Alternative to MacMaster-Carr?

Apr 03, 2012 82 Replies

I've not been disappointed with their cutting tools, and after my last experience with K*C's service (never got the product, so can't compare)... don't feel like trying too hard.

One issue with them hiding the manufacturer is that it's impossible to see what the detailed specifications and caveats really are on complex items- you're stuck with their very limited description and a few specs. Even Harbor Freight lets you download the manual so you can get a better idea if it will do what you want. But if they gave you the real manufacturer's part number it would make it easier to shop around I guess.. still I don't think most commercial customers would bother.. it's more important to get the stuff quickly at a reasonable price than to get rock bottom pricing.

On 4/3/2012 12:37 PM, Spehro Pefhany wrote: ...

If you really have such demanding requirements, there is the telephone.

If you're just like most, the most likely purpose is essentially that of those who use Best Buy/local retailer as a showroom then go online and let the brick'n mortar place eat the inventory and storefront overhead. Not exactly straight-up.

McMaster-Carr doesn't provide a specific manufacturer on generic items because they buy in bulk from multiple suppliers and resell; it would be yet another overhead cost to add yet another layer of bookkeeping and database management to the cogs.

IMO, if you want a particular manufacturer, find a distributor that rep's that manufactuer; don't blame the general distributor that makes no claims other than a general specification.

Yea, what happened to NAFTA? I got clipped when i bought something from Canada. Won't do that again. Can't even use my cell phone up there. And Ontario won't let US types harly even fish.

Maybe that old John Candy movie where we declared war on Canada really is happening.

Karl

So have I. Customers no good, they buy and dont pay.

i

There is no limit. I use their site frequently and never had a click limit. McMaster is far superior to Grainger.

I have to wonder if the OP is using W95 and 256k of memory.

MSC and Grainger are the usual suspects.

John Doe wrote in news:jldtc5$10b$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

What on earth are you talking about? I've visited their site dozens of times, and never had any problems with it at all.

I am a gamer that uses speech to write and control my computer. Took many years and lots of technical know-how to operate a computer by voice. I'm not a communications/website expert, but I know exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, I provided a readout of the text message provided on their website.

This author is full of s*it...

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

eternal-september.org!mx04.eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!feeder.erje.net!news.glorb.com!border3.nntp.dca.giganews.com!Xl.tags.giganews.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!local2.nntp.dca.giganews.com!news.giganews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail

sv3-jsuMDgoryJcXIcR6js8NnsYmJQP5p/4txOtewIlZrSD7rIKEbg3xtm0xLlEBkjtQdeHof6svZ/OQOFQ!Q2ZPxrgY++Ki1JUzA6+7ikeUPWcjyt7ifHWDSEjaLH/YjI5dEcLo4SRXZUGCBAJCrMpCHzb4

rec.crafts.metalworking:255814

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19wLO5GGVsH7wOZorgeUyrm"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255819

and never had any

John Doe wrote in news:jlfrj7$rs9$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Yes, but not what you did to provoke it, other than a general description.

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/AOtNfCKSWDdxgILm8f8On"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255825

John Doe wrote in news:jlfs5f$rs9$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Obviously you did, if you can think.

And it didn't work, as I said in another post, if you can read.

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/MMbIrauSdOkneAHaZRwtU"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255831

Really helpful response to some one that WAS originally trying to help you. jk

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19wLO5GGVsH7wOZorgeUyrm"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255819

and never had any

Goodness John, all this rhetoric simply to tell the world what an exceedingly rapid clicker you are?

Is this an exercise in ego building? To demonstrate that you actually click faster then the average?

What is next? A tryout on the Guinness World Records, in the fast clicker's section.

-- Cheers,

John B.

For me, MSC is preferred to McMaster Carr. Both accept phone orders, and normally get the items to me the next day. But MSC will happily send me a yearly copy of "The Big Book" -- their boat anchor of a catalog. McMaster Carr wants you to be somehow cannonized before they will send you a catalog, and I find fewer things (of what I want) in a McMaster Carr catalog when I can find one than in the MSC catalog.

I understand that the McMaster Carr web site is better than MSCs (though MSC's is improving), but I prefer the dead-tree catalog when I'm really looking for something. Among other things, it will show me similar objects which might satisfy my needs better on the same or a nearby page.

They want me to be a business -- though they will sell to me under the name of my employer before retirement. I think that the requirement is because of pressure from the various trades in the area.

Enjoy, DoN.

Of course not, troll. I wasn't clicking very fast. Apparently it objects to the type of input (what you are doing), not just the speed.

John B. wrote:

posting-host="xiVQZc8eJws8DMbespNAPw"; logging-data="26032"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18LoN7qpd09kkptzrI4GlwPiK6WcjDF3OE="

rec.crafts.metalworking:255873

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19wLO5GGVsH7wOZorgeUyrm"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255819

times, and never had any

I buy a lot from McMaster Carr and I clik rather fast. I have never seen the effect that you are describing.

i

posting-host="xiVQZc8eJws8DMbespNAPw"; logging-data="26032"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18LoN7qpd09kkptzrI4GlwPiK6WcjDF3OE="

rec.crafts.metalworking:255873

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19wLO5GGVsH7wOZorgeUyrm"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255819

times, and never had any

eternal-september.org!mx04.eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!news.glorb.com!border3.nntp.dca.giganews.com!Xl.tags.giganews.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!local2.nntp.dca.giganews.com!news.giganews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail

sv3-urvYaYDumlb1xWMPxNT4QQ/HBOBZtvdo8LaVcRRCI8H8OcJEqtAMGIgFLkcptrdq6J0gUTwr15+X24r!mXsYlF0GEaDPsXeL6pwrWs7FIfd0HyKn7/wyv0HtO9+qlstksTwVY50AE6rqNQooLzjD8W6xCaJ4

rec.crafts.metalworking:255893

posting-host="xiVQZc8eJws8DMbespNAPw"; logging-data="26032"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18LoN7qpd09kkptzrI4GlwPiK6WcjDF3OE="

rec.crafts.metalworking:255873

posting-host="p++YVkttPdK0gshfu4k5Zw"; logging-data="28065"; mail-complaints-to="abuse eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19wLO5GGVsH7wOZorgeUyrm"

rec.crafts.metalworking:255819

dont-email.me:

times, and never had any

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required