FlaMtnBkr Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) Has anyone else noticed that Skylighter seems to be out of about a fifth of their chemicals? And not random chemicals but stuff that is used regularly and is cheap. Just wondering if they are having trouble making ends meet and that is why they are out of so much stuff? Or is 'ol Harry running a promotion so they are suddenly 'out' of many things? Also, some of the prices have gone through the roof lately. He used to have bright aluminum for about $8/lb and now it is almost $24/lb. Hi latest greatest, titanium dihydride that will cure baldness and cause women to flock to you, was about $8/lb just a month or so ago and is already getting close to $12/lb. A 50% price jump on a product he has only had a few months? But everything seems noticeably higher. I know I use to make 4 or 5 orders a year and it has been a long while since I've bought anything. Their prices are just getting out of hand and he use to have some good deals periodically, but those have also disappeared for the most part. Has anyone heard anything or have an inside source? Just curious. Anyways, glad I don't need anything and have other sources for when I do. Plus I mainly stick to BP based effects which should always be affordable if you have access to ag grade KNO3 and can make charcoal for free. PS feel free to move this if in the wrong section. I was going to put it in the supplier review but since this isn't a review or a new supplier I wasn't sure where to put it. Edited July 13, 2013 by FlaMtnBkr
dynomike1 Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 I would buy some stuff but his shipping is to far out. But i may have to buy some silicon from him anyway.
killforfood Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 I don’t watch it that closely but could it be that lots of last minute Pyros make a run on chemicals right up to the 4th?Harry raising prices in line with demand is just Harry being a shrewd marketer. I heard when they were kids, Harry and Ned were fighting over a penny and invented copper wire. MMDC, That’s a joke. Seriously though, Cannonfuse.com is regularly out of certain items. The only difference is he doesn’t jack his prices up and down.
Bobosan Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Occasionally there is free shipping but very occasionally. Prices are higher but the service is good. The website seems to be kept up to date daily on material in and out of stock. All that being said, its best to shop around to find the best deals on certain chems and hope the supplier has it in stock. Harry is a member here and sometimes his people will read and chime in. They probably don't have room in the warehouse because of those mislabeled Chinese round screens.
dynomike1 Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) I agree Harry is high but if it wasn't for him a lot of people would never have started. He also puts out a lot of beginner info. Seems like they did this last year. Edited July 13, 2013 by dynomike1
FlaMtnBkr Posted July 13, 2013 Author Posted July 13, 2013 Yeah Skylighter has their place. I just can't afford to buy everything there when many things can be had for much cheaper. But I'm still concerned something might be wrong since so many chemicals are out of stock. That is why I asked, because I hope everything is OK and they don't go anywhere.
Mumbles Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 A lot of suppliers tend to run out of chemicals and various other things around the 4th. This has happened at Skylighter before, though I don't know to what degree. If things are not back to normal in the next month or so, then something might be going on.
mikeee Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 It's the 4th of July effect, everyone always orders last minute needs just prior to the 4th and runs most suppliers short.The economy is the other reason for inventories shrinking and prices rising.Smaller sales volume requires higher margins to keep the doors open.Some pyro's have gotten nervous the last year or two with the government oversite and NSA spying.
PersonGuyDude Posted July 15, 2013 Posted July 15, 2013 Some of there stuff is reasonable, some of it is overpriced. However, their selection is ridiculously good imho, as far as tooling and tubes and everything you need in one place. That being said I usually buy chems from my club, or americanpyrosupply. I thank skylighter for getting me started in the hobby though
zAZO9a Posted July 17, 2013 Posted July 17, 2013 hobby chemical supply has sillicon for about $6 a pound
killforfood Posted July 18, 2013 Posted July 18, 2013 Some of there stuff is reasonable, some of it is overpriced. However, their selection is ridiculously good imho, as far as tooling and tubes and everything you need in one place. That being said I usually buy chems from my club, or americanpyrosupply. I thank skylighter for getting me started in the hobby though PersonGuyDude, I also have to thank Skylighter. Harry and Ned make the best Pyro tutorials available on the web and best of all it’s all free! I’ve learned a lot from those two. I may have poked fun at their pricing but occasionally they do have good prices and I have bought from them. They have worked very hard to make us want to visit Skylighter over and over again. I have to admit, that’s smart business. KFF.
Poindexter Posted July 18, 2013 Posted July 18, 2013 Part of it just the price of commodities. Just like gold, silver and oil, the price of magnesium and copper and so on has been going up for years. Bull markets in commodities tend to last 10-15 years, this one started in 2002 so i would expect some last minute craziness over the next couple years, but that should be about it. Generally the way the cycle works in existing supplies and mines using dated equipment can't keep up with demand, so the price goes up, until the price of "whatever commoditiy" goes high enough for someone to invest in modern technology in a new mine. Maybe finally develop that huge but treacherously dilute magnesium find in Lower Slobovia. Now that magnesium is $22/ pound, someone can justify sinking 5 million into getting the mine running... Just one piece of the puzzle. I haven't been shopping much online while working on my BP, but running out of pyro chemicals on July fifth sounds pretty predictable.
doGalot Posted July 18, 2013 Posted July 18, 2013 I work in a warehouse -- maybe they are doing JIT ordering... just filling the orders they need to to not have a bunch of stuff sitting on the shelves...
clarkie752 Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 This is my first post on this site. Harry and Neds tutorials are what made me get into this hobby and i love building fireworks now. Just wanted to say thanks to those guys. Skylighters shipping prices are high and they are out of chemicals and screens alot but he does have really good daily deals. The only problem i have with the daily deals is that my pyro budget is almost blown already and the 4th is rapidly approaching good thing i can get ot at work whenever i need it. thanks to everyone one this site for the helpful info you provide on a daily basis.
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