Source for smallish, slotted hardware?| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

alex SuperDork
2/8/12 1:01 p.m.

I'm putting together a Partscaster, and while I normally loathe flat-head fasteners, it's a vintage-appropriate look for this guitar. (And everybody knows the tone gets stuck in the 90° angle in a Phillips head screw.) All the genuine Fender™ hardware is stupid-expensive; I've gotta be able to find it cheaper than the $28 my shopping list just totaled up to.

So, before I go out searching about town, anybody know of a good online source for smallish slot-head fasteners? I mainly need 6-32 machine screws from 3/8" to 1 1/8", and #4 sheet metal screws in 1/2" and 1". Plain nickel is fine.

Is McMaster-Carr the answer to this hardware question, like so many others?

93EXCivic SuperDork
2/8/12 1:03 p.m.

In reply to alex:

A local fastener shop is going to be cheaper but they may not sell them in small quantities.

ransom GRM+ Memberand Dork
2/8/12 1:05 p.m.

alex wrote: Is McMaster-Carr the answer to this hardware question, like so many others?

That's the first place my mind went. Crud, there was another thread recently in which someone mentioned another hardware supplier...

I'll see if I can recall the thread (no pun intended). In the meantime, another place I've heard of but not tried is UNEEDA.

EDIT: Not sure where I picked up the UNEEDA link, but looking at their site more closely, I'm not sure they sell small quantities...

ThePhranc HalfDork
2/8/12 1:11 p.m.

ransom wrote:
alex wrote: Is McMaster-Carr the answer to this hardware question, like so many others?
That's the first place my mind went. Crud, there was another thread recently in which someone mentioned another hardware supplier... I'll see if I can recall the thread (no pun intended). In the meantime, another place I've heard of but not tried is UNEEDA.

This place?

http://www.boltdepot.com/Default.aspx

ransom GRM+ Memberand Dork
2/8/12 1:13 p.m.

In reply to ThePhranc:

Can't find the thread, and can't rattle it loose in my memory, but that looks like a useful link either way!

Bumboclot Reader
2/8/12 2:14 p.m.

ThePhranc wrote: http://www.boltdepot.com/Default.aspx

Click on the Fastener Info tab on their site. So much good info there.

slantvaliant Dork
2/9/12 9:36 a.m.

Smallparts.com

alex SuperDork
2/9/12 10:00 a.m.

So, I bought 100 of each fastener I need from McMaster-Carr for less than half of the cost of Fender™ stuff. So, I'm set for a few more builds, I guess.

Hell, I'll probably wind up selling them to other builders for 10¢ a pop.