At home "hardware store"... what do you keep an inventory of?

[zippyslug31]

The other day I had a spindle go out on my riding lawnmower and was able to rebuild it (bearings, zerks, etc) without leaving home. When I'm building a project or repairing something, there's nothing more satisfying as to walk into my very own shop and pick from what I already have on hand. I'm a decent drive away from a hardware store so the interruption of having to do a parts run is super annoying.

The more inventory you have, the more organization it's going to require (so you can find it) which can freak some people out... I'm pretty **** so it suits me fine.
That's a topic for another thread.

My inventory consists of the normal nuts/bolts/washers, screws, some random fittings, cable management items, plenty of chemicals (lubes, cleaners, etc), wires and various (wire) ropes... but I'm wondering what type of product I could be overlooking.

What type of consumable do you find very useful, or maybe saved you when working on a project?

 

[Zeke]

As cheap as the products are, I find that having HF Storehorse o-rings, e and c clips, cotters, pop rivets and all the rest of the offerings is very handy and easy to store. I think if they did a nut and bolt selection they'd making a killing. All kinds of tape, rattle cans, string, cord and rope, backets and hangers, the list is endless.

 

[zippyslug31]

the list is endless.

This is so true. I also forgot to mention the (obvious?) glues, tapes of all types, pop rivets... hell, I even have some generic electronic components but I'm not super strong with electronics.

I think I'm curious about a given type/category (which isle of a hardware store) that might trigger some thought.

 

[Black300zx]

I don't have much of a "hardware store" inventory, but I do keep a pretty thorough selection of thread repair hardware and tools (helicoils & taps/drills, wood inserts, riv-studs, etc) and have made VERY good use of them on a number of occasions. Nothing like buggering up a thread on a 29yr old aluminum intake manifold and being able to fix it immediately.

 

[tarmy]

Everything.

 

[Zeke]

Looks great. GJ All Stars!

 

[rmack898]

I always buy extra pipe fittings for every job and have a good supply of most every common fitting up to 2".

I always keep a new, unopened can of primer and cement on hand.

 

[Garcky]

My strategy for years was to always buy extras whenever I bought hardware, especially fasteners. I'd use the ones I needed, then put the extras in one of several bins I had for that. At some point, I got some extra bins for metric fasteners, sometime in the 1980s. Each bin was labeled with the type of hardware. there was a wood screw bin, a machine screw bin that got screws, nuts and washers. Bins for bolts, nails, drywall screws, etc. Sometimes, I'd just buy a box of what I needed for a project, so the extras stayed in the box in the bin. I had bins for pipe fittings, electrical stuff, hose clamps and whatever else I used.

After a while, I needed to make fewer trips to the hardware store for that stuff. I held onto all of it for years, but thinned it all down when i made my last move. Now, there are just four bins. I'm not doing as much DIY stuff now.

 

[zippyslug31]

Everything

Yeah, thanks... why didn't I think of that.

Since you didn't give any details, based on your pics I like how some of your fasteners are organized by actual size. I'm not quite to that level, but would agree if you have that quantity, that's the way to go.
Of all your inventory, what are a couple of the more esoteric categories of products that you stock, or you found surprisingly useful? Again, I'm trying spark the conversation and looking for ideas.

 

[Packard V8]

The other day I had a spindle go out on my riding lawnmower and was able to rebuild it (bearings, zerks, etc) without leaving home. When I'm building a project or repairing something, there's nothing more satisfying as to walk into my very own shop and pick from what I already have on hand. I'm a decent drive away from a hardware store so the interruption of having to do a parts run is super annoying.

The more inventory you have, the more organization it's going to require (so you can find it) which can freak some people out... I'm pretty **** so it suits me fine.
That's a topic for another thread.

My inventory consists of the normal nuts/bolts/washers, screws, some random fittings, cable management items, plenty of chemicals (lubes, cleaners, etc), wires and various (wire) ropes... but I'm wondering what type of product I could be overlooking.

What type of consumable do you find very useful, or maybe saved you when working on a project?

After fifty years in the same garage and shop, I consider it a personal failing if I have to go to the hardware store or parts store for anything other than hard parts. When I'm able to complete a project or repair with stuff on hand, I make sure those who question my collection are told about how much money and time we just saved.

jack vines

 

[zippyslug31]

My strategy for years was to always buy extras

Agreed. I found this really helped build my stock over the years. I still do it when I am forced to buy some weird or new item, especially if I found it particularly good for the project. I can't tell you how many times I've discovered a really good product, only to have it NLA when I go to buy it again.

 

[Sumboodie]

Everything.

Where do you hide all the tools and equipment?

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Lumber 2x4's, 2x3s, plywood, fasteners (screws, nails, bolts) caulk, tape etc., of course tools!!

 

[zippyslug31]

Lumber

I do have a pretty large lumber cart that I built a while back. When it's full the thing is a monster to roll around.
Sadly most of my "stock" consists of off-cuts/scrap, and not much new lumber since I've found a lot of the dimensional timbers just end up warping as they dry out. When I go to use them in a project I end up fighting with a banana, which *****. This is even when I store them flat.

Beyond lashing a group of them together to minimize this warping, you find any tricks to keep a single board straight if it's just laying on a rack?

 

[Beauregard]

The in-house Hardware and Supply concept is pretty common on a farm.
Farms can be fairly rural, and trips to town cost time. Time is money during crop harvest, especially when operating within a weather window. One fastener or part can shut the harvest down while waiting for supplies, so you try and stock the parts that commonly fail, and a large stock of fastener and fabrication stock.

 

[mikeyr]

I keep a handful of copper joints in 1/2 and 3/4, some pipe and since there is some PVC in the yard some of those also, a few faucets for outside and o-rings for inside faucets. Always have a 2x4 or 3 handy. Some nuts and bolts of various sizes, I tend to buy a few more than I need for spares. Some wiring stuff but I generally don't keep a lot of that house stuff around, I can go to the store for that.

I do keep a nicely organized stash of Whitworth Metric and BSF nuts and bolts since I have to order those for my cars, i always order a extra dozen or 2 of what ever I need. And steel...lots of steel junk to be used as needed. Shop is too filled with car and tools to have a lot of handy stuff hanging around.

 

[Houdini5150]

I mostly keep a basic assortment of some HF metal screws, and wood screws. I have some construction screws I picked up for my home projects I do from time to time.

I keep a drawer full of zip ties and duct tape handy.

 

[bwringer]

I keep a pretty large stock of metric hardware for old motorcycles in a long row of bins with little drawers. Whenever I need something, I buy a box or two, usually from McMaster-Carr. Over time, the collection has grown to the point where I can normally grab what I need from its drawer right then and there.

I've never figured out why, but hardware stores (even the "real" non-big-box hardware stores) have gleaming rows upon rows of nearly untouched inch ****, and usually only a few boxes of ravaged, pawed-through, mixed up and mostly missing metric stuff. I mean, how long have US brand vehicles been pretty much entirely metric? Of course Harleys and other agricultural equipment are still mostly inch, but jeez...

Some hardware stores apparently see themselves as museums for displaying stuff and not retail stores for selling stuff. Rather than chasing hardware through those tragically empty drawers or waiting for delivery, I've built up my own stock and it's served me well.

 

[bb29510]

i use to have five gallon buckets full of bolts, just one size, now i let lowes warehouse what i need. I keep a handfull of what i use, from 3/8 to half. the hell with having a warehouse in the back yard

 

[thunderalley3]

I always keep extra Fluidmaster toilet repair kit on hand, and always put Fluidmaster valves and flappers in any new toilet I install. I have most every nut, bolt washer etc. in my garage plus a lathe if there is something I really need and don't have.

Interesting that this post showed up as I was making a rough list yesterday of a few Sharkbite fittings to buy to have on hand that would get me out of those late night/weekend emergency repairs.

 

[finn]

The other day I had a spindle go out on my riding lawnmower and was able to rebuild it (bearings, zerks, etc) without leaving home. When I'm building a project or repairing something, there's nothing more satisfying as to walk into my very own shop and pick from what I already have on hand. I'm a decent drive away from a hardware store so the interruption of having to do a parts run is super annoying.

The more inventory you have, the more organization it's going to require (so you can find it) which can freak some people out... I'm pretty **** so it suits me fine.
That's a topic for another thread.

My inventory consists of the normal nuts/bolts/washers, screws, some random fittings, cable management items, plenty of chemicals (lubes, cleaners, etc), wires and various (wire) ropes... but I'm wondering what type of product I could be overlooking.

What type of consumable do you find very useful, or maybe saved you when working on a project?

Laugh at that one, as I buy rider blades by the case of, I think eight, and finally broke down and bought a two pack of spindles, and have a spare belt on hand after my last two pack belt purchase.

Meanwhile, I bought a used flail mower for the 40 hp air conditioned cab compact tractor. I probably will never use the rider again. The lawn at the house is a little small for the rider, and there’s lots of trees, so my wife prefers a push mower. She doesn’t even like the self propelled mower.

The shop yard is a lot bigger, and rough and sandy, with an abundance of rocks, sticks, and random steel debris. Sure is nice sitting in the clean air conditioned cab rather than on that little rider.

 

[Zeke]

The best source of shop hardware is used. I strip everything I find or am tossing of anything I can. I have enough cheap screws from vacuum cleaners to set up shop.

 

[PoorUB]

I have two good hardware stores within 5 minutes, and three big home stores and three "real" lumbers yards within 10 minutes, so I don't stock much. I have six Milwaukee storage boxes with a bit of plumbing, electrical, and assortment of nails and screws, and one tool box drawer with more miscellaneous hardware.

If I buy some hardware for a project and get done with some left overs, it often gets tossed in the trash.

 

[finn]

The best source of shop hardware is used. I strip everything I find or am tossing of anything I can. I have enough cheap screws from vacuum cleaners to set up shop.

Are you related to my grandfather?

 

[Jgaz]

Growing up rural and at least 10 miles from “anything” plus my early houses were old houses, I’ve developed the habit of having hardware on hand.

A lot of my hardware storage.

Pipe fittings and repair parts, bike and car parts, metal bits, etc. stored in various bins.
Lumber in the shed and plywood stored overhead in the garage.

 

[niget2002]

Various screws bolts and nuts. Rubber o-rings. Pipe clamps. Some PVC stuff.

That's really about it.

 

[tez929rr]

Ditto for all the plumbing stuff. Lots of electrical parts loose in boxes. Lots of bolts - metric have been organized for years and I recently got around to organizing the standard size stuff. But plumbing part# by far. Those seem like I’m most likely to need in a hurry when the stores are closed. We recently had the whole house replumbed from 70 year old galvanized pipe as part of complete bathroom renovation, so I hope the plumbing stuff is no longer needed.

 

[zippyslug31]

But plumbing part# by far. Those seem like I’m most likely to need in a hurry when the stores are closed.

That's actually a great point. Leads me to not simply consider what I might need, rather what I might need in an emergency.

 

[Skyman]

For plumbing emergencies, I keep a sharkbite ball valve in 1/2 and 3/4 sizes. For temporary pinhole patches, hose clamps and heater hose. All copper plumbing here.

For other needs, I have what some would call a hoard of fasteners and other hardware. Quite a bit of electrical devices and materials as well. I call it "resources." I, too, hate having to go out to fetch anything that I could easily have in inventory, and rarely find that I need to do so. It's worth it to me to have all of it on hand.

 

[jonesg]

the purpose of mkting is to get you to store their inventory while they store your money.

Unless I had to buy a boxed set of O rings or specialty clips etc I toss everything left over, I hate hoarding.
I'm not interested in becoming a hardware store.

 

[theoldwizard1]

• USS and SAE nuts, washers and lock washers 1/4" - 1 /2"
• Machine screws, #6 - #12, various lengths, nuts and washers
• #6 - #12 sheet metal screws, various lengths
• Lots of extension cords ! (I must have at least 3 100' 12/3; many 16/3, plus HD triple taps; multiple lamp extension cords. various lengths)
• Small amount of 14/2 and 12/2 NM-B
• At least a dozen non-childproof "commercial grade" Leviton outlets and a few switches
• Large amounts RG6 coax and Snap-N-Seal connectors
• Lots of "hook up" wire, stranded, multiple colors, 18 AWG - 20 AWG
• Lots of uninsulated ring terminals and **** splice
• Dual wall (marine) heat shrink
• PVC electrical tape (Scotch 33 plus multiple colors)
• Many Cat 5 Ethernet cables from 3' -50'
• HDMI cables 3' -25'
• USB Cables; A-A, A-Micro A, A-Mini A; A-B, A-C, A-Thunderbolt
• SATA cables
• Tiny metric PC screws (multiple sizes)
• 1/4" brass quick couplers and studs plus various other pneumatic "stuff"
• 1/4" fuel line; other sizes of clear vinyl tubing; spring hose clamps (multiple sizes)
• Small engine (B&S) air cleaner elements; various gasket for B&S engines
• Motor Oil (5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30, 20W-50); some oil filters
• Chain, shackles, hooks ; Nylon straps; Various sizes of nylon rope; Pulleys, Rope ratchets
• AAA, AA, C, D and 9V batteries

My kids always ask me first before going to the hardware store !

 

[Rc_Guy]

I keep nuts and bolts, threaded rod and some unistrut left over from jobs in my shed but I’ve got a True Value hardware store/lumberyard 3 miles north and a hardware Hank 4 miles south of me, if I need more than that the Menards and Home Depot is about 12 miles south of me.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

the purpose of mkting is to get you to store their inventory while they store your money.

Unless I had to buy a boxed set of O rings or specialty clips etc I toss everything left over, I hate hoarding.
I'm not interested in becoming a hardware store.

Good points is it hoarding or preparation?

 

[Shiftless]

Living in a city on a quarter acre lot is not for everybody, but for me one of the benefits is having an old timey ace hardware store less than 2 miles away. They have a back room with old worn out oak flooring with hundreds of drawers holding literally thousands of different size and grade fasteners, bushings, springs, etc. etc. etc. You don’t need to buy a package, you can buy one or four or whatever you need.

 

[tarmy]

Yeah, thanks... why didn't I think of that.

Since you didn't give any details, based on your pics I like how some of your fasteners are organized by actual size. I'm not quite to that level, but would agree if you have that quantity, that's the way to go.
Of all your inventory, what are a couple of the more esoteric categories of products that you stock, or you found surprisingly useful? Again, I'm trying spark the conversation and looking for ideas.

If you zoom in you can read the labels to get an idea of my sorting

 

[tarmy]

Where do you hide all the tools and equipment?

Here…

 

[Grant Gunderson]

At this point I probably have a better assortment than most small hardware stores

The majority of it is in my two 16 drawer Lista cabinets. They also hold all of my cutting tools for the mill / lathe, but I’ll stick to just the hardware drawers here

Sae machine screws



That’s a pretty full assortment all the way up to 3/4


And a pretty full selection of metric all the way up to m16. For each size SAe and Metric I keep a pretty complete selection of all of the more common head types and a pretty full array of lengths for each head style.


I have a full selection of wire terminals for each gauge size as well

And a full set of weather lack, ferrules, wire terminals and short marine heat shrink

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Gromets and cable management stuff

Paint plugs, hose clamps thermocouples

Pins, tapper pins, guide pins, roll pins, cotter pins

Set screws, rivits, rivitnuts, threaded inserts

Shim material, bushings, machine keys, woodruff keys

All of the common sizes and types of retaining rings and springs

A pretty complete set of most common metric and sae orings

Automotive clips, picture hanging stuff

Loose and cartridge bearings including thrust bearings

Furniture parts, structural screws, lath screws

 

[Meursault74]

nuts, bolts, washer.
Wood screws., dowels
o-rings, copper pipe and fitting. Some misc plumbing parts
electrical crimp connects, wire nuts, pieces of wire.
hose clamps.
scrap wood pile
glues, epoxy, lubes.
assorted junk.

I remember a quote attributed to Thomas Edison
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.

I watched a bunch of the A-Team and Macgyver in the 80's. If I stare at a pile of random bits for long enough, I'll come up with something. I hold a doctorate in jury rigging

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Pex, oetiker, flare and compression fittings

NPT fittings

Conduit and drip irrigation stuff

allthread, rod and bar stock

Full lengths of marine heat shrink. All colors on most sizes

Ii keep my short bar and rod stock and drops by size in old safe deposit boxes.

All of my wood and cabinet screws are in Festool sortainers.