Gently Removing an Electrical Box Punchout

[Toolmaker51]

Like marksbug points out, many of our pockets were deeper a couple years back.........until a crew of freaks, morons and puppets stole what they couldn't win.

I have materials collected (surplus, great auctions, farm sales, closeouts, and the deals you trip over) over a seriously long period of time for my shop, especially wire bought when the surplus of construction supplies flooded market after Hurricane Katrina.
What seemed then like a lot of outlay turned out better investment than ANY bank or saving would have done.

To start, I laid a floor plan beforehand, estimating total length from main panel to each load. Arranged loads so their boxes are near each other, because some will run more often then others, handy way of restricting amperage needed from the utility company.

A pyramid of brown/ orange/yellow/green awaits in the corner.
Not using conduit; found 360 feet 8" x 8" wireway (like cable tray but sheetmetal with a hinged lid), SOW-SJO 12/4 & 10/4 cord, L16-20 480v twist-lock plugs and connectors. While no panel yet, have disconnects for the various branches, local disconnects will be twist-locks on the cord drops, nothing laying on the floor.
Still need 1 pin & sleeve connector, handful of 30A or 40A plugs for welders.
Almost (90%?) all are 440v 3Ø, have VFD's for 2 that are 50Hz. 1 leg will supply 277v for lights. Will use VFD's or buck transformers for 2 or 3 that are 240v 3Ø.
Conduit will run inside perimeter for 120v, there's a disc/ belt sander that wants 240v 1Ø.

But today isn't electrical project. Found perhaps 160' of Sched 40 3" pipe cut into 5' sections (used of course, but 'ring' as being very solid). Researching how to splice those for columns, pillars to support a mezzanine. It's also been planned awhile, 2 years ago got 35 panels of fiberglass decking grate 4' x 12'. Normal price is $300 & up new. I got them at $50 each for the quantity, and a long drive, Feb of 21. That diesel compared to now would add about $5.00 each.
Having some idea what people ask $.$$-wise tells you when to jump. But knowing price only a third of the equation, be SURE to add the COST.

Regarding deep pockets, I never had them. As son of Depression era parents, learned it's worthwhile having a l-ooooong grocery list, alphabetize and look for less expensive ways to check items off. Nowadays, it's in my mobile phone. It sees more use than making/ taking calls.
Unless talking with a friend west of Dallas Fort Worth. He knows a bit about collecting material, about 50x more than I.

[marksbug]

Ive always tried to buy the "deals". ebay is a great source, like the 50 grade 8 1/2" nuts for about $14 I bought today for a jig Im making. thats not a great deal but much less than normaly and especialy when the shipping is included. Ive gotton a lot of nos car parts at great deals, some have gone up 3&4x whit I paid just last year, Im not a horder, but I do buy what I need or know I will need when I find it at a deal. a good deal not the 10 or 20% off **** thats marked up first. when i built my first shop back in 2000 (24x34 shop full central ac&heat, sheet rocked, bathroom kitchen blasting room with multi filteration, engine room etc 220 on all the shop walls for what ever I may need to move someplace else or new machine. I got most of the building supplies when west building materials was closing up nation wide. like 75% off lumber( some turned into pretzels when the straping was cut off the load, but still most good). and the huricane straps,joist hangers, brackets almost 90% off of those, my shop is way over built the inspector said I had 4x as many as required by code.thats not a bad thing. the electrickel box was 75% off the wire was only about 25% off but all boxes & stuff like that was about 60% off. I have less than $20000 in that shop tottaly finished and thats with 5000 psi slab, fill dirt to raise it up about 18" above grade, long concreat ramp into the shop, plumbing toilet , everything, even running power to the house with the 75% off humoungus underground power cable,all in pvc conduent( and thats quite a bitch to doo!!. hell I have about that much$ in my small barn I built 2-3years ago thats about 1/3rd of the size. ther were no deals then.but most bought was before the democrats virus hit. like my milling machine's I got them at deals, 1 wasent being used at a buddys shop that I did some work for , it was free and came with some tooling that he had no clue what it was but I for sure did and I needed it. the other mill was dammaged in transit... I got it for cheep and the guys that delevered it to my home charged me half price because i agreed to waite about 3 weeks because they were bussy moving another machine shop. $100 to pick up bridgeport 3 towns away and stick it inside my shop aint bad at all.. deals are out there you just have to find them. and dont get in no hurry....or piss any body off.as for the dammaged mill...I got a new handle, the lead screw was bent about 1/8" after the bearing so I straightened it got new handle and all is good. around $550 total in the machine including delivery. Ive since put a cheep china DRO on it that I cant remember how to use I use it so little. and a power cross feed I got off flebay used i got from japan for cheep, now days the china cross feeds are cheep too but they werent back then I still have less it that used one and it's a name brand. fle bay is a great source for stuff.the new stuff has gone up a lt but still deals on some used stuff if you just look and weight& sea. just be sure to factor shipping in everything.