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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   2712 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for October 4, 2024

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Amazon has a reputation of having you do your own research while letting practically anyone peddle their crap on its platform. McMaster-Carr, on the other hand, is well-known and respected for having a massive curated catalog of fasteners and other hardware. If you need an M8 bolt, it will have just one offering for each length, will charge a premium price, but will guarantee it's not some chinesium crap you won't strip as soon as you tighten it.

Who are the McMasters of other goods? Toys, clothing, dimensional lumber, USB cords, dietary supplements?

McMaster-Carr, on the other hand, is well-known and respected for having a massive curated catalog of fasteners and other hardware.

McMaster-Carr is well-known for having a massive curated catalog of practically everything that an industrial operation could possibly need, and having it in stock and available on short notice. The fact that it will be a quality product almost goes without saying. And saying it's pricier is an understatement. I don't know about the website, but when my dad was a shop foreman he said there was a $25 minimum shipping cost on every order. They exist because if I'm running a factory or a steel mill or a chemical plant or any other kind of business, if something goes down and I need a part on short-notice they can get it there in a day rather than a week. For that reason, there probably isn't anything comparable for toys, or clothing, or other stuff that's ultimately inessential. There's no such thing as an emergency toy purchase. Their customers are willing to pay a premium because they lose a lot more money by not having the item.

Current McMaster-Carr will sometimes let you get away with better shipping costs (<10 USD for envelope-weight packages), although the prices for the products themselves are still extremely high compared to the typical vendor (expect 3x on common-use parts, and up to 20x for weird stuff). But they'll have it in stock, and it'll be on your doorstop tomorrow, short of a literal disaster.

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