A thread to share and ask for recommended suppliers and services
Pete. | 07/04/2021 23:07:14 |
![]() 453 forum posts 60 photos | Posted by Michael Gilligan on 07/04/2021 09:35:11:
Posted by Pete. on 07/04/2021 00:26:21:
[…] I'll start it off by recommending a company called D & J WORKHOLDING […] . Thanks for the link Pete The website is a little sparse ... but this page says a lot: **LINK** http://djworkholding.co.uk/aboutus.htm Duly bookmarked MichaelG. Yes, unfortunately the website is a bit bare, they seem to respond very quickly to any enquiry. |
Bill Dawes | 07/04/2021 23:08:09 |
428 forum posts | I have found that all the companies mentioned and more have given me excellent service, ARC are legendary, CUP alloys, Macc models, BA bolts for SS fixings, Lee springs,The mesh company, EKP supplies for case hardening compound I could go on and on, we are very fortunate in our hobby to have such a wealth of excellent suppliers. Bill D.
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derek hall 1 | 08/04/2021 08:45:28 |
148 forum posts | + 1 for CUP Alloys. I agree with all the other companies mentioned so far, can I recommend Power Tools Direct who sell amongst other things genuine "Python" wooden file handles at reasonable cost. In addition M Machine metals, Hemmingway Tools and Westfield Fasteners esp for stainless steel cap hd, grub screws, buts and washer of all sizes. I agree with Bill D, we are fortunate indeed to have the support and expertise of suppliers for our needs. Regards to all Derek |
Bill Pudney | 08/04/2021 11:06:08 |
519 forum posts 24 photos | For an Australian perspective, Ausee Tools are good, as are LPG Toolmakers, Eccentric Engineering & E.J. Winter. RS Australia are surprising, free shipping!! CTC Tooling in Hong Kong have been excellent, their delivery times have improved recently as well. In Adelaide most of my metal comes from either Surman Metals for cast iron and gunmetal or Bohler Uddeholm for specific grades of steel My "go to" UK shops are Arc Euro, I don't know what they've done to their freight people but 4 days from UK to Australia is pretty spectacular!! Drill Service do top class stuff. Tracy Tools are excellent. I was disappointed to find that Cutwel Tools do not supply to Australia. Finally the USA .....Little Machine Shop is good, MariTool are top quality suppliers of top quality cutters Cheers Bill |
Douglas Johnston | 08/04/2021 11:35:13 |
![]() 738 forum posts 34 photos | Posted by Pete. on 07/04/2021 22:49:58:
Douglas, the 18pc 5 micron max runout set is currently £224+tax on offer which I thought was quite reasonable, the normal price is £280ish +tax.
Thanks for the information Pete, that seems quite reasonable for a quality item that you can rely on. I know you can get collets a lot cheaper but the quality can be suspect to say the least. More information on the website about pricing and special offers would be helpful.
Doug |
Nigel Graham 2 | 08/04/2021 11:56:22 |
1241 forum posts 17 photos | A couple more: I have made a Boring Bar set and Worden Tool & Cutter grinder from Hemingway kits; and am part-way through a Stent T&C Grinder (Blackgates). For bar, tube and sheet forming equipment: One option is Warco, I have one of their small '3-in-1' formers. W.N.S., based in Rochford, Essex; supplied my tin-man's jenny (Its operating-manual calls it a "Rotary Machine ", which is true, but a bit odd! Most of WNS' products are industrial-sized and powered, for the manufacturers of ventilation-ducting and similar; but they also sell a range of smaller, bench-sized shears, croppers, jennies, bar and tube formers, and similar. They sometimes sell second-hand machines, too, but as something of a side-line. [Curiously, apart from areas like boiler-making and model locomotive superstructures etc., sheet-metal fabricating seems a bit side-lined in model-engineering. Perhaps that it is because it does not have many model applications; and I think suffers a bit from an unfair reputation. Not everything we make is a miniature replica of hefty plate-work, though.] ' And a big hand for TEE Publishing - I have probably a dozen books from them, most in the 'Workshop Practice' series; and have cited the appropriate ones a few times in this forum. ' My most recent tooling purchases was from Arc Euro others here have mentioned. My dividing-head is a Warco-badged copy of the Vertex B0, (though second-hand but apparently unused, via a bereavement sale within the club). |
JA | 08/04/2021 12:48:45 |
1126 forum posts 71 photos | I find this topic difficult. In most cases I don't believe recommendations come from logic, more likely it depends if you like the firm or not. I have used a number of firms for ordinary engineering items, quite a few mentioned above, over the last year and all have given good service. By that I mean they have been able to supply the wanted items promptly (within a few days). This is what I would expect. For more specialist items, such as castings, I have had to wait which is also expected. During this period I have found one firm, outside the model engineering fraternity, which does stand out - Drill Services (Horley) Ltd. Really they deal with industry but like most such firms if you place a sensible value order, say £50, you will be treated with respect. Their range of cutters, reamers etc is vast. Most are in stock and arrive next morning. For example I bought 3/64" HSS slot cutters, a 50mm long 4mm diameter countersink and a 70mm long small centre drill from them at very reasonable cost. JA |
Pete. | 09/04/2021 00:40:39 |
![]() 453 forum posts 60 photos | Doug, if my memory serves me right they do 3 ranges, 2um, 5um which is their standard and a 10um max runout which is their budget set, I think it was about £180+tax for the budget set, I couldn't justify the 2um set, but £224+tax for their standard set seemed very fair to me. JA, I completely understand what you're saying, it was more one trick pony, niche businesses that I thought people might not have heard of rather than just recommending your favourite supplier. When I was looking for some top notch European manufacturers of ER collets, it wasn't a case of picking my favourite supplier, I couldn't find one that gave me the option to purchase them, I hope that makes sense, it wasn't intended to be a popularity contest. |
Buffer | 09/04/2021 18:20:24 |
238 forum posts 102 photos | I have just had good service from Drill Service. I needed some small good quality drills to drill all the rivet holes in my smokebox. I didnt want to snap anything. They sent me overnight all the drills I needed, none of the shiny Chinese things that you get in a set but good quality low helix drills. I will definitely use them again. |
old mart | 09/04/2021 18:54:12 |
2825 forum posts 178 photos | Arc Eurotrade, Tracey Tools, APT, and Cutwell are good reliable firms. |
Bill Phinn | 09/04/2021 18:56:48 |
470 forum posts 78 photos | Posted by Buffer on 09/04/2021 18:20:24:
none of the shiny Chinese things that you get in a set but good quality low helix drills. Just out of interest, Buffer, is it your belief that none of the drills Drill Service sell are made in China? |
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