Box of bolts, screws, nuts and washers

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by briblack

one thing I wish I'd known when I started into this . . .
don't use hardware store stainless (18-8, 304) on deck.

Yep, yet I hear all the time "But the SS is so much cheaper at the box stores".

[Chuck Hawley]

In the US, there are a variety of good sources for SS fasteners online, many of which will have metric as well as SAE sizes. They are SO much cheaper in standard packages of 50 or 100.

Ancor
Fastenal
Jamestown Distributors

Nuts and washers are pretty easy; it gets more difficult to figure out which machine screws (bolts) you'll need due to the different diameters, lengths, head styles and drives (philips, etc.) I think, as others have suggested, that you need to look at the fasteners used on your boat.

Does your boat consistently use oval head screws, or flat head screws? That would be a helpful distinction to reduce your choices.

There are some applications where steel bolts might be used like propeller couplings, or alternator brackets or the like, generally associated with your engine.

Cheers,

Chuck

[mariner-dovb]

Hello rwoodnz, Europe is not homogenous in availability of hardware. You won't have a problem in countries like Netherlands, Germany, France, Denmark, but in the southern part it's different. Amazon and eBay work, as long as You have a valid shipping adress.
In any case, such a set of bolts and nuts won't help You, if You are not accustomed to work with such things.
In case You're doing most or all installaitions and repairs Yourself, You just get some more hardware than You really need for a specific job, and keep the surplus. So finally you will have your collection of materials and tools specific for Your boat and You will know how to use it.
Greetings
nw

[oleman]

mcmastercarr.com has an excellent supply of hardware. They had bronze 3/8 -16 cover bolts for our OLD raw water filter housing. They are USA based but appear to ship WW.

[Nicholson58]

In the US we buy a lot of SS stuff from McMaster Carr on line. They also carry cordage, cable, shackles etc. I think some chandlers might have assortment boxes. The boat yard where we kept the boat while working on the hard had vast junk pots of SS to be recycled. It was a good source of usable fasteners and things at little or no cost. For years, I have always walked the yards with my head down. Lots of scrap in the dirt.

[Mark Thurlow]

One solution is to carry metre lengths of M4 to M12 316 threaded rod. Cut to length and use a locknut to form the bolt end.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by rwoodnz

I'm looking to source a box of marine grade bolts, screws, nuts and washers to have on board the boat so a prepared for misc repairs.
Am in Europe. My google skills are not getting me far this time. Amazon and Ebay are proving particularly useless. I don't really need 1000 assorted washers or 500 bolts without nuts lol.
Any suggestions?

Perhaps it is an advantage in having an older boat but over the years I have collected enough to fill a couple plastic sorting trays with such things plus buying a couple trays from West Marine during their sales. I do keep a small magnet in one tray to test the items for being s.s.

I never throw away a screw, bolt, nut, etc. I find, particularly in a marina, and when an item is replaced I cannibalize all usable fasteners for some future use before throwing it away.

When a previous boat of mine was broken into, one of the things they stole was my collection of fasteners...that really pissed me off...I had to start all over again!

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Cheechako]

Well, too bad you are in Europe, I'd make you up a box cheap as I have 3 drawers of them.

[wingssail]

You might find an assortment you like, google: Nut and bolt assortment stainless steel.

But otherwise you need to do the tedious. Go to some hardware stores and buy some. Take a list. Then, whenever you need something, buy some extras, and whenever you take something apart, keep the old nuts and bolts.

Be prepared to never have exactly the right thing for the first few years.

I have 6 bins, 2x12x6 inches for stainless. I'd carry more but there is not room. This does not include pipe parts, electrical parts, rivets or shackles..

Here is a list of categories I use:

Wood screws-flat head various sizes and lengths
Machine screws flat head various sizes and lengths including nuts and washers
Machine screws round head various sizes and lengths including nuts and washers
Hex head bolts of various sizes and lengths including nuts and washers
Nuts and washers separate, including aircraft nuts, finishing washers, flat washers fender washers, etc.

Also some specialty screws including allen headed, plus some huge bolts, lag screws, eyebolts, etc. Also an assortment of brass stuff.

I have a couple of small zip lock bags of tiny tiny screws.

I have metric and imperial.

I keep everything I have room for.

[Reefmagnet]

Not to change course too much in this thread, but I'd like to note that aside from nuts and bolts and screws to be carried as spares, the other very useful pieces of kit are a collection of electrical terminals, an O-ring set, gasket paper and a small collection of various glues. Emery cloth is also worth it's weight in gold at times, too.

[MarkSF]

Our independent local marine chandlery sells fasteners individually, so does West Marine at twice the price.