McMaster-Carr FTW.

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flyangler18

flyangler18

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Location
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I'm not usually one to go all fanboy about vendors, but McMaster-Carr is just awesome. I ordered 3 sets of brass QDs and a square foot of 30/30 SS mesh yesterday morning and I'll be damned if they didn't arrive 10 minutes ago. Just awesome.

IMG_5937.JPG
 
Yeah those guys are killer with their shipping. If I put in an order before 3pm, it usually gets shipped out that day...good stuff.
 
+1. Amazing how efficient their operations are. I don't get the sense they're the lowest-cost provider, but if you NEED something in a hurry, they get it out! I'm kinda amazed they even deal with our dinky little orders, I've got to imagine that 99.99% of their business is much larger business-to-business transactions.
 
Yeah, they're spendy on some things that could be easily picked up at the big box home improvement store of your choice; but for those harder-to-find items, they're the mutt's nuts.
 
once my order came overnight, just because it was close by. I was all pissed off when I found it was short two QD parts. Later that same day they arrived shipped from another location.

ordered at noon day 1,
get most of it morning day 2,
get rest of it evening day 2.

fast.
 
flyangler18 said:
I'm not usually one to go all fanboy about vendors, but McMaster-Carr is just awesome. I ordered 3 sets of brass QDs and a square foot of 30/30 SS mesh yesterday morning and I'll be damned if they didn't arrive 10 minutes ago. Just awesome.

IMG_5937.JPG
Click to expand...

Could we get part numbers on the QD's? They sure look nice.

You going to make a false bottom? Interested in the SS Mesh also.
 
Just don't try the 3/8 on the input side of a march pump. 1/2 inch is as small as I'd go and the March literature actually says to use a size bigger on the input than the output. I was going to try 3/4 input and 1/2 output to see if it primes any easier or flows any faster.

Linc
 
They have a very efficient back end system. A friend in college worked there(still does), and I took a tour of the place. Last time we spoke, he worked from something like 12 am - 8am, the next shift came on at 12 noon and works to make sure that what can get out does get out. At one point in the early 90's, he worked part time then went to college. I don't know if they still do that.
 
I gotta say, it's awesome to know that a company with that many high-end big business accounts still delivers such quick service to our piddlin' little orders for a handful of QDs and a couple pieces of SS mesh.
 
they are a B-B(business to business) company ... however they also do prototyping order work my guess is they think you "small guys" are prototypers. I have dealt with companies that sent my "order" for free thinking I was testing things when I thought I was ordering all I needed.
 
virus692 said:
they are a B-B(business to business) company ... however they also do prototyping order work my guess is they think you "small guys" are prototypers. I have dealt with companies that sent my "order" for free thinking I was testing things when I thought I was ordering all I needed.
Click to expand...

Nah, they know it is individuals ordering. I made a mistake on an order today and called to fix it. I was specifically asked if I was an individual or business. Didn't matter, just made it easier to find my account with them.
 
yeppers, mcmaster FTWx10.

more than once at work I've ordered something before morning coffee break and it's been here when I get back from lunch.

schweet. Also reminds me I need to go place an order for work stuff. I wonder if the boss will let me tag on the order.

B
 
Again, same here, badassery is their game. They make places like B3 look like customer service neanderthals. Really, how is it that this place can have an inventory that is probably 1000 times what B3's is, but have it be 1000 times more efficient, accurate and timely?
 
Evan! said:
Again, same here, badassery is their game. They make places like B3 look like customer service neanderthals. Really, how is it that this place can have an inventory that is probably 1000 times what B3's is, but have it be 1000 times more efficient, accurate and timely?
Click to expand...

McMaster is ran by gadget nerds. B3 is ran by drunks. ;)
 
Oh I forgot to mention this yesterday- when I ordered the parts in my OP, their website goofed and it registered double orders (but I was only charged once). I got a call in less than an hour after the order was made saying that both orders had already been packed for shipping and were out the door. They informed me that I just needed to refuse shipment on the second package and all was well.
 
storrance said:
McMaster has a location a few miles from me. I order o-rings for my kegs one morning, and a company van delivered them 3 hours later. I was floored by the service.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can drop by the Atlanta one on my way to/from work. I've exchanged things at the pick-up area before. Never had any issues. They like to get folks in and out quickly and don't seem to care that my order was only $10 or so. They kill you on shipping bcs everything is rush - I guess because they are used to dealing with folks that need the parts yesterday.
 
flyangler18 said:
Oh I forgot to mention this yesterday- when I ordered the parts in my OP, their website goofed and it registered double orders (but I was only charged once). I got a call in less than an hour after the order was made saying that both orders had already been packed for shipping and were out the door. They informed me that I just needed to refuse shipment on the second package and all was well.
Click to expand...

I thought that was me! I had that happen as well.. are you running firefox? I saw that happen to a bunch of my orders in the last month.
 
McMaster really isn't about high end big orders. Their prices are way too high for companies to do that. They are about getting customers what they need and fast. They also making it really easy to find what you want. When customers start moving to high quantity stuff, they are going to look elsewhere.
 
They kill you on shipping bcs everything is rush - I guess because they are used to dealing with folks that need the parts yesterday.
Click to expand...

Nah, shipping from NJ to me here in PA is usually $5. I'd hardly call that 'killing me with shipping'.

I thought that was me! I had that happen as well.. are you running firefox? I saw that happen to a bunch of my orders in the last month.
Click to expand...
Safari.

Another order just hit my doorstep- ordered yesterday morning, here before noon.

IMG_5953.JPG
 
I was visiting one of my machine shops I use for work and scored a copy of McMaster Carr's catalog. That thing is twice the size of my phonebook!
 
you guys aren't joking I ordered some stuff last night, and just check the tracking its already at my house.
 
flyangler18 said:
I'm not usually one to go all fanboy about vendors, but McMaster-Carr is just awesome. I ordered 3 sets of brass QDs and a square foot of 30/30 SS mesh yesterday morning and I'll be damned if they didn't arrive 10 minutes ago. Just awesome.

IMG_5937.JPG
Click to expand...
Another good source is the MSC Industrial supply catalog. Where I work we order a lot of different items from them, next day delivery.
 

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