Buying fasteners

[Mr Ron]

The other day, I needed a certain size socket head cap screw and I knew HD or Lowes would not have them. I only needed a few of them as they are not the size I normally use. Generally, I would have to order a box of 100 from an online vendor like McMaster Carr. I have a Fastenal close by, so I went there. They had the size I needed and I could buy one or a thousand. I only needed 4 screws, so I bought 10 @ 3¢ apiece. If you have never shopped a Fastenal, they have the most extensive supply of fasteners available. They even carry drills, taps, countersinks, etc. If I order online, I have to pay S&H which often costs more than the item itself.

[whateg0]

Things must've changed at Fastenal. I haven't been in one in many years, but at the time, the one I went to didn't have what I needed, but could order it for a fortune. Never went back. I've been buying immediate-need stuff at Ace Hardware down the street and if I need quantity, I buy bolts by the pound at TSC and smaller stuff by the 1000 on Ebay. I guess there's 3 nearby. Maybe I'll stop in one day, but they all close at 5, so it would have to be a day I've already taken off of work.

Dave

[Harold_V]

Your experience(s) with Fastenal are all familiar. There's an outlet in a nearby town, where we do our weekly shopping. I've had wonderful experiences with them, as well as experiences that left a horrible taste in my mouth.

At first, they willingly sold less than a box, then policy changed and the price did, too. Only full box sales, and at unreasonable prices, often including added shipping costs (even when they might be shipped in conjunction with their stock deliveries).

On one occasion, I was able to buy the needed screws from McMaster Carr, including shipping, upgraded to stainless (that was a good thing for this application) for something like $6.00 less money than they wanted for the same item from Fastenal, but in steel, not stainless. You likely understand that stainless always costs more, so the difference was staggering.

They are a good source ---- but they need to settle on a business model and stick with it. I rarely darken their door these days. It's just a whole lot easier to find what I need online and have it shipped to me. Doing so generally doesn't cost any more, and it's quite convenient.

Thanks for the report. I need to stop by and investigate their current business model.

H

[RONALD]

Here are two that I buy from.

I bought 20,000 10x3/4 SS SMS screws to use as spikes on our RR, and I'm down to our last few hundred, have no idea what the price will be for 10,000 more; I may be shocked.

I also bought 15,000 #2 Drive Screws to use as rivets on my Turntables project, I'm building a girder bridge now, maybe I'll just have enough to get it finished?

http://www.infinityfast.com/

For small fasteners I buy from:

http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/p ... MSCHBS.cfm

[warmstrong1955]

We have a Fastenal here. Way too expensive to even McMaster Carr including the freight. I set up an account with them, to get a discount. A whopping 5%. Wow......
If I need something right away, sure, I will go to Fastenal, or one of the hardware stores. They do have a lot more inventory than anywhere else in town. But anything I can wait on, or for stock.....usually MSC.

Other thing about Fastenal, is if you order anything that is not stock, you will pay freight for it. Doesn't matter if it comes in on the same truck as their stock shipment, you will pay freight.

And, since I still have an account, I get emails on sales & specials all the time. Their sale prices are higher than Travers or MSC, or most anybody else's for that matter, regular prices.
I think they have too many Gov't contracts, like Graingers.

Bill

[mcostello]

I have been to two of them here. Wayyyy over priced, and will not sell less than a full box and both stores had jerks for employees.

[NP317]

When I was Maintenance Manager for the Seattle Center Monorail System, the local Fastenal salesman hounded me to set us an account with them. I finally did, but their pricing and response was so poor that I did most of my materials purchasing through a Seattle hardware business that was locally owned and operated.
No thank you, Fastenal.
~RN

[Glenn Brooks]

I’ve had mixed responses from local Fastenal stores here in the Seattle area. The one time I really needed an odd ball item, the lady at the counter of their biggest store gave it to me for free. Then at another store I paid way over the top for one each paint pen - the kind that marks on rusty steel. Paid something like $9 bucks for an item even the DYI places change $3. Crazy. Cured me of going to Fastenal.

One thing I did learn. Each store is independently owned. Some kind of franchise set up, with no intra store return policy, and no common purchasing network between each outlet. So I guess pricing is up to each store owner’s discreation.

Don’t see how they stay in business.

Glenn

[NP317]

Glenn:
I settled into a business purchasing habit with Tacoma Screw Products, even for my personal needs.
I started that habit in 1980 while rebuilding the 90-ton 3-truck Heisler in Tacoma, to launch the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad.
Continued through several steam locomotive restorations, and the Seattle Monorail restorations.
Would still, except I moved!
~RN

[earlgo]

There are 5 Fastenal stores near my location and I have never been to any of them. The local ACE has a wide selection of Hillman fasteners, by each or the box. A McMaster-Carr distribution center is closer than 4 of the 5 Fastenal stores, so there is not any reason to go to yet another store. McM is fast, efficient, no-hassle returns, and relatively inexpensive. Also it is fun to go into will-call and watch the stuff flowing down the conveyors.
--earlgo

[Mr Ron]

McMaster-Carr has always been my place to go, as they have EVERYTHING. There were 3 Fastenal stores near me and they combined into one location. I guess I just got lucky.

[Steggy]

I get most of what I need through McMaster-Carr. I haven't done business with Fastenal in some 13 years and likely will not ever darken their doors again. The two Fastenal stores with which I am familiar are over-priced and staffed by hostile people who wouldn't know a stripper bolt from Stormy Daniels. Plus a lot of their so-called high-strength fasteners are of Chinese origin and of dubious quality. I wouldn't use them to secure the seat to a toilet bowl, let alone in a critical application in which failure would be a catastrophe.

All-in-all, I consider Fastenal to be a loser outfit.