van and store stock

[Sparky011]

another facf finding mission.


how many of us electrical contractors have dead stock that we store in our vans, sheds and stores,

i know myself i have that much stuff in my shed that i am on a daily basis buying materials that i dont need to and also have materials in the shed that i collect on my way old brakers fuses etc,

are other contractors the same, i just cleaned out my shead today and couldnt believe what i had in there,

is this a common thing when a large job is finished and all remaining materials are taken away out the container, where do yours end up

 

[i=p/u]

im only new to the game, and i have a trailer load of old alarms ive taken out few cu full of breakers and scrap bits of cable , but im sure by time im 50 the Chinese will want to do business with me

 

[MKS]

In the garage mine goes, brought some handy containers from DIY store and sorted out, but the kids like to rummage through looking for anything and everything, so it is aendless battle keeping it neat and tidy!

 

[DurhamSparky]

i need to have a sort out!!!

got custom shelves built in garage for exact purpose!!

 

[Guitarist]

Still got miles of old 6mm swa in my garage....plus about 20 broken screwdrivers. Each has its own story so I don't want to throw them...

I did, however, throw out a wheelie bin's worth of old broken accessories a few weeks ago

 

[Tris Zanker]

yep i've got a garage and a van full of crap, it think the best thing to do is skip everthing and fetch what you need when you need it half of the stuff i've got will never get used.

 

[Stemc12]

I have a 20ft shipping container full of stuff old and new, and the annual clear out where not alot gets thrown out ha!!

 

[Tris Zanker]

the annual clear about were your move stuff from A to B and then back to A.

 

[alarm man]

im a bit of a might need that one day,hence why i cant move for spares and things i will never use again..well you never know i may need it one day..anyone need a brand new keyswitch for a modern 80 panel..:bucktooth: i'll use it one day..

 

[alarm man]

yep i've got a garage and a van full of crap, it think the best thing to do is skip everthing and fetch what you need when you need it half of the stuff i've got will never get used.

if you skip it on monday you will need it on tuesday...its the fear that keeps me hoarding,,:dizzy2:

 

[Tris Zanker]

i've got 5 new crabtree cooker switch and sockets those ones that are about 3 times as big as a 2g one they must be at least 30 years old, what goods that to anyone but i just carnt bring my self to part with them.

 

[Richard Burns]

I am a hoarder as well and not only have piles of work kit I will never need scattered around I also have loads of other stuff that gets mixed in with it. It is such a nightmare to find anything I tend to buy new anything I need, so well worth holding on to!
But it does come in useful sometimes, for odd jobs.

 

[Strima]

Recently left the forces and had to move every few years so had a good clear out each time. If you want to send me your scrap cable please feel free, it'll make some more room for you... :lol:

 

[Knobhead]

OK I’ll take this on to the industrial side. I’ve only ever works for multi national companies.

At one of them the accountants went berserk. If something hadn’t be used for X years it was surplus to requirements and so sold off. We fought tooth and nail to stop them. Things finally came to a head when we had a major plant outage. Simple to repair had we got the parts needed, you don’t even have to guess the rest of the story. It was amazing how many things got booked out from the stores and squirreled away in nooks and crannies on the plants. On the plant I worked on we had a decommissioned substation, I had it stuffed the rafters with bits and bobs that may come in handy one day. You want some 1½“ X ½“ copper bar, how long a length do you need? The local management knew about my horde, but kept schum about it.

Our stores held over 500 spare motors, there was 6000 out on the plant working. The rules were: for every 6 on site 1 would be held as a spare. Special motors would have a spare. I’m not joking, I could go to the stores office and book out a 2500HP motor just the same as a fuse.

 

[kingeri]

My inability to throw anything away is the no.1 cause of arguments with the wife. I have however recently managed to get rid of about 20 old bags of board finish etc., some of it dating back over ten years. Made room for all the part rolls of cable, tins of paint, etc. that were in the boot of my car. One thing that seems to be breeding in my shed is junction boxes though. I hardly ever use the traditional round JB any more, yet must have over 100 in the shed. You never know, one day they just might come in handy!