Fastenal

[mrbill5491]

I recently went into a Fastenal shop for some SS bolts for my bike (and I bought alot there redoing my bike). There was sign as I went in stating "Fastenal will no longer open packages for small purchases" They only sell you individual pieces of current open bags, once those bags are gone, you either buy the entire bag or nothing. WTF!? Are they trying to run off customers?? I know they have a lot of walk ins like us who just need a few items. So I talked to the manger and he said they didn't pass their inventory audit so the main office sent this out. I don't know if this is nation wide or just individual stores. Might want to check into it.

They are one of the few stores that carry an extensive line of metric and SS fasteners. Lowes, Home Depot etc don't even come close. Go to their website and let them know how unhappy you are with the policy.

[tkent02]

Find another fastener supply place. Fastenal doesn't have much anyway and they are expensive.

[mrbill5491]

Find another fastener supply place. Fastenal doesn't have much anyway and they are expensive.

We have two other fastner suppliers here, one carries very little metric stock and no SS. The other, you bring something in they say we don't have it. Fastnel here carries a good stock and if they don't have it they can order it or could. And their prices have been reasonable compared to anyone else.

[loud et]

My local Fastenal, .7 miles from my house , will not open bags, and has no open bags. They will order any individual peices I want but the whole point is that I can order stuff anywhere.
I was bummed to find my one solid resource for local supplies out here in the sticks is really not so great. Would be nice to run up and grab the bits I need on a whim. I feel your pain.

[Griffin]

Many of the Ace Hardware stores around here carry a great selection of stainless metric fasteners. Some of them don't, though. The inner city ones and rural ones pretty much carry only ss imperial sizes and a few nonstainless metrics. The suburban ones, though, usually have an excellent inventory of the ss metric allen head bolts GS owners cherish.

[tkent02]

This is the place I go:

http://aaametric.com

They have had everything I've looked for so far, and their prices are no more than SAE stuff anywhere else.

For instance a whole set of engine cover screws for my 650 for about $3 or so. Quite often they just throw stuff in for me for free.

I just walk in there so I don't know about their shipping or online service... Let us know?

[metalman]

Here's where go and never get charged, usually only want a few and they throw 10 to 20 in the bag. Would be hard to live without them. Last time there
needed four screws for tank badges and here's what I left with. A bunch of good guys

https://www.google.com/search?q=shamrock+bolt+and+screw&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[mrbill5491]

That is nice for y'all, though Fastenal is our local vendor besides the other two stores here are useless. They haven't caught on that things are going metric yet for some reason. If I wasn't in a big hurry for things, sure ordering online is fine. Though like yesterday I was needing to replace my fender bolts and headlight housing bolts. 6 bolts and lock washers in all. And of or course, the thread pitch was 1.25, those are kind of rare around here if it wasn't for Fastnel. At first when I couldn't find SS metric with a 1.25 at other stores, they would tell me to go try Fastnel, they have everything lol.

[mrbill5491]

This is the place I go:

http://aaametric.com

They have had everything I've looked for so far, and their prices are no more than SAE stuff anywhere else.

For instance a whole set of engine cover screws for my 650 for about $3 or so. Quite often they just throw stuff in for me for free.

I just walk in there so I don't know about their shipping or online service... Let us know?

Haven't quite moved back to Colo yet. But I will! lol

[bwringer]

That is nice for y'all, though Fastenal is our local vendor besides the other two stores here are useless. They haven't caught on that things are going metric yet for some reason.

I never have figured this out. American cars have been metric since the '70s, yet hardware stores still have 10 times the selection in inch sizes.

Usually the metric drawers look like a desperately picked-over disaster area, with empty boxes everywhere. The gleaming rows of inch stuff are untouched... I guess they like it that way.


As far as Fastenal, they are utterly, completely, totally useless. Not once have I managed to exchange money for fasteners, despite several attempts. There's a Fastenal store a few blocks from my house and a huge Fastenal warehouse less than three miles away, yet every time I get "we kin order that fer ya", the five most useless words in the entire English language.

The shelves in my local Fastenal seem to contain mostly janitorial and building supplies.


I get most of my goodies from McMaster-Carr -- since the warehouse is in Chicago, I get stuff overnight in Indy. Incredible selection of fasteners and materials.

http://mcmaster.com

If you don't want to buy bags of 25, 50, or 100 fasteners, Bolt Depot lets you order whatever quantity you need at decent prices. Limited selection, though:

http://boltdepot.com

This place has a lot of the obscure stuff. Hard to navigate their site, though:

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Default.asp

If you need JIS (Japanese spec) bolts (8mm and larger, especially), you can find a surprising variety at your local Autozone, believe it or not. There are several important differences in specs between JIS and DIN (euro) or SAE ('murkin) metric bolts, although everything 6mm and below is pretty interchangeable.

So far, I haven't found anyone with a comprehensive selection of JIS fasteners online, at least not all that organized. And I'd love it if there were more stainless bits available in JIS.

[bluewool]

As far as Fastenal, they are utterly, completely, totally useless. Not once have I managed to exchange money for fasteners, despite several attempts. There's a Fastenal store a few blocks from my house and a huge Fastenal warehouse less than three miles away, yet every time I get "we kin order that fer ya", the five most useless words in the entire English language.

The shelves in my local Fastenal seem to contain mostly janitorial and building supplies.

With the exception of the accent, I have had the exact same experience with Fastenal; even with a commercial account they sucked.

Thankfully there is

http://www.pacificfasteners.com

It's all stainless.

[850 Combat]

I couldn't believe Fastenall the one time I was in their store. No stock, no help. Minimum orders, I won't be back.

http://dmpfasteners.com/index.php?id=1

These guys have been good.

[mrbill5491]

How odd every one seems to have a different experience with Fasetnal, the one here has a good stock of metric bolts, SS as well. The manager at this one has been very helpful and even has thrown in some free pieces. He even opened a bag when he wasn't suppose too. He told me I rather open a bag for you then lose you to someone else. Guess some managers actually care about their customers. I think Corporate good learn a thing or two from this one guy.

[barnbiketom]

Fastenall is basically for large companies not people like me or you. They cater to shops that buy in bulk, but I didn't think their prices were any good even at that....

I ordered from
McMaster CARR a week or so ago and found the website to be Fantastic, and prices FANTASTIC.

Anyone can register , log in, etc...

I ordered stainless screws on a nite at 6 PM and UPS delivered NEXT DAY at 10AM ..shipping on my whole order was 7 DOLLARS

[metalman]

Fastenall is basically for large companies not people like me or you. They cater to shops that buy in bulk, but I didn't think their prices were any good even at that....

I ordered from
McMaster CARR a week or so ago and found the website to be Fantastic, and prices FANTASTIC.

Anyone can register , log in, etc...

I ordered stainless screws on a nite at 6 PM and UPS delivered NEXT DAY at 10AM ..shipping on my whole order was 7 DOLLARS

This is good to know as I now have to drive 40 miles to Shamrock. was great when lived two miles from them.