Supply Issues, Perfect Example

[jmellc]

Another supply issue over simple items. We often need these glue in box adaptors for tight spaces or thick walled PVC boxes where a male adaptor & locknut leave no threads for a standard plastic bushing. So, the supplier doesn’t have the glue ins, making the throat liner bushings necessary. You guessed it, they don’t have them either & have to order them. Some suppliers don’t even carry them at all.
I know these may not sell by the hundreds each day but they need to be available. They are small and relatively cheap, so they wouldn’t be hard to keep in stock. If I were still contracting regularly, I would order some of these things ahead, in small numbers, just to have them when needed.
Another frustrating item is LED bulbs. They are used a lot to bypass ballasts in HID & fluorescent lights. This will happen more & more. I had a few times where I went all over town & no one had the right bulbs. I gave a former boss a file I started on what customers used what bulbs. I talked with a supplier today who said they also deal with manufacturers changing or discontinuing models on short notice. If you buy for any kind of building, wise to find the right bulbs & order as many as you can afford and safely store.
I understand items such as floor boxes. There are many styles, some very expensive. I wouldn’t keep many of those either.

 

[James L]

If it's something I use regularly, and it's not available locally at a reasonable price, I'll get it online and buy a decent quantity.

I buy my gfci receptacles online because they're half the price of Home Depot. And I buy them at a qty of 30 or 40, which lasts me a month and a half or two months.

If I was using those inserts regularly, like 10 or more per week, I'd buy 100 or 200 at a time

 

[Todd0x1]

I feel your pain. I needed some sort of pvc reducer to get from 1" to 1/2", figured I would just grab it when i was picking up a will call order, guy at the supply house almost laughed when I asked for it -'we don't stock anything fancy like that'. I ended up with a 1/2 coupler glued into a 3/4 bell end cut off a stick of pipe glued into a 3/4 coupler glued into a 1" coupler using stuff I had on hand.

Another one is nuts and bolts fasteners. Unless you order them and keep stock, you end up paying highest price for lowest quality fasteners.

I'm starting to overbuy every time I order nickel and dime parts so I can build up an inventory for my heirs to have to deal with in 40 years.

I bought 600 blue plastic parts bins made in germany from an aerospace plant closure for real cheap. Theyre 24L x 6W x 4H then I got some of that baby pallet rack shelving to put them on. I should end up with a pretty good small parts wall.

 

[jmellc]

I feel your pain. I needed some sort of pvc reducer to get from 1" to 1/2", figured I would just grab it when i was picking up a will call order, guy at the supply house almost laughed when I asked for it -'we don't stock anything fancy like that'. I ended up with a 1/2 coupler glued into a 3/4 bell end cut off a stick of pipe glued into a 3/4 coupler glued into a 1" coupler using stuff I had on hand.

Another one is nuts and bolts fasteners. Unless you order them and keep stock, you end up paying highest price for lowest quality fasteners.

I'm starting to overbuy every time I order nickel and dime parts so I can build up an inventory for my heirs to have to deal with in 40 years.

I bought 600 blue plastic parts bins made in germany from an aerospace plant closure for real cheap. Theyre 24L x 6W x 4H then I got some of that baby pallet rack shelving to put them on. I should end up with a pretty good small parts wall.

Good thing to do. Glad you got a good buy on the bins. BTW, Home Depot sells some sizes of reducing bushings, not sure if they have a full range. I've done that too, with making 1 pipe reduce another, if I was lucky. Some brands manage with that, others not.

Rigid & Milwaukee now both make parts boxes that stack & lock together. Handy for keeping stuff on the go. We really have to fight every detail, every day.

 

[romex jockey]

It's been a year, and it's showing.....~RJ~