Folks Of Interest Anybody Else have a Bolt hoard or Bolt hoarding problem?

I look through an old box of bolts and I am still picking out A/N stuff (lockwire holes, etc) that ended up in my toolbox 35 years ago when I worked on aircraft. I used to think "I'll keep that one and use it on something really special", but as time goes along, I use anything & everything now. When I look back, and compared to all the new crap on the road, most of the stuff I built WAS "something special"!
I was at an auction and walking past a steel (1/4" plate) cabinet which they were having trouble getting $5 for. I bid $5 and got it. I thought it would be good to store small heavy stuff like heads, etc.. It was displayed with the doors open. When I went to load it up, I closed the doors which revealed 2 racks of fasteners (new & full) bolted to the sides!
You gotta win sometmes!

 

Hello,I'm Lucky and I've got a bolt problem.

 

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http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/94355-i-have-a-hobby-i-have-the-world-s-largest-collection

 

I'm like alot of other guys here , was raised by a Dad that grew up on a farm during the depression, my job was to empty the 5 gallon bucket of old fasteners onto a heavy cloth fender cover and search for bolts for my Dad while he was working on projects. That and hand him tools! About 20 years ago both of us got better organized and moved out of 5 gallon buckets into a metal bolt organizer like Rocky's for me, and clear plastic boxes with lids for Dad.

 

I pick stuff up off the street constantly, especially if it's stainless.

There was an article in Car Craft a few years back about a guy who had a really well laid out home garage. He saved all his bolts, nuts and washers and sent them out to have them coated. I always wanted to do that.

Any ideas on what to coat them with? - Zinc, nickel?

 

Before I throw anything away, whether kitchen items or car parts...I remove the bolts and screws, and put them into 'size' boxes appropriate. I don't have a lot of money to buy ''everything'' new or even the consideration of it...so I save bolts that are still good, and re-use them after inspection. My dad, and both grandfathers taught me to save bolts, screws, washers, etc....and it's saved me some big-time hassles over the years to have them on hand....so, that said:

"My name is Ray, and I am a bolt hoarder"............and I have a 20 year washer to prove it!

 

yep.........

 

Now I am adequately impressed!....with a considerate nod of appreciation

 

Ok, you win.....

 

I'm glad I save this stuff. It's helped me out so many times. My mom has said to me so many times, "Michael, walk with your head up, you're going to get bad posture". But I'm actually looking for stuff. Lol.
She's says I got it from my grandfather who was in the war and a farmer who had to save and reuse everything

 

This is awesome!

 

I also have a problem. The cabinet on the right is just for normal everyday fasteners. I have all of my O.E.M type hardware in separate organized little totes.

 

Bolt hoarding problem? Are you nuts!? Why would I have such a thing since I have a multitude of organized bins I keep them in.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I thought I did but after reading this thread I can see I'm just getting started.

 

I have a few myself

DSCF2968 by Skip Albright, on Flickr

in amongst the wremches

DSCF2971 by Skip Albright, on Flickr

 

Graybeard down the street gave me 4 lids off of cardbord drums covered with assorted hardware I sorted out - nuts and washers left in the lids, bolts stored in plastic peanut butter jars. One of the BEST gifts I've ever recieved for my garage. For all the trips uptown and TIME saved (figure a hour to wash up, lock up, drive to a store and dig through the thrashed bins, return home) for me and my neighbors, it is like GOLD for all the times that collection got us out of the shit!

Gawd I HATE shopping for hardware at the box stores, bins trashed and poorly stocked. Auto stores are WORSE - packaged 'rice hardware' priced 2-3x more than it's worth. BLESSED is the old store with the orange DORMAN bins - if they stock them decent. ALWAYS a hour lost uptown...

LOVE plastic peanut butter jars for storage, and helping out a neighbor with a couple pieces...

 

I have never considered it as hoarding, just common sense to keep a stock of fasteners...I also grew up on a farm, Miles from civilization, and we always fixed stuff with what was at hand.




My stash is not as organised as some of you specialists here, however I know what is there and what sector it is in.
Someone made a comment yesterday regarding seeing a particular bolt while trawling cubic feet of similar bolts and recognizing one from a particular part of a particular car from 30 Years ago...Yep.


I also have UNC and UNF in increments from 3/4" long through to 6"" long, all grade 5, plus metric fine and coarse from M5 through to M12...plus nuts and washers





Brass fittings are a thing that is getting harder to find at the store, as all our work is related to chrome bumper cars, we are always searching for that special part, whether fuel line fitting or heater plumbing...I have several buckets of them...

 

No-one yet has mentioned B.A. Fasteners (British Association). I have a hoard of these, but I only use occasionaly. It helps when you have a B.A. Tap and die set too.

 

Oh the hardware most certainly has to match, even if it can't be seen after assembly. On my Ford, almost every nut, bolt and washer is new or old ones that have been cleaned up. Got some wrong hardware from Ace Hardware? I keep all of that. I never take anything back.

 

I also never take back bolts or hardware that I do not use,you never know when its going to be needed and usually a waste of gas taking it back since the bolt will be needed in a couple days.

 

Lol. To make matters worse is here in busy Los Angeles area all the good hardware stores (good ol Mom and Pop) have been gobbled up by the big box stores. Try finding a bolt there !

 

There's an Orchard Supply near me that is actually farther away than Lowes and Home Depot, more often than not, I'll get what I need at OS, they have a good selection of grade 8 fasteners, and yes, most are offshore sourced, seems the case with most of the big boxers.

 

The latter two took out our OSH. And yes they have good stuff. I just have to drive further just like you now.

 

Yea, Johnny, I puckered a little back when I first got that news, thinking OSH would mirror the dismal sitch at those two places. So far, it seems they haven't messed with a good thing.
Fortunately, most of the other home repair supplies are "usually" well stocked.

 

I'm not a hoarder like you guys, but I do have a couple cans of Chevrolet nuts and bolts from 1949 through 1959 from cars I parted out.

 

I keep old bolts when I take things apart they come in handy. I like to say that it makes me frugal and I did earn from people who lived through the great depression, but maybe it just makes me a hoarder.

 

As a 25 year Body Shop owner , I saved all the extra bolts and Mldg clips & electric items etc. from hundreds if not thousands of jobs. retired now but can't make myself toss any of it out. I have 3 more liftop workbenches like these which are not pictured

 

Have always saved nuts, bolts & fasteners too but my stash doesn't hold a candle to some of these. Just not having to run to the store for a bolt makes it worthwhile. When I do buy bolts I always get a couple extra for inventory. Same way with nails and screws. Never know when you might need one. Drives my wife crazy!

 

Dave, good idea under the bench tops. Wouldn't work for me though, by the time I unloaded the top of the bench to get access I could have driven to the factory for new ones. Ha,ha. Besides, I have purposely not put any benches against the walls of my shop because my dad has them in his shop and all sorts of things get thrown under the bench and not seen again for years. I have a big 4 x 8 welding bench near one end of my shop and if I need more bench space I throw a piece of plywood on a couple of horses. I'll get some pictures of my hardware inventory tonight.

 

hoarder with OCD