Woodworking Business

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

Post a Response
The staff at WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at any WOODWEB Forum. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk.
Your Name:
Your Website:
Email Address:
Subject: Re: Running low on materials

Message:

(read message guidelines).
Note: Do not use the below fields to advertise your business - only for links related to the discussion.
Thread Related Link URL:
Thread Related Link Title:
  To "point" to an image (picture) from another website, provide the URL (Web Address) of the file ( include ONE reference to http:// )
Thread Related Image URL:

Date of your Birth:

Upload a Thread Related File:
File Types: Image (gif-jpg-png-bmp), PDF, Sketchup, Video (mov avi wmv mpeg mpg mp4 ogg). (Image Upload Tips)

I have read the Site User Agreement and agree with the Terms

  <= Check to receive e-mail notification of responses

Message Thread:

Running low on materials

7/20/16       
Rob Long  Member

Curious how everyone else gets the shop to communicate to the office when they are low on supplies rather than just telling the office when they are out on supplies.

Would love to hear about this.

7/20/16       #2: Running low on materials ...
DTS

I would fire the first guy who caused a production halt due to lack of supplies. Keep doing that until the even the slowest of them figures out what is going on.

7/20/16       #3: Running low on materials ...
B

We use material acquisition lists. We order hardware, chemicals, lumber and sheet goods almost weekly. When something is low it is written on a publicly hanging acquisition list. When the office is ordering for that week, they grab the lists.

7/21/16       #4: Running low on materials ...
Pat Gilbert

As Tim's proxy, Kanban cards.

7/21/16       #5: Running low on materials ...
Puzzleman Member

We use Kanban cards as well.

When we set them up it took a little while to work out the bugs such as making the information on the cards correctly, where to turn them in, who is responsible for the reordering, getting them put back in with the new stock when delivered, changing re-order levels, etc. Just all of the usual things of putting a new written system in to replace a "everybody knows what to do" system.

Now we don't run out of items anymore. It was rocky at first but now it works great.

7/21/16       #6: Running low on materials ...
cabmaker

Materials management is worth paying attention to. Materials nominally run maybe 25% of the project. The real cost of material is all the money you spend getting the product into the cabinet.

The time you spend staring at a vendor catalog to see what they call a particular hinge this time you is located in your chart of accounts under the stupid category.

Easter egg hunts are something you do once a year with your grandkids. Should not be part of the portion of your day you allocate to generating revenue.

It's one thing to know where things are and quite another thing to walk across the shop to get them. You would never willingly store a spatula in your bathroom. Not on a bet would you do this. Why then would you willingly walk 20 feet to get to sand paper for your palm sander?

It really doesn't matter where your costs live. They all subtract dollars from exactly the same bucket.

7/21/16       #7: Running low on materials ...
bill

Weekly we hand out what we call inventory sheets. Most people have material they are responsible for. All sheets are turned in regardless of need. Simple and works well.

7/25/16       #8: Running low on materials ...
cabinetmaker

On the hardware and sundries foreman has stock of a days worth on shelves in his office. Daily inventory done @ $50k payroll a month, we do not run out, period.

7/25/16       #9: Running low on materials ...
cabmaker

About a million years ago there was a really smart guy on this forum named Keith Hill. He was one of the original brains behind the creation of the True32 system.

Keith recommended building your own crates for screw storage. The optimum box had a false bottom that could hold enough screws to get you you out of a jam if you ever came up short.

Keith also advocated for printing out all the salient data needed to order screws then laminating this onto orange construction paper. The laminated sheet would then live near the bottom of the box. As soon as you could actually start to see orange color you knew it was time for re-order. The laminated orange sheets would then serve as a kanban signal for the ordering department.

The nice thing about this system was that it was highly visual and had very low administrative costs.

7/25/16       #10: Running low on materials ...
cabmaker

We use a product called Quick Screw. It has low root thread and you cannot snap them. They are priced right and come in every diameter & length.

Several years ago we came up short on these in 1 1/4 inch length. They are manufactured in China and the particular factory (or village) that made these was supposedly subject to mandated electricity curtailment.

Geopolitics will get you every time.

 

Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)