where have you guys had good luck buying assorted hardware? like sets of nuts, bolts, washers, o-rings, springs, clips....all kinds of stuff. i imagine that ebay has some of everything, but is it all crap? also, what kind of storage setups are you guys using? any pictures? thanks trey
the one guy that sells stainless hardware on ebay is located around the corner from me and sells good stuff not the junk most list. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...ry=42606&item=4529470396&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Find a Gardner Wescott dealer in your area or maybe try the .com . Gardner Wescott has any grade bolt you could ever want as well as stainless and chrome. Chuck Fish
A long time ago I got a kit from JC Whitney or Harbor Freight, I can't remember which. One of the smartest shop investments I have made. It has 1/4" to 1+" several lengths of each bolt, washers, nuts, lock washers, etc. Came with bins and wall hooks. I still haven't used any of the 1" bolts. Every time I need to refil a bin I get the box instead of just how many I need. We have a place called Tractor Supply that has hardware by the pound $1.49/# no mater what it is. I love that place.
You can always store the stuff in those parts drawer things. But instead, I have a Stanley one that's basically suitcase shaped. Clear lid, yellow otherwise. Has a bunch of rectangular bins that sit inside and can be resituated as you please. I think it's better to have it portable instead of the drawer on the wall thing. I've been collecting a lot of Folgers cans too. It comes in these plastic ones now. I haven't figured out what's going in them, but i'm sure I'll have a shelf full of them in my new garage. (I'm moving to a new house next week with a bigger garage. I can't wait.) And they'll all be labeled because I'm anal. As far as attaining all the bits and pieces, it seems like the stuff just accumulates without me even trying. There's a lot of Home Depot junk in there. But Lowes has a better assortment. I know those places don't intend to sell car parts, but they do a lot more automotive business than they realize. I've heard it called "Lowes Racing Supply" more than once.
Every time I need to refil a bin I get the box instead of just how many I need. We have a place called Tractor Supply that has hardware by the pound $1.49/# no mater what it is. I love that place.[/QUOTE] Is the small stuff #10, 1/4" nuts, washers, etc. also only $1.49? I've paid more than that for a pack of 10 nuts at Lowes. The 3/8, 5/16th stupp might not be such a good deal. We have plenty of TS stores.
Tractor supply bolts, tarps, grinder discs. Most hard working family owned hardwares have huge selections of small stuff (screws, acorns, springs) that put chain stores to shame. One big surprise is a Valu Home I walked into, had even bronze bushings, found water pump and distributor size for the flathead. Storage? what a mess, don't want anybody to see that!
ACE hardware is also pretty damn good at having a good selection of...hardware! lots of stainless stuff, the one just a few blocks from me, that just opened last fall, even has CHROME hardware! though not a great selection, ask, and they can probably get it ordered for you, i think it comes from the same supplier. that's the most common source, every town should have a hardware store. even better would be the above mentioned tractor supply, farm and fleet, fleet farm, ranch supply, whatever they call the stores near you will have a good cheap selection of common hardware, but not much for exotic stuff. another place to look for is Fastenall, or Grainger, etc. they have stores in cities with a significant industrial presence, they'll have more cool shit than you've ever dreamed of! good luck not blowing a lot more than your hardware budget there, but it may depend on how "friendly" your local branch is towards non-business people. i guess none of my options really offer a variety pack assortment, but i agree with the "need it, buy a box" mentality when it comes to most hardware. if you can swing a box of bolts, or a couple pounds of mixed hardware every time you're there, pretty soon you'll have a well stocked hardware supply of your own. something else i do, keep my eyes open at the junkyard, i frequent a pick n pull style yard, and always keep on the look out for misc. little things that come in handy, self tapping flange screws, bolts with a stud on the head, whatever funky hardware you might need, much of it is laying around from other people removing parts. i just made sure to stock up on a handfull of brake flare nuts, for 3/16 tube to whatever the big ass thread is on some old ford and gm master cylinders, after getting pissed that NO parts stores have such common stuff! learn to look for these things before you need them! it's a pain to have to spend a couple of hours chasing what should be simple things to find. funny thing is, a lot of that stuff ends up staying in the mobile tool box, it REALLY comes in handy when your in the middle of BFE on a holiday sunday and broke down! also look for auctions, industrial auctions, or farm auctions, even garage sales and buy up cans/buckets of hardware for dirt cheap. then put the wife/kids/cabana boy to work sorting them for you! oh, and let's not talk about how much all that hardware weighs when you move cross country...
Tractor supply rocks !!! Buy about all my hardware there. by the pound is so much cheaper. Alos check out the cool ag. tires there. wish they were rated for more than 35mph, be different....Fido
Nice thing about tractor supply is they have grade 8 stuff. Do-it Best Hardware stores also carry grade 8 bolts and you can buy by the box. later shawn
I dont mean to SPAM here, but you asked. My dad sells fasteners and all that stuff. If you need something, give em a call and leave a message. Leave your name and number and say your from the HAMB. He can prolly hook you up with whatever you need. Pro-Fasten Automotive Hardware 618-259-3058 Nick
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