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.

wrote:

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 (www.mcmaster.com) tools, various bits
Small Parts, Inc (www.smallparts.com) lots of, well, small parts
WM Berg (google for it) gears, belts, chain

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.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

In article . com,
says...

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.

How about the nuts and bolts department at your local hardware
store? Those are standardized.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

wrote:

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.

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

Check out Mitsumi; they have a large range of semi-standard quick ship
parts which they customise various features for small addtional charges
:)


Grant Erwin wrote:
wrote:

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.

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 (http://misumiusa.com) is good and I would also recommend Stock
Drive Products (http://www.sdp-si.com/index.asp) for gears, pulleys,
couplings, etc...

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:
Check out Mitsumi; they have a large range of semi-standard quick ship
parts which they customise various features for small addtional charges
:)


Grant Erwin wrote:
wrote:

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.

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

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?

"oldjag" wrote in message
oups.com...
Check out Mitsumi; they have a large range of semi-standard quick ship
parts which they customise various features for small addtional charges
:)


Grant Erwin wrote:
wrote:

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.

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

Grant Erwin wrote:

wrote:

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.


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

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.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

wrote:
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.

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

John Martin wrote:

wrote:

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.


You might try looking for a used Erector Set - I'm not sure they sell
them new any more.

Sure they do!

http://www.erectortoys.com/

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

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.




--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

wrote in message
ups.com...
| 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.

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.

On 7 Oct 2005 10:32:14 -0700, wrote:

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.

Try:
http://www.smallparts.com/



Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see:
Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things) http://www.viatrack.ca

void _-void-_ in the obvious place

"John Martin" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
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.

You might try looking for a used Erector Set - I'm not sure they sell
them new any more.

John Martin


I found these guys the other day. Looks like some useful stuff, not sure
about the cost.

http://www.8020.net/Default.asp

Shawn

Sorry wayne, name is Misumi, and here is the link: www.misumiusa.com

Boris Mohar wrote:
On 7 Oct 2005 10:32:14 -0700, wrote:

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.

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.