PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THE BLOG THE TITLE "WHY IS IT SO EASY IN THE UK". I USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN COVENTRY WHEN MY MOTHER WAS ALIVE AND ALL THAT I HAD TO DO TO BUY MATERIALS IN SMALL QUANTITIES WAS TO GO TO "METAL SUPERMARKETS" AND THEY WOULD CUT IT THERE AND THEN, NO MESSING AROUND! IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED MATERIAL IN STOCK THEN IT WOULD BE SOURCED WITHIN A DAY.
THERE IS A SMALL COMPANY IN OSLO THAT DOES CUT AND SELL METALS IN SMALL QUANTITIES SITUATED IN ONE OF THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATES OFF PROFESSOR BIRKELANDS VEI. I DISCOVERED THIS WHEN I APPROACHED ONE OF THE LARGE STEEL STOCKISTS THAT IS LOCATED ON THE SAME ROAD AND AFTER ASKING THE QUESTION WAS HANDED A CARD WITH THE ADDRESS OF THIS SMALL COMPANY WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY ACROSS THE ROAD.
I WALKED INTO THE PREMISES AND ASKED FOR A PIECE OF STEEL PLATE 150X170X10. IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO CUT FROM A FLAT BAR AND WHEN I ASKED THE PRICE THERE WAS A MINIMUM CHARGE OF 305NOK! AND THE PRICE WAS GOING TO BE INCREASED IN THE NEAR FUTURE!
THAT`S A NICE LITTLE EARNER. INSTEAD OF JUST LEAVING WITHOUT THE PLATE, I PAID THE PRICE BUT TORE UP THE CARD IN FRONT OF THE OWNER`S FACE AND LEFT. I WOULD HAVE TO BE ON MY KNEES TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN!
SOMEBODY IN THE OSLO AREA MUST KNOW WHERE TO GET REASONABLY PRICED MATERIALS?
TEN YEARS AGO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, LARGE COMPANIES WOULD SELL SMALL QUANTITIES TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE ONE CAN NO LONGER BUY FROM THEM JUST SHOWS THAT ACCOUNTANTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY PLAYING THEIR PART IN REDUCING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE!
ALAN