Subject: [Shop-talk] Nuts and Bolts

From: Jeff Scarbrough <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:46:07 -0400

Here's a question for discussion...What do you do with all the old
nuts and bolts you collect?

Do you throw them in one big coffee can?  Sort them somehow? Or
(gasp!) toss them and buy new whenever you need them?

Been cleaning the shop today, and pondering buying one of those HF
tumblers and polishing all my old hardware...

Jeff Scarbrough
Corrosion Acres, Ga.
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From: Tim <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 18:22:27 -0400 (EDT)

I save anything usable, try to sort it out by bolt, nut, washer, etc. 
and (because of this "horde") have used Datsun bolts on my 71 Jeep as 
well as two different toyotas.

[email-masked]

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From: "Mike" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 15:55:06 -0700 s=q20121106; t=1376866505; bh=FETXh/BRF5I9od1r9AEAfN2xIPr51xObMiCh1FEyXxs=; h=Received:Received:Message-ID:From:To:Subject:Date:MIME-Version: Content-Type; b=lORjSuEwLzWEbYcKC2PZDBFrfggDXZolK0gYasMfqUH967euZ6UxTBYvr1tGqF9W5 2S+rBUS8UuIe1Ya+uI2pOfmiXa6Bx8Ic31b+U+AH2HUFvE72ahIXA331iB61+Nd6mR ClKXi9qG/dJxS1UhnZqFAP5mqqv9CPfq0j7T0kyh+kVbpDELMt47nNVG4Usyp8CVql 1gXsCayBqzCWwKDNx/ctiWR2w5jq2iCHg/kA6xp8Zrwsm0jhZXGYEcj4TkDvuRuG9u KU+ES0JFo/QvYVyKSGq5OETNrx0yHG+2GObo/JhI6nMn+qC3/NxrNlpn0TH5q7D0I9 1L9x9surOirxw==

I only save the ones I will never need.

Mike
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim" <[email-masked]>
To: "Shop Talk" <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 3:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Nuts and Bolts

>I save anything usable, try to sort it out by bolt, nut, washer, etc. and 
>(because of this "horde") have used Datsun bolts on my 71 Jeep as well as 
>two different toyotas.
>
>
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From: Todd Walke <[email-masked]> mail.com> localhost.scooter.p.blarg.net
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 16:08:57 -0700

I use several medium-size tupperware containers.  I like them 
because the lids fit tight, less likely to accidentally spill the contents.
         I don't have so much extra hardware that I sort by thread size, 
etc.  One each for Nuts, Bolts, Washers, Wood Screws, Machine Screws, Pop 
Rivets.  One for Other, with some oddballs that don't fit in the other 
categories.

Todd
Seattle,WA
'86 GTI, Red of course. (exciting racey car) 276,000 miles
'01 Golf TDI, silver.   (new work car)       420,000 miles
'87 Golf, Polar Silver. (retired work car)   654,000 miles <- Gone to a new 
home :(
http://www.pureluckdesign.com <-Ferrari & VW stuff
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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 18:23:41 -0700

> Here's a question for discussion...What do you do with all 
> the old nuts and bolts you collect?

For the largest portion of them (in standard shapes & sizes), I sort them
out into drawers.  I've got several shelves full of metal drawers salvaged
from a previous employer who was closing a business area; plus quite a few
of the smaller cabinets with the plastic drawers.

Then some of the oddball stuff is in coffee cans, sorted roughly by where it
came from.  At some level though, I just throw them away.  The odds of my
ever needed the funky threaded peg for the shift linkage on a POS car that
blew up 10 years ago just aren't high enough to merit keeping it; even
though it would be difficult to replace if I ever did need one.

I've got "Screw to Win", and I might take Carroll's advice if I only ever
built race cars.  But when I'm just replacing the leg on the BBQ grille,
Grade 5 is a waste and I'm more interested in not having to make a trip to
the hardware store to find that M6x1x64 screw that fits.  ISTR that
somewhere towards the back of the book, he also admits that high tensile
isn't always necessary.

-- Randall 

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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 21:53:02 -0700

> My Grade 5 bolts cost a buck thirty more than grade 2 PER 
> POUND!  Gosh, that must be nearly a nickel each for a decent bolt!

Yeah, but how much does it cost in fuel and time to drive to the store to
pick up just one bolt?  Especially at 5:55 on Sunday, when the store closes
at 6.  If they even have the right size in stock.

And the BBQ grille will never know the difference.  I could put a mil-spec
titanium bolt in there, and it would grill just the same.

-- Randall 

[email-masked]

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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 04:54:09 -0700

> AND your Chinese 
> bolt will likely
> fatigue-strip and dump your T-bone in the dirt tomorrow

The trick is in knowing if a fastener is adequate for the job.  Some
applications, even Grade 8 won't cut the mustard (5 is actually pretty
soft); but sometimes even old pasta will do.  That particular bolt has been
doing it's job for some 30 years now, so I really doubt it will fail
tomorrow.

-- Randall 

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From: Randall <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 21:58:28 +0000

> Those of you that are "recycling", what are you doing before you file them 
> away ... 

Basically nothing, except maybe a spritz of preservative oil if I think it's called for (removed wet or showing signs of rust).  Then I'll clean as much as necessary when it comes out for use, which usually isn't much (for me).  Most of the stuff I save doesn't get used for "cosmetic" purposes.  (I'm one of those guys with the engine compartment done in rattle-can black instead of the "correct" body color.)

Randall

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