Urgent Attention: threaded rod factory closing very soon

**jhovel** · 16th November 2010, 09:59 PM

After searching all over the place for ACME or Trapezoidal threaded rods and matching nuts at a sensible price in mild or low carbon steel, I was being told by lots of people who should know better that they are not available anywhere 'ex stock' and are only available on 'special order' and similar nonsense etc...
Eventually I got a Melbourne phone number to call from a stainless steel threading manufacturer.
The number was for "M.P. Sinclair Pty. Ltd." at 12 Lens Street, North Coburg 3058 - phone 03 9354 2588, Fax: 9354 6760
I called and was given a price 'per foot' for whatever I needed - at very reasonable prices indeed!
I asked if I needed to order it in advance (given the advice I had previously), and was told that eveything I could want was in stock and would be cut off for me in any size up to 12 foot length.....
Today I went there to pick up a 3 foot length of 3/4"x6TPI and a bronze nut to suit - total price $60
When I arrived, I found a very old small factory in a small side street in an old industrial pocket area in an old Melbourne suburb. The only open door led me straight into the middle of a machine shop with LOTS of old lathes and milling machines (all 30's 40's and 50's machines or older). OH&S wasn' invented when this place opened 65 years ago.....
Threaded rods of all kinds and sizes all over the place in huge quantities!
Three elderly gentlemen were quietly busy messing with machines and doing maintenance.
Someone asked if I was Joe who who rang last week and told qanother that I was after 3' of right handed mild steel 3/4" threaded ACME and a nut - they remembered me! How nice.
The older of the three went to a rack and looked expertly at a jumbled mess of threaded rods. I asked if he had a piece with a blank end (3/4" diameter without thread)? Yes, he would find a piece "over there".
He found one a showed it to me - totally unpreturbed by me walking with him through the place ducking under gantries and squeezing between machines.... how refreshing!
He found what I was looking for and carried it to a cut off saw. As soon as he had cut it, he spotted a small flaw in the thread shape at one end and said "I think I'll have to give you a discount", if that piece is acceptable...." - it was.
We got talking, I thanked him for the friendly service and that I admired his machines and promised to come back.
He then said he was turning 90 on Monday, he was the owner and it was time to close shop for him after 65 years - "the writing is in the wall and I can't reach it any more to wash it off".

So, the place is closing either at Christmas or next June. Another piece of history going.....
His reduction of stock discount is 50% for any order of 10 length "and better".
Anyone here needing threaded rod of any kind - call them and get yourself a bargain. I dread to think what happens to it all when the time comes to close shop......

Cheers,
Joe

**azzrock** · 17th November 2010, 08:37 AM

what r u going to use the acme thread for?

**bluegum30** · 17th November 2010, 09:40 AM

The Greens

**jhovel** · 18th November 2010, 12:31 AM

Leadscrew for my "new" lathe.
It used to be a double-head boring lathe with longitudinal feed but no leadscrew. I'mn building an "Electronic leadscrew" for it, to do any thread and feed without any gears....

Dave J · 18th November 2010, 01:51 PM

Hi Joe,
I am after a piece of 1/2inch x 1 1/2 foot (will have to double check) acme thread rod and a nut or 2 if possible. Do you know if they will post it?
Also what do the nuts look like, square round? do you have a picture of yours?

Dave

**pipeclay** · 18th November 2010, 03:36 PM

Dave give them a call.

**jhovel** · 19th November 2010, 12:56 AM

Sorry Dave, I have no idea. I imagine that they used to or still supply all over the country, so I imagine they post or courier their goods.
The nuts I saw for ACME threads were steel hex nuts, bronze cubes with an internal thread through the middle and cylindrical bronze nuts, about three or four times the screw diameter long and about 5/16" (8mm) wall thickness. I got one of the latter bronze ones.
Anything you want to know from them - call them. I live 150km away from Melbourne, by the way.

**neksmerj** · 19th November 2010, 12:03 PM

I also had an occasion to visit this factory about 12 months ago. Entrance was difficult to find, just a single door leading in, no signage if I recall. I have never seen so much stuff occupying every square inch of floor space and wall space. There is barely enough room to navigate a path around a mulitude of complex machinery. The factory is a living museum, it will be a pity to see it all go.

I was after a piece of acme thread with nut. "No problems, it's over there", and within minutes, I had what I was after. There was no scratching of the head and searching through a million lengths of threaded bar, the old fella that was looking after me, knew exactly where to look.

I was unable to leave, I didn't want to leave. The old chap and I got talking, and that was it. He was one of the most interesting blokes I've ever met. His knowledge of engineering and life in general was outstanding for his senior years.

Even if you don't need anything, just go there, it will open your eyes. When this establishment closes, a piece of history will be gone for ever.

Ken

Dave J · 19th November 2010, 09:54 PM

Thanks for the reply, will give them a call next week. I didn't realize you lived so far away.
I am after a new cross slide screw for a taper attachment I am making for my lathe.
I will need to drill out the center as I am making a telescopic screw for it, they might have some ideas.

Ken,
It sounds like disney land for guys with our interest,lol
If I lived closer I would love to go and have a look around and have a chat with him. Nothing better than talking with old experienced guys and listening to the stories of old times and how things are and were done.

Dave

**rowie** · 20th November 2010, 02:05 AM

G'day Dave,
I live in Coburg nth. I can grab what you need and send it up (if the guys at the shop cant do it for you)

Dave J · 22nd November 2010, 12:55 PM

Rowie,
Thank you very much for the offer, it's people like you that make this forum so good.

I have posted this before, but he same thing applies for you or anyone else that needs something from the Newcastle area picked up.

I will give them a ring and find out about it this week to see if they will post it up to me, I also have a few other questions for them.

Dave

**Dale M** · 16th August 2011, 01:42 AM

Hello to All,

Thank you, I found this thread to be very helpful. I called and then visited Matt Sinclair last week. He advised me that he has stopped all manufacturing, but will still be around until christmas '11 or there abouts while he is selling off equipment / cleaning up.

There is still a substantial quantity of threaded rod available.. All different sizes and thread types. ACME, metric, whitworth etc. - I found Matt to be extremely knowledgable and very willing to offer advice on my project. Given his 70+ years engineering experience it's not surprising.

I must be a little dull, because I only realised when I got there that they (previously) manufactured all of this stuff onsite from high quality steel. - To very precise specifications, as Matt explained. - In contrast the length of threaded rod I had previously purchased from Bunnings most likely came from a chineese factory where cost and speed of production were far more important than precision.

To anyone needing threaded rod, take the opportunity to get the material to finish your projects before the opportunity closes.

M P Sinclair Pty Ltd
12 Lens St, Coburg North, VIC, 3058
Tel: (03) 9354 2588

P.S. - I did confirm with Matt he was happy for me to post this information.

**Bryan** · 16th August 2011, 08:36 AM

Thanks Dale, I'm glad you posted this. I've been wondering about these guys, thinking I'd missed the boat. Will contact them about a screw for my cross slide.

**Abratool** · 16th August 2011, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by bluegum30

The Greens

Thanks Bluegum,it took a few seconds, but it gave me a great Laugh.
A good laugh to start the day!
Bruce
ABRATOOL

**Oldneweng** · 19th August 2011, 10:36 PM

In case you are interested I found this US website while looking for some acme for my lathe cross slide screw. 5/8 - 8 Left Hand Acme Lead Screws & Nuts for Power Transmission - Roton Products, Inc.

The cost of 5/8 left hand is $US8.34 per foot and it is good quality stuff. This is a fraction of the cost from oz.

Dean

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