The Two-Bin Method

[Chouffleur]

I had a cousin who owned a car dealership years ago. They kept track of parts in those dark, pre-computer days using something he referred to as the two-bin method.

 

If you need 50 widgets for the next few weeks and the reorder time on the part is less than those weeks then you set aside two bins with 50 widgets in each. You only draw parts from the first (nearest) bin as you need them. When the first bin is empty you move the second bin to the front and put in a widget order.

 

I was reminded of this by refilling my wife's Montblanc Burgundy 144 with the last droplets of Noodler's Ottoman Rose from a sample vial via syringe. An exciting added feature was getting ink all over my hands and desk. This served as a visual reminder to order the ink.

 

Not wearing gloves when transferring ink isn't a bug, it's a *feature*.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Chouffleur,

 

I sold cars in college and am familiar with the two-bin system... some parts sellers still use it... it's simple, reliable and if your network crashes... you still know where you stand.

 

When it comes to inks, I use the half-bottle method. Every time I finish filling a pen, I hold the bottle up to a bright light source... when the level falls JUST BELOW HALF, it goes on an ink list in my notebook... that I always carry on me... along with my L2K.

 

When I get two, three bottles on the list, (to make it cost effective with shipping costs)... or when I buy a new pen... I order the inks on the list. So far, this scheme hasn't let me down.

 

Be well and enjoy life.

 

 

- Anthony

 

ETA: Great avatar.

Edited August 15, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[ParkerDuofold]

Here's another viable solution to running out of ink... ...

 

http://justwrite.com.au/Blackstone-Fountain-Pen-Ink/Bulk%20Fountain%20Pen%20Ink

 

Don't laugh... I'm kicking it around... but for different reasons.

 

 

- Anthony

[Chouffleur]

[snip...]

 

ETA: Great avatar.

 

William Orpen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Orpen

[pajaro]

Two bottle system. Great idea. I need to get some gloves.

 

You two enjoy life, and thanks for the enjoyment.

[Mech-for-i]

I believe most of us here ( even if they do not want to admit it ) are likely to have way more bottles of ink than just a couple , so I suppose we are good for the cause.

[Chrissy]

Oh yes, the good old days, when folk only used to buy ink when they were running out. I currently have more than I could possibly use if I live to be 150 years old.

[Chouffleur]

Oh yes, the good old days, when folk only used to buy ink when they were running out. I currently have more than I could possibly use if I live to be 150 years old.

Write more often and take *very* good care of yourself. ;-)

[jar]

Here's another viable solution to running out of ink... ...

 

http://justwrite.com.au/Blackstone-Fountain-Pen-Ink/Bulk%20Fountain%20Pen%20Ink

 

Don't laugh... I'm kicking it around... but for different reasons.

 

 

- Anthony

My family ran an Insurance Agency and as a kid one of my duties when going with Dad to the office was to refill all of the desk pen wells from big bottles of ink like those, change the desk mat blotters and all the rocker blotters before I was allowed to go exploring downtown Baltimore. And yes, it was a time when nine and ten year olds were safe wandering alone in a major city.

Edited August 15, 2017 by jar

[Chrissy]

Write more often and take *very* good care of yourself. ;-)

 

Maybe I need more correspondents?

[pajaro]

I would write if I had anything to write. Plenty of pens and ink, ages pass without a thought.

[rwilsonedn]

I would write if I had anything to write. Plenty of pens and ink, ages pass without a thought.

 

That's a perfect opportunity to write about having nothing to write. No, seriously, try it.

ron

[markh]

I had a cousin who owned a car dealership years ago. They kept track of parts in those dark, pre-computer days using something he referred to as the two-bin method.

 

If you need 50 widgets for the next few weeks and the reorder time on the part is less than those weeks then you set aside two bins with 50 widgets in each. You only draw parts from the first (nearest) bin as you need them. When the first bin is empty you move the second bin to the front and put in a widget order.

 

 

This method of inventory control is called order point. More advanced factories have adopted a method called just in time, where software is used to track inventory and predict delivery times and usage rates to order at the last minute. For a large factory just in time could save lots of money that is otherwise tied up in inventory that's just sitting around.

 

Which certainly describes my situation (and I would guess many here). Lots of money tied up in ink that's "just sitting around."

 

 

.

[Wolverine1]

When I was a child growing up in India, you could buy bottles of Quink ink and Sulekha ink ( these were the 2 most popular brands of ink in those days, in the 1970s and 1980s), and they also sold ink in bottles that held1 litre. My Dad would buy a big bulk bottle, and then fill the smaller 50ml bottles for each family member.

[ac12]

Oh yes, the good old days, when folk only used to buy ink when they were running out. I currently have more than I could possibly use if I live to be 150 years old.

 

+1

 

I have to make an effort to pull out and use some some of inks in my stash.

Edited August 17, 2017 by ac12

[ac12]

Funny inventory story.

 

I worked for a company that had LOTS of $$$$$ in inventory, and many inventory planners to manage that inventory.

• One part was taken OUT of storeroom inventory because the usage rate was 2 or 3 times a year. The inventory planners saw such infrequent usage that they set the part to be non-stock. This mean it was no longer stocked in storeroom inventory, and had to be ordered and purchased when needed.
• The mechanics then complained about the part being out of inventory and having to be special ordered as "non-stock" material. And this had a delay between parts request from the mechanics, to parts delivery to the company and delivery of that part to the mechanic.

• It turned out after investigation, that the mechanics had their own "under the workbench" inventory.
• They would go to the stockroom 2 or 3x a year and draw out 4 - 6 months worth of that item, and put it under the workbench. This was to save them walking to the storeroom.
• Then 4 or 6 months later they would go back and restock their under the workbench inventory.

This secondary "under the workbench" inventory totally screwed up the inventory planning for that part.

Reorder point ordering/purchasing does not work when there is a significant invisible secondary inventory.

[corgicoupe]

William Orpen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Orpen

Your avatar is one of his war paintings? Or one of his self-portraits as a pilot?

[Mech-for-i]

Funny inventory story.

 

I worked for a company that had LOTS of $$$$$ in inventory, and many inventory planners to manage that inventory.

• One part was taken OUT of storeroom inventory because the usage rate was 2 or 3 times a year. The inventory planners saw such infrequent usage that they set the part to be non-stock. This mean it was no longer stocked in storeroom inventory, and had to be ordered and purchased when needed.
• The mechanics then complained about the part being out of inventory and having to be special ordered as "non-stock" material. And this had a delay between parts request from the mechanics, to parts delivery to the company and delivery of that part to the mechanic.

• It turned out after investigation, that the mechanics had their own "under the workbench" inventory.
• They would go to the stockroom 2 or 3x a year and draw out 4 - 6 months worth of that item, and put it under the workbench. This was to save them walking to the storeroom.
• Then 4 or 6 months later they would go back and restock their under the workbench inventory.

This secondary "under the workbench" inventory totally screwed up the inventory planning for that part.

Reorder point ordering/purchasing does not work when there is a significant invisible secondary inventory.

 

Well being an engineering guy , and had a long time in customer service and site service doing the dirty works , I had to say almost each and every front line technician or engineering personnal would likely had an under the workbench inventory, whether its salvaged from prior repair, extra from numerous work order or just somehow appear out of nowhere. Its easy for the inventory guys and management to read the numbers and do theirs, its totally another thing doing front line repair, especially when you are on customer site fixing something ( the customer already in a fault mood when his/her machine fails to work and you tell them you do not have parts , and worse, even the inventory and warehouse do not have parts .. )

 

In fact the under the workbench inventory is not even the spicy one, for many a front line customer service technician / engineer, its those in the toolbox parts that really count. I could retold numerous story of such

[ac12]

 

 

 

Well being an engineering guy , and had a long time in customer service and site service doing the dirty works , I had to say almost each and every front line technician or engineering personnal would likely had an under the workbench inventory, whether its salvaged from prior repair, extra from numerous work order or just somehow appear out of nowhere. Its easy for the inventory guys and management to read the numbers and do theirs, its totally another thing doing front line repair, especially when you are on customer site fixing something ( the customer already in a fault mood when his/her machine fails to work and you tell them you do not have parts , and worse, even the inventory and warehouse do not have parts .. )

 

In fact the under the workbench inventory is not even the spicy one, for many a front line customer service technician / engineer, its those in the toolbox parts that really count. I could retold numerous story of such

 

Oh I understand the workbench or tool box inventory.

What is the problem is the size of that inventory, such that it totally screws up the inventory planners.

How do they buy to inventory a part where they have no visibility of the usage?

[Chouffleur]

Your avatar is one of his war paintings? Or one of his self-portraits as a pilot?

One of his war paintings/pilot portraits - http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/20775