On 2008-09-26, Michael Koblic wrote:
I am not sure if I am going crazy or the world around me is:

I am going around trying to price out a project: To reduce motor speed using
a pulley system by 16:1 would cost me in pulleys alone $50 using a local
supplier (2 6" and 2 1.5" pulley). I have just come back from an auction
where one could buy several drill pressess for around $40. For this I have
two step pulleys, a motor, a shaft, some bearings etc.

What you are paying for when you buy from local supplier, is for
capital, space, and personnel needed to store all kinds of pulleys
that are in stock. Spending $50 is a lot cheaper than driving around
and wasting days in auctions.

Auctions have their place, but usually what you find there is not what
you need immediately.

i

Since when has it become cheaper to buy an assembled piece of second-hand
equipment and cannibalize it for parts rather than buy parts alone? Come to
think of it, it would not even have to be second-hand equipment: Plenty of
cheap small drill presses for $100, i.e. a cost of 2 step-pulleys alone.
BTW a single sleeve 1/2" bearing - $5.00.

Is this an atypical observation? Is this a common phenomenon in the USA
also?


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