Model Engineering Materials Suppliers – New Zealand ?

[Rob WhightParticipant @robwhight73692]

Hi folks,

Any one have any suggestions for model engineering material suppliers in NZ ? I used to live in the UK and am looking for something to parallel CES.

Thanks,

Rob

[Rob WhightParticipant @robwhight73692]

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

You might try looking around a major university town. I noticed that a tool shop in Cambridge (UK) has a material supply arm which I imagine is in response to demand from the science departments in the university and the small businesses spawned by the university.

[John OlsenParticipant @johnolsen79199]

Remember that NZ only has a total population big enough to make one reasonable size European city (say Berlin) eg, about 4 million people. So we don't have suppliers on the scale that you might be used to in the UK. However, you could try these guys:

**LINK**

Usual disclaimer applies…although I know the guys personally and have bought stuff from them, I have no commercial interest.

You can also get a limited range of stuff, eg hex head BA screws through the Auckland Society of Model Engineers. I don't think they would mind selling to non members.

Quite a lot of suppliers can be quite helpful about selling you metal stock, but of course they don't tend to have the really small sizes. If you can find a local ME club you can probably get a bit of advice about who is helpful.

[SteamcoalnzParticipant @steamcoalnz]

Hello John.

I have purchased some nuts an d bolts off of M.B.M in Auckland and they are OK for small quantities but I think if it was a big project from the start then the UK is better priced. I have had a fixing set from Stuarts and it was OK.Post and carriage is just a part of life and effectivly the less VAT rate for export equals the post cost.

Tools are best bought from the UK and pricing what I needed was going to cost £300 more if I purchased the equivalant in NZ.

I have bought all my locos and boilers out of the UK and also coils of steam 3/8 th steam copper coils and even with the duty and tax it is still half to one third cheaper than buying it in NZ, if you can get it at all.

luckily I have free shipping to New Zealand for heavy stuff so it saves many hundreds of pounds freight. If you need anything heavy sent out I might be able to help.

Hayden

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

In Canterbury(NZ) there is the "Little Metal Company" for non ferrous metals, they sometimes have off cuts, I get my aluminium there, they have brass, bronze, zinc, and aluminium. the company was started by a couple of guys that used to work at Mico Wakefields. Ian S C

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Here's a decent paint company based in NZ.

**LINK**

Ketan sent me the link

[Rob WhightParticipant @robwhight73692]

Folks,

Many thanks for all your help. I'll continue the hunt

Cheers,

Rob

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I think that add is made in Austrailia, they also count like this one two three four five sex , and when they are Sikh, they really mean they are a bit crook, we would say that we are ill, or sick. There is one add playing on radio, and at the end a woman says "Boys and their d*cks"

[doubletopParticipant @doubletop]

Rob

I occasionally get odds and ends locally but without wishing to knock the local guys the market is too small here to support a major supplier. I order direct from the UK, in no particular order. Reeves, ARC Euro, Polly Model, RGD, Blackgates, BA Bolts etc and at times have had stuff delivered quicker and cheaper than from there, including the postage. As Ian says Little Metal Co for sheet cut to size, as Mico will only sell full sheets.

Ullirich for Aluminum, Atlas Specialty metals for stainless, some brass, Steel and tube for steel. Kendalls for silver solder, flux etc Look up your local engineering company and go and talk to them. Everyone I've approached have been more than accommodating and will sell short lengths by weight. Some of the smaller scrap dealers will still allow a bit of a rummage for useful items.

Tooling try CTC in Hong Kong, but I've now started using Alibaba and going direct to Chinese suppliers (e.g. ER32 collets US$2 each, with shipping US$5, whereas locally they want NZ$35) Shipping is always the hard part when going direct to China but still cheaper, even if you go over the threshold for GST and have to pay.

Pete

PS Where are you? one of us may be local to you.

Edited By Doubletop on 04/03/2014 10:01:42

Edited By Doubletop on 04/03/2014 10:02:50

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