Web Sightings

A few sites have caught our attention and imagination recently. Pay them a visit, and maybe add 'em to your "Favorites":

MatWeb—It's awfully refreshing when someone delivers on a promise, don't you think? MatWeb (www.matweb.com) stands for Materials Web. It bills itself as "The Online Materials Resource." And guess what? It really, really delivers the goods. MatWeb is, put simply, a materials information database with data on nearly 25 THOUSAND materials, including metals, plastics, ceramics and composites. We could go on about its calculators or searches by multiple criteria, but it just wouldn't do this amazing resource justice. Go there, and give it a whirl to appreciate it.

Martindale's "The Reference Desk"—Every so often, a really fun site comes to our attention that may not hit the metalworking nail on the head, but it just BELONGS here, you know? Good, because this is one of 'em. Martindale's (no relation to Wink, I'm afraid) is a funky stew of links to the unusual, the technical, the informative and the entertaining—all at once, on one obscenely awesome page (www.martindalecenter.com/). It is almost impossible to describe the scope of info this site will expose you to. From the perplexing to the laughable to the educational, there's something here for everyone. You've just got to see this one.

USBX—How often do you buy a shop? How often do you sell a shop? My hunch is it's not very often. Don't let that stop you from visiting and exploring USBX (www.usbx.com). This combination online/off-line business supports all stages of buying and selling small- to medium-sized business. It lists available businesses; tracks them; consults; and provides valuation, financial, and legal services. And, of course, it includes an extensive manufacturing section that includes subsets near and dear to our hearts. Heck, you can even research and determine the value of your shop through USBX. Even if you're not selling or buying a business, USBX still does a splendid job of providing a high level of information about its business and conveying it well online.