Continuity of supplies

[foxhunter]

Are you frustrated? Does it annoy you that a company who has supplied a brand of products for years suddenly drops them?

Axminster are the masters of this, introducing new 'brands' which I suspect are variations of own brands. Where does Axcalibur and UJK come from? Many members on this forum criticise the Dakota brand from Rutlands but how do these Axminster brands differ in quality? Axminster is becoming the Tesco of tool suppliers where the majority of lines are own brand.

My real moan is that Axminster has dropped CMT and Kreg. UJK pocket hole screws uses a Torx bit. I now need a further supply of 32mm fine washer head screws, from another unknown supplier (who?) and will need to switch from Torx to square until I use up all my screws.

I feel better after writing this but still don't know where I can buy my screws.

 

[marcros]

are these any good? http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/Kre ... crews.html

 

[foxhunter]

Yes, WH have exactly what I want but the postage makes them expensive. I only need 100.

 

[grandad211]

Might I suggest you buy something else at the same time? i know it sounds like a clever dick answer but I bet there will be something you want or will want in the very near future. I understand your point re the own branding, it appears to be a way of dumbing down an item or range but not letting you judge it's provenance
.

 

[AES]

Gents,

I have to say I do sympathise with foxhunter. I am generally more than VERY pleased with Axminster and their service, but having been finally "introduced" to the Kreg jig by this Forum and then by Axi I was more than a bit pee'd off to find out that I couldn't also buy the screws from Axi (this was just at the time when Axi were phasing out Kreg but still has some jigs in stock). At the time of placing my order for jig and screws I didn't know that, otherwise I may well not have ordered the jig at all.

So at that time I was left with a pretty big problem because as far as I was able to find out then, Kreg is unknown here in Switzerland (and still is as far as I know), so I too was "reduced" to buying from Workshop Heaven. Nothing wrong with them either, on the contrary, very good service, and I bought an EXCELLENT Japanese pull saw at the same time as their Kreg screws and should add I really do not regret buying that saw, on the contrary. But it's also true that the only reason I bought that saw then was to get the ratio of cost of shipping somewhere in line with value of goods I really needed - Kreg screws.

I saw the "new Kreg" screws that Axi are stocking but now that I hear from Foxhunter that they are Torx drive and not square drive heads I'm even more annoyed with Axi in this case.

I'll still go on using them though, but now I'll also make sure it's not for really "special/unusual" stuff like Kreg jigs.

I haven't been dealing with them all that long (couple of years?) but I do feel it's probably a bit unfair to call them the Tesco of tool stores though!

Krgds
AES

 

[Myfordman]

If you don't like the products Axi stock then buy elsewhere.
Pocket hole screws for example are available on ebay

 

[AES]

But the whole point of foxhunter's post was really about continuity of supplies Myfordman.

Yes, we all know that after some faddling around it's usually possible to find an alternative supplier but generally speaking I'd expect more continuity of supply from someone with a name like Axi than from some likely to be "an unknown" on Ebay.

AND my own point was about placing an order for both the jig and the screws but then finding out I could have the jig (after it arrived) but not the screws.

And what happens if someone buys an Axi own-brand machine? For how long after placing the order for the machine should one reasonably expect to be able to get spares (and consumables if applicable) for that particular machine? Should one just not place an order on a reputable supplier with a generally very good service because they may be phasing that particular product/brand out?

AES

 

[foxhunter]

If you don't like the products Axi stock then buy elsewhere.
Pocket hole screws for example are available on ebay

I am quite capable of making decisions as to where to buy. I have used Axminster for many years and I expect will continue to do so.
BUT
I was making two points -
Suppliers often stock certain brands and products for years then drop them. This is a fact of life but often the replacements are not necessarily suitable.
Secondly nowhere on ebay that I can see are Kreg SML F125 (or similar) pocket hole screws available.

Thank you AES you have reinforced my point very well.

 

[Myfordman]

I agree dealers sometime drop lines and this is largely due to commercial reasons. There is a tie up between Kreg and Brimarc and another connection between Axi and Brimarc. Not sure why axi have dropped Kreg - possibly price

Both fine and coarse here http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40
but if you can't find your desired length send a message to Appleby who should be able to sort some out.

 

[tomatwark]

From what I understand from Axminster when I asked them it was to do with Kreg wanting to use a european distributor and not supply them direct. ( I think that was the case any way).

The reason for not having not having the square drive on the head was something to do with Kreg having a copyright on the head of the screw.

Just buy the torx bits from them for a couple of quid and the screws you need they work fine with the Kreg jig

But I have agreed though that Axminster seem hell bent on only selling stuff which is own brand, I suspect that it will come back and bite them in the bum unless they came prove the quality is good enough.

They have just started selling record sash cramps, I have a couple of the newer record ones from other suppliers when they have been on offer, but I have over 20 of the Axminster copies which are just as good but a lot cheaper, so it is not all bad.

Tom

 

[mickthetree]

Trend do a range of pocket hole screws that work with the Kreg system.

 

[Graham Orm]

are these any good? http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/Kre ... crews.html

It's Rafa Benitez doing his day job! :lol:

 

[foxhunter]

The fact that distributors and retailers change their range of goods is something I suppose we have to live with. After all it's been going on for years. Even so we don't have to like it.

I realise that there are many suppliers of pocket hole screws and they are all compatible with the various jigs but I was trying to source a fine thread screw 32mm long. Once I get used to the idea that WH is a supplier I may buy from them and spend more money on tools I don't really need (but maybe want!) or the ebay seller I didn't see earlier.
Time will tell but many thanks for all the feedback.

 

[Myfordman]

These should suit your needs

http://www.applebywoodturnings.co.uk/st ... s-sml-f125

 

[beech1948]

Axminster own Brimarc 100%. Brimarc will probably become the importing distributor for named brands and supply to Axi retail.

Brimarc were the importing distributor for the UK FOR kREG and this was in place yrs before Axi take over. If Kreg now wants an EU distributor then Brimarc/Axi obviously do not want to be that distributor. hence the new UJK brand for Axi as its new retail brand. Probably overpricing stuff but there it is.

There used to be a company before Axi called I think Woodcut based in the S of the SE. They followed a similar model to Axi current strategy and went bust. There are obviously issues of brand loyalty to overcome, trust in a known brand and the loss of prestige suffered by companies like Axi as they are seen to go down market with fewer named brands in their locker but still premium prices.

I know nothing about UJK, it has no provenance and no prestige as a brand. Prices are Premium for an unknown and only possible due to excellent Axi customer service and the trust Axi has earned over the past 15yrs.

I see this as an Axi mistake, a very tempting approach, but its a mistake.

The EU is poorly served by tool suppliers and would form a ready market for Axi. i wonder why they are not having a go there.

Al

 

[RogerP]

..........
They have just started selling record sash cramps, I have a couple of the newer record ones from other suppliers when they have been on offer, but I have over 20 of the Axminster copies which are just as good but a lot cheaper, so it is not all bad.

Tom

I remember when Axminster wouldn't sell anything from Record - they'd had some sort of major spat. Seems like they've now made it up