Cap head screws

Hi I have used the following suppliers, unbrako fasteners, model fixings, socket and allied, precision technology supplies, precision screws, southeast Essex fasteners and surplus supplies, hope this helps

Bright Zinc Plated cap screws are available and were preferred on our production equipment as water cooled welding equipment does leak on occasion and the black finish will rust. Long term storage in most people’s workshops will possibly rust and BZP can offer some protection. The cosmetics of black or BZP will have to be assessed for the application. BZP can look a bit out of place in some places but rusty bolts look rubbish as well.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 21/03/2019 19:50:10

Anglia Fasteners of Bedford is my supplier of choice, I buy a selection of what I need and have been known to query the price because they are cheap.

Martin P

Years ago I bought a box of assorted metric cap screws. I found it extremely useful. Cap screws are not readily available at the local level in the US except in small overpriced lots and unknown quality at hardware stores, auto parts shops, and home improvement stores. Fastenal carries a good supply but in the last year they restricted sales to commercial accounts. I now buy all my cap screws on line from industrial supply houses. Their minimum lot sizes assure I will have excess inventory. Even when buying more common fasteners I always buy more than my immediate needs. I hate when I am trying to fix something and find I do not have the right fastener in my cabinet.

I reckon Bondhus make the best Hex drivers, they supply tools to NASA. I particularly like their T handle Hex drivers which unlike most other makes are made for the job rather than encapsulating standard Hex keys in a plastic T handle. The Long, Extra long and Ball end versions are extremely useful. They also come with a lifetime warranty.

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Buy some decent plastic parts boxes first!

I got a load of compartment cases from screwfix and use them for everything from split pins to washers etc.

Makes the shop look a bit more professional than my old ice cream tubs and jam jars as well as making finding things a breeze.

Even if you buy fasteners in bulk you can keep a working quantity in the cases and hold the bulk in stock.

The problem with boxes to store parts is space, and fastenings come in many lengths and head types. The boxes will will be half full or less.
For me the answer is small zip lock bags, they will keep the parts separate, you can mark up a paper tag that can be placed in the bag. some have a writing surface on the outside, they are flexible allowing them to nestle, I keep these in larger part boxes sorted by say the thread diameter. A lot less wasted space.

Zip lock bags are also very inexpensive and they keep moisture out, less rust....

Regards
John

Bulk fasteners are available in the USA.Tractor Supply, Rural King, Menards and Lowes all have Them. Plus many independent hardware stores.

Wera coloured are the best by far not only are they stronger than anything encountered having tried them all, they fit the hex better than anything else out there.

Give you some idea i do have about 5 Bondhus T handle purely for spinning screws in that dont have to be tight. Found out the hard way have wrecked quite a few screw heads using Bondhus and rounding off, out comes the Wera thats the difference, job done!

Many moons ago I worked for a UK Machine tool supplier who was a Uk Agent for manufacturers of machine tools one of them being WERA, as you are all aware they make hand tools of all shapes and sizes, they started developing and making machines that could machine the various tools etc and one machine they built was a Profilator, they were and still are based in Wuppertal, I was fortunate to go to there factory a few times for training on their machines so that I could install and show the customers how they could use them in the uk, Gearbox manufacturers used them for machine the snycro parts, I still have few screwdrivers etc.

Martin P