Fittings... I've been paying TOO MUCH!

[Rob]

OK, so from a post somewhere else, i found a link to http://www.wetearth.com.au/

YIKES! That stuff is so much cheaper than what i've been buying!!!!!!!

Probably because most of the PVC is only Cat2 rated, but that's more than i need anyway!

Anyone have any experience dealing with them?

The ball valves i've been buying are something like $12 each!

Rob

[RupertofOZ]

Yep, I've dealt with them for a few years... and their postage is usually pretty good...

[Rob]

Awesome!

If i have a "decent" order to place, and know in advance, i'll definitely order through them.

Unfortunately the way i usually do it, it's a late dash to Bunnings or something

Rob

[Yabbies4me]

Unfortunately the way i usually do it, it's a late dash to Bunnings or something

Bunnings are BANDITS!!!...

Here in WA they get their PVC fittings from the same supplier I do, I've been to the warehouse to pick up my order of one or two boxes of assorted fittings, usually worth a whopping $300-$500... only to see a heap of pallets stacked 2.4m high all marked "Bunnings"... so their buy price must be much, much cheaper than mine.

Anyway, a few days ago I needed a faucet socket in a size I don't have and so I bought one from Bunnings for $7.60, when I got back to my shop I checked my wholesale price in the catologue... $2.30... and Bunnings would be paying much less!... daylight robbery!

I sell all my poly fittings and what small range of PVC I carry, cheaper than Bunnings, but I sell very little because the vast majority of people still fall for Bunning's crap about being the cheapest.
.

[Rob]

Yeah - to be honest i go there because i build things like that in a bit of a haphazard way... i might visit 2-3 times in a day doing some things.

If i plan an expansion (the if portion being if i plan it... the expansion is inevitable), then i'll definitely order somewhere else.

I've probably spent $400 in the last month on Bunnings plumbing fittings... could have easily reduced that (most has been pipe which seems to be reasonably priced).

Rob

[Yabbies4me]

Pipe is how they get ya!... both poly and PVC, they sell it at just above cost price because they know if you're there to buy pipe you'll be buying a trolley full of fittings, valves, glue etc... at 200% mark up. That's why they've always got the rolls of poly and lengths of PVC in their catologues they send out... it's the bait!
I don't even stock the pipe, I can beat them on the price of fittings, but can't get near them on pipe prices.

[Walks-In-Storms]

I've run into all of this, especially with the fittings, the result being that I have a supply of scrap I've collected over the past few years that isn't unlike that of a "junkyard." I make most of my pipe fittings out of PVC scrap, using tap and dye tools to thread pieces of the various sizes of pipe, hose rubber and plastic, used plastic and glass soda bottles, and the like. I like to improvise and "jury-rig," count resourcefulness as the one life skill that is indispensable.

The photo is my PVC odds and ends, and two more walls of my garage hold nails, screws, hardware, lumber, glass, plastic, aluminum sheeting, and more - all gleaned from friends leftovers and leavings, garage sales, and litter (of the kind that's all over the place, here). As I mentioned to "Biggles" a while ago, I never throw anything away - there's always a way to use it somehow later.

The old stuff, besides, was often manufactured by someone whose pride was at least equal to his greed - much higher quality, in short than the new stuff.

I'm struggling right now, incidentally, to recover from having used in my waterfall goldfish and koi pool new - brand new - PVC pipe that already has cracks in it a year and a half after purchase. I've never had that happen before - but I suppose in Gingin, New York or Karratha, Mars the heat is that bad, too.....

[Murray]

Most of us go to the B store for convenience, and convenience has a price. If I need something in a hurry I drive right past a local hardware and go to the B store because I want the particular thing NOW......so it costs a bit more than making a bulk order with the wholesaler and waiting for the delivery.

It is pretty much how it works for me anyway.

[Rob]

Pipe is how they get ya!... both poly and PVC, they sell it at just above cost price because they know if you're there to buy pipe you'll be buying a trolley full of fittings, valves, glue etc... at 200% mark up. That's why they've always got the rolls of poly and lengths of PVC in their catologues they send out... it's the bait!
I don't even stock the pipe, I can beat them on the price of fittings, but can't get near them on pipe prices.

Yeah there's always a loss leader of some sort.

I was in Big W last night, and saw a 4-stroke petrol mower for $150 - WTF? That's crazy!

I've run into all of this, especially with the fittings, the result being that I have a supply of scrap I've collected over the past few years that isn't unlike that of a "junkyard." I make most of my pipe fittings out of PVC scrap, using tap and dye tools to thread pieces of the various sizes of pipe, hose rubber and plastic, used plastic and glass soda bottles, and the like. I like to improvise and "jury-rig," count resourcefulness as the one life skill that is indispensable.

The photo is my PVC odds and ends, and two more walls of my garage hold nails, screws, hardware, lumber, glass, plastic, aluminum sheeting, and more - all gleaned from friends leftovers and leavings, garage sales, and litter (of the kind that's all over the place, here). As I mentioned to "Biggles" a while ago, I never throw anything away - there's always a way to use it somehow later.

The old stuff, besides, was often manufactured by someone whose pride was at least equal to his greed - much higher quality, in short than the new stuff.

I'm struggling right now, incidentally, to recover from having used in my waterfall goldfish and koi pool new - brand new - PVC pipe that already has cracks in it a year and a half after purchase. I've never had that happen before - but I suppose in Gingin, New York or Karratha, Mars the heat is that bad, too.....

That's awesome. I do which i

I do already have a bucket of bits though! I even keep bits of pipe if they're at least 10cm - they're quite useful for joining adaptors and things where you just need a bit of pipe for link them.

Most of us go to the B store for convenience, and convenience has a price. If I need something in a hurry I drive right past a local hardware and go to the B store because I want the particular thing NOW......so it costs a bit more than making a bulk order with the wholesaler and waiting for the delivery.

It is pretty much how it works for me anyway.

Yeah i'm pretty much the same. I'll still go there on the weekend if i need anything, because i need it then and there...

If i have a chance to pre-plan something, then i'll order online.

Rob

[fishing1234]

any one have any thoughts on using pvc growbeds and piping... just been doin some research on vinyl chloride contamination of water... that stuff dosnt seem to friendly in the presence of air,water heat(sun), leaching into the water and then products of fish n produce inevatably i guess... my friends wont even have pvc downpipe to their rainwater tanks.. they suggest a food grade plastic substance for growbeds etc,,, just puttn it out there..