Suppliers and Fabrication services

Electronics

search engine:

• Octopart - THE search engine for components and related data. includes price comparisons and links to all other suppliers.
• PCB shopper - THE search engine for PCB price comparison

major suppliers:

• Arrow - On par with Farnell / RS / Digikey, however seems a bit more up-to-date and more maker-friendly
• Farnell - one of the largest components suppliers
• Mouser - another major electronics supplier
• DigiKey - Farnell-like, but often stuff shipped from the U.S. for additional costs
• RS Components - mechanical components as well as electronics
• Pimoroni - UK distributors for SparkFun and AdaFruit with some occasional products of their own
• The Pi Hut - UK distributors for SparkFun and AdaFruit with some occasional products of their own
• Proto-Pic - UK distributors for Sparkfun / Adafruit, general components and kits.
• Kitronik - UK distributors for SparkFun and AdaFruit with products of their own, and plywood, e-textiles and perspex
• Rapid - geared more towards educational market, has occasional good deals
• Robosavvy - educational robotics kits and 3D printing
• Bitsbox - UK based components supliers to the 'hobby electronics, education and maker markets'

PCB fabrication- always check PCB shopper for a price comparison first

• European Circuits, UK
• Aisler, Germany
• PCBcart, China
• London Hackspace PCB suppliers list - their wiki includes useful information on designing for and different PCB fabrication processes

Laser cutting and engraving

materials:

• Hindleys - Acrylic, laser-grade MDF and much more.
• 4D Model shop - Slightly on the pricier side, but THE go-to place if you need something TODAY. 30 mins by overground from NXGate.
• Hobarts for laser-grade MDF and Plywood
• Packaging2buy for cardboard sheets
• The Plastic Shop for Correx/Fluted Polypropelene
• Plastic Stockist for Delrin and any other plastic
• TechSoft UK for laser-grade MDF in larger formats
• E.M.A. Models for small-scale precision model building tools and supplies

fabrication services:

• Good Empire - Streatham SW16, also offer a student discount and waterjet cutting!
• Cut Laser Cut - Camberwell SE5
• Laser/ Make - Haringey N41
• RazorLAB - East Dulwich SE22
• Cut Tec - delivery only and mostly for high volume orders

3D Printing

• Different manufacturing processes explained on this 3DHubs page
• Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
• Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA)
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) - we do not have any SLS printers in HatchLabs but it is a very reliable, but more expensive printing method.

materials:

• Robosavvy
• FormFutura

fabrication services:

• iMakr - FDM, SLA and SLS printing, in Marylebone W1
• 3D Hubs - FDM, SLA, SLS and more!
• ProdPoint - FDM printing, in Bermondsey SE1
• Champion 3D - FDM printing in Catford SE6, offer student discounts!
• Shapeways - SLS printing
• Additive - SLA and SLS printing, in Camden NW1

Electroforming/ Metal plating

• Fox Silver - Service based in Croydon providing metal plating for 3D prints

DIY Stores & Timber Merchants

• B&Q - DIY Store selling lengths of timber, screws etc.
  Closest store: B&Q Peckham, 524 Old Kent Road SE1 5EW
• Wickes - DIY Store selling lengths of timber, screws etc.
  Closest store: Wickes Blackheath, Blackheath Road SE10 8DA
• Howarth Timber & Building Supplies - Timber and building merchants selling lengths of timber and building supplies.
  Closest store: Howarths Brockley, 115 Endwell Rd SE4 2LY
• Jennor Timber - Timber and building merchants selling lengths of timber and building supplies.
  Available for delivery to Goldsmiths. Speak to a HatchLabs Technician before ordering
• Screwfix - DIY Store selling screws, fixings, extension leads etc.
  Closest store: Screwfix Bermondsey, Unit 4 Surrey Canal Rd SE14 5RW
• Toolstation - DIY Store selling screws, fixings etc.
  Closest store: Toolstation Peckham, 814 Old Kent Rd SE15 1AJ

Machinery, hand and power tools

• Axminster - good UK supplier of professional and hobby hand and power tools. Tonnes of good tutorials as well.
• MSC Supplies - general machinery supplier for all things CNC