Motion Industries

See the thread 5 above this titled Oil cup suppliers? I just had a quote from them that did not impress me. Darcy

Dayum..... all's I really care about is a decent return policy..... LOL!!!

But actually, it is a breath of fresh air to talk to a REAL company.... I remember talking to Hariq, about my old surface grinder, or Baldor about their lubrication, and it is real pleasure to be put on the line with a guy who knows the stuff inside and out, and enjoys sharing it. And a rare pleasure.

Visavis these companies -- and more recently, whole municipalities, like NYC with that absurd 311 """"information board"""" -- who do all they can to hide from the public, cuz the only thing they're willing to do is automatically process yer online shopping cart. F*ck dat and f*ck them.

I email companies like this, with the message: If you had a fukn phone number, I mighta done business with you.....

Along those lines, MSC and McMaster seem to hold up pretty well -- their front line is pretty knowledgeable, helpful. Ditto a recent visit to the very high-priced Grainger's, who found a part for me that was quite the longshot. And of course charged me dearly for it....

Motion Industries was mentioned in the recent thread Cup Oilers, iirc.

BL:

A friend trades with them and likes them for bearings.

Another friend dealt with them regularly and went in one time with an order under their then newly-declared minimum purchase. This was a cash-in-hand, will-call desk encounter. The boss was hard about the declared buy line and he darkens their door no more.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

I have no experience with Motion Technologies. However, please check out Applied Industrial Technologies:

--Winston

Your thread 5 above this isn't the same for other posters unless the have their news client configured exacty the same, and have read the same messages.

I always had good luck with them on a walk in basis, and also from work. Haven't seen the minimum order thing. If I do, I'll find somewhere else to spend my money.

Pete Keillor

We have one of those here in Memphis , and I'll trade there occasionally . They're on the other side of town , and my savings are usually eaten up in fuel costs since I buy such small quantities .

Oops, this following rant I just made was for Applied Industrial Technologies, not MI.

If the Medford, OR store is any indication, I probably won't be back to AIT unless I can't find it anywhere else. They appear to be a strictly retail+ shop and everything they sell is pretty steep. I recommend that you call and talk to them on the phone to get some indication of the attitudes at the store near you. I had stopped by the AIT store because I saw it next to the Costco I visit.

The guy who finally waited on me almost five minutes after I entered the store and stood at the counter (3 other guys on computers who looked up and quickly back to their screens, none of whom were typing, were silent and ignoring) was friendly and knowlegeable, but the SKF bearing was $21, more than I wanted to spend for an idler bearing. I came back to Grants Pass empty handed and got the bearing + an inside snap ring for $7.50 at Neely Bearing a couple days later. Yes, the bearing I bought was an import, but triple the price? The guys looked up and, when they apparently didn't see a multi-thousand dollar sale standing there, ignored me. The guy in GP was busy pressing a bearing, but immediately called out that he'd be right there, and he was friendly and attentive when he got to me about 90 seconds later. He threw in the snap ring gratis. I hadn't gone there the day I shopped AIT because he was closed that Saturday. The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle

Exactly the opposite of what I found up here, both in price and attitude. Weird. (see my rant posted earlier) The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle

Roger the rant, Larry.

Management can make all the difference. At some point it just isn't the counterperson's fault if their manager insists on employing them in a position to which they are not suited.

I have plenty of examples of that in my area so I am grateful when I stumble across a place that apparently really wants me to spend my money there.

--Winston

After reading the rest of the responses all I can say is, it depends. MI has grown by buying up smaller regional distributors. I've been dealing with my branch for 25 years -- since it was a family business, and I'd run into the son of the owner at a mutual friend's house. He now manages several branches for MI. From my perspective, very little has changed over the years, other than where I send the checks. I mentioned this to the outside sales guy recently and he told me MI generally lets the local branches run things as they see fit.

One good thing about PT distributors is there are so many to choose from. You may have to try a couple before you find one that gives good service to small accounts.

Motion and Applied (used to be called Detroit Ball Bearing) will sell to individals. Your reception may vary more by store location and personel more than any corporate policy.

I wish each of them had a web presence as good as McMaster-Carr's.

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

Ayup.

Ditto. Someone who is enthusiastic about their business also gets more business from me. It's catching. Kudos go to the guys who suggest other projects when they see what I'm doing.

-- The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle

The local Motion used to be Lou's Bearings - and I've been buying bits and pieces from them for 45 years. Never an issue - belts, bearings, key-stock, couplings - whatever I need that they carry.

There are a few places around with minimum order policies that I've delt with for decades. I need a onsey-twosie part, one of two things happens. They ignore the minimum charge if I pay cash, or the counterman says "catch".

individals. Your

I used to buy some things from Bearings, Inc. when i lived in Ohio.

They were my source for loose balls to rebuild heavy duty antenna rotors. A lot cheaper than OEM and didn't take three months to arrive. A box of 100 would do four rotors.

I have bought some linear rails from VXB. Sometimes they are fast and sometimes they take their sweet arse time.

Bob,

We do some small stuff with them and so far, it's been a great experience.

Bob,

Just a thought... Here are two additional contacts that are excellent and offer some of the same products with better support: