Saving nuts and bolts

[DickDastardly40]

Hello Group, my name is Al and I am a Pack Rat! (amongst other things)

When going on a rummage through my come in handy boxes and trays or even somebody elses tool box (with their permission of course), I say out loud, 'OK looking for a 3/8 UNC nut/cross head screwdriver' when really I'm looking for a 3/8 UNF nut or a flat screw driver. That way at least I know the first thing I'll pick up which looks adjacent won't be what I asked for but possibly what I'm looking for! More often the nut'll be metric and the thing with a handle a nut spinner.

[Prokop]

I was looking in there a while back and found a skate key.

That brings back a memory. My dad - apparently it is a family curse - long time ago found in his stuff skate key and used it as a wall clock key, it fitted the clock like a glove.

[x39]

My problem is when I am rebuilding something I tend to still want to use new fasteners cause its just nicer.

I do the same, and to make matters worse I always buy a few extras.

[ptjw7uk]

Only problem I have found with scavenging is that as someone else has said you never have the right number for the job and when in a hurry they all run and hide themselves. Very annoying as I remember that I have the things but not where I put them mind you still better than the lerge tin full of assorted odds and sods that takes an age to find that what you require is not in there.
Peter

[smiller6912]

An interesting phenomena is, no matter what I am looking for today, I will always find what I was looking for yesterday. So, whatever you need, just be sure to look for something else.

[davidh]

lets face it we are a bunch of pack rats. . . . the whole lot of us. i have three buildings full of crap i will never probably use. . . i just say it will all be fun for the widow at the auction. . . . .watch for the flier. . .

[Rustybolt]

I work for a company that puts locktight on fasteners, by the tens of thousands to millions. most of the stuff is automotive, but there are occaisonally socket head screws of various sizes, along with other standard stuff. Everything that falls on the floor is dumped . I have a LOT of fasteners. Most with locktight on them.

[JRouche]

lets face it we are a bunch of pack rats. . . . the whole lot of us. i have three buildings full of crap i will never probably use. . . i just say it will all be fun for the widow at the auction. . . . .watch for the flier. . .

And couldnt be a more true statement.. We ALL have a shop full of stuff that will be "given" the the lucky soul who happens upon our survivors in their time of need. Their time of need to clear our junk outta the garage or other space to make room for the new car they just bought LOL

We should have a calling list and a provision in the will, ok what will Haaa The provision is a member of the group here gets first stab, not at the survivor mind you, but at the bounty to be had. I would rather see one of you guys get my junk for a penny than the local "ebay it on up" scrounge. JRouche

Lessee, the black cabinet has about ten grand in brand new carbide inserts, go for that one first. Then the red cabinet with the end mills, dont forget that one... The monarch can be had for a hundred if you haul the red and black cabinet off for free!!! I see it already..

[Rustybolt]

We should have a calling list
I told my wife that in the end everything goes to my nephews(my daughters aren't interested) Anything left over goes to the dump.

[Orrin]

I always strip all the fasteners from everything that I discard or send to the recycler, especially the wee little metric ones. I don't think it would be and exaggeration to say that they've come to the rescue hundreds of times. In fact, I don't ever remember when they didn't.

It may take a few minutes to sort through the bins to find what I need; but, it takes less time to do that than to make a special trip into town, often to come up empty.

An elderly friend of mine keeps an old coal shovel in his shop. Whenever he needs to rummage around for a fastener he dumps them out onto the shovel. When he's done he merely dumps the shovel back into his coffee can, or whatever. Of course, a dust-pan might work just as well, but for him the shovel works best.

Regards,

Orrin

[Prokop]

Coffee cans at the landfill

I have seen them more than once. Coffee cans with lids and labels full of sorted fasteners, electrical nuts (btw, overseas we use bus bars in electrical boxes, plastic electrical nuts drive me nuts) small brackets and such.

Apparently dumping grandpa's junk nobody wanted.