Suppliers

From London Hackspace Wiki

In no particular order except for the broad categories, a list of places that sell stuff that is relevant to our interests. Personal experience of these, good or bad, would be useful on the discussion page.

Wholesale / reseller / discount accounts

I (daveio) have registered (and will maintain) lhsmail.com and hooked it into Zoho's webmail, with the intent of centralising wholesale/reseller/discount accounts under wholesale@lhsmail.com. The intent is to avoid single human points of failure for taking advantage of the discounts. The login details are available for active members by logging into chomsky with your LDAP credentials, and executing cat /home/daveio/wholesale/credentials.txt. Individual reseller account credentials are stored as notes in the Zoho web interface - please add any you already have set up, and if possible change the email address to wholesale@lhsmail.com.

London services & workshops

Plastics/laser

Main article: LaserCutter

  • Blueprint model shop They have a laser cutter, and may also do plastic board. Open Monday-Saturday 9:30-18:30
  • Hamar acrylic (ask for Terry). "Hamar tend to turn things around in a couple of days. They can do all sorts of complex plastic fabbing as well as simple cutting. Excellent variety of materials in stock." Apparently, they don't have much of what they advertise in stock. Open Monday-Friday 8:00-17:00. Awesome 'scraps bin' mostly at £1 per piece
  • 4D Model Shop "They have a proper shop with racks of sheet material. They also sell the tools and laser cutting services. A quicker way of getting sheet material, but you'll probably have to cut it yourself." Monday-Saturday 9:00-18:00 (9:30 on Saturday)
  • http://www.trentplastics.co.uk/ (have dealt with them, Levi was very helpful get the order in before 3pm and they'll dispatch it next day, plus if you don't see it on their website call and ask as they have more in stock than is on there). Open Monday-Friday 8:00-17:00 (16:30 on Friday)
  • http://www.digits2widgets.com/ 3D printing house in Camden
  • Wonderful service from Tomas over at www.1plus2d.com just up Kingsland Road, at relaxed £20 /hr. He's got a HPC 600x900 bed. Top guy, very helpful! -DanC
  • Machines Room is a short distance from Hackspace, just along the canal. They have a small Epilog laser and are commissioning a larger HPC. Costs are higher than the hackspace but still based on you doing the work, so fairly cheap by comparison with service jobs. Attendance at a training session and membership of the Machines Room is required. They will quote for work done for you, and have a shopbot CNC router too for heavier work. Opening hours are normal business hours. They also keep some material stocks.

Other fabbing

Not a recommendation, just is just a list of places we've found nearby.

London retail or trade counter

Electronics

  • RS has most things, more professional. 4 london trade counters, including one in Bow
  • Cricklewood Electronics A real shop, with little drawers of stuff & everything.
  • Maplin chain, more hobbyist. Getting really poor at actual components.
  • Cool Components Sparkfun stuff. Personal callers now allowed by appointment.
  • Earthshine Electronics Run by a Hackspace member. Arduinos and other parts (can always be found on hackspace IRC) Discounts for LHS members on request.
  • Direct Electronics (Manor Park) One of the few remaining component shops that isn't Maplin. Not visited for years but they seem to still be there.
  • Display Electronics Possibly the last remaining electronics surplus place in London.
  • Retail site for the Scientific Wire Company - unusual wire : enamelled, knitted, litz etc.
  • Oomlout for some easy Arduino starter kits

Hardware

See also Lab_24#Nearby_shops or Editable map of material supplies in London (feel free to add to / change this too).

Art Stuff

  • Paintworks Nearest to the Space, on Kingsland Road. Don't know anything more about it Akki14 (talk) Extremely good for its size, often with good deals on short-dated paint or ink. Eithin (talk) 00:29, 29 October 2013 (UTC)
  • Atlantis Art is a large warehouse-sized art shop with all kinds of things. Probably not cheapest for things like liquid latex, silicone moulding materials etc but it's there and it's reasonably priced for large sheets of paper, melinex (laserable clear sheet - useful for stencils), higher quality art supplies etc. Not too far of a walk from the Space on a nice day.
  • Cass Art nearest branch is probably Islington. The "large" shop in Islington isn't as big as Atlantis. Range is slightly less upmarket than Atlantis as well. Know your prices before going - a lot of it claims to be cheaper than retail but actually isn't cheapest available elsewhere.
  • Cornelissen & Son Holborn area. Pretty shop. Stocks some interesting papers, vellum, parchment, etc but take a shopping list with you if you're buying anything other than standard packs of papers as their paper stock is hidden away downstairs. Can be a bit on the pricey side but check out their clearance section for decent priced artists brushes.
  • London Graphics Centre Covent Garden area. Useful for obscure graphics things. Prices are a little on the high side but generally they have higher quality materials anyway.
  • Cowling & Wilcox branches nearest/easiest to get to from the Space would be Shoreditch High Street & Soho. A mix of art supplies and craft supplies. Middle of the road for quality/prices.
  • Shepherds Falkiners in Victoria. The best selection of retail paper in London, with helpful knowledgeable staff. If you need large quantities, then there are paper selectors from Antalis and GF Smith on the arts & crafts shelves, but for 1-10 sheets or for art tissue/handmade paper, Falkiners is the best place there is.

Fabric and Sewing Materials

  • Dalston Mill Fabrics On the Ridley road market, close to the center of Hackney.
  • Ultimate Craft Large stock of haberdashery, 149 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 0NY
  • Rolls and Rems Large stock of fabric at reasonable prices, 21 Seven Sisters Road, Holloway, London, N7 6AN, closes at 5.45pm

Plywood

London-based, primarily mail order

  • Earthshine Electronics Ran by a Hackspace member. Arduinos and other parts (can always be found on hackspace IRC) Discounts for LHS members on request.
  • Robosavvy Robotics, Sparkfun, Makerbot spares. Popular online forum for humanoid robot enthusiasts (mail order next day delivery)
  • skpang S K Pang - Sparkfun products and other parts
  • E M A Model Supplies Plastic weld solvent, plastics, casting, tools
  • S&M Tools & Hardware Hand & power tools for model making, engineering, jewellery, DIY, etc.

Networking infrastructure

Mail order

Various

  • AliExpress.com - great for bulk orders from China.
  • Banggood - great for bulk orders from China. Sells like an eBay marketplace. Marginally more reliable and sometimes much faster than AliExpress.
  • Amazon (next-day with Russ's Amazon Prime account) - equipment is often cheaper
  • TechnoBots - electronics and some very nice hardware components, gears, pneumatics, chains, pulleys (10% Hackspace Membership discount code available - contact asc/ascen on irc)
  • Bolt & Bearing in Enfield. Good prices, excellent range. Unit B5/Valley Link Ind Est/Meridian Way Enfield EN3 4TY Tel: 020 8805 7250
  • Chronos Engineering supplies, tools etc. - Have showroom in Dunstable (5% discount but some things need to be ordered in first)
  • Modelfixings Every type of nut, bolt etc. you can imagine, including very small ones.
  • Fix8 Like 'Modelfixings' but more cost-effective for large numbers.
  • A2A4 Stainless fasteners, screws etc.
  • Mindsets Online formerly MUTR Various interesting stuff mostly intended for school science labs
  • Cole Parmer - chemical equipment
  • HS Walsh Jewellers tools and supplies.
  • Micro-Tools Europe - Small tools
  • BB Engineering Supplies Wide selection of mechanical, pneumatic, electrical bits. Poly belting.
  • Beers of Europe, King's Lynn A truly amazing selection of beer.
  • RDG Tools - machine tools and accessories, free postage, generally reasonable prices.
  • GLR Distributors - metals, steam engines, tools. Geocities-style website.
  • Allendale Stores I first came across this company at a model engineer's exhibiton, trading as Machine DRO and selling cheap glass scales and display units. They now seem to have branched out into a complete hacker's delight - SMD rework stations, RC data loggers, machine tools, wifi aerials .. all those chinese things at more or less chinese prices, but in Hoddesdon. One to watch.
  • MetPrep Supplies hard to find wet/dry sanding belts used in preparing metallurgical samples and what the belt sander was originally used for
  • Camden Some fairly unusual books (by no means all about steam)
  • Westfield Fasteners Nuts & bolts
  • HCL Clamping Fasteners
  • HacMan's suppliers list
  • The College Engineering Supply Primarily a mail order service for model engineers. Materials for casting, sheet metals, tubing, tufnol, etc.
  • Direct Plastics various plastic supplies including PEEK
  • Zapp Automation CNC components - steppers, bearings, ballscrew etc
  • Astro Media Educational scientific items
  • Engineer's Mate bearings, fixings, all sorts of mechanical bits. also on ebay.
  • Gimson Robotics nice motors and gearboxes
  • Stationary Engine Parts (and all sorts of useful tools, belting, gasket, plastigauge ..)
  • Tiny jet engines
  • Everything

Electronics

  • Farnell has almost everything, more professional. Owns CPC and Newark. Note CPC are sometimes cheaper than Farnell for the same items
  • RS has most things, more professional, usually more expensive (especially for small orders).
  • Rapid Usually cheaper than RS or Farnell for run-of-the-mill parts. Website search often sucks - try to get a paper catalogue
  • Mouser USA based but free shipping. >£50 Like farnell but often a little cheaper.
  • Digikey USA based but free shipping >£50. Like Mouser but bigger range, typically a little more expensive
  • TME.eu electronic components, cheaper than RS, next day shipping is £5.20.
  • Toby UK Specialising in board-board and signal-board connectors. Potential UK supplier of hard-to-find extra long pin headers as used by the Arduino platform.
  • Northern Connectors Specialist connector distributors. Mainly bulk deals but order threshold is low.
  • Seeed studio
  • Sparkfun electronics
  • LinkSprite Open source electronics, pcDuino, communication modems.
  • Tindie - electronics marketplace like Etsy
  • Oomlout Arduino & DIY electronics
  • Bits Box - electronic components
  • Hobby Tronics Yorkshire based well sorted mail order, sparkfun stuff, their well made own versions and components.
  • Barend Hendriksen Holland. Interesting RF parts.
  • Keytronics Obsolete IC supplier mail order, can also be found with small parts at radio rallies.
  • mark5 Obsolete and hard-to-find electronic components.
  • MMS Electronics - SPI/I2C graphic LCDs (pricelist)
  • Mega Electronics PCB-making supplies. Their products are also sold by Farnell and Rapid but may be cheaper from Mega.
  • Modtronics Australia PIC32 Wireless Development Boards. RFM69HW breakout boards and modules.
  • Smtstencil Cheap polyester SMT stencils. Quick service.
  • Goodwill, Ultraleds, Led-tech - A gazillion kinds of LED
  • Sure Electronics (China) Interesting selection of electronic stuff.
  • Ciseco Microcontrollers, radio modules, Raspberry Pi expanders
  • Proto-pic good for soft-circuits stuff and various electronics
  • Tayda Electronics
  • ShenZhen2U Cheap Chinese PCBs - about 3 weeks delivery

Metals

If you are ordering any metal always ask if they can throw in a few off cuts of sheet steel for welding lessons! Delivery costs can be really expensive for some of these suppliers so don't rule out going to somewhere like Metal Supermarket if you can get there.

  • http://www.parksidesteel.uk.com/ (Next Day)
  • MetalSupermarket Stocks Aluminium, Steel and Bearing Bronze. Retail counter at their warehouse near Acton.they are a walk in service. Delivery isn't their strong point apparently, but well priced if you can go over, open at weekends.
  • IMS Stocks Aluminium and steel
  • Aluminium Warehouse Seems to have a good selection and very very good prices (and prices listed on the website!), but watch out for delivery costs.
  • Metals4U Good selection of metals (including aluminium, steel, brass, etc.) and welding equipment, and reasonably priced. Prices listed online.
  • Doré Metal Services Relatively cheap and good selection. Have to call/email for quote though.
  • Orion Alloys Moderately priced, but the prices aren't listed.
  • Smiths Metal Centres Have physical presence in london (N1 4BZ) but very very expensive. Avoid.
  • Noggin End metals
  • CPM, Birmingham - no review
  • Metal Stock t: 01977556515 Very helpful & friendly. Good selection & prices.
  • One Stop Metal shop, very local! Fairly expensive.
  • Aluminium Brazing Rods
  • Hindleys Stock metals and plastics, and most kinds of tools and consumables, often surprisingly cheap, delivery seems cheap compared to some others on this list as they use normal post.
  • ClickMetal do various bars, shapes

Other

Timber

Fabrication

  • Shapeways 3D printing company using laser sintering. JimM uses them a lot.
  • Cut-tec 3d metal fabrication
  • Charles Day Laser and Waterjet Metal Cutting
  • [5] 3D printing peer-to-peer service
  • [6] iMakr.com 3D printing

PCBs

Although homemade PCBs have been succesfully made in the hackspace, there are occasions where commercial suppliers are more convenient - where you want larger numbers, or very detailed etching, or the advantages of solder resist, silk screen etc. See Guides:PCB_Fabrication for a full list

Laser Cutter consumables

See: Equipment/LaserCutter - Consumables

Beer

Go to Four Vintners - it's "about 25% cheaper than Majestic" and closer. Don't waste the beer money on the local offie (although they are friendly and helpful).

Kris Wines, Camden - Belgian, Bavarian and British beers

Meat

http://www.thegingerpig.co.uk/london/hackney/

Sculptors' supplies

Including stone-working tools, casting supplies, clay, plaster, plasticine, resins &c. http://www.tiranti.co.uk/ near Gt Portland St station. Knowlegeable staff, good range, not incredibly cheap though.

Biohacking

See biohacking suppliers

Secondhand Tools

If you're looking for second-hand hand tools, the following lists were culled from a mailing list post and other sources. Feel free to add detail if you check any of these places out.

In the London Area

  • C. Demetriou Zingas is a DIY shop that sells power tools, timber, paint and piping. They also sell some second hand items. Open hours seem a bit unpredictable, so might be worth calling first.
  • Brick lane - theres a small but tardis-like 2nd hand/antique store just off the top of brick lane, on the west side - possibly Bacon Street - in there you will find a massive selection of old and used hand tools.
  • Workaid has a shop in Chesham. They mostly send tools to developing countries, but also sell a lot of them off on site. These are all refurbished/sharpened, since that's what they do, but they're also always looking for volunteers.
  • Peetamber from Tools For Self-Reliance comes over to the hackspace around once a month. He's always got a nice selection of older hand-tools, usually of excellent quality. He usually announces on the mailing list when he's coming over.
  • There is a guy who's sometimes at Greenwich Market or Spitalfields Market with old tools
  • There are tools second hand, as well as new tools at reduced prices, sold at Nine Elms Sunday Market, Vauxhall, SW8 2LF

By mail order

Classified ads and junk sales

More lists

Discounts

Some online sellers offer distributor prices to hackspaces provided a minimum order level is met.

If you're interested in aggregating your order to obtain these discounts please provide details

Free Samples

Perspex.co.uk: Colour selector, Sample request

Castle Fine Arts Foundry (bronze casting): free wax - click green 'free wax' icon top right of page.

Things we might want [7]

eBay

I have dealt with these on ebay and received from good to outstanding service from them

I have dealt with these sellers in the real world (and sometimes also on ebay) and will gladly use them [again].

These sellers seem to have particularly interesting and relevant products, but I haven't dealt with them yet.

Abroad

Spaces

If you need somewhere to hold an event, the hackspace may be suitable. See Guides/Planning an event for some notes about how to organise an event at the hackspace. If the hackspace is too small, or booked up, or inappropriate in some way,  : here are some useful suggestions (unwieldy pdf).

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