Buying from McMaster Carr

[Stuart Samuel]

Same as everyone else. The first time I ordered from McM, I tried to send it to my shop, which is in a commercial building. 'We only ship to businesses'.

Finally occurred to send them a copy of my business registration, and they were happy to ship after that.

As Dan notes, their website is excellent, and their mobile app is fantastic. I've used it a few times to price side jobs, knowing I could almost certainly get the material, etc. cheaper somewhere else, but it gave me a price right now, that I could count on, to build a quote.

 

[PeterT]

If anyone knows of a Canadian supplier of 12L14 or 41L40, I'll happily buy you a beer. Or two.

I pretty much gave up. My local Metal Supermarkets carries 12L14 it in limited nominal sizes but OMG the price. Some of the bigger CDN suppliers will sell at lower $/ft but only at full lengths. There is a good Ebay dot com) seller I've bought assorted diameter bundles like 1 ft x 3/16-1.2 dia" free shipping inside USA, so I paid a dinger fee from border re-shipper to home. Still cheaper than MS :/

BTW I just received a small chunk of 1215 as a slightly lower cost alternative to 12L14. Only made some skim passes on the end but so far I like it
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/metals/steel-1~/easy-to-machine-1215-carbon-steel-rods-8/
A lead-free alternative to 12L14, 1215 carbon steel contains the same amount of sulfur and phosphorus for excellent machinability. It’s often used for shaft couplings, studs, and pins. For added wear resistance, you can harden its surface with heat treating.

 

[PeterT]

The teflon tape I used for my table saw I got from Lee Valley, don't know if they still sell it but worth a look.

Yes this product (or close cousins) is quite readily available. Its actually UHMW according to description. That's why I was asking about any critical dimensions.

Slippery (Low-Friction) Tape - Lee Valley Tools

www.leevalley.com

 

[Dan Dubeau]

The teflon tape I used for my table saw I got from Lee Valley, don't know if they still sell it but worth a look.

That's UHMW. Similar properties, but different. "may" work here, but will not have the same performance and longevity of Turcite made for this application.

The lee valley stuff is pretty good within it's use case. Somewhere around here I probably have some left on a roll, but it's been a long time since I last used it for woodworking jigs. I suspect it might be a bit too "sticky" and thin for this use, but I think a roll is around $20, and I've burned $20 on worse experiments before..... For this particular case, with that particular grinder, I'd actually give it a shot before spending a few hundred on the Turcite.

 

[ChazzC]

McM never asked for any kind of numbers; I just completed the registration form including “CACC” (CAC Consulting) and I was all set. I don’t resell anything so don’t need a sales tax number.

Can’t speak to any cross-border issues.

I order several times a year, depending on my needs: I add things to my Order and place the order when I actually need something that’s included (keeps the shipping cost under control).

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I've used a lot of Ultra High Molecular Weight plastic over the years at work. In fact I put pads of it under the 2x4s I used on the Toolmaker hoist so they would slide on the concrete. It's great for outfeed and infeed slides for your table saw as it's non directional. But that is woodworking. I use a track saw now.

The tape at McMaster Carr is only about $60, and Keith said it works well, the table moves slick. . I take that from my reading is important in a surface grinder. He did a couple of machines. One good one, and a Monday morning after a good weekend one. He sold the good one and kept the now fully repaired Monday morning special. My Toolmaker 'Skippy' was bare, but well oiled. I guess I oiled it well the last time I used it. It has one V-way and a flat, so the flat needs a shim.

 

[Mike R]

Unfortunately McM is still my only source for some steel stock such as A2 and 12L14. They also have 41L40 which I have never seen elsewhere.

If anyone knows of a Canadian supplier of 12L14 or 41L40, I'll happily buy you a beer. Or two.

MetalPros here in Ottawa carry C12L14 - assuming its the same as 12L14 with a C in front.
https://quote.metalpros.com/?search=&shape=ROUND BAR&material=STEEL&grade=C12L14&InStock=true

However I switched to 1144 for general machining, still good machinability (~80-85% of 1212) and much better strength properties, and usually the same price as near as I can tell in the small quantities I order. Lets me feel better when making something off the cuff that its probably stronger than it needs to be - or stronger than the thing I'm fixing...

 

[PeterT]

Those are good prices!

According to Google
- In the steel grade C12L14, the "C" indicates the steel was produced using an open-hearth furnace, electric arc furnace, or basic oxygen furnace. The "12" refers to the alloy type and its composition, and the "L" signifies the addition of lead to enhance machinability. The "14" represents the carbon content, indicating a low-carbon steel
- 12L14 steel is known for its excellent machinability, rated at approximately 190% of B1112

 

[PeterT]

On the second generation models one of the repairs is replacing the Teflon tape they used on the ways . Keith at Toolmaker Groups has kindly given me McMaster Carr part numbers.

I guess I'm confused by what you are after. Does the MCM product actually say Teflon?

 

[Downwindtracker2]

Naw , but it seems to be the Teflon is PTFE fiberglass reinforced tape. I don't know PTFE stands for either, so there is that too.

When I got home from visiting my old coworker, I checked the ways with a flashlight and a straightedge, no light came through. I had swept the table side to side, both sides of the T-slot were flat but oddly enough the inner was a thou different. I guess mine is a merely a Tuesday machine. chuckle.

KeithK has a write up,"A Toolmaker Joins the Herd", in Keith Ruckers site on 2nd gen Toolmaker rebuilds . For those who stumble on this thread. go to real expert, not me.

 

[whydontu]

Me being pedantic - PTFE is the generic term for polytetrafluoroethylene, Teflon is the trade name. Very slippery, mostly chemically inert, good for -250 to +350* F. Really, really, really good for a lot of industrial and medical applications, but soon to be on the bad-for-the-environment list.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I really was wondering what PTFE stood for. That is a mouth full isn't it. I bet you can't say that quickly ten times in a row quickly.

After I finish my morning coffee, I'll re-rig and pull the saddle .Up to now I haven't found any glaring problems outside of the missing Teflon tape, but the x-axis drive shaft, even the handle wheel, flops around. And I haven't even checked it out yet. I fear it will test my limited machining skills.

On a surface grinder , smooth feed is critical for the surface finish. That is why they use hydraulic or cable drive. A Tookmaker is rack and pinon drive . So gear lash has to be as good as you can get.