Sorta OT: hardware lament and gripe

[Dan Cullimore]

Spent the better part of the morning searching the local lumberyards, hardware stores and Borgs for fully threaded hex bolts--specifically

3/8-16x6 HD Galv. Evidently, no one carries them anymore, and one of the Borg sales staff told me he can't get 'em--something about they don't make 'em 'cause "they're not as strong as" those with just 1" of thread. (We both decided it was because it costs more to cut full thread bolts.) Even struck out at Fastenal, my usually can-do hardware place. Ended up having 'em cut up a 6' piece of SS all-thread, just so's I could use some mollies (toggle nuts) to attach an ACQ ledger to a clay tile foundation.

Seems like six months ago I could buy this stuff (even had one on hand from a previous job). What the hell's happened?

Dan

[Todd Fatheree]

McMaster-Carr is your friend. They seem a bit spendy, but they have a 10 pack in 18-8 stainless for $14.21. A quick perusal didn't locate it in galvanized. McMaster-Carr works great for me as they have a big warehouse right on the edge of the town I live in, so I can place an order online for Will Call pickup.

todd

[Bob]

I live in a big city (Houston) with lots of industry. But my experience mirrors yours, when I shop the consumer hardware outlets. I drive a few miles to large hardware store that caters to contractors. Their stock of nuts and bolts is incredible. I always buy a box of 100 when I go there. They carry full threaded hex bolts from 1/2" to 7" and also carry a full stock of metric. They constantly restock with new stuff.

My point is not to rub salt in the wound, but to make you aware that its BS when someone tells you its not made anymore.

Bob

[Dan Cullimore]

I didn't for a moment think "its not made anymore". But I gotta wonder why I can't get 'em here. It's not like I'm in the boonies, and the building industry (residential and commercial) is booming here.

Previous post mentioned McMaster-Carr, and I've seen them praised here before. I gotta get one o' their catalogs. I was surprised when Fastenal didn't stock the HD Galv. in their store (though they do deal more with industrial markets, not exterior construction). Previously, I've been able to get 'em at Lowes and HoDpo, and was real surprised they no longer carry 'em. Just frustratin' as hell.

Dan

[Rob Sluys]

Good luck. The way I understand it, getting on the mailing list for a M-C catalog is like getting season tickets to Lambeau Stadium: Your parents put you on the waiting list when you're born. That way when you get them you're old (maybe more accurately, young) enough to use it. Fortunately, they've got a good website.

~Rob

[Bob]

They've never been stocked at the Lowe's in Houston that I can remember. I honestly don't know how they sell the bolts they have. Its silly to have 1" of threads on a 6" bolt.

Bob

[Morris Dovey]

is another good place to order bolts online. I normally only use stainless; but I discovered that these people sell 18-8 SS bolts for less than a lot of places sell plain or galvanized.

[ajames54]

the borg also sell crap... I bought 8 6 inch Grade 8 bolts (160,000 psi minimum) for some structural steel work. in theory I could have made do with Grade 2 but thought for an extra few bucks why not.. I was able to torque the heads off two of them using a 3/8ths drive socket with a 10 inch handle (and no real effort on my part..)

the borgs comment when I took them back .. sorry exchange only...

since then I only shop the Borg when Quality does not matter.

[ajames54]

Crap I gotta re read my stuff before I Post

Please sub 150,000 psi for 160,000 and grade 5 for grade 2...