What do you buy from McMaster?

patooyee · Sep 19, 2014

I think if I could be married to a website it would be www.mcmaster.com. It seems like they have absolutely everything and about 1,000,000 things you didn't know of. What are some common things you get from there that others might not know they have?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#52705k37/=tshjnh
Ultra-Clear PFA tubing - I use this for sight tubes on fuel cells and whatever needs one. It is the only stuff that abso-fricken-lutely never dries, cracks, or glazes over time that I have found.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/120/3513/=tshkfw
O-ring stock for H1 rims. **** buying expensive o-rings from vendors that aren't the right size half the time. Make your own, they work just as good, better really since you know you've got the exact right size.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/120/114/=tshl36
Weld bungs for fuel cells / other containers.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/120/3820/=tshlcn
Rubber edge trim - Good for protecting yourself from sheet metal edges that could cut or scrape. I also put it on my fan shroud to keep it from chaffing the radiator and to create a better seal.

Rokcrler · Sep 19, 2014

Re:

Www.McMaster.com
Auto correct got ya brother

patooyee · Sep 19, 2014

Thanks, corrected.

patooyee · Sep 19, 2014

Oh, and McMaster has a new app for Android Tablets and iPhones, BTW. I think they're still working on it for Android Phones.

pachary · Sep 19, 2014

I got springs from them yesterday to try to help with Toyota pads on a rockwell chattering.

RustyC · Sep 19, 2014

Lip seals for shifting a Ford 205 out the rear.

patooyee · Sep 19, 2014

pachary said:
I got springs from them yesterday to try to help with Toyota pads on a rockwell chattering.

I've had that issue before for 2 different reasons.

1. The pinion seal housing flange, while relatively flat, is not machined flat, its just cast flat. I've seen some that have enough variation in thickness to where the caliper bracket will bolt on slightly crooked which makes the caliper crooked also. The pads will sometimes chatter back and forth if this is the case. I have always been able to fix the issue by simply putting a washer between the caliper and its bracket on one of the ears.

2. Bad / loose pinion bearing will allow the rotor to have play in it which pounds the pads back and forth in the caliper. The only fix for that is replacing the pinion bearings or removing some shims to tighten them up.

Before I realized these two issues I tried a residual pressure valve in the system to essentially spring the pads thinking they just needed to stay on the rotor better. This just made my issue worse because the pads would still move with the play in the rotor but now they had some extra pressure clapping them back.

TBItoy · Sep 19, 2014

Re:

And they have downloadable CAD models for pretty much everything. Makes life a lot easier for the drawing guys

jordan7118 · Sep 19, 2014

Their website is light-years ahead of Grainger and MSC. That's the biggest appeal to me. Half the time my problem is just finding the right part. It also helps that almost every part they sell has either a CAD drawing or a SW model. Every part at least has some form of .pdf drawing. Very helpful when you're trying to make some custom stuff work.

1TONTJ · Sep 19, 2014

I buy all kinds of stuff from them. Bolts, collar clamps, cushion clamps, O-rings, set screws, lanyard kits, sleeves, bushings, pins, etc. I could look through their website for hours and go broke in the process. laughing1

John Galbreath Jr. · Sep 19, 2014

Schrader valves, nuts, bolts, water well stuff. Use them a lot. Kind of strange that you don't know what shipping is when you order, but has always been reasonable. Would love to get a hold of a paper catalog if they still do one.

Coma1 · Sep 19, 2014

JohnG said:
Schrader valves, nuts, bolts, water well stuff. Use them a lot. Kind of strange that you don't know what shipping is when you order, but has always been reasonable. Would love to get a hold of a paper catalog if they still do one.

And truly amazing is the return policy if you have an account. Throw it in a box and send it back. They look you up and credit your acct. Where else does that????

Be at Dixie Run? I'll bring you a few.

pjprice · Sep 19, 2014

We order from there at work on a daily basis. Pretty much anything machine shop related

alanevans10 · Sep 19, 2014

Last things I got from them were sealed bearings and a stainless shaft collar to build a steering column out of 1.75x.120 DOM and some 1.75 ID cushion clamps to attach my rear steer hoses to my rear upper links. Always quick shipping.

TBItoy · Sep 19, 2014

Delrin stock for spring bushings.

We order stuff weekly from them

fl-krawler · Sep 21, 2014

1TONTJ said:
I buy all kinds of stuff from them. Bolts, collar clamps, cushion clamps, O-rings, set screws, lanyard kits, sleeves, bushings, pins, etc. I could look through their website for hours and go broke in the process. laughing1

^ This, plus they have a great assortment of latches for storage compartments

Elliott · Sep 21, 2014

I tried 3 weeks ago to get a catalog from them, they basically said no

patooyee · Sep 21, 2014

Elliott said:
I tried 3 weeks ago to get a catalog from them, they basically said no

With everything they have I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to print many. I can't believe Grainger still hands them out so easily. Those things can't be cheap.

5onrocks · Sep 21, 2014

JohnG said:
Schrader valves, nuts, bolts, water well stuff. Use them a lot. Kind of strange that you don't know what shipping is when you order, but has always been reasonable. Would love to get a hold of a paper catalog if they still do one.

Our company orders hundreds of dollars a day and some days it thousands of dollars. If you will remind me, I will snag you a paper catalog from work. It may be one edition old but they rarely change. We have atleast one in every office and a few stacked up here and there. The online site is all that we ever use anymore.