QotW: When making repairs for the studio, do you try to buy local or do you just jump to the internet?

[Pres]

During the holidays, I have been looking for some repair parts for things around the house, and usually find them at our local hardware store 1 block over and 3 blocks down. Just a walk. However, lately I have had a harder time finding just the right part, even when looking at the big box  hardware twenty mile down the road. Makes me wonder. . . .when buying parts for the studio, kilns, wheels, extruders and others, do you try to buy local or do you just jump to the internet? I prefer to have a store, really with almost everything, I am one of those touchy, feely types that are more convinced the item is right by seeing it in person, and often being able to feel it. I haven't bought some things because of a sharp edge, a weak connection or other flaws. Lately though the internet has been the place to go.

QotW: When making repairs for the studio, do you try to buy local or do you just jump to the internet?

 

best,

Pres

[Roberta12]

The only parts I have been able to buy here are stainless steel screws.  That's it.  Small town, I have to order most everything.  

 

[Hulk]

Clay/pottery/ceramic specific stores within reasonable driving distance, we don't have, however, when passing near one on our travels, I've fenagled time for a stop and shop...

Hence, for pottery specific parts, e.g. Dawson sitter tube assembly, new thermocouple, etc. it's internet and/or telephone, unless repair can be put off until the next trip.

As for generic parts, e.g. threaded fastener, if it's a small number of pieces, I also prefer matching up hands on from the locals' drawers/bins and paying the premium. If the part count is more than a few, and I can wait, then I'll look to match up at the locals' bins, buying one or two, then placing an order, when the saving$ are significant*.

*examples:

We bought hidden/European style hinges for our cabinet refinishing project from D Lawless, where per piece difference was a few bucks - multiply by the required count, two or three hinges per door - total savings buys tires and tubes for over a year of bike riding (I ride "a lot")...

For our steel door restoration project, we bought new low series stainless button head hex screws at a bit over six cents each (vs forty five cents each) from Albany County Fasteners (their minimum was twenty five pieces, if I'm recalling correct - we needed a few hundred).

For local botanical garden bench restoration project, bought carriage bolts from Albany County, saving just under 75% (but for hot dip galvanized, not electroplate).

...

Edited December 28, 2021 by Hulk

[oldlady]

I have access to a pottery supply store here in florida that is only a few miles away.   totally different in west va where there is one in baltimore, 70 miles away.   the difference is that i enjoy being in baltimore occasionally, and shop lots of other places while i am there.   need very little except clay since i have very large containers of glaze ingredients that were bought in the last century for the most part.  

this year i pugged the last clay i had and packed it up to bring down here.  none of my clay is available to buy right now.  still have to unload it from the car and get it into the studio, though.

[JohnnyK]

I have a Lowes and HD and Harbor Freight within a mile of me but I'll go online to check their stock before venturing out...Pottery supply 5 miles away, but I'll call first to see if they have what I want in stock...

[Mark C.]

Lumber is from a local yard store 4 miles away (the mill yard)-hardware  store is 6 miles away. No lowes or Home Depots in this county.

I order most stainless fasteners from Mcmaster Carr on the net as its not China junk like our Ace store carries

We have a ceramic supply store which is open about 3 hours -5 days a week but I rarely need anything for I have more than a enough backstock of clay and materials

I do share truck shipping with our local ceramic store from Laguna Caly as its 12-14 hours from here and we get a better rate the more we can fill on a 40 foot flatbed truck. Trucking is getting harder into this podunk area as the years go by.I have my stuff fork lifted off at my friends Lumber yard 4 miles away (its specialty lumber store-one of the few on the west coast-Almquist Lumber that specializes in hardwoods and exotic woods)

We do have a Harbor freight store about 5 miles away but rarely use it. I tend to only buy that stuff for underwater work-they tools are the right quaility for salt water use as they rust up or get lost ands it no big deal-great for salvage/shipwreck work under the sea

I buy plenty over the web especially if it saves my time just not much ceramic stuff. I do get my honey sticks and salt cellar spoons from Amazon now as they are cheaper than ceramic supply places

Edited December 31, 2021 by Mark C.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I am blessed with choice. I have easy access to both big box stores and a few local ones as well, so sourcing depends on the project. I’ll pick up sand paper at Canadian Tire while I’m there, but I’ll get cabinet hardware from the local place that has the nice stuff. I do tend to like going to the physical store, because I will sometimes find off label uses for things that solve whatever problem I have. 

I do like getting packages in the mail, so I see the appeal of shopping online, and I want to like it more than I do. But I hate it if I have to make a return. I find I’ll shop online for known quantities. I’ll happily order kiln elements and parts online, to save the trip to the store. My supplier would have to order them anyway, so I’m cutting out the intermediary. However if I’m ordering clay, my supplier is across the city. I’ll go fetch it myself to save a delivery charge, and plan to go get packing supplies and bags on the same day, because those suppliers are also in the same part of the city.