Are there any amateur inventors here who frequently buy small metal parts?(Parts that may need little in the way of machining).
I was hoping to get ideas about where to get preferrably standardized parts that are relatively simple geometric shapes for the projects I'd like to put together.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.
What _kind_ of small standardized parts?
If it's difficult to machine as a one-off, commonly used, and easy to machine in bulk then yes. In descending order of availability screws, handles, gears are all available. Anything more specialized is best obtained by taking a chunk of metal or plastic and removing all the bits that don't look like what you need. Try:
McMaster-Carr
You may also want to look into Herbach & Rademan (google, they're on the web). They're a surplus place with lots of interesting stuff that you can prototype with.
There are others, but I don't keep track beyond the above.
How about the nuts and bolts department at your local hardware store? Those are standardized.
Jim
I'm not an inventor. But I often buy a bewildering array of small to medium metal things. I have a milling machine and a lathe and use them a fair amount, and I can say that in my experience very little that I do is standard. I do tend to work with what's out there, like angle iron, plate, pipe, tube or flat bar, but I doubt you're going to be able to find standard shapes like you want. You'll probably have to either figure out how to make them, or pay people to make them for you. And most shops stay the hell away from inventors, so don't let on that's what you are. They tend to have very vague specifications, and really want a boatload of engineering thrown in for free, and tend to have little money and zero credit, and are often living in their sister's garage.
GWE
Misumi
Besides those, Mcmaster Carr (mcmaster.com) is pretty much one of the best sources for off-the-shelf odds and ends. Best website I've ever used, incredible customer service, and they ship stuff out lighning fast (I once placed an order @ 4PM and got the part the next morning... and that was with Ground shipping).
oldjag wrote:
I Googled Mitsumi and came up with an electronics outfit and nothing to do with semi-standardized small parts for second operations....
Do you have a link?
My kid says: "I want to be an inventor when I grow up".
I shudder and say "no, you want to be an engineer, get paid to invent stuff that actually works, and not have to take it in the shorts when the marketing concept was all screwed up".
He hasn't seen the light yet, but if he wants us to pay for his room and board after he's 18 he's gonna have to be going to school taking something that may someday help him to get a job. It helps that I listed all the talents you need to be an "inventor" and pointed out that they are all taught in engineering schools.
You might try looking for a used Erector Set - I'm not sure they sell them new any more.
John Martin
There are standardized SHAPES used to make custom structural parts with only a saw and a drill press.
I make a lot of things out of aluminum and steel angle, flat bars, tubing and drill rod.
In electronics we make almost all mechanical parts from 1/16" aluminum sheet and heatsink extrusions.
You can make simple moving parts with round rod and bronze bushings from a hardware store. Model airplane stores have a fairly good selection of useful items such as tedlescoping brass tubing.
jw
jw
Sure they do!
haven't been to forum for a dogs age but thought I'd chip in here. My company buys from Reid Tool in Muskegan Michigan. They have all sorts of handle knobs and suchlike.
Okay, time to play twenty questions. Do you need fasteners? Do you need tooling? Do you need blocks and chunks of various patterns and extrusions? If you're doing artwork, just offer that up. More detail would help you immensely.
Try:
Regards,
Boris Mohar
Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)
I found these guys the other day. Looks like some useful stuff, not sure about the cost.
Sorry wayne, name is Misumi, and here is the link:
Thanks everyone for all the advice.
Since it would be cost prohibitive to get parts made to spec every time I needed something, can anyone recommend some sort of mini-lathe that I could toy around with?
I'll be working with plastic like Delrin as well as metals.
Thanks again.
Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.
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