Thus, B&Q charges twice for the same wood.
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Timo2 on March 13, 2009, 01:20:54 pm
Hi All

 BarryM      B&Q  is Screwfix all one company ( Kingfisher )

 FLJ           You know a very old ( and grumpy) Ironmonger ( still got lots of little boxes full over good bits )

  Timo2
 
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: BarryM on March 13, 2009, 01:39:12 pm
You're right - B&Q and Screwfix are jointly owned which makes one question they're pricing policies. I 'phoned B&Q Customer Relations and asked them to explain it but they couldn't.
When, in the case of the socket adaptor, I pointed out to B&Q's branch  that they run a 'We beat any price locally' scheme, the reply was "Ah but Screwfix is a catalogue company not local". I reminded them that Screwfix had a branch not a mile away and, with a good deal of bad grace and reluctance, they coughed up the cash.

Barry M
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Roger in France on March 13, 2009, 01:45:15 pm
Well done BarryM beat the fat cats at their own game.

Screwfix will not post to France even though I am prepared to pay the actual postal costs. So I trade with Axminster who will and do.

I can get most things I need in France but some tools and materials are just not used in France. For example you cannot buy vice jaw protectors here and there is no such things as sugar soap or paint brush cleaner.

Roger in France
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: BarryM on March 13, 2009, 02:53:15 pm
Vice jaw protectors? I buy a bit of aluminium angle and cut to size of jaws with 'ears' to keep in place. Cheap as chips!

Barry M
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on March 13, 2009, 02:54:01 pm
It was indeed B&Q who were offering such a lousy deal on the M4 screws.
FLJ
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: funtimefrankie on March 13, 2009, 04:04:11 pm
I would imagine they would be ever dearer at Homebase...if they stocked 'em
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Malcolm Reade on March 13, 2009, 06:46:16 pm
Well done BarryM beat the fat cats at their own game.

Screwfix will not post to France even though I am prepared to pay the actual postal costs. So I trade with Axminster who will and do.

I can get most things I need in France but some tools and materials are just not used in France. For example you cannot buy vice jaw protectors here and there is no such things as sugar soap or paint brush cleaner.

Roger in France

I had heard rumours about soap not being available in France   {-) {-)
Title: Re: Beam me up, Victor Meldrew!
Post by: Roger in France on March 14, 2009, 06:10:36 am
Malcolm,

The rumours I have heard about South Africa.....are facts!

Roger in France

 %%