McMaster Carr

[Gregor 4,846]

A to McMaster Carr. Order threaded rod and bronze bearings on Tuesday, get them on Wednesday. Order oil seals yesterday, get them today. Mail a birthday card across town (3700 pop.), takes 3 days, at least!

I don't get it.

McMaster Carr.

[WHX?? 48,795]

I love them too. You name it they got it and yes they are quick. My only beef I guess is what they charge for shipping. Often way more than what's in the box. I try to order the bulk packs like say hub set screws. Seems to help on reordering. 

[formariz 11,987]

For most of my life I worked in Architectural Woodwork in the NY area. We used McMaster Carr just about 3 days of every week for most times highly specialized items related to our work. I traveled hundreds of times to their facility in NJ to pick up items.. First, most of their shipping is really overnight shipping. The reason for that is that this not a regular operation where at the end of the day UPS goes there to pickup items at their facility. UPS is there on a permanent basis. Every bay on the loading dock which is about 10 has either a UPS trailer or truck parked there . As they are filled they are immediately picked up and another one parked there. I can guarantee it that within 10 minutes of an order being placed it is on the UPS Vehicle. These people run a seriously organized business. They are not the cheapest but they are the best as far as service and item availability. They are an example of organization and efficiency.

[squonk 41,038]

I don't care what they charge. You need it, they got it, you get it. No worries, no drama, no games. When I used them at work, I liked the fact l could tell a customer I'll have the part tomorrow.

Edited March 19, 2021 by squonk

[haydendavid380 759]

I have a life goal to order enough to get one of their master catalogs

[Charbs152 254]

love them. i have the same experience with the fast shipping

[KAA 1973 71]

8 hours ago, haydendavid380 said:

I have a life goal to order enough to get one of their master catalogs

My company probably orders $500,000 from them/year

We used to have stacks of them, I had a few, gave one to my brother but as far as I know they 

don't print them anymore since they went online, I haven't seen a new one in our company in 10 years.

[Gregor 4,846]

When I was in business, I didn't order a great deal, but apparently enough to get a catalogue. That was 20 years ago. Have not seen one since.

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

Got one for ya. I found a pepper shaker

muffler off fleabay from right down the road . The same zip code. 
Took a week to get here!!  Maybe 

should have checked out

mcmaster carr!!

Edited March 19, 2021 by The Tuul Crib

[JCM 9,130]

My favorite catalog. Also works well at night when your trying to fall asleep but can't because you have a big project at work keeping me up. With the small lettering it makes my eyes sore and before you know it i'm snoring. How do I know I snore, I've been told multiple times.   

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

19 minutes ago, JCM said:

My favorite catalog. Also works well at night when your trying to fall asleep but can't because you have a big project at work keeping me up. With the small lettering it makes my eyes sore and before you know it i'm snoring. How do I know I snore, I've been told multiple times.   

on the snoring !  so lm told!

[squonk 41,038]

2 years ago 2 days before Thanksgiving @ 1:00 PM I needed 20 (yes 20) of the same size belt for a job. I call MMC and talk to this guy there and he tells me they have 60 in stock and they are Gates brand ( No junk Grainger Dayton belts for me)  and I would have them UPS tomorrow. UPS comes and no belts. I call MMC back and they check. Belts left an hour after I called but UPS pulled their trucks off the road because of an ice storm!  They weren't to happy at MMC either. 

[KAA 1973 71]

Just talked to our receiving lady, she's been throwing them away when they come in, said nobody wants them.

She's going to give them to me from now on.

 

I just grabbed a 109 from an engineer since someone snagged mine.

 

[WHX?? 48,795]

11 hours ago, squonk said:

You need it, they got it, you get it.

Good point Mike...

 

1 minute ago, squonk said:

pulled their trucks off the road because of an ice storm! 

understandable 

 

Never knew they had a catalog ... really don't need one their site is so easy to navigate. You can save items you order alot, save shopping lists. Bonus they excellent  technical stuff on things, types of fasteners, materials etc.. 

[Gregor 4,846]

AND you can check out in 1 CLICK!

 

I should add, if you have an account set up.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Gregor

[Handy Don 12,163]

37 minutes ago, Gregor said:

AND you can check out in 1 CLICK!

 

I should add, if you have an account set up.

I've been teaching myself Fusion 360, a 3D modeling program, and was amazed to realize that the program can import MMC parts from their catalog directly into a design model (I'm sure other modeling tools do it, as well--I'm still a newb in this sphere). So cool to just scan the catalog for a bolt or pulley and then drop it it!

[squonk 41,038]

I have book #119 Wonder what it's worth! 

 

I like flipping through the pages and finding stuff I never knew existed! 

[Kenneth R Cluley 515]

At work (Fire Dept.) we were putting up hurricane shutters for impending storm. All items for job are supposed to be stored together for quick response. One station somehow "misplaced" wing nuts for panel attachment. No one and i mean no one had any local as everything gets crazy when storm coming. Called MCM and had them next morning prior to storm! 

[lynnmor 7,302]

I don't think MMC is interested in handing out expensive catalogs to those that might buy a handful of nuts once per year.  Here is a quote from them:  
We produce and distribute a limited number of our print catalogs to end-users and purchasers for industrial plants and large commercial facilities. Please email, text, or call us to request a catalog.
 

[JoeM 7,871]

Nothing but good for me too. And always decent quality.

I had to call about an item once, and ask the girl how they shipped so quick? I know there were a handful times when I placed on online order at 6 am and it was on the 3 pm UPS truck. She told me if it is in their Ohio warehouse, it is quick to SWPA,  because they have a UPS terminal right in the middle of the warehouse. Suppose they have some sort of agreement with UPS?

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

13 hours ago, haydendavid380 said:

I have a life goal to order enough to get one of their master catalogs

Funny, When I was a kid I managed to get one somehow (this was pre-web so it was an amazing thing). It was a huge disappointment when I found out they would not do business with me trying to order without and account.

 

Fast forward several decades and now they are easy to do business with. And while shipping ain't cheap, it is certainly reasonable IMHO.

 

[Gregor 4,846]

7 minutes ago, WheelHorse_of_course said:

And while shipping ain't cheap, it is certainly reasonable IMHO.

You gets what you pay for.  Well,  usually.;

[pfrederi 17,674]

There shipping is not anymore than a lot of places that don't have such quick delivery.  They also sell quality stuff.  A couple years ago I bought some screw pin shackles.  I was surprised to get a letter a couple months later indicating that one size shackle had been identified by their manufacturer  (made in USA) that some didn't meet their overload specs.  Please stop using it and we will be sending you a replacement ...The replacemtn came within a week..  Think Home depot would do that for the Chinese junk they sell??? (Think the Chicoms even test their batches of stuff)

[formariz 11,987]

1 hour ago, pfrederi said:

There shipping is not anymore than a lot of places that don't have such quick delivery.  They also sell quality stuff.  A couple years ago I bought some screw pin shackles.  I was surprised to get a letter a couple months later indicating that one size shackle had been identified by their manufacturer  (made in USA) that some didn't meet their overload specs.  Please stop using it and we will be sending you a replacement ...The replacemtn came within a week..  Think Home depot would do that for the Chinese junk they sell??? (Think the Chicoms even test their batches of stuff)

Very good point to bring up. Most don't think about these things but they are important. One thing that was always very important in  my profession and everything we did was to be within extremely strict  NYC codes whether it was fire, structural or safety related. Right from the drawing stages  for example a bolt that would have to be used in a structural setting would be required to have the manufacturers specs attached to drawing. Same for any other item even  glues used needed to have the MSDS sheets attached to drawing submittals. What other supplier out there has all of that readily available on their web site or by request ? None other to my knowledge. These are not only efficient service oriented people but are more importantly as far as responsibility and morality, unique out there. We never even bothered to obtain a lower quote on items from anyone else since that from the initiating of any order there was immediate peace of mind.

[953 nut 55,099]

On 3/18/2021 at 7:14 PM, WHX24 said:

My only beef I guess is what they charge for shipping.

I tend to do large batch orders of stuff I need now and stuff I will probably need in the coming months. Last order I placed some of the items came the next day from Atlanta, two other deliveries came the next day, one from Chicago and one from Jackson MS to complete the order. Service like that is well worth a paying for.