Does anyone know of a parts store that does not have a core charge on boards? Please share...

Damian, Since these core charges are passed down to the parts distributor from the manufacturers, it is unlikely that you will find a parts distributor that does not pass along these core charges. The biggest problem is not the failed resistors, relays, diodes etc. on the boards, but the micro-processor which can be difficult to obtain, especially since that major micro-processor factory in Japan was wiped out by the tsunami a couple of years ago.