h a l f b a k e r yThe mutter of invention.
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Generic Hardware
Hardware sold according to physical properties rather than function | |
I've just been to the hardware store, looking for stuff with which to build a model to test my roll-centre migration idea (q.v.) empirically. The experience was as often before; having to search through the entire establishment for something meant for another purpose, but which might be pressed into
service, with or without modification, for my current needs. Enlisting the aid of a shop assistant invariably provokes the first question, "What's it for?"
"I'm building a ballistic toaster prototype."
(Assistant looks dubious) "No, sir. I don't think we have any ballistic toaster prototype parts. Sorry."
The problem is that hardware stores stock ever more "spare parts", components of predefined systems developed for predefined purposes, and ever fewer stock lengths of standard sections of various materials. For instance, I couldn't find "aluminium angle" today and had to buy "stair nosing" instead, at an invariably higher price. This phenomenon is suscepible to an analysis in terms of big business attempts to reduce us to passive pure consumers, but I'll pursue that another time.
What I propose is a variety not only of stock lengths but also of brackets, links, ball couplings, bell cranks, Hooke joints, Oldham linkages, pulleys, jacks, pivots, etc. to be available in various sizes and materials at hardware stores; without any mention of any preconception of function.
This might help ...
http://www.mcmaster.com/
They stock a lot of the items you mention. [batou, Jan 03 2008]
McMaster catalog
http://www.mcmaster.com/
"brackets, links, ball couplings, bell cranks, Hooke joints, Oldham linkages, pulleys, jacks, pivots, etc. " [csea, Jan 03 2008]
Some stuff McMaster doesn't have ...
http://www.smallparts.com/
[batou, Jan 03 2008]
Ballistic Toaster Prototype
http://www.srimech....oaster/toaster.html
Not quite relevant, but something I built a while ago that you reminded me of [Srimech, Jan 03 2008]
Another interesting supplier of parts
http://www.reidsupply.com/
[batou, Jan 03 2008]
Maplin
http://www.maplin.c...&worldid=-2&doy=3m1
[hippo, Jan 03 2008]
Grainger
http://www.grainger.com
Another good source [csea, Jan 03 2008]
(?) Lego: Pick a Brick
http://us.factory.l.../pab/?warning=false
[hippo, Jan 03 2008]
Joy!
http://us.factory.l.../pab/?warning=false
Look at the last item on page twenty-four! [nineteenthly, Jan 05 2008]
Half of a Lego Croissant on a Plate for 50¢
http://i211.photobu...nt.gif?t=1199583721
and it only took me a few hours to do. [BJS, Jan 06 2008]
Capsela. This stuff rocks...in deep enough bath water.
http://www.construc...m/store/capsela.php
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 06 2008]
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Once again, important macroscopic cultural and societal changes are perfectly expressed in Lego. When I was young, Lego sets would be composed from a small and well-chosen palette of generic pieces. The limited range of pieces meant that the young Lego engineer could master the possibilities of each one and this deep understanding of what each piece could do was the foundation of Lego creativity. Now Lego sets are increasingly composed of specialised pieces which, while they might look pretty, excel only at one purpose and otherwise have limited potential. |
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It's a bit of a rant, but I bunned it anyway because I agree with it so much. Try asking someone in Halfords for a starter motor, but not for any specific car, and the look of confusion on their faces is priceless. |
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A common phrase that annoys me is "We don't sell products, we sell solutions!" I want products, damnit! |
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Completely agree, I have spent many hours doing that myself. The link below is one of the most invaluable resources I know for that sort of work. There are a few others I may post as I have time. Best of luck to you ! |
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You are talking about a Hobby Shop, which were baked till most of them went out of business or online. A glimmer of their former glory exist in "Craft Centers". But yes, the mother of them all is McMaster who sells nearly everything for reasonably high prices. |
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There are plenty of engineering stock suppliers out there, if you know where to look, but they often don't do much in the retail market. |
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Actually Maplin (in the UK) does a surprising amount of these generic parts (see link) and has a reasonable retail presence. |
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Try bricknet.com [UB] they supply the brick box.(They're not a million miles from you.) |
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Yes, one way to get generic Lego now is through the Lego website "Pick a Brick" section (see link), where you can order 'sets' of whatever brick combinations you like. So if you want 500 4x1 bricks, 500 4x2 bricks and 500 6x1 bricks, all in grey, you can have them. People order these kinds of combinations for making architectural models. |
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No disprespect, Mr. Ludd, but isn't this
just an "I wish there were more of this
kind of shop." idea? As has been
pointed out, there are hobby shops and
engineering suppliers, both online and
offline. Within 4 miles of where I am
currently suspended, there is at least
one hobby shop which sells brass sheet,
aluminium angle, propellors, nylon
bolts and host of other goodies. There
is also an engineering supply shop
which sells, in addition to all the nuts,
bolts and threaded rod you might want,
sheet and formed metal in just about
any imaginable dimension. They are
quite happy to sell a square foot of
3mm aluminium, or 18 inches of 2cm
diameter rod, in any combination of
metrical and empiric measurements.
They also sell all manner of odd
fitments, bracketry, pullery and
attachmentry. |
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Sorry, [Maxwell], I should have said "Generic Hardware in Cape Town", but judging by the comments of correspondents all over I believe the tendency is quite universal. Yes, there are specialised establishments but, my deerstalker cap being in the wash yesterday, I could not locate one, especially one willing to sell me less than a ton of anything. |
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And I suppose it is a bit of a rant, but then I hold that it is not necessity but fuming discontent that is the true mother of invention. Give me a decent pretext, [bigsleep], and I shall rant! |
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//A common phrase that annoys me is "We don't sell products, we sell solutions!" I want products, damnit!// Indeed, [Srimech], my thoughts exactly, and in so many words! |
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//"We don't sell products, we sell
solutions!// Try asking them for some 5
molar sodium acetate. |
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.... or a solution of nitrocellulose in ether ..... |
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Click on "show all bricks" and look at page 24! |
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That's why there's an internet ... how big
would the store need to be to stock all the
stuff (generically) we need. Home Depot
on steroids. |
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Darn it! All that and I forgot about the shadow... |
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Completely off topic...again...sort of, but check out this [link] for Capsela.
The perfect toy for budding engineers and tinkerers of all fields. |
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I very much agree. I've been to auto parts stores asking for cooling fans to fit certain sizes, 12VDC fuel pumps for diesel etc and even for these simple generic items, I just get blank looks. "is that for a ford or a toyota" ... No help to me. |
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As a neurtic tinkerer I often find myself roaming around the hardware store, in areas I normally wouldn't go. I'll usually get to the checkout with a few random items I've found that "will come in handy", like specific hinges, odd bearings, alloy brackets, etc. It usually gets used at some point or another. |
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As to the lego issue, I know that by the time I was 10 or so, we had such a comprehensive collection of lego bits that we filled 3 20-litre buckets with lego pieces. I spent a busy 2 or three days rationalising these out into containers of like pieces. Mum never forgave me for using up all of her tupperware. It certainly helped but when we were making random constructions, etc as everything was on hand where you needed it. I don't think I ever bothered following the instructions to make what was on the box - we eventually used to buy new lego sets based on the pieces that we could see were in the kit. |
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Anyhoo, a shop like this would be excellent, the more so if it was online. Only problem would be they'd need to have specific dimensions and specs of everything, as often I'm just roaming around finding something to fill a gap, or attach x to y at andle z - because I'm lazy and machining takes ages. Specific materials would help work out strength, if you're that way inclined. They should have access to a custom machining shop for special orders as well. |
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Bun for the idea, I like it- but instead of the //without any mention of any preconception of function// bit, how about a long list of "suggested uses" for cross-referencing along with a description of the part. I'd suggest a database with cross-referencing ability, so I could do a term search for "aluminium, plate, bracket, 45 degrees" - and get a few hits. |
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.... And it should bloody well get hits for 'Aluminium", and none for "aluminum". |
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You couldn't find Aluminium angle? Where the hell are you? Crumbs, I've got a few bits just lying around. |
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Ah, fudge, someone beat me to the Reid catalog link. Excellent bathroom reading, that. |
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