UK price watch thread

[polaris]

not to try and exclude, but i thought it might be handy if we can share any bargains we find in the uk. bookmark the thread if you use the right skin and come back with anything you find.
ideally for cab use but hey im sure saint wont mind the odd non arcade bargain being shown( but peale might move it to everything else if it happens too often  )


to start then

Level42
used these for a marquee.

in my local morrisons e-on brand low energy bulbs were 10p each yesterday, good for marquees or your house in general, check your local morrisons

[ark_ader]

I would like to agree with you on that, a thread that would get stickied would be helpful.  Unfortunately I find arcade parts are getting scarcer.  Yes there are vendors like gremlin solutions, but I tend to buy my gear from Germany.  I also make out on the exchange rate.

Also most vendors do not cater to enthusiasts, and they tend to work with contacts in the arcade business.  Yes I know there will be flamed for that comment, but it is true, especially in the North.

Like today for example.  I have to travel 20 miles to get to a Maplin store only to pay 40% more for solder or switches.  I have no local electronic stores, so I have to resort to the Internet and wait to get any deals.  I am sure you can just walk across the street in London and get pretty much everything you want.

A thread would be most helpful, and would help those in the business who make a living from UK BYOAC enthusiasts.

Especially us up North. 

[Grasshopper]

If you want electronic components then forget Maplin. They're overpriced and the staff in their shops generally don't have a clue. They expect you to do all the running so you may as well order online.

The best place I've found is http://uk.farnell.com/

Their service is excellent and they offer a wide range or products, free shipping, and (mostly) competitive prices. The only downside is that they've introduced a minimum order amount which was £20 last time I checked.

[venkman]

nice idea for a thread.

deals for people looking for electronics, other parts and  games..

[thatitalian]

NICE ONE POLARIS!

It is about time UK fought back! 

Bookmarked!

[grantspain]

components
www.cpc.co.uk
www.dalbani.co.uk

sega stuff
www.segashed.co.uk
www.segatotalsolutions.co.uk

joysticks/buttons etc
www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk

general parts and monitor repair
www.coin.demon.co.uk
www.giz10p.co.uk
www.eurocoin.co.uk

general parts and monitor supplies
www.suzo.co.uk
www.brentelectronic.co.uk


monitor supply and repair
www.hantarex.co.uk
www.eurocoin.co.uk



I use ebay alot for components as well

All the above will deal with general public although some may have a minimum order value

[venkman]

oho! nice one, i need a new monitor..

[ratzz]

You have my support on this too...

Bookmarked ...

[grantspain]

coin mechs-repair and supply
micro electronic services
suzo
brent electronic

[Turnarcades]

If you want electronic components then forget Maplin. They're overpriced and the staff in their shops generally don't have a clue. They expect you to do all the running so you may as well order online.

It's a shame that this is the only chain store of it's kind in the UK. I was gutted when Tandy's disappeared a few years ago - ok they were a hybrid electronics parts/consumer goods store but they had a healthy selection of components, good prices and clued-up staff.

It's true most arcade stuff online is marketed at the US (even British Ultimarc defaults to US$ on the website) though most will now import to Britain anyway if you stump up the damn VAT when it arrives in customs. It's a shame there aren't more parts suppliers in the UK as it would help people like me greatly. We don't produce cabinets on a production line (only 2 a month usually) else I'd consider importing myself in bulk to re-sell as well as use on our cabinets. However every machine is different and our customers pay accordingly for anything custom so it's just an area I will have to live with.

I've found the best bet is to get pally with some of the low-medium vendors sourced on here or ebay. It works for me as a builder, but any UK hobbyists would do good to do this as once you build one cabinet, you inevitably build a second.... a third... fourth...  

[waveryder]

any UK hobbyists would do good to do this as once you build one cabinet, you inevitably build a second.... a third... fourth...  

Tell me about it! We brits should do what the "yanks" did with those elo touchscreens on the jukebox forum and start clubbing together to bulk purchase. Thats how you reduce the prices for parts. 

[polaris]

saw a 4 way usb hub in poundland today, i didn't ask, i knew it was a pound
its probably ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- but i travel a lot and loose things so i might stump up the quid.

on a sidenote, i worked on scrapheap challenge today, it was cool as ---fudgesicle---. they made a remote control fiat panda that they're gonna strap rockets too and shoot it off a quarry
if anyone wants to go see the final being filmed in the gloucester area this sunday PM me for the email address, tickets not guaranteed, but i reckon you'd get them cos they want an audience.
its on all day , will have scrap races, then all the 'cars' will be driven off a ramp to see how far they can fly into the quarry

[Franco B]

You have been on scrapheap challenge?     

I officially hate you!!! 

I would sooooo come down but im away with the mrs. You will have to let us know when its being aired tho!

[polaris]

christ no i wasnt a contestant, id be useless, i put the lighting and power into the studio.
well cool to watch them making the stuff though. the show has changed format this year ( no lisa rogers  or robert llewellyn ) theres an expert team now against the world as it were.
the experts are nuts, one of them wanted to sit on a compressor with a bottle rocket attatched to it to show how bottle rockets worked, the director was quite concened with the idea

[venkman]

no lisa rogers? 

that show is a sunday classic, like time team .. or the grand prix.

[ark_ader]

If you want electronic components then forget Maplin. They're overpriced and the staff in their shops generally don't have a clue. They expect you to do all the running so you may as well order online.

It's a shame that this is the only chain store of it's kind in the UK. I was gutted when Tandy's disappeared a few years ago - ok they were a hybrid electronics parts/consumer goods store but they had a healthy selection of components, good prices and clued-up staff.

It's true most arcade stuff online is marketed at the US (even British Ultimarc defaults to US$ on the website) though most will now import to Britain anyway if you stump up the damn VAT when it arrives in customs. It's a shame there aren't more parts suppliers in the UK as it would help people like me greatly. We don't produce cabinets on a production line (only 2 a month usually) else I'd consider importing myself in bulk to re-sell as well as use on our cabinets. However every machine is different and our customers pay accordingly for anything custom so it's just an area I will have to live with.

I've found the best bet is to get pally with some of the low-medium vendors sourced on here or ebay. It works for me as a builder, but any UK hobbyists would do good to do this as once you build one cabinet, you inevitably build a second.... a third... fourth...  

There are Radio Shack (Tandy) shops in the UK.  There is one in St. Annes Lancashire, but again the prices are cheaper in the States than in that shop.  And I'm not talking exchange rates either.

[Turnarcades]

Doesn't surprise me one bit. You'd think global commerce and the dawn of the internet would break these bullshti barriers, but alas no.

That's news to me about Tandy's - There used to be 2 in Wolverhampton city centre and at least one in every major town in the Midlands. In all my travels in recent years all over the country I've not seen a single one, so I assumed they were gone for good.

[ratzz]

Also, check out Lidl (if you have one). They often have good deals on for power tools etc ...

http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20081009.index.ar7

[polaris]

Morrisons strikes again

they have asus eeepc 900 for £200 , not super cheap but better than any price i can find online so far.

also 2GB SD or MICRO SD cards for a deep sea diver (we need a pearly king smilie), but they were all sold out in my local shop

[Franco B]

also 2GB SD or MICRO SD cards for a deep sea diver (we need a pearly king smilie), but they were all sold out in my local shop

I don't know how cheap the MicroSD cards were you saw but I picked up a 2GB Kingston MicroSD card with SD adapter from Amazon.co.uk last week for £1.77 + £2 p&p. [Linky]

[polaris]

ahh ok i didn't realise they were that cheap now 

they were a lady godiva in morrisons i obviously wasnt clear when i said deep sea diver

[Franco B]

Ha ha, I wondered what the smeg you were on about for a start!! 

 

[grantspain]

yes a lady godiva would the correct terminology me old china

[venkman]

who's good and/or cheap for pick up and delivery / courier services?

[Franco B]

I normally get quotes from both http://www.parcel2go.com/ and http://interparcel.com/

[ark_ader]

CityLink.

[Turnarcades]

I normally get quotes from both http://www.parcel2go.com/ and http://interparcel.com/

Be very careful with interparcel Franco. I once sent a Bar-Top cabinet (for which I paid extra and ultra-carefully packaged it) to Denmark for a customer through them and they obliterated it. The customer sent me pics and it was completely obliterated. It was also evident from the pictures that it had been patched up and re-sealed. Luckily the customer was able to repair the shell, but it was annoying how it was damaged and they tried to cover it up.

[Mamed for life]

Hi all,

More stuff in Lidl in Ireland from Thursday 30th October

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20081030.index

Crimper and connects, and the glue gun look handy?

I also got a soldering iron kit (iron, solder, flux, etc) for about €20 a couple of weeks ago, they might still have some in stock.

Mfl

[rusolinio]

Theres a guy in castleford, west yorkshire whos business is named 'Arcade sales'. He sells quite a few of his machines on ebay, and is a decent fella to boot.

Hes more than open to offers, and even lets you poke around for bits you need. I really do love going to his shop. Its messy, but its heaven...

heres a link to his ebay stuff:
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/arcadesales1_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

[venkman]

RE courier


i decided to use this company to move my cab:
http://www.speedlinktransport.co.uk/

the guy tony seems to have his head screwed on. they never use pallets, pad out the machie in the van and assure me it'll arrive in the came condition it was put on the van. fully insured in transit as well. they do take a while to arrange the pick up and delivery tho - about a week.

[Franco B]

Just a heads up for anyone after router bits.

I bought a couple of these 1/2" flush trim bits from ebay for £2.49 BIN each plus £1.49. As the seller states they are not the item in the picture but are these:



They are Silverline 1/2" dia, 50mm flute length TCT cutters that are 'Guaranteed forever'. I was a bit dubious about the quality due to the price but I tried one this morning and it cut beautifully. [This] is the ebay auction. It says there are only three left so I would get in quick if you want one.

I also had good dealings when buying some router bits from http://www.toolsuppliesuk.com/

I was after a long 1/4" flush trim bit and they are the only company I found that stocked them. I also picked up a shorter 1/4" bit and a round over bit. Some of there other router bits were quite expensive but those three bits came to about £18 with next day delivery.

[polaris]

you may have seen this project

either way in maplins they have a mini projector on sale

£50 off til christmas eve bringing it down to 99 quid. no idea how good it is, but i'm tempted. if you sign up for their newsletter you get vouchers too, £7 off a £100 purchase, so add a £1 item and you get it for £93 i believe.

its av in not pc
link

worth noting there will be lots of mini projectors released in the next few months , LG are doing one like this one but much better spec , obviously for lots more cash though

[polaris]

ok i may be behind the times on this one again but here goes anyway.

it seems things are changing regarding phone lines. BT are having to release their monopoly.
so you can now get a phone line from your isp, tiscali in upgraded areas are offering free line rental with broadband.
so for me, i pay £12 to BT and £15 to tiscali, this could now be just £15 for the two, just paying tiscali and removing bt from the equation.
if your area is not yet covered (like mine) they offered me £8 line rental and a speed increase on my connection (2MB to 8MB) free until they can give me the free line rental once my local exchange is updated.

check your isp to see if they are doing the same

[HairyDVD]

Aldi offers on 2nd November (today)



Assorted Wood Drills
per set £2.99 *

Forstner Drill Bit Set (ideal for fitting hinges and locks)
15, 20, 25, 30, 35mm
8mm shank

Countersink Drill Bit Set (with adjustable 2 stage stop collar for precise drilling and countersink depth control). 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6mm.

Plug Cutter Set (round or chamfered style to fill counter bored holes)

Saw Drill Bit Set (ideal for drilling, sawing, routing, filing and reaming). 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm.

Also ......



4 Piece Cordless Tool Gift Set
per set £39.99 *

This handy set of rechargeable tools with accessories in a presentation gift set. All items feature a soft grip handle for comfortable use.

18V cordless angle grinder
18V cordless jigsaw
18V cordless drill
Cordless flashlight
20 compatible accessories
2 × 1.3 mAh battery packs

Also ......



950W Belt Sander
each £24.99 *

Variable sanding speed: 0-380m/min
Belt size: 75 × 533mm
Dust extraction facility
Dust bag
Ergonomic front hand grip
Quick clamping lever for simple belt change
5 belts included (2 × G60, 2 × G80, 1 × G120)

Also ......



Sanding Discs
per pack £1.99 *

Compatible with many types of sander, including orbital, sheet and detail.

50 sheets of 115 × 280mm
15 sheets of 115 × 230mm
50 sheets of 93 × 230mm
15 sheets of 93 × 180mm
20 sheets of 115mm
20 sheets of 125mm
20 sheets for Orbital Sander
20 sheets for Delta Sander
15 sheets of 98 × 136mm Grinding Sheets
20 sheets of 230 × 280mm Sanding Paper


Treat myself to a forstner drill bit set and a countersunk bit set today ( great value for money as both would cost a fortune at B & Q )   

[thatitalian]

Anyone else feel the need to boycott B&Q?

[polaris]

Anyone else feel the need to boycott B&Q?

ive had very end of line bargains in B&Q apart from that theyre useless and so overpriced its untrue. my mate went to get m10 bolts from there, 94p  each bolt, you could probably get 50 for a quid in a hardware store if they still existed.

[Franco B]

Anyone else feel the need to boycott B&Q?

ive had very end of line bargains in B&Q apart from that theyre useless and so overpriced its untrue. my mate went to get m10 bolts from there, 94p  each bolt, you could probably get 50 for a quid in a hardware store if they still existed.

I know exactly what you mean. I wanted 16 dome headed bolts for my CPs and B&Q wanted something like £10 for just the bolts. I went to Screwfix across the road and I got a box of 50 bolts with nuts and washers for less than £5.

[polaris]

smartstrip thing
in tesco for under £20 in the discontinued bit, few quid cheaper than the a grade one i linked to, worth keeping an eye to see if they come down more

[Franco B]

[Makita 8391DWPE3 18V Combi Drill]





3 x 1.3Ah Ni-Cd Batteries
30min Charger
2-Speed
13mm Keyless Chuck
16 Torque Settings
Electric Brake
Automatic Spindle Lock
Fan-Cooled Motor
Soft-Grip Handle

On offer at the mo at Screwfix, was £179.99, now £79.86. I'm off to pick one up after work

[polaris]

let us know what you think of it, i just had my drill 'taken' from me, so i'm looking for a new one