The Framers Forum

Just had the shock of my life as I looked at strutback prices. Been getting box price of 37p for a 12 x 10 ext leg from Mainline and it has now shot up to 55p.
If you think that's bad, to buy one only has gone from 72p to £1.40. This sort of increase is across the range.
I'd love to know why someone can think that this is acceptable. I think it is appalling.
As I buy in 100s then it adds one hell of a price hike to me and my customer.
Thank goodness for Centrado !! Back into the 30-odd pence bracket. (you may know of even cheaper suppliers but I don't)

Yep that's a shocker.
I suppose you can only notify the original supplier, say your moving, but express disappointment....is it just the strutbacks?

Be cheaper in the long run to get one of these
https://www.lionpic.co.uk/search?q=9554

and make your own if you are using so many, you could also supply other framers

"Yep that's a shocker.
I suppose you can only notify the original supplier, say your moving, but express disappointment....is it just the strutbacks?"

Oh yes, I have done. Trouble is, and I have found this with Mainline before, there is no sales rep you can talk to, unlike at Arqadia, Simons and even Centrado, who can offer you a special price to clinch a deal, someone with an empathy towards you as a framer in a difficult world.
Unfortunately you get the sort of reply that seems to include the sentiment "sorry there's nothing I can do".
And yes sadly they have increased a lot of other prices lately which are not consistant with their latest price list, but then again so have other suppliers, so I am not singling them out for that. It just is a kick in the nuts to see one of your main purchases from them going up by about fifty percent.

we have a Rep/agent that calls on us about every 4 months, very helpful

personally I would use a strut back on anything as big as that, I find they are unstable and the legs tend to bend and break after a while

What is the alternative to a strut back if someone wants to place it on a flat surface rather than a wall. I've used Kiau's for smaller than 1 2x 10, but wouldn't know anything else for 12 x 10 than a strutback.