McMaster-Carr?

[e30bradley]

Ever heard of this place? They seem to have.. well, everything. "over 490,00 products" I've only spent about 5 minutes on the site but it looks like they have wera screwdrivers but they don't tell you the brand's name.. They have decent prices but without knowing for sure what I'm buying and what the COO is I'm not buying anything. Anyone know what brands they cary?http://www.mcmaster.com/
wera screwdrivers:http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-screwdrivers/=gv2wf8
They have way more models than this, just go to the hand tool section then from their go to the screwdriver section.

 

[TAftw]

They sell everything. Every commercial/industrial shop in the country has a McMaster Carr and Grainger catalog.

 

[Nick M]

Ultra-Grip Screwdrivers with Antislip Tips- are Wiha Anti camout. I bought some at my last job. there was another post about the hard handle high vis screwdrivers, they turned out to be Pratt & Read.

Prybars are Mayhew with red handles, just bought one at work.

 

[RKA]

Yeah, you have to call them with the item number if you want something specific. They can look up the manufacturer, but not sure on COO. Generally they tend to sell high quality tools. As a bonus, they ship out of Robbinsville NJ, so you'll get your order next day, if you place early enough for them to get it out that day.

Brands...it depends on what you're shopping for. Armstrong and Proto are big in the hand tools.

 

[gt40mkii]

FWIW, These guys are pros and sell to pros. They don't sell junk. I'd trust any tool I bought from them to be of good quality.

 

[Buckgnarly]

GREAT company to deal with, and MANY items are US and quality......add to this link if you do get anything!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130644&highlight=mcmaster+carr

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Another McMC customer here. I purchase my bulk hardware from them and receive orders fast.

 

[cbracer]

We use them all the time at work. Corporate long time customers get cheap delivery same day or next day from their own drivers. Just expect to pay full retail.

 

[vintagefan]

One McMaster to rule them all, one UPS to bind them

 

[jeffmoss26]

YES! They rock, luckily they are local to me. Stuff ships the same day!
Their catalogs are hard to get BUT the website rocks!!

 

[radgto]

All of us maintenance guys at work got an email that said we have to have any order from McMaster pre approved from now on... Seems we spent over 400k there since the first of the year.

It was our "go to" place for just about everything because we'd always have the order by the following day.

Super bad *** website and they carry everything.

 

[DYNA BILL]

My company (well, the one I work for) buys lots and lots of stuff from them.
We don't use junk.

 

[DYNA BILL]

Question to the OP: Since you have just discovered McMaster-Carr, are you aware of Grainger?

 

[eljefino]

I used them for pulleys when I repowered a snowblower. Their pulley selector is second to none. Told them I needed a 1/2" v belt with a 3/4 shaft (old motor had a one inch) and was able to narrow it down with well laid out drawings, dimensions, my choice of diameters etc. I rigged the blower to run the auger slightly faster and the wheel drive slightly slower to match the precipitation I get.

You have to have faith in UPS costs, they don't give you an exact amount. Mine was about $4.50!!!

 

[markv]

Great company! I work at a hospital, and we buy a ton of stuff from them.

 

[RKA]

You have to have faith in UPS costs, they don't give you an exact amount. Mine was about $4.50!!!

Very good point! They don't tell you up front, they just add shipping in later, but I've always found it very reasonable. Last year I ordered a large C clamp and two drill bits. The clamp was 20 lbs all by itself and the shipping was less than $7 (granted I'm 4 towns away).

Usually I get irritated with any online vendor that won't give me shipping charges up front. Mcmaster is the only exception I make because I know it'll be reasonable.

 

[Mstrfxit12]

I order from them almost daily. It takes some work to find something thats not in stock. They are pretty much the best single stop for hardware that I've found. They aren't the cheapest but they will definately help you get the job done... Chris

 

[chrisexv6]

McMaster has saved me a bunch of times. From fixes for my old outdoor equipment to "upgrade" modifications on some woodworking tools Ive made, they always seem to have what I need.

I even broke the tips on a pair of their heavy duty snap-ring pliers (I dont know if anyone has seen the snap-ring that Moog provides with some of their ball joints, but wow ive never seen a 1/8" thick snap ring before.....and I still havent found a pair of snap ring pliers tha can handle it) and they had no problem giving me an RMA and even refunded my original shipping costs. I would have settled just for new tips but their RMA setup seems to be full refund, then buy again if you want them.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Dude, where have you been?
McMaster, Grainger and MSC helped make so many projects possible over the years where I worked.
McMaster Carr is a wonderful company to deal with, super fast shipping, quality stuff, and they even let you return things that you don't need.
Only thing about McMaster, it's not the cheapest place in the world, but the prices are fair.

 

[chrisexv6]

Everytime Ive tried Grainger or MSC they just havent lived up to McMaster.

MMC is based in NJ and Im in CT....I can order something by noon on a weekday and have it in my hands the next day via plain old UPS ground. Ive never found them expensive because Im saving money by ordering a smaller amount of something than Id be able to purchase at a local Fastenal, Grainger, etc.

McMaster is like the Costco of hardware to me....you are pretty much guaranteed the stuff they are selling is good quality.

 

[0.511MeV]

I'm probably a "typical" McMaster target customer. When I need something, I need it yesterday, I have way too much stuff to do to spend any time researching what is best or good, etc and if it fails/breaks/doesn't fit I'm going to be furious and on the phone asap wanting it fixed even faster. I'm also relatively price insensitive.

So, I call McMaster, give them a vague description, a part number if I can find it, maybe all that info was secondhand to me even, and I have what I need the next day and it works.

I've never been disappointed.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Grainger is a pain in the rear end IMHO

 

[RichZ]

McMaster-Carr carries stuff that no one else does, and everything they sell is high quality. I use them for hardware for some of my old farm equipment, when I can't find parts any where else.

 

[MrMark]

McMaster is a great company. They are local in SoCal and ship the next day. Their shipping is reasonable and the website the best in the business. They sell American products for less money than Home Depot and the Plumbing Supply sell Chinese products. You have to trust them and you will get a good product.

For example, their power bits are Zephr! The same as Snap-on and the best in the industry bar none. You can pay $2 for a Zephr power bit from McMaster or 2.50 for a Milwaukee "Professionally Made in China" power bit at Home Depot. Seems an easy choice.

 

[Steve from Socal]

McMaster is a great company. They are local in SoCal and ship the next day. Their shipping is reasonable and the website the best in the business.

I don't know if you are aware of it but, in the L.A. basin MMC has same day delivery, if you order by I think 11:00 AM. They have provided this service to both my business and residence. They set the standard for what an industrial supplier should be.


Steve

 

[metaldad]

i readily turn to McMaster anytime I need anything for the job, which may be as often as daily. If you look in their tool section, they have premium wrenches. All Armstrong. I had to order some scratch awls, To my surprise, they were Stanley, AND USA made. If you have the part #, they can tell you manufacturer and COO.
Grainger I avoid like the plague. They never have what you need when you need it. Maybe I'm spoiled, but M/C delivers to my house that day, or, I can swing by on my way home at will call.

 

[Davefr]

McMaster is also great because there's no minimum order quantity and they don't nail you with overinflated shipping. If I order something small, the shipping charge is usually around $5.

The other thing that's impressive is the depth of product information on their website. Some of their parts even have full engineering drawings and detailed specs. as part of the description.

They are the last of the great hardware stores. MSC is also good but more industrial supply then hardware.

 

[Jeff95TA]

The McMaster site also has a lot of CAD drawings with dimensions that you can download. If you need that kind of thing.

 

[jakcamden]

Use them for work and home. They are my go to website.

 

[PRH44]

I am looking at my MMC catalog this thing is huge! I purchase anti vibration pads for transformers, Snap on vinyl and rubber edging of all size for protecting conductors against sharp edges, two off the wall items that come to mind

 

[jeffmoss26]

Their website was rated one of the best on the internet!

 

[airbatica]

Saved my bacon at work a few weeks ago. Needed some long metric set screws (M8x50mm) to fix a leak on a hydraulic pump at work... no one had them locally. I ordered them after 5, had them in hand 36 hours later. I would have had them the next day if I had ordered a little earlier instead of driving around trying to find them.

 

[kartracer55]

The best part about them is that they never sell Junk. Sometimes it might not be the absolute best but you are going to get a quality product. As far as pricing, raw material is usually crazy expensive, but I have been pleasantly surprised many times on the price of certain Items. I've had to order tool holders, odd bearings, etc etc and on many occasions their prices were awesome. On others, well, lets just say you are paying for the convenience.

 

[Walterchang]

Mcmaster rocks, every now and then if we Order early enough, we get it same day.

 

[Stick]

If you think that the website is awesome, you should see the paper catalog. They only print something like 2500 of them a year, so they're kind of hard to get a copy and even older versions sell for pretty good money on eBay. I think my copy is version 116 or so.

 

[e30bradley]

lol I don't know where I've been but since all 34 replies so far have been good I will certainly be placing an order with them soon. It seems like they have warehouses all over the country and excellent service. Thanks for the replies. Oh and I have heard of Grainger, tonns of the stuff at the school I'm going to comes from their.

 

[chevy3755]

a very good company and fast shipping........

 

[Davefr]

There's plenty of overlap but also are some key differences among McMaster, MSC and Grainger.

McMaster - Hardware, supplies and tools seems to be their primary focus.

MSC - Metalworking/machinist supplies and tools, some hardware, misc. factory floor items like safety and janitorial.

Grainger - Electrical (motors), HVAC, tradesman tools/supplies.

I always use McMaster and MSC. Customer support is excellent. I'd rank Grainger below the other two.

 

[doodah man]

I use McMaster-Carr for work stuff (usually materials and parts) all the time, but I'm wondering how their tool prices compare? It's hard to know exactly what you're looking at. I guess these sets are the same:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-screwdrivers/=gvgz2m

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KVNURI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The price is comparable, especially if MC give cheap, fast shipping.

Anyone ordering tools for home from them?

 

[bggrnchvy]

McMaster has made it hard not to order from them.

I can download my fastener models, drop them in my assemblies and then when it's time to place my purchase order reqs I make a big one to McMaster and after it's approved I get it next day, usually. I'm sitting on most of my buy parts before the machine or sheetmetal shops have even moved my prints from intake to production.

Of course if it's slow or a production run, ordering from the local industrial fastener place is cheaper. It just requires some labor and more purchase order reqs, which is all money spent in itself.

Maintenance orders most of their tools from them as well. It's easier than trying to find something at OSH/Home Depot/Lowe's and they get here next day and are quality.