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I learned today that McMaster-Carr publishes a catalog and it puts the old Montgomery Wards catalog to shame. 4,504 pages and I'd guestimate about 7 pounds. I knew they have a big inventory, but it's easy to miss 99% of what they have when you go online and just search for what you want. A machine shop friend gave this to me -- not sure how to get one, but it's my new favorite book.

I have never had the pleasure of using the paper catalog, just used the online version.

One great thing is their shipping is super fast.


Wish ARP had a catalog like that, their website is super hard to navigate....unless you want a pre-made kit.

For a few decades around the 1980's period, the McMaster-Carr catalogs held a prominent place on purchasing agents' desks in factories I spent time in. They weren't the most economical option, but the vast array of things in their catalogs were often the easiest and most expeditious options when we needed something in a hurry.

We kept a close relationship with local suppliers, and actively encouraged those local options when available. It got to a point where requests went to purchasing with a McMaster catalog description "or equivalent". Made the purchasing job easier if nothing else.

I'd be disappointed if McMaster doesn't keep and online equivalent of that catalog.

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I was building a 'paperless' purchasing software system that allowed processing fast enough to capture the '2% in 10' days discounts many vendors offered for early payments. I had an ulterior motive -- I wanted the computer system to support another project, and this shared benefit paid for the dedicated system and more. The background data gathering and analysis from purchasing needs also identified some interesting fraud in the purchasing system, an unexpected fringe benefit. Lots of things we take for granted these days all started with some simple early efforts. My 'ulterior motive' project ended up saving many $millions for the company, but the many hundreds of employees shown the door caused me to leave that company in the late 1980's. Good gig, as they paid for a lot of education over the years, but I didn't have the stomach for some of the collateral damage. Finished postgrad on their nickel, but moved on to more rewarding things before they could harvest much more of the, um, benefits.

McMaster-Carr catalogs were always around the machine shops when I was working. Paper catalogs were so neat to go through trying to find what you need.

Stormy_Monday wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 3:32 am McMaster-Carr catalogs were always around the machine shops when I was working.

Paper catalogs were so neat to go through trying to find what you need.

Indeed they were/are. Uline still has their large paper catalogs.

Yes, brings back some memories. I worked in industrial/institutional supply from 1986 to 2017 and the McMaster-Carr catalogue was ubiquitous on customers’ and our desks. At one point we had access to what was, if I remember correctly, a rudimentary website where you could type in the first part of the McMaster part number and it would give you a manufacturer and maybe a part # to buy direct and bypass M-C.

Great for things you didn't know you needed until you saw it in the catalog!

It always frustrates me that there is no McMaster-Carr here in Canada

Is shipping prohibitive? Is there some other industrial supply that is similar, have you tried www.harfington.com?
I did some surfing and found this:
https://www.anixter.com/en_ca/products/ ... UPPLY%20CO
Supposed to be official McMaster-Carr for Canada.
Grainger is another industrial supply.

Spaenaur in Kitchener, Ont is a great source for fasteners and other items but mostly fasteners. They did, back in the day, have a large catalogue they would send out. I’m sure everything is online now.