My first mill is a First mill

[Dabbler]

I'm glad you are replacing the pin: its job is to hold the collet against the tightening forces of the nut, but not to stop the collet from spinning. That is the taper's job...

Fastenal in Calgary has stopped doing business with individuals and small accounts. I have complained to the regional manager, and got nowhere... (I just talked with a friend of the regional manager (again) and he's going to hear about it on Monday...)

 

[whydontu]

Speaking as a person with a background in industrial sales, small cash sales are a PITA. However, all money tastes the same, and I know a lot of mega-$$$ accounts I handled that started out as someone making widgets in their garage.

If I get good service when I buy a small cash order, the vendor gets on my list of places to try when I’m ordering machinery or supplies for my much larger company orders.

 

[Dabbler]

@whydontu I was refused a 200$ order that was sitting right there at the desk, waiting for my credit card. I had an account, and they deleted it right there, in front of me.

From my perspective, I just shrugged and bought my grinding wheels from KBC and had them shipped. Saved about 25$.

Possibly small cash sale was 200$, but now I have found alternate suppliers for all my other needs. They lost several thousands of $ of business in the past 2-3 years.

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

You need to strike up a relationship with Jeff, the store manager. He's bent over backwards to help me.

Sorry, but I'd rather not spend my money at a place where I need to 'strike up a relationship' with the manager to get acceptable service. KMS: where the employees are always 'going on their break' or 'not working in this area' or just can't be bothered to get off their chair when I ask for help. I shop there when I must.

 

[whydontu]

@whydontu I was refused a 200$ order that was sitting right there at the desk, waiting for my credit card. I had an account, and they deleted it right there, in front of me.

From my perspective, I just shrugged and bought my grinding wheels from KBC and had them shipped. Saved about 25$.

Possibly small cash sale was 200$, but now I have found alternate suppliers for all my other needs. They lost several thousands of $ of business in the past 2-3 years.

Ouch. That’s beyond stupid. So no sales, no money, but they had already used their resources to prep the order.

A couple of decades of training counter sales people has proven to me that some sales people can’t sell. And don’t understand the golden rule.

 

[Chicken lights]

Ouch. That’s beyond stupid. So no sales, no money, but they had already used their resources to prep the order.

A couple of decades of training counter sales people has proven to me that some sales people can’t sell. And don’t understand the golden rule.

Like a lot of things, most parts guys/counter guys are getting hard to find good ones. I don’t know if it’s a lack of experience or training....but holy moly if I hand you a shopping list of 100 pieces to count out and bag (bolts/nuts/washers).... you should NOT be gone in the back for 20 minutes

That’s not even selling, that’s just counting pieces to put in bags

 

[Dusty]

Clerks or jerks that's the question. Six years back when my right knee started giving me lots of grief I was in a 'Dollar Store' here in Moose Jaw. To save time and my wandering around the store I asked the cashier where they kept pipe cleaners. Now this gal of about 20 years with shrapnel piercings all over her ears, nose and face and goodness knows where else rolled her eyes back in her head as if she could see the moon then replied;

"I think you need to go to a plumbing shop for that". Yikes, and they breed.

Thanking her I wondered around the store finally in the crafts section I found a selection of pipe cleaners in multiple colors, sizes and lengths. Returning to checkout (same clerk) I paid for my packet of pipe cleaners casually mentioning that these were pipe cleaners. Without hesitation she again rolled her eyes back in her head looking for something. I promptly left the store fearful she might place a spell on me and I'd become a frog.

Laughing my fool head off. True story!

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

Clerks or jerks that's the question.

Here's another story from Victoria at Fastener Force which had been my recommended alternative to Fastenal until this event: When I got the lathe (6 months ago) it was the impetus for getting some metric fasteners on hand. I needed some M6 fasteners so (as had been my habit) I emailed the list (socket cap screws in several lengths, nuts, washers - all in decent quantities of 25-50 pcs- a $40-50 order) to the owner/manager (?) and next morning got a reply to pick up the order. 20 minute drive from my place to the store. Still 100% COVID aware, I was glad that they had restriction on customer numbers (2 at a time in the tiny pickup area) so I paid with my credit card, and skedaddled with my parcel of fasteners. Got home, opened the package and found that the nuts were M8. Checked my order to make sure it wasn't my mistake, and then contacted the store. "Bring em back and we'll have the right ones for you." So far, so good. So back I go. This time I got a 20-something young man at the counter (owner's son ??). We swapped packages and he rolled his eyes and said: "There; that should be perfect NOW" - as if it were unreasonable that the nuts should match the screws, no 'sorry for the mistake' or similar, which I thought strange. My reply was something like: "Yup, except for the hour I have wasted driving back and forth." No rant. His reply- looking straight into my 70+ y.o. face: "If you are going to give me attitude I will take away the discount we have given you!"
My inner voice wisely counseled me to just walk away.
BTW, their 'discounted' prices to me have alwys been more than I was paying at Fastenal until that company decided to stop dealing with ordinary humans and focus on 'business only' sales.

I SO wish McMaster Carr would open a Canadian warehouse operation.

 

[DavidR8]

It's pretty simple to register a business name in BC and then you can order from McMaster. I did it a few years back and have placed more than a few orders from MMC. Their stuff is not cheap but the service is outstanding.

 

[jcdammeyer]

It's pretty simple to register a business name in BC and then you can order from McMaster. I did it a few years back and have placed more than a few orders from MMC. Their stuff is not cheap but the service is outstanding.

I have special screws coming from McMaster Carr. Theoretically tomorrow that I ordered late last night. Purolator Tracking says it's already at the Hamilton Ont. airport. Now if I could only get the Deutsch connectors that the screws go into as quickly.
I've also had good success with Spaenaur

Spaenaur Inc - Fasteners Right Now

Spaenaur is recognized throughout North America as a leading distributor for industrial fasteners, hardware components and tools. We operate out of a 115,000 Sq. foot warehouse in Kitchener, Ontario and specialize in stocking hard-to-find parts that can be shipped same-day.

spaenaur.com

 

[DavidR8]

I have special screws coming from McMaster Carr. Theoretically tomorrow that I ordered late last night. Purolator Tracking says it's already at the Hamilton Ont. airport. Now if I could only get the Deutsch connectors that the screws go into as quickly.
I've also had good success with Spaenaur

Spaenaur Inc - Fasteners Right Now

Spaenaur is recognized throughout North America as a leading distributor for industrial fasteners, hardware components and tools. We operate out of a 115,000 Sq. foot warehouse in Kitchener, Ontario and specialize in stocking hard-to-find parts that can be shipped same-day.

spaenaur.com

Thanks for jogging my memory on Spaenaur, I remembered a company with an unusual name but for the life of me could not dig it out of the deep dark recesses.

 

[PaulL]

I've also had good success with Spaenaur

I used them a lot when I was in Kitchener. A pleasure.

 

[Dabbler]

I've also had good success with Spaenaur

I have ordered quite a bit from them. They are especially good if you are ordering in bigger batches. A fave.

 

[Susquatch]

@jcdammeyer @Dabbler @David_R8 @PaulL

Never heard of Spaenaur.

THANK YOU!

 

[Susquatch]

I have special screws coming from McMaster Carr. Theoretically tomorrow that I ordered late last night.

I only recently discovered I already had a MC business account I must have setup a few years ago. I have not used them yet because I was afraid of long shipping delays coming from the USA. Did you pay for faster shipping?

 

[DavidR8]

I only recently discovered I already had a MC business account I must have setup a few years ago. I have not used them yet because I was afraid of long shipping delays coming from the USA. Did you pay for faster shipping?

My experience is that regular shipping is plenty fast. With KBC upping its minimum shipping costs MMC is more attractive.

 

[jcdammeyer]

I only recently discovered I already had a MC business account I must have setup a few years ago. I have not used them yet because I was afraid of long shipping delays coming from the USA. Did you pay for faster shipping?

Since this is work-work the shipping is automatically Purolator. The screw order was $175US or so with GST and shipping was about $25. I placed the order near midnight Sunday so the east coast would have it at 7AM or so their time. Shipped that day. Tracking shows it in Victoria sorting facility this morning. Likely be delivered some time today.

That lets me finish assembling the last two power supplies and will then have on hand the balance of the stainless screws needed for the other 20 units if the Deutsch connectors ever arrive this year. The heatsink is custom machined by a local machine shop down the street and is black anodized in Vancouver. The box for it is made in Salmon arm.

 

[YotaBota]

With KBC upping its minimum shipping costs MMC is more attractive.

My last purchase with KBC I whined about the cost of shipping and they dropped it back to $12.

 

[jcdammeyer]

The heatsink is custom machined by a local machine shop down the street and is black anodized in Vancouver. The box for it is made in Salmon arm.

I thought about making the heatsinks myself. In fact I 3D printed the first model. Took a trial with a slitting saw to see how it would work on a casting. Ended up machining an old PC heatsink to the correct size to test things. But in the end, although very expensive, was easier to have a shop do the work. I watched their HAAS machine create one. Pretty cool.

 

[DavidR8]

Nice work John!