Suppliers in US

[ku4qb1]

Hello.
Can anyone recommend any current model engineering suppliers in the US? I'm looking for things like spur gears, small hex screws and such.
Thank you! Bill Shamblin

 

[ku4qb1]

All I have been able to find are a couple of "Supplier" lists that are hopelessly outdated, and a few vendors on Ebay who sell a few kits on the side but no parts or supplies. When I started collecting casting sets, there were companies like Caldwell Industries and Coles. All such seem to be gone now that I finally have the time to get some real work done.

 

[kuhncw]

Hi ku4qb 1,

Welcome back to the hobby.

Check out godshalls live steam locomotives and parts for all model bolts/nuts and other items.

www.martinmodel.com for casting sets, flywheels, etc.

www.pmmodelengines.com

https://www.deboltmachine.com/collections/all
https://www.ministeam.com/index.html
https://hobbymetalkits.com/ Good source for metal

Those are a few that come to mind. You might want to pick up a copy of The Home Shop Machinist magazine, as hobby suppliers advertise there.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[stevehuckss396]

For gears I use Stock Drive Products but there is also Boston Gear and W M Berg

Small screws and clips try McMaster Carr. They have just about anything you coul need and the shipping is very reasonable but you don't know what it is until they ship. They charge actual shipping cost.

Material I get from EBay from 6061Dude. Good selection of small ends in aluminum and brass and other stock. If 6061Dude doesn't have it, someone else on there does but check McMaster Carr first because sometimes it's cheaper new at McMaster.

 

[almega]

Now days you can find a lot of what you may need on Amazon. I have had good results with fasteners and some tooling. For metal, I use Online Metals. They have about anything and you can get cut sizes. I also use McMaster Carr for about anything else I could want. Half the fun is finding the stuff needed for projects.

 

[IanN]

Hi,

Join your local model engineering club - not only will they be able to recommend (local and mail-order) suppliers, but they frequently "bulk buy" and pass on the cost savings

All the best,
Ian

 

[WOB]

Small screws and such can be found here: Micro Fasteners

WOB

 

[ku4qb1]

Thank you friends! I'll try all of those (actually I have tried a few of them).

 

[comstock-friend]

For rivets and similar fasteners I like Hanson Rivet & Supply Co

John

https://www.hansonrivet.com/?gclid=...hU1H7Ogg6saxEi8wUeR6YYrXVnNUDLLBoC9rEQAvD_BwE

 

[ku4qb1]

For rivets and similar fasteners I like Hanson Rivet & Supply Co

John

https://www.hansonrivet.com/?gclid=...hU1H7Ogg6saxEi8wUeR6YYrXVnNUDLLBoC9rEQAvD_BwE

Rivets are something I know. I'm retired now, but as an industrial maintenance mechanic for over 40 years, one of the types of machines I maintained was tubular riveters. Thanks for the link!

 

[Richard Hed]

Since I have one of the crappiest lathes ever made, an Enco 9-20, and it is very sloppy and does not do left hand threads (which is a big reason I bought a lathe), I am looking to buy a better lathe in the 4-5000$ range. I would say the only thing good about an Enco of this size is that any lathe is better than nothing.

I have my eye on the Grizzly G4003G, however, I browsed the Chinese stuff in "Made in China" and Alibaba and have found numerous lathes that do the same as the Grizz. We all know that the Grizz stuff is just a way for Chinese stuff to sell more easily in the USA, and that Grizz has a pretty decent reputation for fixing bad equipment that gets to the customers, but the Chinese direct sales lathes are significantly lower price even after shipping, so I am wondering if anyone can suggest a decent lathe to buy. I am so suspicious of these companies that they will not support their products and that they might have generally poor quality stuff. One can never know what each company is like. There are SCORES of these companies in China making machine lathes and mills--which ones make good stuff?

In another year or so, I will likely be looking for a small mill also. Due to the corona virus (this years horror story to keep us entertained, or under control or believing in aliens or for some agency of the government to get more $$ out of the taxpayer or whatever), I thimk the price of everything just might drop a bit. Any suggestions?

 

[almega]

For the kind of money you are looking to spend, if it were me, I would look at used higher quality equipment at estate sales and craig's list. You can get some really nice stuff if you aren't in a big hurry. I picked up a nice older Logan 9 X 18 tool room lathe (which will do left-hand threads) from an old guy who was liquidating and with all tooling, nice original cast iron base, for $750 two years ago. I had been looking for about 2 years when I came upon this one. Had to drive 2-1/2 hours each way to get it but well worth it. Some of the new stuff is okay, but older cast iron is the best.

 

[Richard Hed]

For the kind of money you are looking to spend, if it were me, I would look at used higher quality equipment at estate sales and craig's list. You can get some really nice stuff if you aren't in a big hurry. I picked up a nice older Logan 9 X 18 tool room lathe (which will do left-hand threads) from an old guy who was liquidating and with all tooling, nice original cast iron base, for $750 two years ago. I had been looking for about 2 years when I came upon this one. Had to drive 2-1/2 hours each way to get it but well worth it. Some of the new stuff is okay, but older cast iron is the best.

Yes, I will do that, but have to save the cash for it. Your good deal was worth driving across the country -- 2-1/2 hours (boo hoo) is NOTHING. Thanx for the reply

 

[ku4qb1]

For gears I use Stock Drive Products but there is also Boston Gear and W M Berg

Small screws and clips try McMaster Carr. They have just about anything you coul need and the shipping is very reasonable but you don't know what it is until they ship. They charge actual shipping cost.

Material I get from EBay from 6061Dude. Good selection of small ends in aluminum and brass and other stock. If 6061Dude doesn't have it, someone else on there does but check McMaster Carr first because sometimes it's cheaper new at McMaster.

I now have two sets of gears on order from SDP. Thank you!

 

[stevehuckss396]

I forgot to mention grainger for springs and rubber rings and clips and everything else.

 

[comstock-friend]

Rivets are something I know. I'm retired now, but as an industrial maintenance mechanic for over 40 years, one of the types of machines I maintained was tubular riveters. Thanks for the link!

Hanson supplied the rivets and some tooling for our Bill Harris Steam Roller project at the local JC...

 

[Bill Lawson]

Jet 918 is a nice lathe for the price. Drawbacks no quick change gearbox, but it chases a nice thread with the supplied gears. Also, there is no power cross feed even though their literature states that the cross feed rates are the same as longitudinal.

 

[ku4qb1]

Hanson supplied the rivets and some tooling for our Bill Harris Steam Roller project at the local JC...View attachment 116068View attachment 116069View attachment 116070View attachment 116071

Beautiful work!

 

[bobs7-62steamair]

Hello.
Can anyone recommend any current model engineering suppliers in the US? I'm looking for things like spur gears, small hex screws and such.
Thank you! Bill Shamblin

Hi Bill: Suggest you try Americanmodeleng.com, they have a great on line listing of screws in many sizes, super service great to deal with. They don't have order provisions on line but have an order blank on their web site and usually fill the order in about three day of receiving an order.
Bob E

 

[ku4qb1]

Thanks Bob! I just checked them out and they have some interesting stuff. And, they now do offer on-line ordering. With PayPal!