Shop hardware stocking vendor

"Trevor Jones" wrote in message news:DLI4h.61235$H7.32249@edtnps82...

Actually, when the project it all came from shut down somewhere around

1990, millions of dollars worth of really expensive stuff (really big free electron laser project that burned through millions. Shoulda started small then worked their way up. Electron beam quality was a subject not well understood at the time, but having started big, problems were that much harder to solve. Now they're using what's called a COIL laser mounted to a 747 to do the same thing. Still a big project, but the issues had all been addressed on a smaller scale first) headed for the door, and lots of people spent a lot of time sorting out and inventorying thousands of parts. I figure they keps about a quarter of it all, and of that I'm having to decide what's keepable and what's not. I just threw what was once several thousands of dollars worth of 74 series IC chips in several boxes and put it all on the outgoing pile. Some customer at Surplus Sales is going to be one very happy person finding that enormous trove of hobby treasure. That was just _one_ cabinet! I'm getting there, it will just take awhile. Hopefully I'll have it mostly done progress before I get told it all has to be cleared out in a week, meanwhile there's other hot projects burning up my hours at the time.

So I really like Vidmars, to a certain degree. Well laid out is excellent, but my problem with them is the same problem common to all drawers. It's too easy just to toss crap in the drawer, shove it closed, and put the mess out of your mind. I'm guilty of it probably more than many of us, too. Have a look at my garage! I like Akro bins, where you can move stuff around without handling the hardware, but they also have their problems such as spillage and breaking. That was the thinking that had me build a tool rack for my garage last summer that was made of vertical panels mounted to drawer slides. Took up a two foot square footprint, carries a gob of tools no rollaway could, kept things reasonably arranged, and prevented me from just throwing something in there. Shouldn't have used strandboard, though, which was a bad ecomomic decision at the time. Can't keep a nail too well for hanging stuff up. I need to do another one, but do it better next time, assuming I can find the time.

I actually enjoy engaging my curiosity about what's what and where, and what it might have been for, but the sheer volume is intimidating. There's so much of it I can't seem to be able to work one spot all the way through to the end, but I sorta do a little here and a little there. I find more stuff and where I can organize it better, but it takes me longer. I like having lots of stuff to pick from when figuring out how to do a project that has to get done right away but there's no time for someone to run off to the store and get me what I need, but how many folks need a box full of itty bitty boxes with a BNC connector and a switch on it? I've got piles of little Acopian 5 volt 30 milliamp supplies, and power supplies I won't get rid of. I had done a project at my previous shop that I reduced the quantity of hardware we had in the area for production (I used to wire up 767's,) put stuff where it needed to be, had provisions for easy maintenance (even when gone for seven months I came back to a system that almost maintained itself!) saved a ton of time chasing parts, and so on and so forth. It required a lot of knowledge of our processes (ten years in the same area helps a bit) and a reasonably stable process, but it was a great success, and still is in my absence, I believe. In my current job, stability is a term we use when discussing hardware and system quality, and can never be applied to our job itself. Every day is something new, which I like a lot. Just about every hobby, job, and skill I've ever had, from heavy equipment, electronics, robotics, automotive, aviation, industrial electrical, weighing systems, industrial ink jets, and so, has had an impact on this job and how I do it. I didn't know anything about extreme magnetics, cryogenics, high temperatures, superconductivity, particle accelerators, or other weird shit like that when I started, so I didn't start completely in the know, either. How to decide what to put where is one of those great unknowns, too, and that's a tough one that will take me the rest of my career to figure out. It'll be fun regardless of how it turns out, that I know for sure.

Thanks, and I really mean that. I wish more folks had jobs as cool as this one. Got off my antidepressants, too!

Reply to
Carl McIver
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"Dan" wrote in message news:455227e6$0$12052$ snipped-for-privacy@free.teranews.com...

I couldn't keep from weighing in on this, despite that buttwipe on one shoulder advising me otherwise.

Actually, I didn't go to college, other than a very painful but passing whack at calculus 101, but my wife and I are pushing my kids to go and do better. Without a good education, or the right breaks in life, you can wind up with a painful life of surgeries to correct occupationally incurred issues, such as bad knees, shoulders (one chopped on already, the other I'm trying to hold off with this new job) and so on, which many of us are painfully aware of. Despite the dubious "handicap" of not having a college education, I do consider my writing skills to be much better than a whole lot of college students and other far= more educated folks. I've read enough crap put out by highly educated but nonetheless illiterate ignoramuses (not speaking of iggy!) to know better. While when I wrote the original message I knew it was a bit long, but for those who can retain the entire sentence in their brain by the time they get to the period at the end, it's actually readable and clear enough that I felt I made my point with less wordage than I could have. I'm known for getting wordy, too. As an opening post, I didn't feel the need to explain myself more than necessary, because lengthy explanations cause folks to skip over the issue without offering any thoughts. I don't think anyone will have an issue with that. If anyone does, I'd like to hear about it, so we can all dissect the sentiment. And I can take it, as I've put up with far worse. I'm also in a good mood!

BTW, I won't criticize anyone else's composition ability unless they put themselves up on a wobbly pedestal trying to show themselves as being holier than thou.

Reply to
Carl McIver

What you wrote was fine. I recently reviewed several resumes from candidates with master's degrees and was appalled by obvious and numerous spelling and grammatical errors. These candidates were born in America and went to fairly good schools.

Reply to
ATP*

when we started going this route we found that msc would give us the best , they stock our specifically needed items at our par levels and reorder levels , everything is barcoded so when that single 1.5 ball nose end mill gets checked out it is flagged and when the guy comes in to do the order he knows to double check with the foreman before ordering a 3oo dollar tool , and the foreman gets to chew on someone for not checking the cutter back in , but for the mundane stuff , it is really nice , we are never out of trashbags , tap magic , 1/2-13 taps .

a real time saver

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Reply to
c.henry

c.henry wrote in article ...

Your situation is, apparently, large enough to warrant a computer-controlled inventory.

The situation I am referring to is the small shop where the hardware vendor comes in a physically checks the stock of nuts and bolts - writing up his own order.

It is in these situations where the "Premier Push" can occur - with inventory being shoved to the back of the bin to make it look empty.

Computer-controlled inventory is hard to over ride. When it gets charged out it is recorded and when the new inventory is placed in stock, it is also recorded.

Reply to
*

Is there enough room in your budget to justify a logistics position on a full time basis, either in your shop or shared amongst a couple shops? This really looks like a job best done by a dedicated body.

In an outfit that was flying 24 bell 412's, we had 3 people on full time doing parts and hardware. Overkill sometimes, but it allowed for rotating in a new body when required, and kept things organised.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Reply to
Trevor Jones

I feel that computer controlled inventory is primarily responsible for the excessive "out-of stock" I encounter in shopping for hardware and other supplies. There are various sources for inaccuracies in these systems and they seem to need a lot of maintenance. There is a definite problem in trying to manage small low cost items where the item cost is trivial but having it is important. It is hard to justify keeping track of each nut but if you don't you will run out. A system of bins with "Its getting low, need to reorder" tabs is inelegant but can be very effective. As can someone to scan the bins periodically.

I do think a computer can be a big help to a "person" controlling the inventory.

Don Young

Reply to
Don Young

There's two techs at my end of the building, and perhaps fifteen or so at the other end who would use it. The warehouse sorting is my job, and until I'm done, I wouldn't mind having help, but if I did, what would I do with them when I got done? Now when I was in production, the system for supplying standards was enormous!

Reply to
Carl McIver

Don Young wrote in article ...

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