On Sun, 31 Oct 2010 20:48:37 -0500, Sunworshipper wrote:

I had that feeling that I'd have to go postal. Seems that I can't find
a powder coating business within driving distance. Is there some way
that I'm missing to find businesses in my local?

What are you talking about? Powdercoating companies are all over the
place in the Anchorage and Fairbanks areas; why, you can't go anywhere
in Alaska without being within 700 miles of five or six powdercoat
companies.

http://www.customcoaters.com/html/alaska_-_custom_coaters.html
http://web.userinstinct.com/1076742-anchorage-custom-powder-coating-inc.htm

Looks like it is going to be as local as possible and fedx/ups with lots
of emails or well planed trips to the big big small city. If it has to
be ship back and forth stuff, does it much matter on distance if it is
say 20 pounds? You know, I could almost ship it back and forth from Hell
A to Mississippi as well as across the state type of thing.

Do you have lots of small items to be done, a few large parts, or what?
Can you do them yourself? Will they fit into USPS flat rate priority
mail cartons? If not, at least for USPS parcel post, distance makes
a big difference. Eg, 20# parcel post from 99501 Anchorage to 90101 LA
is $25.50 and 12 days, vs $14.50 and 3 days to 99701 Fairbanks.

What are the top online places for buying all kinds of parts for
building things? And ways to find places close.

Ask a few dozen local people who to ask about those things, then
ask the people they mention, etc. You might come across some local
small manufacturers you've never heard of, or might find someone
who frequently travels to town who can be a courier. What zip code
are you in, anyway?

In a big city I can find some of the things like scrap aluminum chunks
and stores with springs and cool fasteners, but in the sticks I can't
seem to find much at all.

As http://www.pfonline.com/articles/perspectives-north-to-alaska
notes, Alaska hasn't got much of a manufacturing base; which means
few industrial-oriented stores, little surplus, etc. except maybe
near military bases or pipeline depots or snowmobile shops.

--
jiw