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Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 3:33 pm
by Steve Anderson
Those in the UK will know of Maplin, a supplier of electronic stuff for decades. It appears they're going under. Their website will vanish tomorrow which at the moment has an insolvency notice upon it, the retail stores though will still be open, but for how long?

Another one bites the dust I guess!

www.maplin.co.uk

Steve A.

Re: Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 4:50 pm
by Dave Moll
Yes, there has been much discussion about this here in the UK. There just aren't enough of us tinkerers about these days for the electronics businesses to be viable.

Re: Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:53 pm
by Steve Anderson
Dave Moll wrote:Yes, there has been much discussion about this here in the UK. There just aren't enough of us tinkerers about these days for the electronics businesses to be viable.

That is so true, very few actually build things these days preferring the instant gratification of purchasing.

Companies like RS/Farnell(Element 14) will deal with small purchasers like us but you need to be well prepared with all the data they need. They mainly are business-to-business companies so you too need to be business-minded when dealing with them. On-line ordering is the best option as you're prompted for all the info they need and have your credit-card info to hand or set up an account with them.

I occasionally deal with Farnell in Singapore - a thousand km away - no hassle and the goods are here in Thailand the next day by Fed-Ex/UPS and the like. How it gets through Thai customs so quick I have no idea! If my usual suppliers here in Bangkok don't have what I need then I have to use them. RS also have a Singapore base but I've never used them.

Steve A.

Re: Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:07 pm
by Harry Dalek
i wonder if a future could be even worse where we don't understand how any thing is made ..perhaps our final down fall if what ever does gets bored with giving us what we want like most people who don't like to wonder about things just ......want it . :evil:
Least even now there are people who will build a device component scratch so least there is a candle light of hope for future electronics hobbyist . :idea:

Re: Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 12:34 am
by grahamhunt
I have started to use rs the biggest problem being you have to sign for the deliveries so frequent trips to your local post office are the order of the day Mind you eaven if they did not require signing
for using a box 10"x8"x4" for 20 5mm leds means it could not be posted through door
Graham

Re: Another one goes...or appears to be on the way.

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 3:22 pm
by Steve Anderson
grahamhunt wrote:...the biggest problem being you have to sign for the deliveries....using a box 10"x8"x4" for 20 5mm leds means it could not be posted through door. Graham

I requested four 4kV diodes as samples from a US company, they're say 50% larger than a 1N4004, they also arrived in a box about the same size. Thankfully I was home, but what a waste of packing materials!

Steve A.