[TR] Bolts: This is nuts!

[TERRY SMITH]

Ah, the tractor is a 1953 Ford Jubilee.  Chose it because, like the Triumph, most all parts are available after market, and those few that aren't are available used. The attached photo is after rebuilding the carb, engine and transmission, re-assembling them all, sand blasting and applying the first coat of paint (needed two) using the inexpensive but actually pretty terrific Harbor Freight spray gun.  We have 38 acres here, about 25 of which we can't access because of a stream that intersects the property.  I can cross it with a tractor, though.  Lots of firewood down out there.  

And I thought the TR3 was simple to work on....  

> On April 10, 2020 at 8:28 AM Alex & Janet Thomson <aljlthomson at charter.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>     Terry – Here’s a question. What kind of a machine are you restoring? I have found that sometimes unusual hardware, such as metric carriage bolts, is relatively inexpensive from the machine dealer. I do mean sometimes! Other times, it seems like legalized extortion. For many years, I was always of the opinion that I would buy box quantities of whatever I needed since it was about 60% of the individual cost. Maybe not for things such as cylinder head bolts but for common 3/8” x 4” and other sizes that you might use for hay wagon construction and other farm construction was a no-brainer. An auction at an iron working shop 30 years ago (structural steel erection) provided me with about 1000 lbs. or more of ¾, 7/8, 1, 1 ¼, and 1 ½” bolts of various lengths for $250 – that was a steal. These days, I admit, I think twice before buying large quantities of fasteners. McMaster-Carr is very inexpensive for a lot of things. Special sized snap rings are about a tenth of the cost from Deere. O-rings are the same way. A package of 100 from McMaster costs about the same as a package of 10 from Motion Industries after you look at some of the crazy shipping prices.
> 
>      
> 
>     Alex Thomson
> 
>     2 Triumphs
> 
>     About 8 Deeres – 1939 – 2008
> 
>     1 Case
> 
>     1 Farmall
> 
>      
> 
>     From: Triumphs [mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of TERRY SMITH
>     Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2020 2:53 PM
>     To: triumphs
>     Subject: [TR] Bolts: This is nuts!
> 
>      
> 
>     It's a family discussion whenever anyone wants/needs to leave the house for obvious reasons.  So instead of running to the hardware store to pick up some grade 8 bolts for my tractor restoration, I'm having to look at what I can order online.
> 
>      
> 
>     My first thought was McMaster-Carr.  Found what I need, but I don't need 25 3/8ths bolts 1 1/4 inches long.  What I need are four to eight of various sizes and threads.  
> 
>      
> 
>     Anybody have a preferred online source for quality-to-cost bolts?    
> 
>      
> 
>     Terry Smith, '59 TR3A
> 
>     New Hampshire
> 
>      
> 
>      
> 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20200410/19924458/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: DSC_0002.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1642143 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20200410/19924458/attachment.jpe>