# Where to find mechanical parts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392 "2009-03-05T15:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misery_Loves_Co)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/1 "2009-03-05T15:10:18Z")
My google-fu is failing me on this one: I’m wondering if someplace exists that’s the mechanical-engineering equivalent of a Digikey or Mouser - that is, a place to buy motors, cams, linkages, bearings, etc that could be used for small DIY-type projects? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/2 "2009-03-05T15:43:22Z")
My friend God Of Citroens swears by Grainger. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/3 "2009-03-05T15:53:13Z")
In addition to [Grainger](http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/start.shtml), there’s [McMaster-Carr](http://www.mcmaster.com/), and the aptly-named [Smallparts.com](http://www.smallparts.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misery_Loves_Co)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/4 "2009-03-05T16:05:42Z")
Thanks! Amongst those mentioned I’m sure I can find enough to keep myself permanently in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/5 "2009-03-05T16:32:22Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > In addition to [Grainger](http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/start.shtml), there’s [McMaster-Carr](http://www.mcmaster.com/), and the aptly-named [Smallparts.com](http://www.smallparts.com/). I was about to give out those exact three that you listed. ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/6 "2009-03-05T16:39:21Z")
Techno-Isel might suit. McMaster-C has everything, but not cheap, nor always available in “broken case” quantities. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/7 "2009-03-05T16:45:06Z")
If they don’t have it, you don’t need it. Although a good mail order explosives company is always a useful addition to any DIY experimenter’s list of key contacts. Shame the killjoys at the BATF put the kibosh on that industry. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/8 "2009-03-05T23:44:15Z")
McMaster-Carr is tough to beat. I don’t find them very expensive. And they are fast - on more than one occasion I have received my order later the same day! MSC is another good one, somewhat less broad in selection than McMaster and somewhat more aimed at machine shops. Omega Engineering is known primarily for temperature measurement but they have broadened into various other kinds of measurement and control. If this kind of stuff is ever part of your DIY you should look them over. They rebrand most of their stuff, but they have a very broad range and it is quite easy to use their online catalog and ordering system. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/9 "2009-03-06T06:35:54Z")
This place has a lot of stuff: [http://www.sciplus.com/](http://www.sciplus.com/) They are a surplus and overstock company, so the inventory will vary, but I’ll bet you will find something that you simply cannot live without on each visit. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-mechanical-parts/488392/10 "2009-03-06T07:13:49Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > McMaster-Carr is tough to beat. I don’t find them very expensive. And they are fast - on more than one occasion I have received my order later the same day! I know, they’re nuts! And their website is the stuff of dreams.