Price humor for the weekend

kb426 · February 15, 2010, 06:50:01 PM

I used black oxide button head bolts on the headlight mounts on my 32. They rusted. I cleaned them and painted them. You know the end result. I went to an Ace hardware store that is really quite good. They had button head stainless 5/16" x 1" for $1.05 each. I thought it was pricey but not enough to cover frt. to where I am. I bought 4 and went out the door with a smile because I got what I needed. I visited Home Depot to look for some things for the bathroom that I did a couple of months ago. While I'm walking down some of the isles looking at everything, I see the bolt section. They have the same bolts in small plastic bags. $3.95 each. I felt better all of a sudden. I didn't expect it to be the same price but I was surprised at that.

WZ JUNK · February 15, 2010, 07:45:13 PM

Quote from: "kb426"I used black oxide button head bolts on the headlight mounts on my 32. They rusted. I cleaned them and painted them. You know the end result. I went to an Ace hardware store that is really quite good. They had button head stainless 5/16" x 1" for $1.05 each. I thought it was pricey but not enough to cover frt. to where I am. I bought 4 and went out the door with a smile because I got what I needed. I visited Home Depot to look for some things for the bathroom that I did a couple of months ago. While I'm walking down some of the isles looking at everything, I see the bolt section. They have the same bolts in small plastic bags. $3.95 each. I felt better all of a sudden. I didn't expect it to be the same price but I was surprised at that.

My local Ace hardware has a great selection and even a large selection of chrome fasteners. They started keeping the chrome stuff for the local bike builders. I visit there often for all kinds of special fasteners. We also have a farm supply store where I buy bulk fasteners by the pound at a fair price. As I get older both of the stores have an advantage over the local Lowes, as I can park right at the door, walk right in, and in just a few steps I am to the area where everything I need is located. At Lowes, like Walmart, it is a walk across a parking lot and then a hike to the back of the store. I know the walk would be good for me, but I have other stuff to do.

John

jaybee · February 15, 2010, 08:36:10 PM

Recently I was looking for some 1/2" fine thread nuts and had an awful time finding them. Home Depot and multiple auto part stores got me nada. I may have had some luck at a farm supply store but try to hit that place when I see my sons at college and it's a lot of gas money for 2 nuts. Eventually I ended up at a Menard's store. That's a big box home improvement store that's native to the upper midwest. They aren't everywhere and normally I hate going there, but it's worth knowing if you live in Menard's territory.

GPster · February 15, 2010, 09:52:16 PM

About a mile from me there is an old Rinks (now defunct) store that the owner has turned into a weekend flea market. One of the vendors sells nuts and bolts by the pound and must of his stuff is at least grade 5. When we started figuring out the 4 bar rear suspension for the Crosley project I had an idea what to look for. I got eight Grade 8 3/4" x 3" bolts for $2.50. GPster

wvcab · February 15, 2010, 10:16:07 PM

i have found that my local true value is the place to start , they seem to have the best selection, the box stores here only have the common sizes and only up to grade 5 in limited sizes.... i would rather pay a little more, and only have to drive one place to get what i want.

plus i prefer to keep the "little" guy in business.

unklian · February 15, 2010, 10:54:46 PM

Quote from: "kb426"I visited Home Depot
They have the same bolts in small plastic bags. $3.95 each.

All the fasteners at Home Depot, up here, are imported.
(doesn't say where they are imported from)
And their selection is only a fraction of what it used to be.

Crosley.In.AZ · February 15, 2010, 11:12:38 PM

we have a place on th e west side of phoenix: Mark's bolts, nuts and surplus. He has tons of stuff in the building

enjenjo · February 15, 2010, 11:59:42 PM

If I just need a bolt or two, I usually get them here in Swanton at the Sentry Hardware, or the NAPA store. If I need a bunch of bolts, or am restocking common sizes, I go to the Tractor Supply Store in Wauseon, about 10 miles away. If it's an unusual size, or someting that is special, I get them from McMaster Carr, usually overnight.

The local Hardware also stocks a good selection of Stainless bolts, and chrome bolts, but the chrome ones are expensive. If I need chrome in quantity, I get them from Gardner Wescott, again usually overnight.

river1 · February 16, 2010, 07:58:03 AM

Quote from: "Crosley"we have a place on th e west side of phoenix: Mark's bolts, nuts and surplus. He has tons of stuff in the building

have you been to the new building yet?

still has lots of stuff but not like the old place, but then there was nothing like the old place.

later jim

butch27 · February 16, 2010, 11:55:23 AM

I also have a ACE hdwr. near me and buy the SS bolts there. It's an old family owned store and when I was younger I learned all kinds of home repair stuff there.

phat46 · February 16, 2010, 01:57:58 PM

We have a hardware store here that was an Ace, and pretty good too. The owners got older and sold it; the new store is called Gil-Roys, apparently that's a small chain. The Gil-Roys is hard to beat, I have only stumped them once or twice. I once thought I could stump them when I needed 9/16th jam nuts, they had them in stock, no other place knew what I was talking about.

Their motto is "Gil-Roys Got it"

unklian · February 16, 2010, 02:29:33 PM

We need more places like that.

Half the time, the guys at Fastenal don't know what I'm talking about.
Now I just look up the numbers on their site, and they order it.

Charlie Chops 1940 · February 16, 2010, 05:03:51 PM

I like Fastenal for s/s allen head buttons and flat on the small sizes such as 10-32, 1/4 and 5/16. I keep a fair inventory on those. I buy s/s engine bolt kits whenever I see them at swap meets - lotsa time at half price.

Tractor Supply here is only good for coarse threads. My normal parts guys has grade 5 and 8, fine and coarse but he's not as cheap.

Charlie

Crosley.In.AZ · February 16, 2010, 08:24:16 PM

Quote from: "river1"
Quote from: "Crosley"we have a place on th e west side of phoenix: Mark's bolts, nuts and surplus. He has tons of stuff in the building

have you been to the new building yet?

still has lots of stuff but not like the old place, but then there was nothing like the old place.

later jim

I've bought stuff from Mark for years when he was across the 67 avenue from when he first opened up...

he used to give me the "yellow truck discount" when I owned my 1971 chevy that was yellow.

Crosley.In.AZ · February 16, 2010, 08:30:21 PM

Quote from: "unklian"We need more places like that.

Half the time, the guys at Fastenal don't know what I'm talking about.
Now I just look up the numbers on their site, and they order it.

Fastenal place we "used to deal with" was basically a UPS store. We use common US thread bolts 5/16 - 3/8 sized stuff. It was a "place an order and wait for the stuff too arrive deal"... then we had to pick it up from them

We now use Copper State for bolts - fasteners. A bit more money , but the stuff is at our dock the same day if ordered early enough