[Fot] Best Catalogs

[Randall]

> Hi Guys, it's huge, but McMaster-Carr has a great catalog. Lots of info on
> many items.
> They are on-line too.
> Only problem is that they only give catalogs to industrial accounts. It's
> about 3300 pages. 

I'm a big fan of MMC, but their printed catalog is just too big, IMO.  Lots
easier to look things up on their web site.
http://www.mcmaster.com

If you want, you can use the part numbers from the web site to place a phone
order (to avoid giving your credit card number over the Internet).  And, if
you create a free account with them, the web site will remember the order
you were working on.  Of course, ordering through the web site is also quick
and easy.  I let them keep my credit card on file so I don't have to
re-enter it each time.  No minimum order, and shipping costs are reasonable
if not exactly cheap.

If you are lucky enough to live near one of their warehouses, you can place
a phone order for "will call" and usually pick it up just a few hours later.
I'm not sure what the minimum interval is, but I've placed a phone order at
11AM on Saturday, and picked it up at 2 PM the same day.  For some reason,
the web site doesn't handle same day pickup on Saturday though, so I have to
use a phone order to do that.

Randall