McMaster-Carr tool quality?

[SED]

The bronze bushings on the parallelogram fork I'm rebuilding need to be reamed and this extra long piloted reamer looks like the right tool...

https://www.mcmaster.com/3027A11


but I've had bad luck with cheap adjustable reamers in the past.  Any idea of the quality of tools McMaster-Carr sells?   

There are some used USA made alternatives on fleabay.  Anyone got a 17/32-19/32 adjustable (13mm!) reamer they'd like to sell? 

[PeteS]

Generally positive. We have an account at work with McMaster and purchase items weekly. Can't say any tool I have bought from them has ever broken. Their machine tools come from multiple sources both US and overseas including Europe and Asia. Can't speak for that particular tool though.

Pete

[SED]

Generally positive. We have an account at work with McMaster and purchase items weekly. Can't say any tool I have bought from them has ever broken. Their machine tools come from multiple sources both US and overseas including Europe and Asia. Can't speak for that particular tool though.

Pete

Thank you Pete!

[Chuck in Indiana]

You won't have a problem with MC tools. They are an industrial supplier, and would be out business in a heartbeat if they sold junk.

[Lannis]

I've bought a lot of tools and hardware from McMaster Carr over the years, and (in addition to having one of the world's most user-friendly shopping sites), I've never had anything but good quality stuff from them.

Lannis

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I did have a "slight" problem with this burr I bought from them: https://www.mcmaster.com/4290A22 . Apparently, it's made from two pieces - shaft and head - and the first time I used it the head popped off, bounced off my safety glasses and landed on the workbench. They replaced it, of course, and gave me store credit besides. Otherwise, everything I've ever bought has been top quality. 

[Denis]

I bought my long reamer from McMaster-Carr when I rebuilt the front end on my 1940 Indian and to install new bushings in the fork legs and tree. It worked like a charm and was money well spent.

[Chuck in Indiana]

bounced off my safety glasses and landed on the workbench.

Attaboy, Charlie.. Too many people don't take safety glasses use seriously.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Attaboy, Charlie.. Too many people don't take safety glasses use seriously.

Gotta' wear them to see clearly! Prescription safety glasses.

[Lannis]

Attaboy, Charlie.. Too many people don't take safety glasses use seriously.

Just spent a considerable sum on a pair of safety glasses which include:

1) Removable gaskets around the eye so I can use them on the bike.
2) Photo-gray in the sun
3) No-line Bifocal prescription.

I'd wear them everywhere but that would look weird.

Lannis

[SED]

Great responses - thank you.  Ordered.   

I bought my long reamer from McMaster-Carr when I rebuilt the front end on my 1940 Indian and to install new bushings in the fork legs and tree. It worked like a charm and was money well spent.

Denis, this sounds like what's needed.  1940 Indian is a cool bike!

[roadventure]

McMaster-Carr is like any other vendor of hardware and tools.  They do not manufacture anything, but rather offer items for sale.  Some of these are good, some not.  YOU have to be the one to do your independent research to know what you are buying.

[kirby1923]

I just got an e mail of last months  McMaster-Carr machine tool purchases' for mill and lathe tools and materials...holly S!it!!

Been using them for years, fast service and high quality.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

McMaster-Carr is like any other vendor of hardware and tools.  They do not manufacture anything, but rather offer items for sale.  Some of these are good, some not.  YOU have to be the one to do your independent research to know what you are buying.

I've never received anything from them that wasn't "good". How does one do "independent research" on McMaster's offerings when they don't tell you the brand name of most of what they sell? After you've bought the item, then you might find out the brand or manufacturer (ball bearings for instance - almost every one I've bought from them is SKF). 

[Chuck in Indiana]

McMaster-Carr is like any other vendor of hardware and tools.  They do not manufacture anything, but rather offer items for sale.  Some of these are good, some not.  YOU have to be the one to do your independent research to know what you are buying.

I've been using them since the mid 80s from memory. I've never had

some not

from them. Machine tools, electrical, pneumatics.. generally overnight service, too, since they ship from Chicago. As I mentioned above, manufacturers are their life blood. You don't ship sub standard stuff to a manufacturer and survive. You won't get repeat business.
Are they the cheapest? No.
As an example. Austin had a brain fart and blew up a carbide countersink last summer. I thought, Ahh, we really seldom use one of these.. I'll get one off ebay for $80 instead of MC for $105. I never received the ebay one, and it was a month before I had the problem resolved. MC would have had it to me *very* shortly, and it would have been good quality.
I have the broken one on my desk as we speak as a reminder to myself. 

[John A]

They used to send you a big catalog if you asked. Me being a primitive type, I’d rather look in the book before getting lost and confused on the internet. In the catalog you can pick where the tool comes from, weather it’s from the US or import with corresponding price and quality.  The old catalogs make a good backstop for plinking in the shop with a pellet rifle. Winter gets long sometimes.

[kirby1923]

We use MC 'cause its overnite in most cases, to CA.

Last year I bought a set of cutting tools (12) for the Bridgeport. They were made in China and came in a small wooden block, all different lengths. I was curious because I paid $34 for the set.

From MC that wouldn't even buy one cutter! So you see my motivations.

They were well made and got the job done but not as durable. I think I was lucky to get this much quality, but buying on the cheap is risky, too risky so back to the high $ stuff, 'cause I know it will be satisfactory.

[boatdetective]

Hey- here's some extra credit:  anyone ever order prefabricated fiberglass from McMaster?  https://www.mcmaster.com/fiberglass

It's super cool- you can order material in sheet, bar, rod, tube, I beam- you name it. Very handy indeed.

[SED]

Hey- here's some extra credit:  anyone ever order prefabricated fiberglass from McMaster?  https://www.mcmaster.com/fiberglass

It's super cool- you can order material in sheet, bar, rod, tube, I beam- you name it. Very handy indeed.

I've ordered sheet Garolite to make a capacitor holder for the bacon slicer magneto.   





Adjustable reamer ordered Monday morning and scheduled for arrival Wed. afternoon!  Will report.

[Demar]

I've been buying McMaster-Carr stuff for work and home since 1983. Back then I would read thru their big yellow catalog like a kid looking thru a Sears catalog. I needed a cup seal for a steam pump I was building but their catalog didn't have one small enough (1" bore). I called them and they said they would contact their supplier and they came back to me with a part number for the 1" size. Even if they don't show a part in their catalog they can find it if you need it. Their warehouse must be huge and they stock almost everything so you can get it next day. They were the next day delivery company long before Amazon. A tour of one of their warehouses is on my bucket list.

Their products are top quality. The will most times tell you the part manufacturer if you ask them.

P.S. … They (among many others) sell bifocal safety glasses. They make using the mill and lathe a joy without having to switch out glasses.... a find I'm very happy with.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I've been buying from them for maybe 15 years. Mostly odd sized or unusual bolts, shim material, some lathe tools, sheets of Garolite for mounting electrial and making carburetor spacers and much more..
  One day by UPS in this area for most stuff... All the bolts, always graded stuff,seems to be from China, The carbide lathe tools were average quality, the rest was decent.....I never buy tools like wrenches or power tools unless it's a brand name I can trust..

[SED]

       


Chadwick & Trefethen since 1892.  Makers of Critchley reamers.  Portsmouth, NH

https://www.chadwickreamers.com/

Adjustable so will fit girder fork bushings for Guzzi (13mm) and Ariel (1/2") when I rebuild it (again).   

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, there ya go.. 

[Denis]

Great responses - thank you.  Ordered.   

Denis, this sounds like what's needed.  1940 Indian is a cool bike!

Thanks! Here's a photo of the front end I needed that reamer for and a photo of the bike after I had the front end back together. The difference was incredible. I'll probably have to get another, larger reamer for the other Indian's front end when I get to that point.

[SED]

Great looking Indian.  Forks are similar, but much heavier!  Thanks for the photos.

[Triple Jim]

I've never dealt with any other company that has the quality of customer service that McMaster-Carr has.  As stated above, if you phone or email them, they'll tell you the manufacturer of a part or tool.  If they don't have what you need they'll try to get it for you.

If you order the wrong thing or don't like what they send you, you can put it back in the box and send it back to the return address on that box.  You don't have to phone them to get a "return authorization number" or anything like that.  When they get it, they'll look up the order from the return address on your label and credit your account.  Of course you lose the shipping cost unless the return is their fault, in which case I'm sure they'll credit your shipping costs.

A couple years ago I bought some things from them that could have been shipped in one box, but two of the items were already in boxes in the warehouse, so the warehouse guy shipped those separately and used a third box for the remaining parts.  The $50 order ended up with $50 worth of shipping charges.  I emailed the customer service department and told them I wasn't happy that I had to pay to ship three packages when everything would have easily fit in one.  Within an hour I got a reply with an apology, and it said that said they had credited my card with all the shipping cost from that order.

[larrys]

Best hardware store ever! I have a standup 4" belt sander that some machinist made from scratch. Belts are 4"X54". McMaster is the only place to get belts that length for reasonable money. Have bought a number of bushings, sleeves, and stainless steel fasteners for my old outboard motors and old lawn and garden machines.
Larry