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SimonA

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I can see what your saying about the rareness of the ripple sycamore and I'm probably just not used to the higher prices for these kinds of timbers. I tend to pay around £20 cu ft for figured English Oak(kiln dried) and it does have some wonderful rays in it. Its just a pain when you see the Americans getting this sort of timber for pennies a bd ft.

I fully agree with you on the quality of their timber and service.

SimonA
 
Like he's going to be stoopid enough to reveal his source.
huh.gif


Cheers, Alf

Okay Si, just whisper it to me...
 
It raises an interesting question though about our individual buying power. Has anyone considered or discussed forming a buying group that gives more financial clout when discussing purchases. I would be up for it if anybody else is.

What do you think?

T
 
Tim
Nice idea but...
Distribution costs are ENORMOUS on smaller scale purchases. So if you are going to buy a container-full and then deliver a few boards to me cheaper thanI can buy them locally, great. But if I have to drive to Hereford to get them, the petrol and time will almost certainly outweigh any saving on the material itself.

Really sorry to burst your balloon...

Cheers
Steve
 
Steve

No balloon burst - you have to think differently - I spent 10 years in marketing doing this kind of stuff. Doesn't matter where you live - the buying group is not a depot, it is exactly that - a buying group.

If we can find enough people with a will then you can go to suppliers and bend them to your will, pricing and distribution needs. All the lorries are going all over the UK anyway - what they don't want to do is focus time and resource on one guy in the middle of nowhere buying 3 cube now and again. They couldn't care less whether you take your busniness elsewhere but if there are a couple of hundred of you who will take their business to a competitor unless terms are met then its a different game.

The biggest owner of pubs in the UK started as a group of 30 publicans across the country. Now they tell the breweries what to do!

Its just a thought and it interests me so I thought I'd share it - certainly not losing sleep if it doesn't have any appeal. :)

T
 
Count me in Tim
I like cheaper stuff. Period.(as well as not so cheap stuff, before anyone pipes in..... :lol: )
Philly :D
 
Right - I'll think how this could work over the weekend. In the meantime to be clear, there will have to be some shared commitment. I don't mean money but probably time and possibly phone calls and the odd visit to suppliers local to you. There is no benefit to one person doing all the work and everyone gaining from it except the person doing all the work :roll:

Does that seem reasonable?

I think we would need quite a few (c 10-20) in the group to set up any form of real advantage and it really might not work but certainly i'm happy to do the initial running around to see what turns up. Could you guys who have expressed an interest PM me with your estimated annual purchase volume (in cuft or cu m - but say which) and what it is and what you are curently paying - you don't need to reveal your sources at this stage. I don't mean exactly but a good guide is needed. Also if it doesn't already say on your profile, what your location is.

This is also not my show so if anyone has got suggestions, thoughts etc chip in! :p

Cheers

T
 
Hi Tim

I don't know whether you're familiar with them but with Atkins Cripps you can mix and match and when you hit, iirc, 250 GBP carriage is free.

It is owned by the North American Lumber Company and they have yards at Plymouth and Bishop's Stortford.

Cheers
Neil
 
Tim
Very interested.
I don't buy much at present but would be able to invest a little time and travel in research to help out.
Location Dorchester Dorset, local to Philly and Waka, lots of timber sources around here.
Regards
Martin
 
Tim

I would also be very interested. At the moment I only use BHW and normally my orders are anywhere between 500 and 1000 pounds, any savings I can make would allow me to get more tools.
 
If there's anyone else interested in a northern version of this, I'd be interested...

I donno about average expendature on materials, but last years sum came to about £1500... biggest purchace was £450 getting a 5% discount from the saw mill...
 
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