What's going on with pricing for Lovejoy Universal Joints? $24 in 2008 to $94!

[gellfex]

Holy crap, I checked my old McMaster invoices, and the Lovejoy 5/8 OD unbored have gone from $24 in 2008 to $94! I used to have a recurring job that required 6. They're forcing me to buy 10mm bore cheapies for $8 from Amazon to see how they are. Is this just Covid supply chain stuff?

[oxford]

Is this just Covid supply chain stuff?

Inflation is real. Welcome to Joe Biden’s America.

[vectorwarbirds]

Trumps tariffs come home to roost. Watch the reports from US manufacturers if you want to know the truth and not BS.

[gellfex]

Trumps tariffs come home to roost. Watch the reports from US manufacturers if you want to know the truth and not BS.

Interesting point, more valid than blaming a 400% rise on Biden's 14 months in office. I just examined a new Lovejoy, I thought they were USA but while the packaging has a US address on it, it doesn't say 'made in USA'. However since I'm certain the $8 one from Amazon was made in China, it still leaves the WTF question open. Bizarre times we live in when for $100 you can get a simple hunk of metal like a UJ or a functioning smartphone with all the technology and hundreds of parts that implies.

[RB211]

8.5% inflation is real though...
From my perspective, it's all about shipping costs. Air freight is still expensive, and so is a container on a ship, about 400% more expensive than normal. China is still over the top with COVID too. Been carrying 200,000 lbs of cargo last flight out of Hong Kong though.
Flying to Hong Kong empty. Definitely a trade imbalance, no surprise.

[PStechPaul]

Much of that inflation is due to fuel prices, as well as crude oil from which many products are made (plastics, cosmetics, fabrics, etc.). And so transportation costs have risen, as well as fuels for farming and processing. Blame Putin for his need to compensate for inadequacy by waging war on Ukraine. Also the attacks on sustainable clean energy by the coal and oil industry and their sycophants who create or kill legislation to their short-term greedy advantage. SNAFU...

[RB211]

Much of that inflation is due to fuel prices, as well as crude oil from which many products are made (plastics, cosmetics, fabrics, etc.). And so transportation costs have risen, as well as fuels for farming and processing. Blame Putin for his need to compensate for inadequacy by waging war on Ukraine. Also the attacks on sustainable clean energy by the coal and oil industry and their sycophants who create or kill legislation to their short-term greedy advantage. SNAFU...

Inflation was over 7.5% before Putin ever invaded Ukraine, gas prices too were way up. If anything, the move to go greener would drive up energy costs, like stopping new drilling... Hmm

[oxford]

Inflation was over 7.5% before Putin ever invaded Ukraine, gas prices too were way up.

I have to agree with this. The propaganda machine does seems to be working though that this is all Putin’s fault.