Another thing if ya look at the mail order , find out where the weight price changes Ya may be able to get more material for down the road for the same amount of freight .

Like sports ya get one foul so foul hard .

animal

On 3/19/24 5:57 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

Nobody locally. Nearest two cities are 60-90 minutes away in opposite directions.

I'm sure somebody there sells steel, but finding one that's open to the public, will sell small quantities, and is open on Saturdays is a pretty slim chance.

I do know of a guy who welds and just hung a sign saying metal sales. He's about 45 minutes away and I don't know if he's open on Saturdays. I suspect he's selling more structural-type steel but it might be worth seeing if he carries what I need or can maybe get it.

We live in the sticks. It's beautiful, but there's not much industry.

On Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 at 8:48 PM, mike allen <animal@...> wrote:

A36 is some tougher to machine than 1018 .DO you have any steel sellers in yer area ?

animal

On 3/19/24 5:44 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide. I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around. Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places. Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high. If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled. Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys. Is 1018 reasonably machineable? Is there something else I should be looking for?

Nobody locally.? Nearest two cities are 60-90 minutes away in opposite directions.

I'm sure somebody there sells steel, but finding one that's open to the public, will sell small quantities, and is open on Saturdays is a pretty slim chance.

I do know of a guy who welds and just hung a sign saying metal sales.? He's about 45 minutes away and I don't know if he's open on Saturdays.? I suspect he's selling more structural-type steel but it might be worth seeing if he carries what I need or can maybe get it.

We live in the sticks.? It's beautiful, but there's not much industry.

On Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 at 8:48 PM, mike allen <animal@...> wrote:

A36 is some tougher to machine than 1018 .DO you have any steel sellers in yer area ?

animal

On 3/19/24 5:44 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide. I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around. Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places. Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high. If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled. Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys. Is 1018 reasonably machineable? Is there something else I should be looking for?

Nobody locally.? Nearest two cities are 60-90 minutes away in opposite directions.

I'm sure somebody there sells steel, but finding one that's open to the public, will sell small quantities, and is open on Saturdays is a pretty slim chance.

I do know of a guy who welds and just hung a sign saying metal sales.? He's about 45 minutes away and I don't know if he's open on Saturdays.? I suspect he's selling more structural-type steel but it might be worth seeing if he carries what I need or can maybe get it.

We live in the sticks.? It's beautiful, but there's not much industry.

On Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 at 8:48 PM, mike allen <animal@...> wrote:

A36 is some tougher to machine than 1018 .DO you have any steel sellers in yer area ?

animal

On 3/19/24 5:44 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide. I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around. Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places. Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high. If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled. Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys. Is 1018 reasonably machineable? Is there something else I should be looking for?

On Mar 19, 2024, at 5:48?PM, mike allen <animal@...> wrote:

A36 is some tougher to machine than 1018 .DO you have any steel sellers in yer area ?

animal

On 3/19/24 5:44 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide.? I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around.? Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places.? Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high.? If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled.? Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys.? Is 1018 reasonably machineable?? Is there something else I should be looking for?

A36 is some tougher to machine than 1018 .DO you have any steel sellers in yer area ?

animal

On 3/19/24 5:44 PM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide. I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around. Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places. Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high. If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled. Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys. Is 1018 reasonably machineable? Is there something else I should be looking for?

I tend to machine whatever I have on hand or can scrounge.

I'd like to make a riser block to replace the compound slide.? I figure something like a 2x2x2 cube of steel would be pretty close - I just got a 4-jaw chuck so I should be able to machine it to size on the lathe.

But I have nothing like that lying around.? Went on ebay and didn't find much.

Started looking at the online metals places.? Cube like that is pretty reasonably priced although the shipping tends to be high.? If I'm going to fork out that cash to a specialty place, I figure I should know what I'm getting.

One of the options is 1018 cold rolled.? Seems like a good choice.

A36 is a bit cheaper but just barely.

Some other sites list other steel alloys.? Is 1018 reasonably machineable?? Is there something else I should be looking for?

Even though I have a hard time playing these days my guitar stable will
be where I can see them till its time for my kids to argue over who gets
which one . I had a couple of offers to get a couple martins on the
cheap from friends that needed $$ real quick back in the day but
fortunately they got their finances in line before we made the deals .
??? Could ya imagine walking into a guitar store with a D-18 & telling
the guy in back? make this a 12 string , David Crosby did . The guy
always had big balls . You have a real treasure with that D-28 enjoy it
, I bet it still gets sounding better each time ya play it .

animal

On 3/19/24 4:26 PM, Ralph Lehotsky wrote:

One of the best decisions I made was to buy my new 1957 D-28.? It
keeps going up in value, but that makes no difference.? I'll never
sell it!

ralphie

One of the best decisions I made was to buy my new 1957 D-28.? It keeps going up in value, but that makes no difference.? I'll never sell it!

ralphie

On Mar 19, 2024, at 10:59?AM, Charles Kinzer <ckinzer@...> wrote:

It is very hard for a traditional U.S. company like Starrett, at one time existing mostly in the bubble of the U.S., to remain competitive once the manufacturing cmpetition went worldwide.

A very long time ago I got some business advice that, "If you do not obsolete yourself, somebody else will."

An example of this is Fluke which is a top-rated manufacturer of multimeters and such and are often "specified in" in large companies and government operations.? (And part of their business model is to support the same models for many years so that written procedures by companies and the gov don't have to be changed.)? They now have some of the meters manufactured in China.? They aren't real public about this.? However, they maintain VERY tight control over all steps of the manufacturing quality and the product is as sound as ever - so far as I know.

Many U.S. companies suffer from "corporate inertia" or suffer from not looking further into the future than trying to make the end of this quarter look good.? I don't know the details of why this merger occurred.

I don't know what MiddleGround Capital's plans are.? I know they acquired Castle Metals last year.? They also acquired Banner Industries and seem to be putting the two companies together, which will probably streamline things.? I suspect their plans for Starrett might be along similar lines.?

Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer?

On Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:21:18 AM PDT, davesmith1800 <davesmith1@...> wrote:

Most of my mics are Starrett?
Good to know.?

Dave?

?Ralph Lehotsky 9:19am? ?

Many Starrett products manufactured before this date will undoubtedly become more valuable

Sounds great till there is war.
Just ask Japanese in WW2?
There where buying from America.??

Dave?

Note the brand of mill the guy is using?

Bruce J

2:34pm? ?

They have been making very good acoustic guitars in Mexico for a very very long time; there’s a substantial home market for them.

My 2010 Jetta TDI Sportwagen was made in Mexico and it’s proven really well made; The most expensive repairs I've had done (other than fixing the cheater diesel issue, for which VW gave me back ?rd of the original cost) has been a front ball joint that was replaced prophylactically because of a torn boot on the joint probably let grit into it.

China CAN make very very good machine tools; not everything is ‘chinesium’; everything CHEAP is though, and guess what this list is about :-)

On Mar 19, 2024, at 2:22 PM, mike allen <animal@...> wrote:

yep . I was with a but lookin to buy a Martin a few years back & after 2 trips to the guitar store we had them narrowed down to 5 . So we go back on the third day & he finally makes the decision which one . Gets up to the register & that's when he saw the paperwork with Made in Mexico . He didn't want one made on Mexico & I can hang with that but we went back to the " good guitar room " & he made his new decision almost purely on USA/Mexico . The one he ended up with would not have been my first choice but it is becoming a nice playable guitar , it's still learning it's tone . I still think the one from Mexico sounded a lot better to me , I finally quit telling him that after I said in from of his wife one day & she ripped him pretty god for that after I left . I know plenty of parents that went to Guitar Center ( which I loathe ) to buy their kid a guitar for Christmas or birthday & then find out later that the guitar was made in Japan or Mexico . Their still nice playable guitars but American see's Fender Guitars as a American company & that's what they expect when they purchase .

animal

On 3/19/24 2:10 PM, Ralph Lehotsky wrote:

A lot of Martin guitars are now made in Mexico!!

?

ralphie

--?

Bruce Johnson

The less a man knows about how sausages and laws are made, the easier it is to steal his vote and give him botulism.

?Reply Like More

mike allen

2:22pm? ?

yep . I was with a but lookin to buy a Martin a few years back & after 2 trips to the guitar store we had them narrowed down to 5 . So we go back on the third day & he finally makes the decision which one . Gets up to the register & that's when he saw the paperwork with Made in Mexico . He didn't want one made on Mexico & I can hang with that but we went back to the " good guitar room " & he made his new decision almost purely on USA/Mexico . The one he ended up with would not have been my first choice but it is becoming a nice playable guitar , it's still learning it's tone . I still think the one from Mexico sounded a lot better to me , I finally quit telling him that after I said in from of his wife one day & she ripped him pretty god for that after I left . I know plenty of parents that went to Guitar Center ( which I loathe ) to buy their kid a guitar for Christmas or birthday & then find out later that the guitar was made in Japan or Mexico . Their still nice playable guitars but American see's Fender Guitars as a American company & that's what they expect when they purchase .

animal

On 3/19/24 2:10 PM, Ralph Lehotsky wrote:

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

?Ralph Lehotsky 2:10pm? ?

A lot of Martin guitars are now made in Mexico!!

?

ralphie

?Reply Like More

mike allen

12:35pm? ?

Pawn shops can be yer friend .

animal

On 3/19/24 9:30 AM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

mike allen

12:34pm? ?

The thing to keep in mind with MrPete is he is very direct & as far as I can tell I have never seen him hold back on anything which can be a good thing. He is very strong in his opinions as are many here my self included . I think his opinions come from living in a area that he has seen himself in person so many companies go over to the dark side & then dissapear . This one is a bit closer to him I think , ya can kinda see it in his eyes . I have friends that have sold/given away things that they were very proud of just because the manufacturer did something like this . Fender guitars is a great example of this they will no longer own anything that was made after Dec 31 1964 , CBS officially took over Fender on Jan 5 1965 & now fenders are made in at least 4 different countries . Gibson is still made in USA but I can't say all the parts are . The results from deals like this usually have a up gain for the $$$ folks & a downhill trend for the employees product .

or I could be totally pounding sand on this one .

end of rant

animal

On 3/18/24 4:57 AM, chrisser via groups.io wrote:

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

Charles Kinzer

10:59am? ?

It is very hard for a traditional U.S. company like Starrett, at one time existing mostly in the bubble of the U.S., to remain competitive once the manufacturing cmpetition went worldwide.

A very long time ago I got some business advice that, "If you do not obsolete yourself, somebody else will."

An example of this is Fluke which is a top-rated manufacturer of multimeters and such and are often "specified in" in large companies and government operations. (And part of their business model is to support the same models for many years so that written procedures by companies and the gov don't have to be changed.) They now have some of the meters manufactured in China. They aren't real public about this. However, they maintain VERY tight control over all steps of the manufacturing quality and the product is as sound as ever - so far as I know.

Many U.S. companies suffer from "corporate inertia" or suffer from not looking further into the future than trying to make the end of this quarter look good. I don't know the details of why this merger occurred.

I don't know what MiddleGround Capital's plans are. I know they acquired Castle Metals last year. They also acquired Banner Industries and seem to be putting the two companies together, which will probably streamline things. I suspect their plans for Starrett might be along similar lines.?

Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer?

On Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:21:18 AM PDT, davesmith1800 <davesmith1@...> wrote:

Most of my mics are Starrett?

Good to know.?

Dave?

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

Bruce J

10:57am? ?

Oh great…another ‘vulture capitalist’ strikes. Buy the company, load it up with debt (to you, of course) sell off anything of value, fire everybody, move on to the next one leaving an empty husk behind.

I have a handful of actual Starett tools…

More info

?

On Mar 19, 2024, at 7:21 AM, Paul <soundguy.paul@...> wrote:

I heard about this yesterday and this makes me sad. One of th companies that I used to work for, went through a similar situation. Of the 350 employees all but 35 were “laid off“. They did not want our products or employees only the customers and name.?

RIP ? Starrett “Made in America”

--?

Bruce Johnson

The less a man knows about how sausages and laws are made, the easier it is to steal his vote and give him botulism.

?Reply Like More

?davesmith1800 10:21am? ?

Most of my mics are Starrett?

Good to know.?

Dave?

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

?chrisser 9:30am? ?

As if they weren't already going for big bucks on ebay.

Sometimes the prices on the old stuff is higher than just buying new from Starrett.

On Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 at 12:19 PM, Ralph Lehotsky <ralphlehotsky@...> wrote:

toggle quoted messageShow quoted text

?Reply Like More

?Ralph Lehotsky 9:19am? ?

Many Starrett products manufactured before this date will undoubtedly become more valuable.

ralphie

?Reply Like More

Paul

7:21am? ?

I heard about this yesterday and this makes me sad. One of th companies that I used to work for, went through a similar situation. Of the 350 employees all but 35 were “laid off“. They did not want our products or employees only the customers and name.?

RIP ? Starrett “Made in America”

?Reply Like More

?chrisser Mar 18? ?

Vid dropped this morning by Mr. Pete about Starrett being acquired.

"ATHOL, MA, March 11, 2024 – The L.S. Starrett Company (“Starrett” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SCX) today announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement in a go-private transaction with an affiliate of MiddleGround Capital (“MiddleGround”) in an all-cash transaction for $16.19 per share."

I don't know if it's necessarily as bad as the video makes it out to be. Could actually be good for the company. But it seems like tool companies don't have a history of being better after these sorts of transactions.

?Reply Like More

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