On Aug 5, 12:15?pm, "Gr?mw?tch th? ?nfl?pp?bl?"
wrote:

Part (not all) of the allure of kits and
homebrewing was "I can build it cheaper
than buying". The price of labor has gone
down as a percentage of manufacturing
costs, so purchased-ready-built has gone
down over the years.

That's certainly one big factor. Here are some
mo

The cost of new parts bought in large quantities
is much lower than the single-unit or small-quantity
cost.

The availability of a wide range of
surplus and used parts at prices far
below new has diminished.

Unless something exceptional is built, the
resale value of homebrew is usually but
a small fraction of the cost of all new parts.

None of this is really new, however.

Many years ago, I wondered what it
would cost to build a project out of
the old ARRL Handbook, circa 1960.
I had a 1959 Newark catalog for pricing
out the parts.

The project I chose was a simple 2 stage
transmitter of the type Novices would have
used in those days. Nominally 50 watts input,
plug-in coils, etc.

By the time I got done adding up all
of the individual parts prices,
the total was well over $50.

This was back when a Heath DX-20 kit
was only $36, and the EF Johnson
Viking Adventurer was $55.

These prices do not count tools, so
the difference is even greater because
homebrewing would require metalworking tools
that the kits did not.

OTOH, the little company called Elecraft has
sold over 8000 transceiver kits in recent years,
with minimal advertising.

However, it should be noted that their new K3
is available as either a no-soldering "PC-kit"
or factory assembled.

The first two production runs of the K3 are
already sold out.

73 de Jim, N2EY