6.0 General Catalogs
Description
This article is from the ReefKeepers FAQ, by several authors (see the Credits section).
6.0 General Catalogs
Here is a list of non-aquarium related catalogs that have items that
may be of use to the serious aquarist and DIYer.
Ayn Plastic 1-800-431-2451
A nationwide plastic supplier. They have about a dozen outlets
and also ship orders. The catalog contains info and specs on many
types of plastics that are useful for DIY aquarium projects. They have
a $50 minimum order.
C.F. Bowman & Co.
38 Addington Court
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
PH (908) 390-6436
FX (908) 390-6438
C.F. Bowman & Co. I heard of by e-mail, but I later noticed their ad in
FAMA. Their prices on acrylic tubing look very good, at least; a 60"
long 6" od 1/8" wall clear cast acrylic tube is $35.75, which is about
60% of what I paid. I didn't find extruded tube, but they do say to call
for items not listed. They are ostensibly wholesale only, so you may
need to give a company name. They also have a $50 minimum order.
C and H Sales Company P.O. Box 5356 2176 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91117-9988 Pasadena, CA 91107
(213) 681-4925 (LA)
(818) 796-2628 (Pasadena)
(800) 325-9465
C & H sells a wide collection of surplus and used equipment, ranging
from fans, blowers, pumps (water, air, and otherwise), electronic
components, motors (ac, dc, gearhead, stepper), solenoids, laboratory
glassware, chart recorders, and tools through stranger things like
gyrocompasses and a bit of defense electronics. Prices vary but are
often quite good. For those in Southern California, their store has
lots of odd items in quantities too small to include in the catalog.
Cole-Palmer 1-800-323-4340 or 708 647-7600
A huge catalog of test equipment and related industrial hardware.
Like Markson, much is beyond the need and budget of a hobbiest
but much is not.
Grainger Industrial 1-800-323-0620
A nationwide chain of wholesalers of industrial needs. They have
many stores in most states. There is probably one near you. They
have a huge catalog of all sorts of things for DIYers, float-switches,
ballasts, tools, you name it. They are a wholesaler so they
technically won't sell to individuals. If you walk in (they have
a counter just like any retail hardware store) and pay cash and give
the name of a local company, they will sell to you. They just need
to have the name of a company to put on the invoice because legal,
they are a wholesaler. You don't need a tax number when you are
paying cash. You can just go in and give them the name of the
company where you work. It is probably a good idea to call ahead and
see if the item you want is in stock.
Hach - Products for Analysis 1-800-227-4224
A catalog of testing items. This is the next step if you want
better test kits than best kits normally available to hobbiest
(like Lamotte). Many of their products are not beyond the budget
of a serious hobbiest. The also carry chemistry hardware like
glassware.
Herbach and Rademan 1-800-848-8001
A miscellaneous junk catalog with all sorts of electronic, mechanical,
and pumping widgets and other gadgets. Also, surplus junk like
power supplies.
A catalog of a variety of scientific equipment, mostly chemistry related.
Many of their items are well beyond the need and budget of hobbiest but
much of it is not.
The Surplus Center 1-???-???-????
Another miscellaneous junk catalog with much the same stuff as H&R.
United States Plastic Corp.
1390 Neubrecht Rd.
Lima, Ohio 45801
1-800-537-9724
US Plastics sells a large selection of basic materials, plus an equally
large assortment of various manufactured items made of plastic and some
related items like fluid pumps. A few of the less common items which
come to mind are clear pvc, plastic tanks up to a few thousand gallons,
ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene stock, flexible impeller pumps,
and plastic welders. Of special interest to the diy'er would be items
like the thickened acrylic cement (IMHO required for the best and
strongest watertight acrylic joints), their rod, pipe, tube, and sheet
stock in pvc and acrylic (where else do you find clear sheet pvc, or
90 degree sweep fittings for lower backpressure?), and the large food-
quality drums for storing RO/DI water and mixed saltwater. The fun of
finding stuff you didn't know existed shouldn't be under-rated, either.
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