nuts and bolts-where to buy them

[burkhome]

We buy most common fasteners at one of the farm stores. When we need something a bit unusual we head for the local Ace Hardware. I think it may be better than some because it was originally a farm store before it became an Ace and they see things a little differently.
I usually have decent luck as well at Mennards for screws and stuff.
We also have an industrial fastener supply locally.
Then I hit the web but I try to buy as much as I can locally first.

This is the attitude that I like to hear about. If you give the locals a shot first, they will be there when you need that one 1/4-20 x 2" bolt.

[burkhome]

ok to be fair here is the complete story of shopping at my local stores.

I have gone to three ACE hardwares in my area.

all three didn't know what I was talking about, but I did take all three clerks over to plumbing and shown them what a t bolt looked like.

Toilet Bolt Set is used for securing toilet bowl to floor flange.

everyone said, they don't stock them in "nuts and bolt" so I brought it the toilet bolt set.

didn't need the extras pieces in the package, but threw them in the bucket at home.

of course since ACE has a policy of carrying 1 item of each, it took two ACE's to get two packs.

Home Depot was the same, showed the guy the stuff in plumbing, but not available in "nuts and bolts".

Order some on line from Rockler, with the shipping the cost is about the same and not in Bass as the toilet bolt sets are.

plan ahead and things end up costing the same.

Another depressing case!! Too many stores carry 1 on the hook. Cash flow is always a critical item in retail, but too many stores carry one caster when it takes 4 to do a job etc. I have been fortunate to have worked in successful stores through the years and always had plenty of inventory. Currently, if I miss a sale due to an empty hook, the store owner is jumping up and down on my head. His take on the situation is that inflation on inventory pays better than the nonexistent interest in a bank.