Attn: Canadian builders

[zilla]

Just wondering where you guys source your 1590b and bb and 125b enclosures?  I'm sick of ordering them from the US and paying thru the nose for shipping.

Prepainted ones would be nice, too.

[Natman]

Mouser charges about $8 for shipping from the US on small orders. That's hard to beat even within Canada! Most of the time I don't even have to pay tax. Make sure to select the USPS canadian shipping option at checkout.   

[zilla]

Mouser's colour selection of boxes is.... disappointing.

They also don't have 125B (at least, i don't think they do...)

[GermanCdn]

You're kind of hooped if you want low shipping costs and good quality finished enclosures, as your best supplier is still PPP, and they charge the highest shipping rates, though you generally get some of that back.  Mammoth charges slightly less in shipping, but the finishes are worse.

B+E Electronics in Calgary carries some painted enclosures, but the colours are really limited and the per box price is pretty high.  They will ship to you, but CP isn't exactly cheap cross country either.

Cheapest unpainted enclosures + shipping is generally Tayda.

I don't order from Mouser, as I find their website to be far too cumbersome.

[zilla]

I've heard of B&E, but they basically carry the same stock painted Hammond boxes that mouser carries (and the black boxes have a rough matte finish that isn't suitable for waterslides). Active only carries unpainted hammond boxes at 2x the price of everyone's painted boxes.

I found that the mammoth finishes to be very poor (and their packing is less than stellar). 50% of the time the screws don't even seem to match the thread in the box. I haven't ordered from PPP yet, due to their high costs.

I've had the best luck with Smallbear, but it usually takes 14-20 days for a package to get to me, and even then I'm looking at $40+ just for shipping

Is there a good powder coating place in calgary that would be able to process unpainted hammond boxes?

[GermanCdn]

PPP is head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of finish.  As far as the shipping goes, you have to order in enough volume from PP to make it work (there are some very finite price points in their shipping calculator, so it's worth the effort to see at what point you roll over into the next price zone).  Generally, their calculator is high and you'll get a refund if it is, but you can't bank on that.  Typically I've seen $8 - $12 refunds on $50 - $70 shipping charges.

As far as a powder coater here, none that I know of, though truthfully I haven't looked.

B&E is good for tools and solder (they've got a sale on Hakko stations for $99 right now).  For individual components, not so much.  I try and limit my visits there, as I'm always buying tools I don't really need.

[davent]

Mouser and Digikey $8 shipping on orders under $200 free shipping above. I've received Digikey orders in under 16 hours. May carry the stock Hammond colours. Tip Top in Winnipeg had good prices on Hammond but orders take awhile and don't think they can compete on shipping, i looked on shipping a parcel from my address to another nearby, short walk, and the same package to an address in Pennsylvania, the cheapest option was one for Penn.

Electrosonic used to offer pick up, not sure of now. And just had a look at their new website, brutal.

If buying in bulk pretty sure you can do better price (and quality) wise with the Hammonds from Digikey or Mouser then Tayda.

http://www.tiptopelectronics.com/home.asp?ProdDetail=1590B
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/1590B/HM151-ND/131015

Mouser in $US
http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Hammond-Manufacturing/1590B/?Hammond-Manufacturing/1590B/&Hammond-Manufacturing/1590B/&qs=sGAEpiMZZMumryolnogYRk2wJh9ruWNn
dave

[zilla]

just found a place through a co-worker:  calgary powder coaters on manitou rd.

apparently they can piggy back small volume orders onto larger orders. you pick up and drop off, cash under the table that goes to "fund their christmas party". working to see what kind of $ they're talking about.

[m-Kresol]

I'm not from Canada, but you guys could look into ordering as a group and redistributing if it is any cheaper that way... but your local powder coating sounds like a good option for you

I'm fortunate enough that my university gets free shipping at RS components so that's were I get mine even if they only have the stock Hammond colours. Before I finish my PhD I will order as many as possible

[zilla]

hmmm there's an idea.

Would there be any interest in a group buy from PPP?

Should this be moved into the Buy/Sell forum?

[GermanCdn]

hmmm there's an idea.

Would there be any interest in a group buy from PPP?

Should this be moved into the Buy/Sell forum?

I doubt there'd be a cost savings Canada wide for a group buy because of the double handling and reshipping (medium sized box across the country is going to run you in the $12 - $20 range, and that to the divided first shipping cost off the group buy and you're probably in the same range or more expensive) unless you could get a large enough buy to get a high discount on the boxes (PC charge never gets discounted no matter how many you order).  If you were looking at a regional group buy (i.e say the GTA,Ottawa/Montreal, Cgy/Edm) with local pickup, you might save some money on shipping, but by the time you factor in gas and time, you're probably close to back to the normal price.

TLDR - boxes are expensive to ship due to their bulk.

[zilla]

I dunno. I can get some pretty steep discounts with fedex shipping thru work - usually better than what canada post charges.

I know I'm going to be making an order in the next day or so for a bunch of 1590B and BB enclosures from smallbear (probably 10 or so)

If anyone in the calgary area wants to piggyback on my smallbear order shoot me a PM.

[GermanCdn]

Hold on, you live in Calgary?  There's another one of us here?  For some reason I thought you lived in Mississauga.  What area of the city?

[davent]

I dunno. I can get some pretty steep discounts with fedex shipping thru work - usually better than what canada post charges.

I know I'm going to be making an order in the next day or so for a bunch of 1590B and BB enclosures from smallbear (probably 10 or so)

If anyone in the calgary area wants to piggyback on my smallbear order shoot me a PM.

Small Bear's shipping on 10 Taiwan 'b's to Canada is $41US, Mouser's shipping is $8us granted the Hammonds (also no doubt made in Taiwan) will run you a total of 50¢ more on the 10  and they may collect some sales tax, what am i missing here?
dave

[Jopn]

Small Bear's shipping on 10 Taiwan 'b's to Canada is $41US, Mouser's shipping is $8us granted the Hammonds (also no doubt made in Taiwan) will run you a total of 50¢ more on the 10  and they may collect some sales tax, what am i missing here?
dave

I was under the impression that Hammond boxes are all built here in Canada.