Us DIY'ers have a problem: where to find the materials we need to make stuff. Sure, it's easy enough to find 2x4s and even steel, but what if I need a bunch of space shuttle tile, or some grade 6 titanium alloy? Where am I to find such oddly specific materials in bulk quantities? Enter oddlyspecificdiymaterialsource.com, your one (and definitely only) source for anything you need to build that electric car/spaceship/powered armor. The website has clear pictures and descriptions of all the items so you know what you're getting, and prices are listed rather than having to call for a quote. DIY'ers are welcome whether they need only 5 yards of Kevlar or 200 yards. This would finally open up a way to bake some of these ideas.-- DIYMatt, Jan 30 2012 Liquid Nitrogen Vending Machine Liquid_20Nitrogen_20Vending_20MachineThe partial inspiration for this idea. [DIYMatt, Jan 30 2012] https://www.inventables.com/ [jaksplat, Jan 31 2012] Small Parts, Inc. http://www.smallparts.com [mouseposture, Feb 01 2012] Edmund Scientific http://www.scientif...i_a0CFQWFQAodcX2WvAFor optics, laser supply, robotics toys, trebuchet parts... [RayfordSteele, Feb 01 2012] Between McMaster-Carr and Digi-Key, I think this is mostly covered.-- MechE, Jan 30 2012 That's nice, I want that. But basically this would have to sell just about everything. You add some thoughts about how that can be arranged and I'll add my bun.-- zeno, Jan 30 2012 Acme?-- ytk, Jan 30 2012 //McMaster-Carr// Why was this company - nay, cornucopia - not brought to my attention sooner?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 30 2012 needsnewname.com-- blissmiss, Jan 30 2012 //Between McMaster-Carr and Digi-Key, I think this is mostly covered.// You're right, how have I not found these sites before? They even list LI-900 insulatior (or something very similar). With pictures!
To answer zeno's question, the company would only have to source the more obscure materials - things you can't get at Lowe's. This would be a very long list of items but not impossible if you hired a group of employees with the specific job of acquiring them (probably from China). Customers would pay more than the actual market value of said materials but hey, where else are they going to find them?
EDIT: after spending a while on McMaster-Carr, I've decided to marry that website. That's legal now, right?-- DIYMatt, Jan 30 2012 If it isn't, it damned well should be.-- 8th of 7, Jan 31 2012 // how have I not found these sights before? //
A site for sore eyes?-- Ling, Jan 31 2012 What are you talking about? My post contains no such error!-- DIYMatt, Jan 31 2012 McMaster Carr is like proper heroin to Screwfix's methodone..-- bs0u0155, Jan 31 2012 Bun for McMaster Carr.-- methinksnot, Jan 31 2012 Wait, wait, wait... you mean I can actually buy stuff to build idiotic creations out of? All this time I've been dumpster-diving behind the Applied Sciences building at the state university!-- Alterother, Feb 01 2012 Applied Science Dept...always wondered meself how is it applied, like gesso or something?
just checked the McMaster-Carr site and not a single section on Terminator components;or superconducting cheese disks...what a letdown-- not_morrison_rm, Feb 01 2012 Don't leave out Edmund Scientific.-- RayfordSteele, Feb 01 2012 Edmund Scientific looks a little too consumer for me. Who wants to assemble solar panels from a kit?-- DIYMatt, Feb 01 2012 Edmund scientific is out these days, it's almost all kits. Edmund optic or Thorlabs both have some useful stuff.
I suppose, as long as I'm revealing all the tricks of the trade, I should mention MiSUMi. All sorts of stuff, but their specialty is semi-custom machined components.-- MechE, Feb 01 2012 // not a single section on Terminator components;or superconducting cheese disks...what a letdown //
Worryingly, however, they do list a large number of both current and obsolete Interocitor parts; Isophase pulse trimmers, Bead condensers (model #: AB-619), Cathermin tubes with inindium complex of +4, Muon reflectors, Intensifier disks, and even the early type of Thermolyic decoupler (the sort with the domed rather than flat end, and the notches for the retaining bracket) which you can hrdly find anywhere these days.-- 8th of 7, Feb 01 2012 I wonder why...-- Alterother, Feb 01 2012 Poor-quality stock control software ?
"Never mistake lethargy for strategy".-- 8th of 7, Feb 01 2012 random, halfbakery