braveduck

Active member

• Feb 28, 2018

• #1

Those people out there  who use magic smoke in a can from Maplins
to trace drafts underground ,would be advised to stock up as Maplins has
gone bust and their shops may be closing shortly .

 

Les W

Active member

• Feb 28, 2018

• #2

You can buy smoke detector testing smoke, in a can, from most electrical suppliers or wholesalers
and from RS, Amazon, Ebay, etc... 

 

Graigwen

Active member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #3

I buy mine at Maplin, purely for convenience. They refer to me as " the man who buys two cans at a time..."


.

 

tony from suffolk

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #4

"Magic Smoke" is the term us DIY electronic hobbyists use to describe an adverse incident, as in "I released the magic smoke". Never a good sign...

 

pwhole

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #5

I popped in to Maplins at lunchtime and picked up a spare can, though was a bit stunned at the price - ?12.99. I'm sure it was a lot less than that before. Maybe someone's told them what else it's used for?

 

mrodoc

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #6

Bloody hell that is expensive!

 

NewStuff

New member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #7

One of the many reasons they're in Administration. Overpriced tat, staff that knew what they were doing left etc. It was obvious the writing was on the wall when they started offering finance.

 

ZombieCake

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #8

I've just picked up some 4.5Ah D cells in Lidl for ?2.99 a pair.  Maplin own brand are 3.0Ah for ?6.49 a pair.  Lidl ones work very well and are heavier so no reason not the believe the extra capacity, which is why I got some more.  Maplin 2.8Ah D cells are ?9.99 a pair (looks like discontinued) and probably just AA cells in a D cover (most D or C batteries of similar capacity for most makes are supposed to be just AA's in a bigger coat.  OK Lidl are ephemeral when it comes to availability, but Amazon has also been invented, with lower overheads than high street stores and their daft rent levels.  Makes competition harder.

 

royfellows

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #9

NewStuff said:

...l when they started offering finance.

Click to expand...

Probably appropriate at their prices

 

Graigwen

Active member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #10

pwhole said:

I popped in to Maplins at lunchtime and picked up a spare can, though was a bit stunned at the price - ?12.99. I'm sure it was a lot less than that before. Maybe someone's told them what else it's used for?

Click to expand...

That is a recent ?3 price hike.

Maplin was not cheap before, just convenient.

.

 

pwhole

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #11

They've got it for ?9 on eBay - and from bloody Sheffield too! Oh the irony

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/122958128423?chn=ps&adgroupid=50138193029&rlsatarget=pla-398785771140&abcId=1130076&adtype=pla&merchantid=9657074&poi=&googleloc=1006608&device=c&campaignid=1030309342&crdt=0

I am still sad to see Maplins go, even though they were never cheap, and definitely owe me four quid now. I was upset when Tandy disappeared and Maplins were always like the next best ones...

 

Laurie

Active member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #12

My favorite was the man from Radio Spares who used to visit with what's new on their catalogue every couple of months.
Nothing like the giant RS it became. 

 

shotlighter

Active member

• Mar 1, 2018

• #13

Laurie said:

My favorite was the man from Radio Spares who used to visit with what's new on their catalogue every couple of months.
Nothing like the giant RS it became. 

Click to expand...

Everything in a yellow cardboard box IIRC.
Catalogue was just one slim volume!