Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Sourcing parts if building in the UK.
Your strategy for sourcing minor items is going to have a considerable impact on your total cost by the end, since there will be many parts you need over and above the kit.
What I learned building the -9A is the following:
1 - Apart from paint, MT props, and perhaps radios, I would not bother with
sourcing items in the UK. Usually it is cheaper to buy in the USA and have it
shipped over. Having said that when you run out of something I would put it
on the list 'to finish later' and move on to something else, so that you can
batch up small orders. Yes, its frustrating I agree, but I learned the
hard/expensive way. (There is one organisation in the SW UK that ought to be
the perfect source for these sorts of items, but their costs are horrendous,
their attention to quality non-existent, and their customer service concept
akin to a Whimpy on a good day, if you remember them. Some will disagree,
though I am not alone with this experience.)
Harry H can help with small tool needs, and is VERY prompt. What I have never investigated is German, French or Scandinavian parts suppliers. If anyone has experience if there is a good service from this direction, I would be delighted to hear.
2 - Controlling the shipping costs is the next major frustration. The way to
get small orders shipped is by USPS Global Priority mail. This normally
takes 7 to 10 days and frequently arrives free of duty and VAT. The only
problem is that something might get truly lost, but this has not happened to
me. Aircraft Spruce understands USPS 95% of the time. Phoning the orders
through clearly helps here and if you use a service like 1363 the calls are
not in fact expensive. Some others - possibly including VANS [this seems to vary]- wont use USPS. They would rather put a 10c part in a courier pack resulting in a $40
shipping charge with VAT levied on the shipping! (Its the American mentality
that the whole world ought to be like America. "You are either with us or
against us"! What an asshole!)
3 - When the orders get larger / more valuable it becomes time to use the
couriers. The shipping costs become a small proportion of the total cost of
the package but remember to put your EU number on the order VERY
BOLDLY! You need that with Global Priority Mail also.
4 - For awkward items, e.g. 6' of angle, or a sheet of ally, the only good
solution is to get them shipped with a larger shipment. The
risks of damage are high otherwise.
5 - I would suggest that at an early stage when you are ordering anyway, you
order a selection of extra nuts bolt washers Adel clamps of the common
sizes, because you will inevitably find that the cost of them is trivial
compared to needing them in a hurry and the cost of a shipment just for them.
6 - Finally, when you are missing something specified in the kit, I would check to see if VANS did indeed short ship. When I was on the empennage, I kept running out of parts and asking VANS which bag they were meant to be in. This finally flushed out the question from VANS "did I have a list of 11 specific bags?" It turned out they had made up the picking
list in error.
7 - There is one exception to what I said above. If its engine parts,
batteries (though not PC680 when I asked) etc., there is one excellent
organisation. That is APS at Lasham; speak to Jerry or Lisa on 01256.381919. Their concept of service is more like the Dorchester or Harry. In addition, I am told Earls might be worth talking to for AN fittings.
What I learned building the -9A is the following:
1 - Apart from paint, MT props, and perhaps radios, I would not bother with
sourcing items in the UK. Usually it is cheaper to buy in the USA and have it
shipped over. Having said that when you run out of something I would put it
on the list 'to finish later' and move on to something else, so that you can
batch up small orders. Yes, its frustrating I agree, but I learned the
hard/expensive way. (There is one organisation in the SW UK that ought to be
the perfect source for these sorts of items, but their costs are horrendous,
their attention to quality non-existent, and their customer service concept
akin to a Whimpy on a good day, if you remember them. Some will disagree,
though I am not alone with this experience.)
Harry H can help with small tool needs, and is VERY prompt. What I have never investigated is German, French or Scandinavian parts suppliers. If anyone has experience if there is a good service from this direction, I would be delighted to hear.
2 - Controlling the shipping costs is the next major frustration. The way to
get small orders shipped is by USPS Global Priority mail. This normally
takes 7 to 10 days and frequently arrives free of duty and VAT. The only
problem is that something might get truly lost, but this has not happened to
me. Aircraft Spruce understands USPS 95% of the time. Phoning the orders
through clearly helps here and if you use a service like 1363 the calls are
not in fact expensive. Some others - possibly including VANS [this seems to vary]- wont use USPS. They would rather put a 10c part in a courier pack resulting in a $40
shipping charge with VAT levied on the shipping! (Its the American mentality
that the whole world ought to be like America. "You are either with us or
against us"! What an asshole!)
3 - When the orders get larger / more valuable it becomes time to use the
couriers. The shipping costs become a small proportion of the total cost of
the package but remember to put your EU number on the order VERY
BOLDLY! You need that with Global Priority Mail also.
4 - For awkward items, e.g. 6' of angle, or a sheet of ally, the only good
solution is to get them shipped with a larger shipment. The
risks of damage are high otherwise.
5 - I would suggest that at an early stage when you are ordering anyway, you
order a selection of extra nuts bolt washers Adel clamps of the common
sizes, because you will inevitably find that the cost of them is trivial
compared to needing them in a hurry and the cost of a shipment just for them.
6 - Finally, when you are missing something specified in the kit, I would check to see if VANS did indeed short ship. When I was on the empennage, I kept running out of parts and asking VANS which bag they were meant to be in. This finally flushed out the question from VANS "did I have a list of 11 specific bags?" It turned out they had made up the picking
list in error.
7 - There is one exception to what I said above. If its engine parts,
batteries (though not PC680 when I asked) etc., there is one excellent
organisation. That is APS at Lasham; speak to Jerry or Lisa on 01256.381919. Their concept of service is more like the Dorchester or Harry. In addition, I am told Earls might be worth talking to for AN fittings.
