[TCML] What's up with Copper Prices?

[David Rieben]

Hi Dave,

Since you mention crude oil, I have also noticed that the
price of transformer grade oil (Shell DialaX or Exxon
Univolt) still remains sky high even after the price of
gasoline (and diesel to a lesser extent) has fallen way
down over the past few months. I suppose the local
oil jobber also doesn't move their transformer oil as
quickly as some other petroleum products and are
still trying to recoup their funds from purchasing their
inventory when it was also very high. $10/gal is just
too much when I paid about half that for it a few years
ago and the price of gas at the pump were very simi-
lar to that of today! I'll just have to wait them out till
they sell off (or bite the bullet and take a loss to get
rid of ) their high cost inventory...

David Rieben


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Speck" <Dave at davidspeckmd.org>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla at pupman.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 6:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TCML] What's up with Copper Prices?


> Greg,
>
> As I see it, part of the problem is that the copper items for sale now was 
> fabricated when prices for new copper and/or scrap were sky high.  It will 
> take a while before all the expensive copper products get out of the 
> supply channel, and they start making products with cheaper raw materials 
> again.  I suppose if the manufacturers get hungry enough, they might drop 
> prices to increase sales, and eat some of the losses, just as they make 
> windfall profits when the values of their items in inventory rise rapidly.
> I've seen similar trends when the price of crude oil goes down -- it takes 
> quite a while before gasoline prices at the pump fall proportionally.
> Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!
>
> Dave
>
> G Hunter wrote:
>> I visited a London-based financial news site.  It said copper prices have 
>> collapsed worldwide.  It's gotten so bad that copper miners are being 
>> laid off in droves.  Mines are being mothballed due to reduced demand and 
>> low prices.  So how come this hasn't filtered down to our hobby?  Copper 
>> magnet wire, THHN hookup wire, copper strap, ribbon, and braid, and 
>> copper tubing is still sky high.  When will us starving hobbyist see 
>> rational copper prices?  If anyone is in the metals or scrap/salvage 
>> trades, electrical trade, or dabbles in commodities trading, please share 
>> any insider knowledge.  Impoverished coilers want to know!  This is only 
>> tangetially on-topic, so I'll take any replies off-list.
>>
>> Seasons Greetings!
>>
>> Gregory R. Hunter
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