Looking for small quantity rubber rod stock

[Nanohedron]

I did some searching and calling around a while back, but most purveyors seem to cater to large-quantity industrial clients. I even got sneered at by some woman on the phone because I was small potatoes. That show of bad form pretty much put me off the whole thing, but I figure maybe I can come up with something more sympathetic here. Stranger things have happened...

Basically what I need is 3/4 inch diameter black rubber rod stock, of a composition approximating car tire rubber. If a quantity must be a minimum of 20, say, I can do that.

Anyone have such a connection, or know of one? TIA.

[mutepointe]

A few years back, I went to the local Mom & Pop hardware store because three inches of vinyl tubing would solve my repair problem. It was priced by the inch, so I said I'd like three inches. Mom said she wouldn't sell me that little bit. So I bought a foot of tubing. This doesn't help with your need but I thought I'd share this to comfort you.

[Feadoggie]

I run into the same thing buying stock for making instruments. There are three suppliers I use for various industrial types of raw materials for use in my home shop that you could look into. Each has a lot of stuff so you may have to get creative looking through their stock for what you need.

McMaster-Carr: http://www.mcmaster.com/#rubber-rods/=pfru69

MSC: http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/Raw-Mat ... 4288243889

Grainger: http://www.grainger.com/ Didn't find any rod stock quickly but they do stock a lot of rubber products. Who knows.

And sometimes Tractor Supply surprises me too.

Hope this isn't to supply a school sports team with weapons for an after game rumble.

Feadoggie

[Nanohedron]

Thanks, it's a good start - especially the first two. Never even thought to check McMaster-Carr.

No, it's not for beatings. I use a cane but it's got a custom end where the rubber part fits into a ferrule, rather than the usual slip-on-over-the-end thingum. It's a sharp look. I've been making my own plugs up to now drilling 3/4 in. diameter cores from from 3/4 in. thick sheet rubber (so the result is of course of equal diameter to length, in this case a good size), but as a process it's more of a pain in the butt than it would be simply sawing off what I need as need arises. You know, work smarter, not harder. Plus my present sheet stock is running low, so I figured it's time to look around again.

[an seanduine]

Have you considered high density polyurethane? The kind the make skateboard and rollerblade wheels out of?

Bob

[Nanohedron]

I'm open to the composition, so long as it's not so hard as to have no traction worth speaking of. This is for the business end end of an honest, functional walking cane, remember, not just a matter of looks, so whatever exhibits similar traits to tire rubber will be what I need. It goes without saying that such a product must wear down eventually and need replacement anywhere from every 4 to 6 months, depending on what conditions cause the wear - so having at least several rods would be a smart idea considering the long haul. If I used regular cane tips the replacement schedule would be much the same.

[chas]

No suggestions on sources for hard rubber, but I do look for a lot of stuff for work (and home) -- everything from screws to raw materials such as polycarbonate and various metals to bearings. And I must say, I think McMaster-Carr has an awesome website. For such a traditional company, they made the transition to e-commerce better than any other company of that type, IMO.

I'm not saying their stuff or prices are better than anyone else's, just pointing out the useability of their site.

[I.D.10-t]

Have you looked into rubber stoppers?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#tapered-rubber-plugs/=pgbq7l

The local ACE hardware usually has a few in a bin if you just want to try one or two.

[Nanohedron]

It's gotta be cylindrical material. There's no option on that.

[I.D.10-t]

Well, the rod it is then.

[benhall.1]

Surely this is the thing, isn't it? (There must be suppliers in the States.)

http://www.ironmongeryonline.com/produc ... wwod91sAFA

[benhall.1]

... OTOH, maybe it's too wide in diameter ...

[benhall.1]

... but there must be something in this lot:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rubbe ... 66&bih=612

[Nanohedron]

Well, the rod it is then.

Yes. I'll be giving McMaster-Carr a shout to see what happens.

[Latticino]

How about here (from <1 min google search):

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/31938277