Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Buying bolts? Best option?

Restocking certain sizes (mostly smalls, SS, and fines).

I used McMaster Carr for years, but compared to Bolt Depot... MC has lost it's shine regarding price.

Anyone else use another company?

Groups of 100s or better... occasionally 1k.

Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks

Probably no help, we used to have a "bolt man" come by the shop every month or so like the tool truck guys. He would supply bolt bins for free if you spent enough with him. It was nice not running out of whatever it took to finish a job.

Sounds like you might use way more of one size vs a large variety?

Maybe Fastenal or a company like that?

Thanks... I just checked.

Using a "#10-24 x 1" Phillips Drive Oval Head Grade 18-8 Stainless Steel Machine Screw" as a test on cost... One of many items I am chasing... $200-$300 worth.

Fastenol at $0.40 (bulk option not offered)

Bolt Depot at $0.10

McMaster Carr at $0.20

Any other bulk companies out there?

Nothing on that level but I started realizing several years ago just how often I was running back and forth to town to get bolts.

If youre the type that lives Punta Gordo condo and watches fox news 14 hours ago, then no.

Here at The Mini Waco Compound, there is some new deck, shop addition, deluxe deer stand, chicken coop, gate going up every 3 months. Or rusted vehicle, tractor or equip mod.

I make about two trips a year to Rural King and buy 50-60 lbs of lag, carriage, hex, nuts, washers. Either 12 of everything big or a handful of everything small. I hit almost every bin.

They’ll run sales for $1.39 lb. They are only softer grade three stuff at that price. They have high grades.

Shamrock bolt is who we use.

We use Lawson for bolts ,tools and all kinds of supplies,He comes around frequently and we can order anytime. They supply bins.

A long time ago I bought a couple steel hardware boxes at a farm show. I keep them filled with grade 8 hardware from tractor supply.
I don’t know the cost but I just got a couple bags and it was pretty salty. Had to fix the garage door my wife drove though. Anyway I use them all the time and it makes jobs easy since it is organized. Very valuable to me.

I kept the bolt bin when my father closed the shop/store.

Its moved with me 3 times.

Mostly stock it up in the spring on trips to Agri supply store.

Grass killing chit and bolts/nuts for the grass cutters in one trip.

Probably saved hundreds not running back and forth to the robber hardware store.

Fastenal has gone woke or something. It sounds like Bolt Depot is the best option if you don't have a fastener supply near to deal with.

Not a mechanic, but if I need to buy bolts, nuts, or screws, I'll just get a box of them. Already labeled and readily found next time the need arises.

I’ll buy by the # at tractor supply.

For common bolts…

Still gotta go to ACE for oddball stuff.

And they’ll gouge ya too.

A 1/4-20 Allen head cap bolt? Be like $1.19.

Don’t fug around and want stainless….

😤😤

But…

It’s convenient ( in my small town).

And open till 7 pm. And open on sundays.

TSC sells 'em by the pound......bolts....screws etc

Grade 8 & Metric aren't though...usually in a small bag

Oh yea

Ace Hardware is a good source too as mentioned above

Well if you want it dry in the ass…Ace is the Place

Fastenal?
McMaster has gotten expensive, matching Grainger I suppose.

Osky

Local farm store.

Is there an independent bolt guy in the area? Shop where I work had a bolt guy come up from Arkansas once a week on his route to hit our area, 90 miles from their office. He kept the standard offerings on his truck, and a days notice would get you specialties or large quantities for projects.

Of course, in our companys wisdom, they canned him and signed a national contract with Fastenal to get 10% rebate at the end of each year or some other such nonsense. Pricing was crazy high, but we got that discount ya know....Now they've moved on to Grainger I believe, who also is crazy high. Meanwhile, Bill the bolt man still will answer his phone and deliver me stuff when I need it just because he is a good guy.

McMaster is never the cheapest, but order by 3 and its delivered by 10 the next morning on the UPS truck. I'd love to tour one of their warehouses just to see how it works.

I have a fastener shop not far off. Use them when I can.

One thing I keep in stock in my pickup is 1"x7" bolts... I have a couple of attachments/implements that use them, and in high stress locations, the schedule 5 bolts can shear off, and need to be replaced.

Bought 4 of them with 2 washers each, and a nylon lock nut, last week. $92

We use Fastenal at work. They are not what they were back a few years ago but not bad