Well I’m older than dirt so a lifetime supply is relatively small but I still buy LEDs and Arduino components in bulk. I also keep a good supply of scratch building supplies on hand, there is nothing worse than having to wait on something to complete a project. With the demise of model railroad hobby shops and electronic parts stores stocking your own goodies has become a necessity. Fortunately I can still get a lot of my scratch building supplies at a local RC Hobby Shop, Styrene, basswood, K&S brass.The Craft Stores here do stock Craft paints but not much more than paint and glue, I still have to order Sculptamold and Paper Mache online. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
tstageSo the 1000 #78 drill bits (readily available) must have been a deal too good to pass up?
Oh yeah! That was an unbelievably good deal.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190Oh yeah! That was an unbelievably good deal.
I needed some construction screws for a recent project. At the local Big Box I was confronted with a choice of 1 pound for $9. 5 pounds for $25. and 10 pounds for $30.
Will I ever use the ten pound box? Well, I guess that's a gamble but in my mind it was simple economy to get the "jumbo" size.
I usually use the same philosophy in model RR purchases. I just bought a thousand 1K resistors for $20.
Perhaps when I'm gone somebody is going to wonder why I "needed" so many resistors but I'll leave 'em guessing.
Cheers, Ed
gmpullmanI needed some construction screws for a recent project. At the local Big Box I was confronted with a choice of 1 pound for $9. 5 pounds for $25. and 10 pounds for $30. Will I ever use the ten pound box? Well, I guess that's a gamble but in my mind it was simple economy to get the "jumbo" size.
That sounds like the 50lb box of finishing nails my brother bought and gave to me after we used 5 lbs finishing his basement rec room. 30 years later I still had over 40 lbs and finally tossed them when I moved. In the mean time the box sat on a shelf taking up space.
When I retired and moved, I was amazed at how many boxes, jars, cans, etc. of good deals I had accumulated and never used even half of - some I never used at all - just couldn't pass up the "good deal".
These days I try hard to avoid the "good deals", but still succumb now and again.
Paul
I work in construction (virtually all of the trades) and do mechanical work as a hobby, there will always be left over supplies no matter what you do. As long as I have room, I try to save and eventually use what ever I can.
Like Kevin, I can get frustrated when needed suppplies are no longer available. My selection of model train parts and supplies does refect this.
I have a 25 year old high quality garden tractor, parts are getting harder to find and more expensive. I am stocked up on what I think might wear out in the next 20 years.
I recently replaced the engine in the tractor, I could have rebuilt it, but that would have taken longer and cost at least 1/3, or maybe even half of the price of the newer more modern engine.
I had a stock of spare parts for the old engine. I was able to sell the old engine, and all its spare parts for nearly what it would have cost to rebuild it, reducing my cost to replace it, or recovering most or all of the investment in spare parts, depending on how you look at it.
Sometimes spare parts on hand are well worth the time they save when repairs need to be made, or like the engine parts prove to be exceptable long term investments.
Sometimes spare parts or extra supplies don't get used and prove to be a less than good investment. I try to balance that with my experiance, with my work, caring for the house, the cars, the tractor or in my hobbies.
Yes, I do have some "stuff", what might you need?
Sheldon
I haven't read through all the posts, so this may have been mentioned.
My problem has always been that I have a part I need, I just can't find it, and I end up buying another. Five years later, I happen across the part I needed.
When I retired several years ago, one of my first projects was to organize. I've done pretty well, but I still have several more things to work on.
York1 John
York1When I retired several years ago, one of my first projects was to organize. I've done pretty well, but I still have several more things to work on.
My middle baby moved out more than 10 years ago. Since then, her former bedroom has been my model workshop. The oldest daughter's bedroom was the train room.
I was always very proud of how perfectly well my shop was organized. Everything was easy to find, and everything had a home.
I was living a lie!
When I packed up the room for the house remodel, I found tons of items in the wrong places, never put away in the first place, or just tossed onto a shelf and forgotten about.
I will do better next time...
I have found a few, I didnt know I had that items but for the most part, I am organized, also in my storage shed. I have picked up a few great deals on bulk, one time it was wood scale lumber, a whole collection, one time a styrene collection and last a modular DPM collection. I have used enough to have paid for these stashes many times over, accually just selling off the (never will use) proubly paid for the lots. I also have alot of Kadee #5 couplers that I bought for 5cents a pair for like 50 pairs.
I used to be a hoarder. Now that I'm not working anymore I've become a collector. It's all about perspective. To my wife, I'm still a hoarder. To me I'm a collector of maybe useful stuff. Having over 100 locomotives, 40 passenger cars, 300+ hopper cars may be a lifetime supply but I still keep collecting.
Someday I'll even have a layout to run them on.
Pete
ATLANTIC CENTRAL there will always be left over supplies no matter what you do.
Yes, and I also try to save what can be used later somewhere that it can be found when needed.
I think this is just good practice.
Lastspikemike Now a lifetime supply of scotch whisky sounds like a good idea....except for the storage costs.
Now a lifetime supply of scotch whisky sounds like a good idea....except for the storage costs.
Rich
Alton Junction
I would take the long view of buy what you expect to use in the next year and no more. Many hobby consumables don't store well.
Another concern would be fire/flooding/hurricane/tornado destroying your overstock of items before you ever get to use them.
By that logic I shouldn't have stuff for layouts I haven't built yet... oh well.
BMMECNYCI would take the long view of buy what you expect to use in the next year and no more.
Every year I purge a lot of stuff out of the house. This year was extreme since I had a 20 foot dumpster in the driveway.
SeeYou190Every year I purge a lot of stuff out of the house. This year was extreme since I had a 20 foot dumpster in the driveway.
Hi Kevin,
Dianne and I have been getting better at ridding ourselves of useless items and clutter. After we went through the months long process of cleaning out all the junk from my parents' home, we vowed that we would never do that to our son. My brother had a 14' trailer. We filled that 17 times to get stuff to the dump!!! They grew up during the Great Depression and were taught that nothing gets thrown away.
We have great curbside pickup! We can put just about anything out at the curb and it will be gone quickly!
Our only problem is that the garage is still full!!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critterDianne and I have been getting better at ridding ourselves of useless items and clutter. After we went through the months long process of cleaning out all the junk from my parents' home, we vowed that we would never do that to our son.
My wife and I went through our closet today and came up with 4 giant bags of clothes to go to Goodwill.
SeeYou190 hon30critter Dianne and I have been getting better at ridding ourselves of useless items and clutter. After we went through the months long process of cleaning out all the junk from my parents' home, we vowed that we would never do that to our son. My wife and I went through our closet today and came up with 4 giant bags of clothes to go to Goodwill. -Kevin
hon30critter Dianne and I have been getting better at ridding ourselves of useless items and clutter. After we went through the months long process of cleaning out all the junk from my parents' home, we vowed that we would never do that to our son.
My wife shops at Goodwill, and constantly donates to Goodwill.
She is quick to be rid of things no longer of use.
And I've found some great deals on new/nearly new short-sleeve dress shirts at Goodwill for only a few dollars each. That's about the only clothing apparel that I can reasonably purchase at stores of that ilk.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage And I've found some great deals on new/nearly new short-sleeve dress shirts at Goodwill for only a few dollars each. That's about the only clothing apparel that I can reasonably purchase at stores of that ilk. Tom
richhotrain tstage And I've found some great deals on new/nearly new short-sleeve dress shirts at Goodwill for only a few dollars each. That's about the only clothing apparel that I can reasonably purchase at stores of that ilk. Tom Tom, doesn't it bother you to think that you may be purchasing Kevn's used shirts? Rich
Tom, doesn't it bother you to think that you may be purchasing Kevn's used shirts?
You are funny.....
The Goodwill stores around here have tons of product donated (written off) by TARGET and other major retailers.
We also have a number of high quality consignment shops that are very fussy about what they take in. All sorts of stuff for the grand children at a fraction of buying new......for stuff they will just out grow anyway........then it goes back to the consignment shop.........
I may be the complete opposite of some of the guys here. I only order what I need at the time I'm going to use it. I can order anything I'll ever need and have it in a few days.
Why jam your space with in the effort to save a few dollars or buying it because it may not be available ever again.
It seems to be a waste of money on bulk buying, yes you may save a few bucks now. But I rather save that money now and just buy what I need at the moment.
I mean really who needs a thousand of anything? Heck if I buy 5 of something and use 2 the other 3 are returned.
That's how I do it,
richhotraindoesn't it bother you to think that you may be purchasing Kevn's used shirts?
My used shirts are in a-1 top condition. Anyone like me, who wears size XXXLT, is happy just tio find any shirt that fits.
DAVID FORTNEYWhy jam your space with in the effort to save a few dollars or buying it because it may not be available ever again.
Because sometimes a product you depend on can cause serious problems if it is unavailable.
The military colours in Testors Model Master line are causing serious heart-ache in the military model building world right now. My German WW2 army need "Lichtgrau" for the base color, and now I cannot get it.
I use Scalecoat II 2014 as the standard STRATTON AND GILLETTE freight car colour. If I ran out, that would be a serious problem.
SeeYou190 richhotrain doesn't it bother you to think that you may be purchasing Kevn's used shirts? My used shirts are in a-1 top condition. Anyone like me, who wears size XXXLT, is happy just tio find any shirt that fits. DAVID FORTNEY Why jam your space with in the effort to save a few dollars or buying it because it may not be available ever again. Because sometimes a product you depend on can cause serious problems if it is unavailable. The military colours in Testors Model Master line are causing serious heart-ache in the military model building world right now. My German WW2 army need "Lichtgrau" for the base color, and now I cannot get it. I use Scalecoat II 2014 as the standard STRATTON AND GILLETTE freight car colour. If I ran out, that would be a serious problem. -Kevin
richhotrain doesn't it bother you to think that you may be purchasing Kevn's used shirts?
DAVID FORTNEY Why jam your space with in the effort to save a few dollars or buying it because it may not be available ever again.
Kevin,
You do know that Scalecoat is still available?
https://www.minutemanscalemodels.com/category-s/127.htm
But I agree, it is most frustrating when things become "unavailable".
ATLANTIC CENTRALKevin, You do know that Scalecoat is still available?
Yes. I was just using that as an example of something I have already bought a lifetime supply of, because I need it for my painting.