Building a list of Canadian suppliers...

[photorock]

          I'd like to start a list of suppliers of arcade parts, materials and hardware in Canada. I know there will still be some things that we would have to get outside the country such as an I-pac, t-moulding, etc. but for the most part, most things can be aquired from within the country.

          My reason for doing this is pretty straight forward, I want to compile this list so those ordering from Canada or living here in Canada know where to get supplies. Those of us living here have to not only deal in US dollars, but pay extra shipping, handling and duty on top of suppliers shipping fees from outside suppliers. This can add another $20 to $50 dollars per order, which is rediculious when there are suppliers here. My CP cost me $670 Canadian to build, I shutter to think how much the cabinet will cost.

           What I would like to see is a comprehensive list of where to buy everything from a joystick to a sheet of MDF to a light for a marquee. I also would like to see their location, address, web address, pricing comparison, shipping method and fees. But most importantly if you have ordered from them, what their product and sevice was like. Any personal coments are welcome.

          I think, well I hope members will add to this list. It will provide a resource for new and existing members living in Canada and outside Canada. For those living in countries with a stronger dollar like the US, this resouce may save you money.

           There may be some that say, everything you need to know is here, and it's true. This is an amazing resource with the best members anywhere, BAR NONE!!! but there are users here that may be able to add something new to this list. When I reserched my CP I read just about everything here including the posts and later found out that I could have gotten somethings from Starburst Coin in Toronto and saved a few dollars.

           Here's an example of what I'm looking for...

Lexan (14" x 34" for CP) - Apple Auto Glass (St. John's, Newfoundland) - $24 precut to fit - great service and product.
NOTE: Maybe a little pricey, compared to what I've read here.

            Debates are welcome, but please don't stray to far off topic. Remember this will benifit us all in the long run, so please help me build this list.

[Grauwulf]

If you want stuff from Happ, try

Starburst Coin
717 Kipling Avenue
Toronto, ON
M8Z 5G4
Phone 416.251.2122
Fax 416.251.8823

They can get anything you want from the Happ catalog and lots more too. They seem pretty good to deal with so far, and they can get t-molding too.

[RayB]

That's pretty much a one-stop shop for arcade specific parts right there (Starburst). You get Happ parts without the import fees. (Now does Starburst ship??)

Other parts and resources I would mention:

Locks: Arcade game locks are not special. They are just "barrel locks" which you can buy cheap anywhere, even Walmart or the local hardware store.

Plexi sheets for marquee or control panels: Home Depot has a small selection, but you can also find some in some "surplus" type stores. I got mine at "K-W Surplus" in Kitchener, Ontario. "Cambridge Surplus" has some too.

Florescent lighting for marquee: All you need is a long enough lighting fixture and a cheap kitchen one should do just fine. I've read you can get cheap ones at Walmart, and again, I've seen cheap ones at the surplus store.


Other cheap goodies you can find in surplus stores:

 - fans for blowing that hot air out the cabinet
 - chrome metal fan grills
 - quick disconnects (way cheaper than Radio Shack!)
 - fuse holders
 - tools
 - castors
 - probably car speakers too...

Lastly, don't discount the cheapo dollar stores that every city seems to have way too many of. In many of them, in the hardware/electrical section you can find some necessary parts such as:
 - cable ties (gotta keep that mess of wiring under control)
 - cable clamps (the kind that holds cabling and you can screw it to the wood)
 - rubber mallet (way cheaper here than anywhere else)

Lastly, I hate to mention these guys, but sometimes they're the last resort:

Radio Shack: They tend to be overpriced, but it's no different than paying for shipping at a mailorder:
 - Soldering iron
 - quick disconnects (in case you can't find any at a surplus store)
 - fuses and fuse holders
 - ??


~Ray B.

[Grauwulf]

I don't know if Starburst ships, but I will ask  when I call tomorrow.

[Zakk]

Starburst ships Purolator or Fedex next day delivery.  I've never had a problem with their shipping.

Of course go to Oscar controls Canada for your canuk spinner needs!
http://www.mameworld.net/massive/Store/OSCAR/Oscar.htm

[photorock]

             I found Kents to be a good place to buy building supplies. Great selections although I'm not sure about the prices though. Also Home Hardware were willing to cut my CP plywood to my specified dimensions at no extra charge. Nice service, but the wood was cheaper at our local store.

[MiKman]

Speaking of surplus stores. I got all my wiring and quick disconnects and castors from Princess Auto.  Check the surplus area for this kind of thing, most larger centers have a princess Auto... You can find some good stuff there, all kinds of strange electronic stuff and cheap usb gamepads, steering wheels etc...

Edit:
Looks like they even have a website http://www.princessauto.com

[photorock]

           Hey MiKman, that's the type of thing I'm looking for, becouse until your post I han never heard of them. Good One...

[ericball]

Lee Valley Tools has locations in several Canadian cities and has both an on-line catalog and and on-line form to request their print catalogs.  I bought from them a bunch or rare-earth magnet assemblies to use as hold-downs for my modular control panel.  And I'm thinking of getting some casket latches to hold down the top of my cocktail cabinet and bifold door hinges (aka full back-to-back hinges) for the drop away back.

SKYHOPPER also has stuff for sale.

And for those on the west coast there's Canadian Amusement and Game Supply.

[GGKoul]

Chadwick Electrical in Hamilton on Nebo Rd is a cheap place to get anything electrical.  

- .18/.22 gauge wire
- .187 Female Quick Connectors
- Wiring Strips
- Fuses if you have a pinball machine

[nmfnl]

I went to Active Surplus downtown Toronto for my wire, knobs, speakers and various other bits.

[PiNPOiNT]

Yeah i bought a ton of stuff from active surplus, they have cheap (and surprisingly 26" in lenghth) flourescent lights that work perfectly for marquee lights.  The only thing i found cheaper somewhere else then at active surplus was some quick clamps for holding my wood in place.  i found the exact same clamps for 1 buck at a dollar store, that they were selling for 5 bux each.

[photorock]

            Lots of good stuff guys, Keep it coming...

[jerschwab]

I've heard you can buy T-Molding from Windsor Plywood in Canada.  Here's a website link:

www.windsorplywood.com

I'd really like to know the cheapest way to get the Optipac / I-Pac encoders in Canada.

[RayB]

I can't find T-Moulding at that Windsor Plywood site.

There must be somewhere that sells some in Canada...

[mmmPeanutButter]

I can't find T-Moulding at that Windsor Plywood site.

There must be somewhere that sells some in Canada...

Starburst sells the happs t-molding, but from what I hear, you should avoid it like the plague.

[jerschwab]

I can't find T-Moulding at that Windsor Plywood site.

There must be somewhere that sells some in Canada...

Not at the site, I heard they sell it in the store.  Use the site to find the store locations.

[jerschwab]

Here is a place that has Pinball stuff in Canada:

http://www.flippers.com/

Not sure if it will be of any use to people in this forum.

[Grauwulf]

Here is a place that has Pinball stuff in Canada:

http://www.flippers.com/

Not sure if it will be of any use to people in this forum.

Pinball, the *other* coin-op game.

Thanks for the link

[JoeB]

Here's the ultimate place for plexi and lexan!

http://www.plasticworld.ca/

They're located in Toronto.  They custom cut to any size you want.

[GGKoul]

Starburst sells the happs t-molding, but from what I hear, you should avoid it like the plague.

Why would you say that?  I've bought my t-molding there and it's great and it wasn't expensive.

[RayB]

GGkoul: Because apparently other places make/sell better quality t-molding.

It's kind of like drinking a cheap beer when you've never tasted a premium beer. You won't know what you're missing because you never tried it.

[mmmPeanutButter]

GGkoul: Because apparently other places make/sell better quality t-molding.

It's kind of like drinking a cheap beer when you've never tasted a premium beer. You won't know what you're missing because you never tried it.

yea...  what he said.  

[AllanSim]

I got a keyboard encoder here and it seems to work pretty well, plus the customer service was good:

http://www.3tronics.com/keyboard_emulator_price.htm#START

I got the MAMI2401AP.  The place is based in BC.

Rona supplied me with some acrylic which was good as a lexan replacement.  They cut the sheet to whatever size you want, but no curves or holes drilled out, but that was fine for me.

Ebay.ca was a great place to get a new TV at a very cheap price.  It may not be as good as a wells-gardner, but I'm one of those people that doesn't notice the difference (or care!   ) .

As for t-molding...there was a place near Ottawa that I heard about...I think it was in Orleans or Gloucester.  Sorry, that's all I can remember but maybe somebody else will know.

[RayB]

By the way, I may have found a good Marquee bracket holder at a budget price. I got an 8' long plastic thing that was in the do it yourself screen windows area. The plastic thing has a channel just wide enough for the average plexi marquee, and then it has a lip where you can nail it to wood...

8' for $2.39 cdn at Rona.

Just need to paint it black.

[RayB]

Just wanted to let the Canadian BYOAC'ers know that I am in Canada, therefore if you were hesitant about buying my joystick shafts.. well, don't be! There won't be any import fees.

 

[gprime]

I wish I had this list 6 months ago. I paid an insane amount for shipping/custom fees.

Well, now I know  

[jswhale]

Great topic.  I noticed a few new sources on this list already.

I recently bought some stuff from The Pinball Exchange in Oakville, ON (Toronto suburb).  

http://www.pinballexchange.com/video%20topec.htm

I got 2 8-way joysticks (switchable to 4way) which work pretty good, but seem to be "no-name".  For only $15 each, in stock, I wasn't complaining.

They also had microswitch buttons and 1P, 2P, etc. for 3-4 bucks a piece.  The quality was a bit dodgy I think, but I also got about 10 used leaf switch buttons which feel great (they had a whole bucket of these).  They have 2 kinds of 12-way rotary joysticks in stock as well (cheaper one being about $37) and can order the interfaces (I-Pac, J-Pac).

They also stock stripped down cabinets in the $100 - $200 range.

The owner seemed really knowledgeable and willing to help out.

On a slight aside topic - I got a cheap (about $30) USB gamepad from Futureshop that I used as an interface.  It's a Saitek P880 - has about 14 buttons and 2 joysticks that I managed to wire up.

[GGKoul]

I recently bought some stuff from The Pinball Exchange in Oakville, ON (Toronto suburb).  

http://www.pinballexchange.com/video%20topec.htm

If you ever go to the Starburst Auction, this guy is usually buying all the cheap cabs and pinballs and either is striping them for parts or repairing them for resale.

[Bosendorfer]

Thanks for the info - I am about to take some nasty import duties up the wazoo so hopefully I can avoid some more of them in the future !

Does anyone know where I might get small cut to order diamond plate for a kick panel for a cabinet in the Toronto area - I figure maybe some custom truck shops might have it but a supplier would be prefereable ?.

Cheers

[mmmPeanutButter]

Does anyone know where I might get small cut to order diamond plate for a kick panel for a cabinet in the Toronto area - I figure maybe some custom truck shops might have it but a supplier would be prefereable ?.

I would check out a place called Metal Supermarkets.  There are a couple of them in Toronto.  I got some metal cut for my CP.  They specialize in small-scale metal orders and they cut it while you wait.

If you call them.... see if they know anybody who does small-scale welding....  I'm dying to find somebody...

Also - anyone know of any TO printers/signmakers who will do custom print work on to vinyl etc or what have people done to solve their CP, Side Art and Marquee Print needs ?

I know they get a bad rap, but I got all my custom printing done through ClassicArcadeGrafix.  Great quality.  I got some of it shipped to the states, but some of it I got shipped to Toronto.  He ships USPS and writes a low value so you won't get hit with duties.

(don't forget about the welding)   

[Scott84]

I recently bought some stuff from The Pinball Exchange in Oakville, ON (Toronto suburb).

[DreamWeb]

How much does Starburst sell their Competitions for?  And do they sell Ultimarc products.. like the Jstik or ipac?

d.

[RayB]

Starburst sells Happ Controls products, and they cater mainly to operators, not the home-brew crowd. They definitely would not have Ultimarc products.

[Bosendorfer]

would check out a place called Metal Supermarkets.