Online Metals Blog

After weeks of conversation, and plans to meet at MakerFaire, we finally got to spend a wonderful amount of time with our friend Jim from TechShop!

TechShop is a 15,000 square-foot membership-based workshop that provides members with access to tools and equipment, instruction, and a creative and supportive community of like-minded people so you can build the things you have always wanted to make.

On the Friday before MakerFaire, we had dinner with the mastermind behind TechShop.

Jim’s amazing, and so passionate about his workshops…it’s no wonder that they’re growing and adding locations across the country!

The OLMers are proud members…and we look forward to building lots of amazing things at the San Mateo facility…as well as Portland and Seattle! OH YEAH!!!

So…

Check out www.techshop.ws today, and start building!!!

Oh, and if you create some of the diamonds featured now…please send them to:
Amber, Director of Marketing
OnlineMetals.com
1183 W Ewing
Seattle, WA 98119

Thanks in advance.

Our MakerFaire booth shared a wall with the Stout Tool booth in Austin, and the OnlineMetals team became fast friends with the guys next door.

But that’s not how I first heard about Stout Tool.

My dad manages a bindery in Oregon, and talked about this bright green cordless saw thing that everyone in the warehouse uses. It was a band saw…that you could CARRY!

What what what??? I had to have one! How cool would that be!

Being a major tom boy who practically collects 18V power tools…I had to learn more about the cordless band saw that came with it’s own table, and stowed away neatly and safely in my tool closet.

And wouldn’t you know…we ended up right next to them at MakerFaire.

Well, I now that I’ve learned more, I think that the OLMers should know about Stout Tool Corp. Outstanding product, sold by some really fun guys.

See you in California for the next MakerFaire, Stout!

OnlineMetals works with a wide variety of people, with an even wider range of skill.

We love to hear from people who are just learning how to work with metals too. People like Annie.

Annie designed and built this pinwheel out of copper and brass for her jewelery fabrication class.

Keep up the great work Annie, and we’ll keep posting it on our customer projects page!

We’d like to introduce you to one of our neighbors in the Show Barn at Austin MakerFaire 2008.

The Dallas Personal Robotics Group (DPRG), founded in June of 1984, is one of the nation’s oldest special interest groups dedicated to the development and use of personal robotics.

In addition to monthly meetings the DPRG holds robot competitions, monthly group workshops, and informal weekly lunch meetings.

This is one of their featured robots.

We’re proud to be associated with their organization, and hope to share many more robot creations built with OnlineMetals metals and plastics!

Because we have a new partner. Who has features you can actually TUNE IN TO!!!

It all started in the lobby of the Austin, TX Radisson.

Our hero, John had snoozed through his alarm!

The rest of the OLMers had gone to MakerFaire…with plans to pick John up later.

But wait! Who’s that!?! It’s the team from YouGizmos.com

They haven’t left for the fair yet, and they have room in the car!

A few minutes later, everyone’s in the car, and learning about the companies they represent.

When John arrived at the fair, he let all of the OLMers know about his new friends, and the amazing opportunity to create a partnership!

OnlineMetals sells metal and plastics.

You Gizmos is devoted to the art of concept practice.
It could be a strange new mechanism, a huge boat, a miniature steam engine. It can be a trebuchet, a sling shot for water balloons or a clock that runs on buckets of sand, or even a potato launcher. It’s the act of thinking of something new as well as rendering it in wood, metal, plastic, ice, you name it. You Gizmos is for serious artisans that have studied their craft for decades, as well as those who are just getting into the game. On You Gizmos you can see and download CAD drawings, part files, papers on techniques of all manners and for more.

THESE TWO COMPANIES SHOULD DEFINITELY WORK TOGETHER!!!

So, if you haven’t already heard of them, please click here to browse the various categories, videos, downloads and various other parts of their site.

The entire OnlineMetals team invites you to stay tuned as we launch joint video campaigns with our new friends at YouGizmos.com, create and sell kits for the projects mentioned on their site, and much much more.

Grace is an amazing artist who’s studied with the best. She’s got her own full service coachbuilding firm here in Seattle, and builds some outstanding custom grilles.

Some of her latest work was built using OnlineMetals stainless steel.

If you’d like to learn more, visit her website.

Oh my gosh, where to start! We’re all back from the Austin TX MakerFaire, and there are so many wonderful things that we can share about our time there. We met the Make Magazine Crew and staff, some AMAZING Makers, outstanding exhibitors, and BATTLEBOT builders.

As I walked the fair grounds, I thought about the blog, and what I’d want to share with OLM customers.

The one thing that I knew for sure was that I had to start with my friends at TeamXD!

A few weeks before the show, the team leader Brady got in touch with me. He mentioned being customers of OnlineMetals, and invited us to see Steel Reign compete!

On the day of the show, we were able to come behind the scenes as they prepared Steel Reign for battle, and when it came time for their competition, I was invited to stand right next to Logan while he drove his SUPERHEAVYWEIGHT COMBAT ROBOT!

Brady and Logan are such cool guys! Their hospitality and enthusiasm for the sport made the RoboGames an AMAZING experience!!!

Well…not all of the OnlineMetals team is here…but some are.

Where you ask?

That’s right…we’re soaking up the sun in Austin, Texas. Enjoying all of the fun and craftyness that is MAKERFAIRE!

In Austin at this very moment? Come see us. Otherwise, you should really consider attending the one in the Bay in May, or back here in Austin next October. We’d love to see you!

Oh…and expect lots and lots of pictures when we return.

In the mean time, if you need metal or plastic…place an order online or call the office. There are still lots of wonderful OLMers who are ready and waiting to help!!!

(800) 704-2157

Wooo Hooo….we’ve got new stuff.

OnlineMetals can stock it, can sell it, and can get it shipped out to you lickety split.

Only thing is….we probably can’t pronounce.

Here it is:
PET (POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) SHEET/PLATE

POLYPROPYLENE SHEET/PLATE

TEFLON FILLED ACETAL SHEET/PLATE (DELRIN AF)

OnlineMetals is one of the largest metal suppliers out there, and we want you to list our name on your site. Earn credibility, and earn CASH!

OLM is now owned by ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA. who’s Copper and Brass sales division is world renowned. If they can’t get a certain material…it doesn’t exist.

Do your customers want it in a smaller quantity? Well, I can’t think of a better place to go…

Add a link to OnlineMetals on your homepage, and tell your customers that you know where to find what they’re looking for!

Link to specific products…to save your customers time and energy!

Or just sell OLM materials at your site!!!

Our Power Affiliate Program lets you do that!

There are lots of ways in which you can use the OnlineMetals brand to provide better customer service through your site.
…and all of them will earn money!

Seriously, sign up and see!