McMaster-Carr…Heaven for the do-it-your-selfer
Chris and I moan on a near weekendly basis about the dire state of the big-box hardware stores. If I go to Home Depot or Lowes or OSH for 9 items I come home with 5, 4 are of crappy quality and 3 actually work at all. It’s pathetic. As recently as 10 years ago I could find just about anything close by. Not anymore. If you are lucky enough to have a boutique plumbing store or small town hardware store nearby you are truly blessed, indeed. If not, and you still want to tackle that Airstream restoration, home repair or trans-continental pipeline project then McMaster-Carr is the one stop shop for all your needs.
Pick a random page from McMaster-Carr, how about Fastening and Joining for example.
Heaven for the do-it-yourselfer
Its the kind of place where you can buy extruded sheet aluminim (you can choose the thickness and strength) to pre-hung doors and heavy industry rated exhaust equipment. We shop there for very reasonably priced stainless steel screws, bolts, and other hardware. Spend some time perusing. I find the fasteners and joiners to be particularly compelling. Where else can you find Metalized-Fabric EMI-Shielding Tape that is suitable for constuction of satellites, electronic vehicles, and robotics right next to galvanized wood screws.
You gotta love it.
