[SEL] Need Spring Help

[Arnie Fero]

Hi Paul,

You completely misunderstand the function of McMaster-Carr.  They put
together a brilliant catalog that describes a bazillion different
industrial items.  They have an excellent web-based ordering system and
very efficient phone order takers for those who prefer to call.  They are
the fastest in the business at filling and shipping an order.  In fact, as
a supply house they are simply the best in the business with the largest
in-stock inventory.  I spend many thousands of dollars with McMaster-Carr
every year buying parts I use at work.

They do not catalog every possible size variation of every item they
carry.  They do not carry every possible item.

And perhaps this is the most important part, they DO NOT provide free
engineering.  The info in their catalog is very comprehensive.  A buyer
reads the catalog and determines the part number that matches their needs.
They then order that part.

One does NOT "work with" McMaster-Carr.  That is not the function of that
company.  That is NOT what people pay them for.  Fox News has a motto; "We
report, you decide."  McMaster-Carr is similar; they describe, you buy.

Others on the list have referred you to one or two of many excellent
companies who are in the business of designing, manufacturing, and selling
SPRINGS.  If you can't follow their website / catalog guidance in
determining what spring you need, contact their design engineers.  Some
may work for free, some will charge you.  Some will build a one-off spring
(at a comensurate price), some will sell you a minimum quantity of
springs.  These ARE businesses after all who exist to make a profit.  I
hope that you can understand that.

My personal favorite spring companies are:
Lee Spring   http://www.leespring.com
Mid-West Spring Company   http://www.mwspring.com
Associated Spring   http://www.asraymond.com

See ya,  Arnie

Arnie Fero
Pittsburgh, PA
fero_ah at city-net.com

On Thu, 19 Oct 2006, Paul Maples wrote:

> I have been working with McMaster Carr for two days and they seemingly
> don't want to help me. I have sent them the same picture as the one
> above of the spring and dimensions and have ask them to please give me
> a part number of a spring that they have that will be comparable to the
> one in the picture. All they do is refer me to the spring section of
> their catalog which I tried to use but without success.