One Stop Reference Links

[CHJ]

Magazine & Model Engineering Web Sites.

Model Engineering Web Site.
Model Engineer & Model Engineers' Workshop
Mig Welding - UK Forum & online shop for just about everything “hobby” welding
Home Workshop Forum

Private Individuals Web Sites of Interest

Jerry's Site
Colin Ushers site – UK guy with lots of gen. info plus indices for various mags, plans, etc.
Harold Hall's website: (Spindle)
Seig C3 Mini-Lathe US guy with Chinese Minilathe info. V good/useful (AES)
Frank J. Hoose - UK Chinese Minilathe site (AES)
CHJ's Metal Work Links Page---9X20 lathe info. & general reference links.
Gadget Builder(John Moran) - US Chinese Minilathe & add-ons site (AES)
Conrad Hoffman - US guy with general home metalwork shop info (AES)
Machining & Metalworking at Home Steve BachanekUK site, downloadable files on all sorts of useful stuff (AES)
Paul Hayward - UK Chinese Minilathe website (AES)
John Somers-Model Engineering – UK site “explaining” Model Engineering (AES)

Tool Tips & Workshop Projects.

Frank Ford, Home Shop Tech Articles
Tools & Mods – UK suite showing all sorts of projects, tooling, jigs, etc. (AES)

Useful Utilities & Reference information

Alan J Munday's Model Engineers' Utilities (application download from Colin Ushers site.) (Spindle)
Lathes.Co- Machine Tool Reference Archive.
R.C. Minchins- Use of Induction Motors in the Home Workshop -PDF (Myfordman, aka 9fingers)
Number & Letter Drill Size Comparitor (CHJ)
Brook Tech, Recommended Tapping Drill Sizes (spinks)


You Tube Links:

Myford Boy--
This guy builds some amazing stuff and is into machining and home casting. (porker)
Tubal Cain
--For instructional, this guy is good. He calls himself Tubal Cain which is confusing because he is not the same guy who authors some of the Workshop Practice Series books (which are also good and cheap). (porker)



Suppliers (*= member used and good service)

Albion Alloys- Alluminium Tube, Brass Tube, Copper & alloys, Short cut lengths.
ArcEurotrade - UK tools supplier *
Avery Knight & Bowlers:- metal supplies (&more) *
Bearing Boys - UK bearing, belt & pulley etc. supplier. *
BIL Castors & Wheels – Castors & Wheels supplier *
Blackgates – UK materials supplier.
Chronos – UK materials & small tools supplier * Woodworking tools section
Direct Plastics – UK engineering plastics supplier
Eccentric Engineering – Australian (with UK agent) manufacturer of special HSS lathe tools. Excellent tools! *
GLR Kennions Ltd. – UK supplier Locomotive castings, metals etc. Excellent. * (Recently changed trading/ownership details)
GWR Fasteners - UK supplier of standard & manufacturer of specialist Fasteners. *
Hemingway Kits – UK supplier of metalwork tools & jigs kits
Home and Workshop Machinery --supplying mainly used British lathes, milling, drilling, grinding machines, metal and woodworking machinery and equipment. *
Industrial Component Supplies Ltd (ICS) -Bearings, Power Transmission, V Belts, Hydraulic Seals, Oil seals and O rings. Ph:-(01752)846517 (competitive price and carriage)
IS &G Steels -- UK Steel stockholders (low prices *)
JBCuttingtools Jenny Blackwell, Cutting tools, turning inserts, burrs, milling cutters/inserts etc. (very comprehensive tip and cutter stock on show stand and sensible pricing, CHJ)
Little machine shop - US supplier of model engineering bits, measuring gear, & especially Chinese Minilathe & Milling machine parts & accessories. Excellent. *
Macc Model Engineers Supplies Ltd-Materials, Metals, Kits, fittings etc.
Mallard Metal Packs - UK metals suppliers
Metals4u- UK metals suppliers *
MetalFast- Swindon based aluminium stockists, large offcut stocks *
Metal Offcuts--- Sheet Metal offcuts
Mikes Workshop—Scrollsaw Blades *
Model Fixings - UK supplier of small tools, fasteners, etc. Excellent. *
Noggin End Metals – UK supplier of generally small bits of various metals, small tools, etc. Excellent, particularly recommended. *
RGD Tools – UK tools supplier, seems to be generally cheaper end of the market
Simply Bearings - UK bearings supplier. *
Tap & Die - UK taps & dies specialists
The Insert Company-Threaded inserts for Wood, Metal & Plastics *
The Mesh Comp. - UK sheet mesh metals of various types
Tuff Saws Ian John-- Bandsaw Blades Metal/Wood *
Wiseman - UK threading tools supplier

 

[CHJ]

OK, get listing all those sites you find yourself going back to time & time again.
Lets see if we can make up a listing of sites to drag a few more newcomers onto this slippery slope of oily hands and give a few more SWMBO's or prospective swmbo's a bit more to compete with.
Mind you if it makes a few more hubby's wonder what the **** is going on I'm sure the fairer sex are more than welcome.

Thanks to these Contributors:-

• Spindle
  AES
  Hutzul
  porker
  MusicMan
  Myfordman
  imageel
  spinks
  

 

[Spindle]

Hi Chas

I'm not sure where this sits or if its even possible but with the increased use of online shopping and associated delivery issues I wondered if the supplier recommendations could include a reference to 'shipping satisfaction'. This thought has been provoked by my recent experience detailed below.

This week I made my first online purchase from Chronos and it was flawless, the package, (a large parcel of around 15kgs), arrived in the North East of Scotland within four days, which in itself was impressive, but what made it worthy of comment was the standard of tracking provided. In addition to the provision of a tracking number I was emailed on three occasions to advise me of the packages progress allowing me to determine to within an hour when it would be delivered.

Living in a fairly remote area it is a huge bonus for me:
Not to have to waste time waiting at home unnecessarily for a delivery
Not to find a card on my doormat advising I have to make a 75 mile round trip to collect it from the 'deliverer's' depot

Regards Mick

 

[AES]

@chas & spindle:

I wonder if I may make a comment re shipping. Not being UK based I realise I'm a bit different to most other Forum members (but not all!), but whilst I do agree with Spindle about certain advantages of overnight courier there are also some disadvantages in the case of (I guess) just about anyone not living within UK.

The problem starts because I understand from several UK suppliers that the GPO (or whatever it's called this week!) will no longer handle parcels weighing more than 2 Kgs. So courier then becomes a must.

Living in Switzerland (non EU) I don't have to pay UK VAT, BUT I MAY have to pay import duty (there doesn't seem to be any rhymne or reason for this, sometimes I pay, sometimes not, and it seems to be regardless of the parcel contents and value). Back "in the good old days" of GPO parcels the postman would arrive and as above, sometimes I'd have to pay duty (there would be a bill attached), sometimes not.

BUT with the courier, there is ALWAYS an extra charge of at least UK quid 10 to pay, sometimes more.

This is for "handling" by the courier, who have (they say) had to open my parcel at the Customs incoming point to see if duty is payable. Maybe they do open the parcel, maybe not, but whether import duty is charged or not I still have to pay that courier "handling charge". That did not happen in the "good old days" of parcels being sent by post.

So yes, you do (normally) have the advantage of a good tracking/Internet lookup system with couriers such as UPS, TNT, FedEx, etc), BUT (again I'm talking about out of UK) you have the disadvantage of that extra charge, which, if the value of the contents is quite low, can represent a significant percentage of the overall transaction value.

I now "wait" until a reasonable value is accrued before I place any orders.

BTW, all the suppliers that I marked with an asterix as being excellent in my list of suppliers (from memory, Axminster, Arc Euro Trade, etc, etc - usual disclaimers) have all been excellent as far as the shipping part of the transaction is concerned. If only the UK GPO had not decided not to handle big parcels any more!

Hope this may help some other non-UK members.

AES

 

[sjalloq]

I recently got bearings from these guys. Both seem to be big industry suppliers and when Midland Bearings didn't have stock, they pointed me at Eriks. Both were very helpful, even though I'm not trade and was ordering a tiny value order, and Eriks even went as far as to personally deliver me a set after the courier faked the signature of my office's postroom attendant and didn't deliver.

https://www.eriks.co.uk/Bearings/
http://www.midlandbearings.com/

 

[CHJ]

Added JBCuttingtools (Jenny Blackwell), to the list.
Saw her stand at the Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza (Cirencester) today and very impressed with range and pricing of stock, Cutting tools, turning inserts, burrs, milling cutters/inserts etc.
Very comprehensive tip and cutter stock on show stand and sensible pricing, knowledgeable cutter recommendations and guidance seemed to be very forthcoming.

 

[AddisonJ]

Hi guys,

How would we go about being included on this supplier list - does it need to be a company frequently used by your members?

We supply many products that would be ideal for use here, as well as a blade sharpening service that most can't seem to beat.


Have a look at our site and see what you think:

Addison Saws Ltd

 

[BiffoBear]

This list is really useful but looks like it hasn't been updated in a while. I have some suggestions for additions. Is it best to put them in a separate post or copy the original, edit it and repost?

 

[Spectric]

The fastener companies that should be on that list are

ACCU Accuracy. Delivered. | 500,000+ Components - Accu

Kayfast Fixings and fasteners suppliers UK | Kayfast Ltd | Stainless Steel | Same Day Dispatch

Screwsline Screwsline - Specialists in new & vintage brass, chrome, steel and stainless slotted wood screws, nuts, bolts, washers, ironmongery & more

all of whom have given me good service and can supply those odd things like slotted screws for the traditionist.