Sorting nuts and bolts

[humber2]

Doing this while self isolated as have the partitioned storage established.

Question relates to non-magnetic items as to how to non destructively determine what is stainless steel from plated brass?

All ideas welcomed. TIA

 

[RTM]

Watching this with interest, have a bunch of both. My guess is weight/ density, as brass is slightly more dense at 8.5 v 7.5-8 for SS. (G/cm3).

Measure two identical size, heavier is brass?

 

[4xdog]

In my sorting, I run across stainless probably fifty or a hundred times more often than plated brass. Plated brass is kind of rare around my odds and end. The odds are definitely in ss's favor.

And, at least to my eyes, stainless has a distinctive luster to the metal that's quite different from chrome or nickel plate.

 

[RTM]

My ratio in the second hand fasteners isn’t quite that high, I live very near the great Pacific rust generator, and a harbor. Modern stuff is mostly SS, but really old stuff swings the other way.

Good news is, most of the places I bought them from have kept the brass together.

 

[leg17]

Stainless often looks a little yellowish.

 

[The Cobbler]

a quick file test would work too

 

[u2slow]

And, at least to my eyes, stainless has a distinctive luster to the metal that's quite distinctive from chrome or nickel plate.

+1

Plated brass is unusual for me.

 

[humber2]

Great replies, I seem to recall that in earlier days SS was usually threaded whitworth.

The weight separation is easier to determine on larger items, say 1/2" and above.

There are dull and bright colours to plating and age.

I don't want to file anything but an alternative would be to test the threads with a tap or die nut to either reveal brass or ruin the threader.

Another way might be using an impact center popper tool to observe hardness.

Meanwhile my priority is to size sort as the goal is to be able to quickly determine whether or not I have stock of any size.

 

[jgromada]

Get one of these. $3 from Harbor Freight

I went through this process a while ago. Sort by type first. Machine screw, nut, Wood Screw or Sheet metal screws. From there take one at a time. Wood screws are easy go by length and head size. I have been mostly tossing loose slotted. Sheet metal screws are next . The machine screws are toughest as there is both metric and SAE.

I then put these into these:

$9 at HF but there are frequently coupons for these. Use the large boxes for unsorted and take it from there. a screw size template is real helpful

 

[PelicanPines]

+1

Plated brass is unusual for me.

I have a large variety of fasteners... plated brass... never ran across it. For that matter... I wouldn't stock it if I found some...

 

[drivesitfar]

I probably own more nuts and bolts than most shops and not sure I own any brass plated except small stuff. Or if I do I’m here to learn more.

Doesn’t a lot of stainless bolts have 307 or other markings on them to let you know grade and type?

 

[PhantomEB]

When I got the walls finished off, I Made a bolt bin cabinet, then a bulk order from one of our fasteners place. Very little sorting out here now. Need to restock some of the bins though.

 

[TRWham]

Any fastener of unknown origin and/or specifications intended for use in a critical application should be flotation tested. If the application is not critical and it looks right, then it really doesn't matter.

 

[Provincial]

Any fastener of unknown origin and/or specifications intended for use in a critical application should be flotation tested. If the application is not critical and it looks right, then it really doesn't matter.

Toss it in the lake. If it floats, reject it. If it doesn't float, don't hunt for it.

 

[y'sguy]

Whew, I thought it was just me, but I spent a bunch of hours sorting fastenners and hardware in to seperate bins and storage. Glad to find out I'm not theonly one with crazy time on my hands!
Although I haven't made the jump to separating into specific sizes as I know I should.
My OCD only goes so far

 

[RTM]

My separating so far is into gross sizes.

big brass wood screws (then short med and long, not splitting 1/4s yet)
medium brass wood screws
small brass wood screws
tiny brass wood screws
Then maybe round and flat head somewhere in there.

Unless they are already in boxes, then sort by listed size.

That funnel that jgromada posted is a wonderful thing, I made a similar one in HS metal shop class back in the 70's, a great thing for sorting in and out of glass jars.

 

[TRWham]

Toss it in the lake. If it floats, reject it. If it doesn't float, don't hunt for it.

That is generally the protocol I learned. Forget where- maybe from Carroll Smith?

 

[Mike Folks]

A good magnet helps,some SS will be slightly magnetic, not as strong as steel will.

 

[RTM]

Yup, a super magnet will do some SS.