Where to source tools and materials

Revision as of 23:16, 21 September 2023 by Eric.coyle (talk | contribs) (Autovalue 32Ave only acct is 070418)

Protospace member discounts

Member discounts

Local

Protospace Resource Map

Acrylic


Laird Plastics
Address: 935 28 St NE, Calgary, AB T2A 7X1
Phone: 403-250-9298

Piedmont Plastics
Address: 10760 25 St NE, Calgary, AB T3N 0A1
Phone: 587-288-1582

Trotec Laser
Address: 820 28 St NE #2, Calgary, AB T2A 6K1
Phone: 1-800-6611278

Industrial Paint & Plastics
Address: #5, 5558-1 Street SE, Calgary AB, T2H 2W9
Phone: (403) 252-8368

SABIC's Polymershapes
Address: 1440 Aviation Park NE, Calgary AB, T2E 7E2
Phone: (403) 250-1670

Canadian Engravers Supply (Laminate Acrylic)
Address: 4730-14th Street NE, Calgary AB, T2E 6L7
Phone: (403) 250-6774
Note: Protospace has an account under the name 'Calgary Protospace'. They don't typically do walk-ins so call ahead.

PlasticWorks Inc.
Address: 11711B-44 Street SE, Calgary AB
Phone: (403) 236-7700

Electronics

Active Tech by Solarbotics (NE) - 3D printing, robotics, electronics, kits, supplies, etc!
B&E Electronics (SW)
MRO Electronics (NE) - no longer has public showroom, need to preorder on account (believe we are in their system as Calgary Protospace).
Alberta Printed Circuits (local PCB fab, see "Online" below for cheaper options)

Radio

GPS Central (SW) - big retail with amateur, marine, outdoor, all sorts of radio gadgets
NTF Communications - amateur radio shop
Caltronics / Prairie Mobile - Motorola/Kenwood dealer, service, parts
Sundance Radio Communications
Westcan Advanced Communication Solutions - more industrial

Fasteners

Fastenal
North Address: BAY P - 2020 32nd Avenue NE Calgary, AB T2E 6T4
Phone: (403) 291-3282

Bolt Supply House
North Address: 3437 12 Street NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6S6
Phone: (403) 250-2658

Metal

Steel Inc (Plenty of aluminum as well! Two guys in a bay with a big saw, cheaper than Supermarket)
Address: 3260 46 Ave SE #30, Calgary, AB T2B 3K7
Phone: (587) 349-4766

Calgary Metal Market
Address: 225 41st Ave NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 2N3
Phone: (403) 475-9858

Metal Supermarket (Good for small quantities of common metals, we're under "Calgary Protospace")
Address: 3716-56th Ave. SE, Calgary AB, T2C 2B5
Phone: (403)720-2267

Rainbow Salvage (Large Quantity Scrap Metal/Steel)
Address: #300, 104 East Lake Blvd NE, Airdrie AB, T4A 2G2
Phone: (403) 948 4901

Metalworks Canada
Bay A, 1115-48th Ave. SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 2A7
403-279-2766

Samuel Specialty Metals Canada
Address: 9112 52 St SE, Calgary AB, T2C 5A9
Phone: (403) 203-0731

Federal Metals
Address: 5135 94 Ave SE, Calgary AB, T2C 5J9
Phone: (403) 236-0402

Rosedal Sheet Metal (Full Sheets of 16-26 gauge)
Address: 2610 3 Avenue NE
Phone: (403) 569-0005

KMS Tools and Equipment Ltd. (In the welding dept. they have big stock pile of 4 Ft x 3 Ft, 16 gauge (+ other thinner gauge sheets) Stainless Steel Sheet Metal. Very Low Price)
Address: 6311 Centre Street S, Calgary AB, T2H 0C7
Phone: (403) 457-3537

Textiles

Leather & leatherworking tools
Fabric Debot - Largest fabric store in Calgary
PacCana (27 Ave NE, showroom is just down the road from Protospace) - fabrics, zippers, webbing, buckles, thread, elastic, sewing supplies...
Cansew Inc (3932 29 Street Northeast, Calgary, AB T1Y 6B6) - Cash account set up to purchase supplies for the embroidery machine
Legacy Studio (212 West Terrace Point, Cochrane, AB Canada T4C 1S1) Call ahead if visiting her store in person-Phone: 1.866.932.0932 toll free for orders-Phone: 1.403.932.0932 - Felting, spinning, and rughooking supplies
My Sewing Room 8228 Macleod Trail SE #148, Calgary, AB T2H 2B8 (403) 252-3711
Ujamma Grandmas yearly sale for charity. Usually in April or May. Very good deals, like 90% off retail pricing.

Tools

ACT Equipment (machine shop related tools, great stock)
Lee Valley Tools (woodworking)
Busy Bee Tools (imported largish tools, metal and wood. Cheap but not crap)
KMS Tools6311 Centre St SW

Vinyl

TCT Graphics Products
Victory Vinyl (wholesale, use Protospace account)

Wood

Windsor Plywood
Black Forest Wood
P.J. White Hardwoods (now part of Richelieu)
Upper Canada Forest Products
Bacon Veneer 403-250-3757 (Exotic Hardwood Veneers)
Wood Cache

Other

Princess Auto
Lowe's (I only mention this because their selection is FAR better then the crap at Home Depot and Rona.)
Michael's (Stamp rubber)
The Camera Store (Photo processing chemicals and tools.)
Antique woodworking tools, contact Eric Coyle through Protospace or 403 701 0460
Sureline Foam Products - retail, wholesale and custom cut
Anixter - industrial supply, wire and cable, hardware, tools, etc.
LP Sales (27th Ave NE near Barlow) - often best priced restaurant equipment and supplies such as stainless and plastic tubs, squeeze bottles useful for glue/epoxy, mixing tools, packaging, etc.
Russel Hendrix (SW) - large foodservice equipment and supplies, great selection, knowledgeable parts counter
Crown Food Equipment (SW) - big showroom, all the little stuff and more appliances/equipment

Online

Automotive

Rock Auto
ToyoDIY parts cross-reference
Megasquirt EFI controllers
MOPAC Auto Supply

AutoValue 32nd st Acct#070418

Note: Protospace has an account under the name 'Calgary Protospace'.

Electronics

Digi-Key
Mouser
Octopart - parts search engine and multi-quote tool
PCBShopper - multi-quote tool for PCB and assembly
Jameco
supremecable - Wiring harnesses
Sparkfun Electronics
JLCPCB - large online Chinese PCB assembly house, also owns LCSC Electronics and will combine shipping or assemble
Wonderful PCB (PCB assembly)
PCB Fabrication and Assembly(Seeed Studio Fusion)
Phidgets
Wellpcb (PCB prototype and PCB assembly)
Ourpcb (PCB and PCBA supplier)

Kits

Adafruit Industries
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
Mighty Ohm

LEDs

Phenoptix - Mostly LEDs but carries other components as well (Free shipping everywhere)
Superbright LEDs - LEDs

Tools

Canada's Tool Crib - If the website doesn't work, google: 'Canadas tool crib' and click on the first link. They have something weird with referrers.
KBC Tools - Flat shipping, $9, up to 50lbs.
MSC Direct - Amazing selection, order today, get a call about shipping tomorrow.

Metal

Metal Super Markets - Big selection, Big Shipping charges
Online Metals - Ships via UPS
Roto Metals - Non Ferrous metals.

Samples

Chip manufacturers are typically a good place to get free samples of components

Texas Instruments
STMicroelectronics
National Semiconductor
Analog Semiconductor

Other

K&J Magnetics - Magnets, lots and lots of magnets
VXB Ball Bearings
Deal Extreme - the original cheap stuff out of China site
Ali Express - (link blocked by Wiki spam filter!?) even cheaper stuff out of China, you get what you pay for, shipping can take from days/weeks to month(s)
Alibaba - the B2B/wholesale version of Ali Express, however don't let that scare you as most of the suppliers will do retail/individual sales. Be aware of import and shipping charges, duties and tariffs; ie. know what FOB terms you are signing up for.