Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm tired of paying $7/lb at local places for regular Grade 5 bolts/nuts/washers. So I started looking online and I really like the pricing at https://www.wholesalebolts.com.

Anyone found any cheaper online source?

Oscar wrote:I'm tired of paying $7/lb at local places for regular Grade 5 bolts/nuts/washers. So I started looking online and I really like the pricing at https://www.wholesalebolts.com.

Anyone found any cheaper online source?

I use McMaster for almost all fasteners. Looking at the site you posted, McMaster is tad more expensive but they pretty much have every option/flavor of fastener you could think of, and a lot of times it's delivered in just a day or two. Also one of the few places to find uncoated, plain steel fasteners when needed.

Yea McMaster is awesome as I'm sure everyone,knows about them,, but for plain Jane gr 5 bolts,,I haven't found anything cheaper.

Spartan wrote:I use McMaster for almost all fasteners.

One of my favorite vendors, great customer service, quick ship, I can sometimes get the stuff the next day when I order it. I get shipments from the L.A. branch, but even still I'm amazed they get me stuff so fast.

Spartan wrote:Also one of the few places to find uncoated, plain steel fasteners when needed.

It is where I got those stainless flange nuts I welded on to my welding cart build for the rear wheels. I got the axle bolts there also, as well as the dry lubricated bronze axle bushings. It is my goto vendor, and to top it off, the website is one of the easiest to search and find stuff, IMO.

TraditionalToolworks wrote: It is my goto vendor, and to top it off, the website is one of the easiest to search and find stuff, IMO.

yea, amazon could take lesson from them

LtBadd wrote:

TraditionalToolworks wrote: It is my goto vendor, and to top it off, the website is one of the easiest to search and find stuff, IMO.

yea, amazon could take lesson from them

Amazon made $12 billion in profit in 2019, and will probably double that for 2020 due to Covid. They need lessons from no one.

Spartan wrote:Amazon made $12 billion in profit in 2019, and will probably double that for 2020 due to Covid. They need lessons from no one.

Probably true, but they don't get too much of my business and I look most everywhere I can before buying from them. I don't subscribe to Prime either, that's how they get people locked into buying from them.

I find their tactics pretty poor in regard to business ethics, and lately there's a flood of 3rd party vendors located and shipping in China...I can most often find the same product on Ebay with free shipping for less and with the majority of items able to ship in USPS, I usually get my product in a couple days...not always but often. That holds true for many of Amazon's 3rd party vendors who will ship USPS. I find many of the products I want on Amazon are not actually sold by Amazon, this is especially true of welding products...some of those vendors are not quick shippers. Caveat Emptor!

I agree with both of you, Richard's point was that Amazon could take some lessons from Amazon, he didn't mean turning profits, he meant in regard to customer service and ease of searching on the website. I agree with him 200%.

I agree with you, as far as turning profits Amazon knows how to do it. Problem is the customer has to put up with their website and business tactics.

I prefer Fastenal for my smaller nuts and bolts. I tend to use SS over plain steel hardware, just because of how much I hate rust. I can buy bags of 50 or 100, at about the plain steel prices at 'hardware' stores.
If I only need a few items of a given size, they won't break a bag, but will order them custom. The 'each' price is almost as good, and they are here(at the store) in a couple of days.
Become a known regular customer, and the prices improve, compared to being 'just a walk in'.

VA-Sawyer wrote:I prefer Fastenal for my smaller nuts and bolts. I tend to use SS over plain steel hardware, just because of how much I hate rust. I can buy bags of 50 or 100, at about the plain steel prices at 'hardware' stores.
If I only need a few items of a given size, they won't break a bag, but will order them custom. The 'each' price is almost as good, and they are here(at the store) in a couple of days.
Become a known regular customer, and the prices improve, compared to being 'just a walk in'.

I have a fastenal here, but I just don't need any of their stuff at any rate resembling "frequent", so the odds of me becoming a regular are slim to none. So even then, you're still paying "hardware store prices" which are pretty exorbitant if you ask me (albeit for a better bolt, but I don't need SS). So basically what I'm saying is, I'm not going to wait 1 year, spend a few thousand dollars, just to become a "regular" just to get better pricing simple bolts when I can order them online already at lower prices. Hopefully that makes sense.

VA-Sawyer wrote:I tend to use SS over plain steel hardware, just because of how much I hate rust.

Me too, and there are much less concerns with welding it than zinc or other coated.

I think we all have our own way, I don't worry about prices on nuts and bolts, they're like consumables to me. I just go buy what I need and get a few extra to have some stock.

My biggest problem is getting the correct sizes I need, local stores (HD and Lowes is the only ones these days) don't stock over like 9/16" and I tend to need bigger stuff on a regular basis.

McMaster-Carr works for me. I have a local place called Olander, similar to Fastenel. We do have Fastenel and Grainger, but prices are pretty high so I tend to avoid them. Problem with Olander is they always want to sell a box, not a half or full dozen. McMaster-Carr is typically easier to find what I need and get a reasonable price on it. McMaster-Carr tends to get US made nuts and bolts whenever possible, that's another thing I detest is imported nuts and bolts.... Stuff like replacing set screws on lathe holders, I want quality set screws. That's the whole reason I'm replacing them.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:

Spartan wrote:Amazon made $12 billion in profit in 2019, and will probably double that for 2020 due to Covid. They need lessons from no one.

Probably true, but they don't get too much of my business and I look most everywhere I can before buying from them. I don't subscribe to Prime either, that's how they get people locked into buying from them.

Of course just as I typed that I ordered a couple things Amazon tonight... I did get free shipping, but big deal...

Trust me, I did check on ebay but couldn't find what I wanted...

TraditionalToolworks wrote:I agree with you, as far as turning profits Amazon knows how to do it. Problem is the customer has to put up with their website and business tactics.

Spartan,

Wanted to back up my comment about business tactics that Amazon uses, and I was reminded of it last night.

The product I was buying was free shipping, it wasn't fulfilled by Amazon, but by Strong Hand Tools. Even though it was free shipping, by default Amazon check the box to pay for shipping, which would have gotten it to me on next Thurs. For free shipping it said it would get to me by Friday.

This is really one of the sleazy tactics I don't like about Amazon, the way they try to deceive the user.

Another way is drop shipping from the vendor even when they are stated as fulfilling the item. And yet another deceptive tactic is encouraging people to get free shipping but if you don't sign up for Prime, letting the product sit in the warehouse until they feel like shipping it.

But the one area I want to point out about McMaster-Carr, which has nothing to do with business practice is when you search for an item. Items are by far easier to find on McMaster-Carr, and you can go into the pages and select sizes and QTY much easier than most sites. For any type of nuts and bolts, McMaster-Carr has the easiest website to navigate and find the product you want in the QTY that best suits your needs.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:

TraditionalToolworks wrote:I agree with you, as far as turning profits Amazon knows how to do it. Problem is the customer has to put up with their website and business tactics.

Spartan,

Wanted to back up my comment about business tactics that Amazon uses, and I was reminded of it last night.

The product I was buying was free shipping, it wasn't fulfilled by Amazon, but by Strong Hand Tools. Even though it was free shipping, by default Amazon check the box to pay for shipping, which would have gotten it to me on next Thurs. For free shipping it said it would get to me by Friday.

This is really one of the sleazy tactics I don't like about Amazon, the way they try to deceive the user.

Another way is drop shipping from the vendor even when they are stated as fulfilling the item. And yet another deceptive tactic is encouraging people to get free shipping but if you don't sign up for Prime, letting the product sit in the warehouse until they feel like shipping it.

But the one area I want to point out about McMaster-Carr, which has nothing to do with business practice is when you search for an item. Items are by far easier to find on McMaster-Carr, and you can go into the pages and select sizes and QTY much easier than most sites. For any type of nuts and bolts, McMaster-Carr has the easiest website to navigate and find the product you want in the QTY that best suits your needs.

Agreed that McMaster is much easier to find things online. As far as Amazon, I've really never had any issues with them or seen anything I would call sleazy. However, I've also been a Prime member for at least 10 years, so that may make for a different experience regarding shipping and fulfillment.

During the 10 year period I did cancel my Prime membership once because I thought it may not be worth the cost. I reinstated it probably within two weeks, though

It's well worth it, IMO.

I don't like the search function on Amazon at all, very poor. But I do like same day, next day deliveries and they have treated me well.
I do like shopping on McMaster Carr, what might I find this time...

Tractor supply

BugHunter wrote:Tractor supply

Yup, I saw that recommendation previously, and it turns out they are indeed the cheapest @ $3.29/lb and with no shipping of course.

Oscar wrote:

BugHunter wrote:Tractor supply

Yup, I saw that recommendation previously, and it turns out they are indeed the cheapest @ $3.29/lb and with no shipping of course.

My local TS has quite a nice selection.

I didn't see it mentioned previous. MSC, McMaster and especially fastenal, are closer to $50/lb. Lol

Also, if you have one locally, check Surplus City.

BugHunter wrote:I didn't see it mentioned previous. MSC, McMaster and especially fastenal, are closer to $50/lb. Lol

I'm pretty sure I get ripped off buying at McMaster-Carr as I can't remember buying by the pound, but it's such an enjoyable experience I don't mind it one iota. I buy by individual, 5-pk, 10-pk, box of 25 or box of 100, AFAIK. I have never seen anything listed by the pound at Home Depot, Olander, McMaster-Carr or MSC. I only shop at MSC when I'm desperate to buy something I can't find anywhere else. Not a big fan of them or Grainger.

I just ordered from McMaster this past week. One of the items I purchased were some .047 dowel pins. https://www.mcmaster.com/98381A984/ a pack of 5 is $7.87. They weigh a few grams. I'm pretty sure those work out to about $1,000 a pound.

check out bolt depot seems very cheap can buy 1 bolt or packages

Camaro77 wrote:check out bolt depot seems very cheap can buy 1 bolt or packages

I did. For online, wholesalebolts beats their prices actually. But since I do have a Tractor Supply I'll be going there unless it's a size I want and they don't have, then I'll order from wholesalebolts.com