Nuts to This

[airportops]

I found the perfect size bolt only to discover that it was a 1/4X28 thread! WHAT? why would anyone make a 28thread?? Oh well, being too embarrassed to go over to the Cut and Shoot Hardware for one nut, even though now when I do that they just wave their hand and say - take it and go away, I began the "I know there's one here somewhere" search. Then it occurred to me that I have a fortune tied up in miscellaneous hardware. You can't throw this stuff away, that's unthinkable! What have you all done with your stuff? As it stands now my son is going to inherit three generations of miscellaneous hardware, and while he does drive a Willys it is only because that was stenciled on the hood of his new Jeep truck!!

 

[Stakebed]

Terry, tsk tsk tsk. A man of your years should have separated and organized those bolts by size and thread count already.

My Father did that in his sixties, after he retired.

 

[JABJEEP]

Yup! As soon as I retirted, I spent nearly 6 weeks just organizing hardware and the shop in general, including what I inherited from my Grandfather and father. We learned that my disabled son was able to sort and distinguish the small electrical terminals better than anyone else so I literally dumped a pail of them on the kitchen table for him to sort. The experience actually helped us find a job he could do with other people like him. Over the years, my employer scrapped literally tons of various sized oraganizer drawers and cabinets that I collected over the years and finally put to good use. Yes, it took six weeks, but has been worth much more than that in time saved when I need something. As you know, when you need it, you need it now, not later, when you have time to look for it! The only regrets are that I used cheap lables and most have fallen off the bins, making me look through all sorts of bins for the proper catagory or parts, but the common nuts and bolts go by size so it's not too difficult to find stuff. In some things I have more stock than the local hardware store. And yes, I still have coffee cans full of rusty used stuff that often gets used for all sorts of stuff that doesn't warrent new hardware, but even that is somewhat sorted by size and catagory.

 

[airportops]

Yup! As soon as I retirted, I spent nearly 6 weeks just organizing hardware and the shop in general, including what I inherited from my Grandfather and father. We learned that my disabled son was able to sort and distinguish the small electrical terminals better than anyone else so I literally dumped a pail of them on the kitchen table for him to sort. The experience actually helped us find a job he could do with other people like him. Over the years, my employer scrapped literally tons of various sized oraganizer drawers and cabinets that I collected over the years and finally put to good use. Yes, it took six weeks, but has been worth much more than that in time saved when I need something. As you know, when you need it, you need it now, not later, when you have time to look for it! The only regrets are that I used cheap lables and most have fallen off the bins, making me look through all sorts of bins for the proper catagory or parts, but the common nuts and bolts go by size so it's not too difficult to find stuff. In some things I have more stock than the local hardware store. And yes, I still have coffee cans full of rusty used stuff that often gets used for all sorts of stuff that doesn't warrent new hardware, but even that is somewhat sorted by size and catagory.

THANKS Jeff, that's a way better response than I figured on! I kind of got started organizing with a cup full of washers and that has really saved some time. Now I believe I might be ready to get to work on the rest of it, even though one container will have to be labelled - What the Heck is this!

 

[airportops]

Terry, tsk tsk tsk. A man of your years should have separated and organized those bolts by size and thread count already.

My Father did that in his sixties, after he retired.

Hey there Joe, I plan of retiring in a year or two so I still have that excuse for now

 

[Stakebed]

Hey there Joe, I plan of retiring in a year or two so I still have that excuse for now

You are ocho y uno años and you're still working!!?

 

[Tralehead]

1/4-28 is a common size. Get 4 extra in s.s. then send them to me. I need to replace the ones on my wagon heater!

 

[JABJEEP]

SS? That's a separate bin. In fact, since I don't have that much of it, it's just a bin full of SS hardware. Sorry to disappoint!

 

[airportops]

You are ocho y uno años and you're still working!!?

Tu apuestas - I took over for Dad when he was 89, this gig is too good to pass up. Besides I need the county maintenance shop to keep both of my Willys out of the elements; and it beats watching television!!

 

[Blue Duck]

You are ocho y uno años and you're still working!!?

That’s about 4 score and 1!!

 

[skratch]

Yep, I even have one can marked "old rusty bent nails".

 

[Lookout Ranch]

Yep, I even have one can marked "old rusty bent nails".

My dad grew up in the Great Depression and straightened, saved and re-used bent nails.

 

[JABJEEP]

My dad grew up in the Great Depression and straightened, saved and re-used bent nails.

Mine too. We’re still finding coffee cans full of them in my mom’s garage and basement.

 

[Davidgreen59]

Mine dad also. This is one thing he did that I don’t. Although sometimes I feel wasteful throwing away bent nails still.

 

[skratch]

When you grow up poor everything has value.

 

[RunThruDaJungle]

A couple years ago I got several wood pallets for the wood. I saved every nail! Comes from growing up and later working in remote places where a trip to a hardware store was a big ordeal.

 

[airportops]

A couple years ago I got several wood pallets for the wood. I saved every nail! Comes from growing up and later working in remote places where a trip to a hardware store was a big ordeal.

Yep, kind of like going to the hardware store in Cut and Shoot Texas

 

[sierracat]

I have buckets cans and boxes of bolts and brackets scattered all over the place. when I need something, I spend hours in search of because I know I have it some ware I tried setting up bins and now I can't find the bins and I know they are some wares. Why bother

 

[david0225]

My dad grew up in the Great Depression and straightened, saved and re-used bent nails.

That was my first ‘job’ for my grandfather when I was a kid in the late 70’s. Still have the can and use them once in a while.
David

 

[david0225]

I’ve lived in this house for just shy of 30 years. With the garage attached to the house, winter is difficult to get any work done that requires primer or paint. So, last winter, I made the wood boxes from scrap left over from previous projects. Bought the steel cabinet and spent a month cleaning and organizing hardware. I’ve saved more time than I care to mention not having to dump coffee cans out to find bolts.
David