Custom Deck HW bolts? Where to find/ get?

[jholovacs]

I'm trying to install a chainstop on my bow. I have a solid 1.5" - 1.75" thick glass at the location. I need to put in 4 3/8" diameter bolts with a 0.25" thick backing plate, so I'm looking at 3" long 316 screws/ bolts, 3/8" diameter, pan head... and they don't seem to exist anywhere online. For custom sizes like this, how do people usually get what they need? Do they fabricate them? If so, how?

[tkeithlu]

Here's the relevant page from the McMaster-Carr catalog:

https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/hex-...x-head-screws/

I recommend M-C. Their catalog allows you to start at something like "Fastners" and go through decision points all the way down to super-corrosion resistant hex head stainless steel 3/8 inch of the length you want. I have discovered a few items they don't carry, but very, very few.

[Steel sails]

OP is looking for pan head not hex head.
3/8 x 3” is pretty large for pan head. Bolt depot ( google them)carries them in 18/8 (304), no 316. Or you can go hex as the previous poster suggested.

Regards
Paul

[tkeithlu]

Sorry. I went down the wrong rabbit hole. Here they are in 316, hex drive, rounded head:

https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/roun...-drive-screws/

[jholovacs]

Yeah the hex drive round head looks like it will work, thanks... I've been looking for something for days and getting nowhere. Hex head would likely not work, since the mount points on the chainstop are recessed, and I wouldn't be able to get a socket or wrench around them. Looks good, thanks again!

[sailah]

Second McMaster Carr. I buy from them 2x a week for my company. They have everything you could possibly want hardware wise and the quality is always excellent. Another benefit, depending on where you live, is next day delivery with regular UPS ground.

Their website is so good, Stanford University did a study on it.

Couple weird things for first time McMaster users, there are almost always no brand names listed. Certain items like Loctite or Dow chemicals will be but you are basically buying sight unseen. I have never had a quality issue with any of their parts.

You also do not know the shipping costs until after the fact. This bugged me at first but I find it's always reasonable. Unless you order a 6' of threaded rod or something oddly shaped.

A lot of their stuff is priced high and you can do better if you shop around. I usually have enough line items that's it's just not worth ordering from 3 different sources. Especially if I want it the next day.

Here's your bolt:

https://www.mcmaster.com/98164A321

[chowdan]

I've used bolt Depot quite a lot and found them to be pretty good in CS. Had a $600 package never show up and they shipped out a new one to me after I reported it was never delivered

[sailah]

Originally Posted by chowdan

I've used bolt Depot quite a lot and found them to be pretty good in CS. Had a $600 package never show up and they shipped out a new one to me after I reported it was never delivered

Fun fact, Bolt Depot is in my town (Hingham MA). I buy a lot of metric screws (10,000 at a time) from them for my company. Really nice people and I can drive over there in 10 min to pick it up. I've bought a lot of 316 bolts for various projects when I need same day. I find it funny that they will bag every screw in nice ziplocks and label it even if you buy 1.

Once I went in because I needed a $0.06 screw and I apologized profusely when I went to pick it up but it was a crisis. She said no problem and handed it to me no charge as the credit card fees would have cost them more then the screw. She knows me though and usually I buy in bulk from them.

They also supported a project where a bunch of us steam guys volunteered to pipe in a new boiler for a woman in CT. When I asked them, they said you can have anything you want. Great folks.

They have a pretty good selection but some of the weirder bolts they don't have and McMaster will. I do like to buy from Bolt Depot whenever I can.

[SV__Grace]

Having an older, European boat I'm always searching for hard to find bolts, etc. I've had good luck with Fastenal (worth checking out) but am excited to learn about McMaster. Thanks for the tip!

[garychurch]

You may want to try www.boltdepot.com. I found 316 screw size I needed there but no where else on line.

[Captndave1]

Most towns of any size have a Fastenal store, they have about anything you would need

[jholovacs]

... I have never heard of a Fastenal store.

[tsell]

Another vote for boltdepot.com. Great folks, and they stock an incredibly diverse inventory. Silicon bronze screws and bolts? Yup, they have them.

[sailah]

Fastenal is OK, I had an account there at one point. They are great if you are buying 1000 at a time as they also deliver in trucks locally. My experience with them as a hobbyist was different. The store I was using in Pittsburgh would absolutely not let you buy 1 of anything, you had to buy the whole bag. Which I understand.

Now I tend to buy bags or boxes of 50. You get much better pricing and you always have extras.

I always have 50-100 nuts and washers in 316 & 316 nylock in every size in my hardware drawer. The one time you need to drive 30 min for a 1/4-20 316 nylock will convince you of my strategy

[Seriously Slow]

One interesting reason to use McMaster is that they actually answer the phone. I used them for about 40 years and they always felt like they were close by. i have not needed anything from them in about 9 months (cruising) so that might have changed but I doubt it. They have multiple shipping locations around the country