Taps and dies

[Grant Bowker]

I agree that it looks like they sell decent stuff at a fair price. After my order was refused, I called looking for an explanation. The people I spoke with all seemed like decent individuals dealing with a policy they didn't understand or personally see the need for.
If the problem is at the corporate level it might be a case of they don't want to do Customs documentation for what looks like a relatively small sales volume, of course with that attitude the volume will never grow to be of value.
I sometimes wonder whether the problem isn't further upstream, usually after someone in their government (who should know better) blames Canada (as the nearest handy foreign target) for their latest problem, terrorists that they let in themselves, bank failures, mad cow disease, oil spills, health care, cold weather, the list goes on.
Another company, not McMaster, that deals in surplus MV parts has apparently gotten enough trouble from the government saying that if the part was ever used in any MV, then even if it also is an original application on a civilian car the part is subject to the controls on the export of military hardware. Apparently Delco distributors, generators and similar parts fall in this category.
The end result was that I couldn't give them my money in exchange for product. Everyone lost that day. I speak based on one experience and would be quite happy if someone were to tell me that the policy has been changed or if they've found a better workaround than the one I suggested.