Featured
Latest
What's your method ...
 
Share:
Notifications
Clear all

Forum 141

What's your method of stocking?

5 Posts
4 Users
0 Likes
1,614 Views
crustytv
(@crustytv)
Posts: 11869
Vrat Founder Admin
Topic starter
 

I'm curious what other members who are actively repairing, do with regards to holding component stock.

For me I've spent the best part of 8 years and untold sums stocking the workshop. The reason being I used to get really miffed at being paused on a repair, all for the want of a particular cap, resistor, diode, transistor .... you fill in the rest.

Of course the down side to this approach is the initial expense of purchasing and holding parts you may not need for some considerable time. Then there's the storage and cataloguing but then again I quite like doing that, must appeal to the inner OCD.  ? 

The upside is I rarely get paused on a repair except for when its an obscure part. The main expense is out of the way spread over years and when parts were cheaper than today. Now I'm mainly left with restocking popular used parts and as mentioned obscure rarely encountered ones. The biggest challenge was when I moved from all vale to hybrids, finding I had virtually zero stock of transistors. Fortuitously I managed to purchase an ex TV shops stock which contained thousands of commonly used TV transistors, IC's and diodes. I've also spent a great deal of time hunting down PCB's and other larger parts that would otherwise have ended up in skips

Just the tip of the berg

shop1
shop2

 

So Vratters, what is your method when it comes to holding stock?

To those of you among us that were in the trade what did you do, if you were self employed or the company you worked for, with regards to stocking?

I would imagine it was a fine balance of holding popular common parts, then ordering as and when needed from your supplier. Holding too much stock perhaps not cost effective, though on the other hand being delayed on a job due to lack of parts, would cost you time reputation and money.

Will be interested in everyone's input.

 

CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
Crustys Youtube Channel: My stuff
Crusty's 70s Lounge: Take a peek

 
Posted : 20/04/2018 11:05 am
Nuvistor
(@nuvistor)
Posts: 4594
Famed Member Registered
 

When I was in the trade, common components were always in stock, the spares reps came around every couple of weeks so they turned over quickly and were not a burden on cost of storage. In the middle 70’s we started to use Pinnacle valves, from what I recall they provided us with a box of valves and we paid for what we used, the rep replenished every month. This kept our stock costs down on valves.

The skill came in keeping in stock items that may only be used irregularly but were required with short notice. These could quickly mount up costs, if not careful.

One off item were ordered as required.

In the end I think it came down to experience, when new models were sold we would initially have to guess the requirements, didn’t always get it right until a pattern of failures became evident.

Frank

 
Posted : 20/04/2018 11:41 am
Niall
(@niall)
Posts: 458
Honorable Member Registered
 

 I want to be in the situation where I can do a repair or build something without needing to order parts. I started off with a bulk pack of resistors and one of capacitors from one of those online suppliers who do "ten of each preferred value" offers and some "lucky bags" from radio rallies. I usually buy common semis as required but order more than I immediately need which both justifies the postage and adds to stock. Similarly if a supplier offers combined postage I will sometimes make up the order with common parts I am likely to need in the future.

Most recently I repaired one of those wireless weather stations - no windspeed signal because the reed switch in the sensor head had failed. Now I just need to find a use for nine miniature reed switches! (And remember should that time come that I filed them under "switches and relays".)

 
Posted : 20/04/2018 1:15 pm
crustytv
(@crustytv)
Posts: 11869
Vrat Founder Admin
Topic starter
 
Posted by: Niall

[..] remember should that time come that I filed them under "switches and relays".)

I know that feeling all too well.

What seems like logic when you file the odd obscure rarely used part, sometimes defies that logic at a later date, when trying to be found again.  ? 

 

CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
Crustys Youtube Channel: My stuff
Crusty's 70s Lounge: Take a peek

 
Posted : 20/04/2018 1:31 pm
Rally coordinator
(@rallycoordinator)
Posts: 46
Eminent Member Registered
 

As a hobbyist I take a similar approach to spares purchase by stocking up for my current and future projects and trying to anticipate my component requirements for combined buys.

In addition to the already identified benefits of having spares readily to hand and minimising postage costs, there are savings to be realised from quantity price breaks (i.e. 100 off low value components are significantly cheaper per item than buying individually ) plus taking advantage of any clearance offers.
Also by having the cheaper generic components in stock, this avoids the risk of future obsolescence pushing prices up.

One factor that does however require consideration with this long term stocking strategy is the anticipated shelf life of components – Whilst generally not a problem, I purchased a few cheap NOS electrolytic capacitors over 40 years ago and these are now probably unusable having being manufactured in the 1960s.

Mike

 
Posted : 21/04/2018 5:17 pm
Share: