Sources
- Note: Some places have us listed as a Non-Profit. If you know how to use our non-profit status at a vendor, please detail it in their section.
- Second Note: ONLY USE NON-PROFIT TO GET TAX FREE IF IT'S FOR THE SHOP! Do not get tax-free on personal projects or purchases, as it can cost us our status! If unsure, run it past the Treasurer (on slack at #ask_the_treasurer or on email at treasurer@i3detroit.org)
- See HOWTO_Use_Our_Tax-Exempt_Status for more details
- "be excellent to each other"
Local
| Category | Stores |
|---|---|
| Electronics |
|
| Plastics |
|
| Wood |
|
| Metal |
|
| Fasteners, Hardware |
|
| Tools |
|
| Jewelery & Craft |
|
| Ceramics |
|
| Misc. |
|
| Welding Supplies |
|
- Abel Electronics [1]
- 27201 Harper Avenue, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081 (4 Blocks South of Eleven Mile on the west side of Harper Avenue)
- Phone: (586)777-8232.
- Decent selection of commonly-needed components and other electronic parts. Also, very friendly and helpful.
- Acrylic Specialties & Plastics
- 32336 Edward Avenue, Madison Heights, MI 48071 (near John R and 14 Mile)
- Phone: (248)588-4390
- Hours: M-F 8:30-5:00
- Has a wide variety of acrylics, PETG, foamcore, and other miscellaneous plastics. Has a wide selection of acrylic colors and is price competitive with other plastic vendors. Prefers to sell larger sheets, but has an area with smaller pieces for sale. Will also deliver to i3!
- AirGas
- 25455 Dequindre Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071 (near Ten Mile, on the west side of Dequindre)
- Phone: (248) 546-3336
- Hours: Tues - Fri 7:30 - 16:30
- Decent location for welding supplies. Tends to give us good prices for being a non-profit as the manager likes us. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ln2 (liquid nitrogen) refill, unless you have a week to wait. Use the Livonia store (below)
- AirGas
- 30441 Plymouth Rd, Livonia, MI 48150
- Phone: (734) 455-2550
- Hours: Tues - Fri 7:30 - 16:30
- Decent location for welding supplies. Seems to be the current best place for ln2 (liquid nitrogen), as they'll fill while you wait. (if anybody finds better, please update!)
- Alba Plastics [2]
- 1407 Allen Dr., Unit #G, Troy, MI 48083 (according to their website as of 2013-03-05). Previously listed here as 30029 John R, Madison Heights.
- Sheet plastic, bent and formed into all sorts of neat stuff. (Display cases, bulk food bins, etc.) Also sells full sheets if you ask. Surprisingly good website for a local place.
- All America Plywood [3]
- Specializes in hardwood plywoods. Most stock is 4' x 8' and they cannot cut it down. Drive up to the metal gate and it'll open for you automatically.
- 18840 John R., Detroit, MI. 48203
- Hours: M-F 8-4
- (313) 891-6880
- Decent selection of remnant metals and plastic pieces at reasonable prices. Walk-Ins welcomed, 26200 Groesbeck Hwy, Warren, MI 48089 Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-5PM
- Aluminum Supply [4]
- 14359 Meyers Rd., Detroit, MI 48227
- 313-491-5040
- Armstrong Mill Works [5]
- Located in Highland, MI. Sells domestic and imported hardwood in board feet. Open Saturday Mornings.
- Armstrong Tool and Supply
- Jewelry and craft supply: Brazing, abrasives, specialty pliers, carving tools, burrs and cutters, etc. A trove of goodies for the small-parts worker.
- 31541 8 Mile Road, Livonia, MI (just west of Merriman/Orchard Lake)
- Bearing Service
- Local supplier of a variety of bearings and bushings.
- 13400 Newburgh Road, Livonia, MI
- Blumz
- Best flower shop in Detroit and friends/Chamber of Commerce buddies of i3.
- They're just down the street at 503 E. 9 Mile Rd., Ferndale, MI 48220
- 248-398-5130
- Discount Fabric Outlet
- Random fabrics, everything is $2.99/yard.
- They're across the street from Noble Fish,
- 250 E. 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017
- Durst Lumber & Ace Hardware
- Full hardware store with a lumber yard. Not a massive selection but they do have common hardwoods as well as plywood and building materials, closer to big box, but it will go from the rack to your vehicle without you needing to load it on and off a cart.
- At 11 and Coolidge
- 2450 11 Mile Rd, Berkley, MI 48072
- The Electronic Connection
- Electronic Components like chips, resistors, transistors, etc. and all the tools to assemble them
- 37387 Ford Rd, Westland, MI 48185-2282 (734) 595-6655
- Factory Steel [6]
- 14020 Oakland Ave. Detroit, Michigan 48203. Close to I75 & the Davison. Open on Sunday.
- Fastenal [7]
- Multiple local locations selling all kinds of stuff. Hours for all locations appear to be Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm
- Foam Factory
- 17500 23 Mile Road Macomb, MI 48044 (586) 627-3626
- Frentz & Sons Hardware [8]
- 1010 North Main Street, Royal Oak (about 10 minutes by car). A real hardware store, with metal stock, bins of everything, and staff who know their stuff.
- Haberman Fabrics [9]
- 1060 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017
- Fabrics and sewing supplies, classes, etc. Very friendly.
- Haggerty Metals [10]
- 14015 North Haggerty Road, Plymouth, MI
- Scrap metal dealer, surplus by the pound. Absolutely worth visiting.
- Harbor Freight [11]
- Retail supplier of cheap Chinese tools.
- 32706 JOHN R ROAD, MADISON HEIGHTS, MI 48071
- 248-588-1673
- Industrial Metal Sales
- They do retail sales but not walk-ins. You have to order at least a day before pick-up.
- 95 South Rose Street, Mount Clemens, MI 48043
- (586) 783-2238
- KBC Tools & Machinery [12]
- 6300 18 Mile Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48314
- Kitt's Industrial Tools
- Candy store of tools and supplies, many of the same items as Harbor Freight but so much more on top of it. Not terribly organized, so just go and browse.
- 27600 West 8 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48336
- Laird Plastics [13]
- 26403 Groesbeck Highway Warren, MI 48089
- (800) 873-8403
- Larry's Welding Supply
- 2230 E 9 Mile Rd, Warren, MI 48091
- phone:
- Hours: M-F 8:00 - 16:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00
- Currently the closest welding supply store to i3 Detroit. Also has Saturday hours, which is exciting. They get their cylinders from AirGas, so we can change bottles there conveniently. Might not get the best prices, but they aren't a scam. Good people.
- General Hardwood Company [14]
- 7201 East McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48212
- Wholesale but can work with smaller quantities. Call ahead to verify pricing. You'll need to find a HiLo driver, ask them for what you want and they'll bring it to you. Only sell 8-10 feet planks and too busy to cut down anything smaller. Very competitive pricing. Hours online are incorrect, they only open at 8am.
- Live Edge Detroit [15]
- 241 Park Street, Troy, MI 48083
- +1248-789-5659
- Huge inventory of slabs of all sizes of domestic species. Milling services available.
- Marsh Power Tools [16]
- 20579 Middlebelt, Livonia, MI 48152
- Matzka Pneumatics & Hydraulics [17]
- A candy store for moving fluids, from vacuum to 10,000psi. 10 mile & Mound.
- Metal Mart USA [18]
- Located at 13mile & Dequindre. Sells all kinds of metal stock in small quantities. Even open on Saturdays, very hobbyist friendly.
- Update: Seems they just changed their policy of letting customers look around in the shop. It use to be that you could find the perfect cutoff by looking around the shop. And the guy working in the shop area was super helpful. Not anymore, just one small rack outside the office with poor selection.
- Metrics Unlimited [19]
- Just what it says.
- MICCO/Lucent Enterprises [20]
- 25831 Commerce Drive, Madison Heights, MI 48071-1452
- 248-584-4440
- info@kidderassoc.com
- From their site: "MICCO/Lucent provides sales and installation for:
- Aluminum Extrusion
- Flow Racks
- Aluminum Guarding
- Lean maufacturing cell stations
- Gravity conveyers
- MPS lean mfg stations
- Corner rotate solutions
- Wire mesh guards for workers
- Manual Conveyors
- Work areas and robots
- TS4Plus conveyors (flying chains)
- Safety Guarding
- Conveyor Chain
- Recent suggestion of a place to get extruded t-slot aluminum lengths.
- Motion Industries [21]
- Loads of mechanical components, in stock. Several locations around town.
- Motor City Fastener
- 1600 East 10 Mile Road Hazel Park, MI 48030-1208
- (248) 399-2830
- MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center [22]
- 468 Green Way,East Lansing, Michigan 48824
- Phone : 517.355.0364
- Fax : 517.353.0836
- E-mail : surpluss@msu.edu
- Public Sale Hours
- 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Every Tuesday
- 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Every Friday
- Public Viewing Hours
- Noon to 3:30 p.m. Every Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
- All sorts of randomness, prices can be anywhere from market value to scrap cost
- Mt. Clemens Metal Recycling, Inc.
- 41494 Irwin Dr.
- Harrison Twp., MI 48045
- Phone : (586) 468-1563
- E-mail : mcmrecycling@comcast.net
- Business Hours
- Monday - Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM
- - Cash Only -
- Murray Lighting & Electrical Supply
- 10227 W Eight Mile Rd
- Detroit, MI 48221
- Phone : (313)341-0416 / (313)432-2010
- E-mail : contact@murraylighting.com
- Business Hours
- Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Better prices than Home Depot so far.
- Pegasus Entertainment
- Theatrical supplies: lighting gels, gaffer's tape, A/V equipment and repair.
- 22008 8 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48033
- Northwest corner of 8 and Lahser, directly across from the McDonald's
- 248.353-6130
- Monday-Friday: 9am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 4pm
- PraxAir (Linde Welding Gas & Equipment Center)
- 30600 Dequindre Rd, Warren, MI 48092
- On Dequindre just south of 13 Mile
- Account on file for tax exempt welding supplies, especially swapping out gas bottles
- COD only
- Public Lumber Company [23]
- Lumber, millwork, doors, hardware, adhesives, and finishes.
- 1001 East Seven Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48203
- 313-891-7125
- great local source for those who work with hardwoods, exotics and milling. be sure to go up the stairs to find a great selection family owned, fast paced service, not a chain or box store. cheaper than Woodcraft.
- RL Schmitt [24]
- Manufactures ANSI standard and custom Fixed-Limit Gages as well as standard and custom Endmills and Engraving Tools.
- Order directly from them or through their eBay store (which sells at a discount over catalog prices but you can still pick it up in person)
- Hours 8-4:30 M-F
- 34506 Glendale St, Livonia, MI 48150 (a block or two from RS Electronics)
- RMI / Rotary Multiforms, Inc.
- High quality printer with unbeatable prices and service.
- Banners, cards, flyers, etc.
- Super-quick turn around times.
- Also super close.
- It's my go-to printer for i3 printed materials.
- (586) 558-7960
- 1340 E Eleven Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071 (between John R and Dequindre)
- Rockler Woodworking [25]
- Nation-wide retailer of woodworking tools and supplies. Moved to Novi in 2017.
- 26160 Ingersol Drive, Novi, MI 48375
- (248) 543-5110
- RS Electronics [26]
- Retail outlet for electronic components, connectors and tools.
- Hours 8-5 M-F
- 34443 Schoolcraft Livonia, MI 48150
- Runyan Pottery Supply Inc [27]
- Warehouse factory outlet for ceramics tools, clays, and glazes
- Hours 9am - 4pm M-F + some Saturdays when there's a special sale
- Phone: 810-687-4500
- Clio Industrial Park, 820 Tacoma Court, Clio, Michigan 48420
- Speedy Metals - Detroit (No Web Site Pickup) [28]
- 34155 Riviera Drive, Fraser, MI 48026
- Phone: 586-294-1018
- Fax: 586-294-4140
- E-Mail: FraserSales@Speedymetals.com
- Comment by anonymous member: "Check your receipt! Make sure there are no mysterious 'upcharges'....":
- Stellar Plastics Fabricating
- Great little shop for both raw and finished plastic products.
- Phone:313-527-7337
- Fax:313-527-7339
- Email: sales@stellarplastics.com
- 14121 Gratiot, Detroit, MI 48205
- M-F 9-5
- Tandy Leather
- Sells whole and partial hides as well as leather working equipment.
- 31104 Five Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48154
- Phone: (734) 422-9102
- email:
- Hours: 9-6 M-F, 9-4 S
- Tree Purposed [29]
- 13340 Merriman Rd, Livonia, MI 48150
- 734-506-8583
- Huge selection of slabs including some really big ones. Milling services available
- Texas Metal Industries
- Retail outlet for steel and aluminum stock
- 9281 Freeland St. Detroit, MI 48228
- Phone: 313-834-6000
- E-Mail: info@tristarsteel.com
- Hours: 8 - 5 M-F, 8 - 12 Sat
- Tri-Star Steel
- Retail outlet for steel and aluminum stock decorative fencing and castings
- 2305 E 9 Mile Rd, Warren, MI 48091
- Phone: (586) 261-0090
- E-Mail: info@tristarsteel.com
- Hours: 7-5 M-F
- Tri-State Surplus
- RV/camper components, lighting hardware, LP gas parts, plumbing, etc.
- (South of Jackson, but worth the drive if you need the stuff.
- 337 S Meridian Rd, Hudson, MI 49247
- (517)-448-4433
- Hours 9-5 M-F, 10-3 Sat, closed (open by appointment only) december thru february.
- Wensco Sign Supply [30]
- Vinyl and other signmaking supplies
- 31000 Industrial Road
- Livonia, MI 48150
- Phone: 800-253-1569
- Hours: Counter - 7:30am to 5:00pm EST
- (They're basically behind Menard's in the industrial park)
- Woodcraft [31]
- National chain retail outlet for wood and woodworking supplies.
- Hours: Sunday: 11 AM - 4 PM Monday: 9 AM - 7 PM Tuesday: 9 AM - 7 PM Wednesday: 9 AM - 7 PM Thursday: 9 AM - 8 PM Friday: 9 AM - 7 PM Saturday: 9 AM - 6 PM
- 39245 Van Dyke Highway, Sterling Heights, MI 48313 (just north of 17 Mile)
Online
- All Electronics Corporation [32]
- Discount and surplus electronics, parts, accessories
- Known for having strange and odd items in stock
- American Science and Surplus
- http://www.sciplus.com
- Everything from optics to motors, electronics to lab supplies, toys to tools, containers to materials, etc.. And, one of the most entertaining catalogs out there.
- 5316 N. Milwaukee Avenue
- Chicago, IL
- Telephone: 773-763-0313
- Craftics [33]
- Materials, supplies, and tools for acrylic
- Digi-Key [34]
- 95% of the electronic components you need.
- Electronic Goldmine [35]
- Similar to All Electronics
- Also has cheap grab-bag boxes of parts for stocking the junk box
- FutureLec [36]
- Lots of fun parts, alcohol sensors, random bits
- Jameco Electronics [37]
- Electronics parts, some robotics parts.
- Good source for hard to find "older" electronics parts, esp small EPROMS.
- Klingspor's Woodworking Shop [38]
- Quality Woodworking supplies
- Flat rate shipping available
- Marlin P. Jones & Assoc, Inc. [39]
- Electronics and tool shop. Cheap and decent quality computer and electronics.
- Good soldering equipment.
- Mouser Electronics [40]
- Another electronics store.
- Sidecuts.com [41]
- Reasonably prices sheet steel remnants good for small quantity orders.
- Small Parts, Inc [42]
- The hardware store for R&D, not just miniature hardware, but also lots of nylon, Teflon, etc.
- Spark Fun Electronics [43]
- Yet another electronics store.
- Good for male/female adapters and plugs (iphone/ ipod).
- Online Metals [44]
- A good store for small quantities of metal.
- Metals Depot [45]
- Steel, stainless, brass, and aluminum at reasonable prices.
- Remington Industries [46]
- Wire and raw metals, custom cut-to-length, very reasonable prices, quick turnaround, free standard shipping on U.S. orders.
- Rio Grande [47]
- Jewelry-making metal supplies: Silver, gold, copper, titanium, niobium, etc.
- Misumi [48]
- Automation Components, Press Die Components, Plastic Mold Components
- Widget Supply, Inc
- Great source for unusual hobby (read small/precision) tools. Excellent prices too. Examples include hand tools, magnifying equipment, dremel type bits, etc.
- https://www.widgetsupply.com
- 1131 S Commercial Way SE
- Albany, OR 97322 US
- Telephone: 541-926-1003
- American Glass Supply [49]
- "The Authority on Glass Fusing Art"
- Glass frit, molds, tools, books, glass How-To
- Armstrong Glass Company [50]
- Specialty Stained Glass, Fusing Glass, and Architectural Glass Manufacturer located near Atlanta
- Glass frits, molds, tools, books, jewelry accessories
- Creative Paradise [51]
- Ceramic Molds, Glass Molds, and Handbuilding
- Molds (glass and ceramic), kits, tutorials/videos
- Delphi Glass [52]
- Stained Glass, Fusing, Mosaics, Jewelry Supply
- Large variety of glass frit, tools, supplies
- Glass Diversions [53]
- "Custom Blended Glass Frit"
- Blended frit, copper/silver/gold/paladium leaf and foil
- Val Cox Frit [54]
- "Premium Glass Frit for Flameworkers"
- Glass frits, book, silver foil, video demos
- Restaurant Liquidation Auctions [55]
- does what it says on the tin
- ProxiBid [56]
- auctions to watch, there are frequently local ones
- Assets Now Auctions [57]
- auctions off busimesses, all kinds
- right down the street
- RJM Auctions [58]
- auctions off businesses, all kinds
- Michigan State Surplus [59]
- cars, chairs, lab equipment, anything the school does not need
Project Ideas and Designs
- Yahoo Groups junkyard_projects [60]
- Free online plans for lots of tools and project ideas. Requires registration to the yahoo group.
Member Junk
Moved to Virtual Graveyard
Food
- Christine's Cuisine
- Located near by on 9mile, open until 11pm, Delivers. Variety of food things, reasonably priced. I like the Bomb Burrito with Cod.
- Matsu Chan Restaurant
- Good Ramen shop in Canton
- Tokyo Buffet Lounge
- Chinese buffet located in AMC Star Southfield 20 theater
- Fuji Japanese Buffet
- Very nice (but expensive) buffet at 13.5mile and John R
- New Cherry Blossom
- Good Japanese restaurant in West Oaks shopping center, Novi
- Rangoli Indian Cuisine
- Traditional Indian fare & daily lunch buffet served in a warmly decorated space punctuated with art.
- Saffron
- Indian Buffet located just north of 696 on Orchard Lake Rd
- Hong Hua Fine Chinese Dining
- High quality Chinese restaurant located just north of 696 on Orchard Lake Rd
- Nagomi Japanese Restaurant
- Funky Japanese eatery doling out inventive, hearty ramen bowls in a lofty, cafeteria-like setup.
