We sold a job where we needed 300' of 1" manilla rope to use as decorative wraps around some pilings, and 100' of 2" rope to string between some groups of pilings. Being in a high-priced resort area, sorely lacking in wholesale distributors for anything, we priced the rope out at our local fishing supply, and it was a staggering $700! ($2.50/ft for the 2" and $1.50/ft for the 1"). Oh well, it's not my money, so we worked up the quote and damned if we didn't get the job.
Suddenly, it IS my money. My money because now, anything I can save on materials becomes additional profit. So I get's on the internet. Search words; "whole rope suppliers". Here's an outfit in New Jersey (Not terribly far away), Bilco Wire and Rope. "Hello Mr Sales Rep" blah blah blah, "We could have that on a truck for you tomorrow". Guess how much...$490 delivered. $210 savings is not a bad profit for a phone call right? It gets better.
See, Bilco Wire and Rope sells in bulk. Their smallest 'spools' were 600' for the 1" rope and 300' for the 2". Not only did I save $210 cash, I still have half the 1" rope left, and 2/3 of the 2" rope - I'm swimming in the stuff! So if any of you folks in the New England area are stuck for a little hemp for that nautical sign project, give me a call. Have I got a deal for you.
No, actually, I'm not looking to sell it, I'm sure going to design a lot of signs with rope on them this summer though, hahaha. Ah, the wonders of wholesale purchasing. My next internet search needs to be "wholesale hardware".
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
What is manilla anyway? With so many "wow-far-out-stoners" here, I wasn't sure if I should relate the following: Pretty sure I read years ago that some cats bought a bunch of hemp fiber doormats and processed them through an isomerizer(spell?), and obtained the desired results. Did it cause a very "welcome" buzz? (sorry, couldn't resist). Jim
Posted by Dawn Ellis (Member # 3529) on :
So, if you're not too tied up perhaps you'll let us know when you're at the end of your rope!
Posted by Glen Perye Jr (Member # 159) on :
check this place out http://www.phoenixfastener.com/home.asp Everything you could possibly need and prices aren't bad. most of the out fits that supply the big box stores with hardware sell wholesale but the first order is high and reorder dollar amounts have been climbing.
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
Interesting twist.. instead of everyone and their brother buying a vinyl cutter and adding "& signs" to their existing business, you've turned the tables. I like it.
Cape Craft Signs and Discount Rope Sales
interesting ring to it, don'tcha think?
[ April 06, 2003, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: Kissymatina ]
Posted by Glen Perye Jr (Member # 159) on :
As to the other question about hemp, the U.S. in the big one WWII had large numbers of farmers grow hemp for rope for the navy. W Va amd Mi west side of state. had large fields of the stuff. A Problem not address when it was planted, was what happens after you don't need it. It is a weed after all. As anybody that ever tried to stop them in thier garden or lawn knows. When stationed in the navy in W Va in the 70's the feds and state were still burning the fields that were no longer being farmed for other crops. bus loads of hippies would come down and camp around the burnings. also they would come down and fill garbage bags up and head back to the city. They stopped a school bus one time that was filled with bags and people. Problem was the hippies couldn't wait to try the stuff out and were light up pretty good. A school bus painted dayglo weaving down the road, was a dead give away to the state patrol. They used to burn them in Mi to around the Pellston area, till the crowds got to big. The traffic jams heading to the smoke when the wind shifted were something. back in the old days of the navy, the swabbies would smopke the rope, the processing was not as good as it is now. The term rope a dope comes from that. The hemp fiber for the clothes and jewerly you can by now is reneder unless. The door mats probally came from outside of the country. More than you probally wanted to know Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Glen, that's funny (and thanks for the link, I really am looking for a hardware source to buy in bulk, and I'll check them out). Krissy, you ain't far off. It's pretty tempting to rub it in the face of my local supplier by putting fliers up around town and the local marinas offering the rope to the public for half their prices. They already confided to me I got a better price than they buy it for. (supposedly) I offered them a last chance to give me a better price, or go in on the order with me. They said they had all the rope they could use right now and did make a slightly lower offer, but it was still more than I could buy the big lot for. I don't think they quite believed I would go through with it solo.
Oh well, the job goes up tomorrow, and another client already expressed an interest in a nautical piling themed sign - I think I made the right decision.
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