As evidenced by all the great responses, parts suppliers are as varied as the items being repaired. It's great to have a long list of places to go looking. Probably smart to write a list and add to ones homestead binder/notebook!
First I have to shoutout local, small businesses. I like being able to look up a part number and do the research
online, compare prices, put an order in and be done with it. However, a local appliance shop once replaced a dead heating element for our
oven the DAY before Thanksgiving. It was a holiday miracle lol. That type of speed and service will only exist as long as we keep shopping at those places.
Now for my online favorites...*
- Another vote for "ifixit" - and their tool kits are amazing
- Fixez.com for iPhone parts
- Rockywoods Fabrics for heavy duty buckles, zippers, and technical fabrics. (It's surprisingly easy to replace a bit of hardware on a tool bag, backpack, etc. with a decent domestic household sewing machine. Zippers are a little more work.)
- Rockauto.com is well organized
- Ebay. Seriously. If all else fails, there are so many sellers on Ebay with obscure parts.
Most of the time, the hard part for me is figuring out what the 'part' is called.
*If anyone lives around Upstate SC I'll add my local places :)