Tips & Tricks 101 Buying Used Hardware

[woody 73]

The cry goes out there is nothing to buy at this garage sale they all beat me to the good stuff; Yada, Yada, Yada.

I say not so fast the first tip here is to buy everything you can get your hands on that you can find a use for. Example nails, bolts, washers, screws, etc.

The tip in this case is not to pay very much for the items in question, so anything starting at 25 cents and up to $5.00 per item in question.

Sometimes I am very lucky and case in point I bought a lot of open and used boxes of hardware at 25 cents per box. Not always the case but the most expensive are open and used larger boxes of nails and screws at up to $5.00 per box. It adds up fast and if you are working on a project nothing like having that spare hardware to finish a job at hand.

It sure beats making that long drive to the hardware store and paying full retail, or worse they do not have it in stock, or they are closed for the day...

So there you go keep your eyes open for all that used hardware on your next garage sale run.

 

[Parrothead]

I don’t have the time or the inclination to go to garage sales in the first place, yet alone for hardware I may never need. If you do, more power to you as I’m sure there are some deals.

Don’t misunderstand, I have about 12 Storehouse containers full of hardware in the garage, but the local Ace Hardware is 5 minutes away. That and I don’t have to dig through grannies underwear or half used candles to get it.

 

[lardy1]

Grannie's underwear? How much?

 

[DFB]

You'll probably never come close to using most of it

Quite a haul

 

[PFSard]

Woody, great idea. You may not use most of it, but the time saved is worthwhile.

* I picked up a lot of hardware at estate sales. Most are selling it for next-to-nothing; they just want to get rid of it.

* I haven't been to the hardware store for hardware in ages. And I live a 5-10 minute walk from a Home Depot.

* I don't spend much time looking for what I need in my garage; it's all organized, categorized and labeled.

 

[southalabama]

I’ll stay out of granny’s drawers but I do subscribe to the buy extra every time you need hardware and buy in bulk.

 

[PugetDude]

Went to an Estate sale last year, that my neighbor proclaimed was "totally picked over"
Bought a bunch of Klein Step drill bits for 25 cents each a lot of them appeared to be unused.
Also unopened boxes of Klein screw anchors, a bunch of loose HSS taps and dies, tap holders, drill bits, knockout punches, etc.

Apparently the guy who died was a retired electrician.
Dumped everything in a beat up Klein canvas tool bag and was out the door for $10.

This sale was directly behind the house where I scored a bunch of PLVMB stuff a couple of years ago...

 

[matt_i]

I would say it makes sense if one has a matured system for storing and organizing it.

I don't have that system and it would occupy space jammed in a drawer/back-of-cabinet/attic until the next generation wondered why I was hoarding it.

I try not to buy any nails unless I have a specific project for them, would much rather use screws.

 

[crewchief888]

I don’t have the time or the inclination to go to garage sales in the first place, yet alone for hardware I may never need. If you do, more power to you as I’m sure there are some deals.

Don’t misunderstand, I have about 12 Storehouse containers full of hardware in the garage, but the local Ace Hardware is 5 minutes away. That and I don’t have to dig through grannies underwear or half used candles to get it.

same here,
I don't have the time, or energy, to cruise the garage sale circuit.

I have all the big box stores and an ace hardware within 10 minutes of the house. when I do buy hardware, I get more than I need for the project.
back in the spring I scrapped 3 or 4 5gal buckets of misc **** I had laying around, and hadn't touched in years.

 

[PT Doc]

Interesting comments. Buy what you need when you need it. Buying random hardware? Not for me.

 

[bonneyman]

Yes sir, I grab all the little bits and pieces I can like washers, bolts, clips, etc. Never know when you might need it, and then you have it instead of having to run to the store and get reamed. I found this coffee can in 2014 of various fuses - stuffed to the gills and the lady at the pay table said the owner said to just give it away. I told them I couldn't do that - let me donate $3 at least.

When I got home this is what was in there. I'm thinking easily $40 individually at Ace Hardware.

 

[Parrothead]

Yes sir, I grab all the little bits and pieces I can like washers, bolts, clips, etc. Never know when you might need it, and then you have it instead of having to run to the store and get reamed. I found this coffee can in 2014 of various fuses - stuffed to the gills and the lady at the pay table said the owner said to just give it away. I told them I couldn't do that - let me donate $3 at least.

When I got home this is what was in there. I'm thinking easily $40 individually at Ace Hardware.

In all seriousness, what are you planning to do with a bucket of fuses? If I needed that many fuses I’d be rethinking my electrical situation.

Interestingly enough, I’m redoing the electric to my father in laws detached garage because it’s on a fuse box. The fuses, box and anything associated with it all going in the trash when I’m done. Breaker boxes are cheap for what they are and you can’t overload your box by just “upgrading” a fuse. Well, not quite as easily, I suppose you could always swap out a breaker.

 

[PugetDude]

Yes sir, I grab all the little bits and pieces I can like washers, bolts, clips, etc. Never know when you might need it, and then you have it instead of having to run to the store and get reamed. I found this coffee can in 2014 of various fuses - stuffed to the gills and the lady at the pay table said the owner said to just give it away. I told them I couldn't do that - let me donate $3 at least.

When I got home this is what was in there. I'm thinking easily $40 individually at Ace Hardware.

Think of how much money you could have saved by just using pennies and old copper water pipe instead of fuses.

 

[JAYoung]

I, too, buy cheap consumables at yard sales -- anything I figure I might have a need for in the future. The trick is remembering you have it and having the orginizational skills to find what you need quickly.

 

[cbacres]

Tips & Tricks 101 Buying Used Hardware

I bought grannies bra at a sale once. She’s still trying to figure out why I did.


Here’s why:



We were invited to a fellow GJ members garage for a meet and this was a gift I left.

But back to topic, I buy hardware and different consumables whenever I come across, tywraps galv screws etc. I have property and I’m always using it.

The nearest Ace is 20 minutes away.

And like you all say, keeping sorted and organize makes all the difference.

 

[davewo]

I used to be a "collector" of items I would never need. It's been a rude awaking trying to sell some of it off - nobody wants it.

 

[finn]

You’re probably working for $2.00/hr if you spend every weekend hunting bargains at estate and garage sales, especially considering well over half of the loot you come home with your really didn’t need, and will depart this world without ever using.

When I cleaned out my mom’s house, I ended up with boxes of hardware and nails that I am certain we’re in my grandfathers house, and he died in 1982.

Boxes of nails, especially, are an albatross. With the advent of pneumatic nailers, and, now, structural torch compatible screws, that stuff is just sitting there, waiting for my kids and grandkids to send to the landfill upon my departure.

I haven’t been to a garage sale in years.

 

[RTM]

I buy vintage fasteners all the time. Matching a slot head screw when rehabbing a tool or piece of furniture is key. Brass Phillips head screwz look so wrong in a vintage piece. Recently found an 8-36 screw for a grinder motor terminal in my stash.

More modern stuff only if it's stainless.

 

[PugetDude]

You’re probably working for $2.00/hr if you spend every weekend hunting bargains at estate and garage sales.

Maybe he's not looking at this as a job, but as recreational shopping?

I rarely go to garage sales, but it's fun when you find something you can use at a great price-hell, one of the most popular GJ threads is devoted entirely to GJ/ Estate Sale finds.

One of my first GJ threads was about a huge Kindt Collins Patternmakers Vise I bought at a Garage Sale for $100

 

[MushCreek]

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all of the leftover stuff from building our house. Nails, screws, wire, pipe, PVC fittings, insulation, brackets, electrical stuff, etc. I've been collecting this stuff my whole life, and I'm about ready to turn the corner and put that stuff in MY garage sale instead. Of course, as soon as I get rid of something, I'll need one and have to make a 25 mile round-trip to get one.

 

[lardy1]

I was a building contractor for several years. My loose hardware is out of control and I still haven't found the time to organize it. But I'll be damned if I'm throwing away all that stuff. I'll organize it one day and let my kids & grandkids throw it in the dumpster when I'm gone.

 

[Retroman]

I don't see the stated time savings by having all this extra hardware on hand. Its stated you don't have to run and get it when needed but you ran and got it when not needed and possibly never needed and you have to sort and store it. If I don't have it I drive the 3 minutes to the home depot that is one light away and if they don't have have it I go two more stop lights to Lowe's. Normally my projects are planned and I pick up what I need during the week when I am out.
I guess if I lived in a rural area with a big detached garage and had lots of storage room I can see how your point of view could change and having what you needed on hand would be a huge plus.

 

[Farleyfan]

I, too, buy cheap consumables at yard sales -- anything I figure I might have a need for in the future. The trick is remembering you have it and having the orginizational skills to find what you need quickly.

Agree 100 %

 

[MushCreek]

I don't see the stated time savings by having all this extra hardware on hand. Its stated you don't have to run and get it when needed but you ran and got it when not needed and possibly never needed and you have to sort and store it. If I don't have it I drive the 3 minutes to the home depot that is one light away and if they don't have have it I go two more stop lights to Lowe's. Normally my projects are planned and I pick up what I need during the week when I am out.
I guess if I lived in a rural area with a big detached garage and had lots of storage room I can see how your point of view could change and having what you needed on hand would be a huge plus.

The advantage of living near HD and Lowes. For me, it's roughly an hour of time and two gallons of gas if I take the truck.

 

[Robinson1]

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all of the leftover stuff from building our house. Nails, screws, wire, pipe, PVC fittings, insulation, brackets, electrical stuff, etc. I've been collecting this stuff my whole life, and I'm about ready to turn the corner and put that stuff in MY garage sale instead. Of course, as soon as I get rid of something, I'll need one and have to make a 25 mile round-trip to get one.

Guarantee it

 

[dr_clyde]

Hardware is only useful to keep if you can put your hands on it when you want it. Bins, trays, and boxes help, but at the end of the day, you can only keep so much.

My hardware is sorted as good as a hardware store and I still can’t remember what all I have.

Used, unsorted hardware is scrap, IMO. Not worth the time it would take to properly organize and store when McMaster has next day delivery.

 

[Robinson1]

I don't see the stated time savings by having all this extra hardware on hand. Its stated you don't have to run and get it when needed but you ran and got it when not needed and possibly never needed and you have to sort and store it. If I don't have it I drive the 3 minutes to the home depot that is one light away and if they don't have have it I go two more stop lights to Lowe's. Normally my projects are planned and I pick up what I need during the week when I am out.
I guess if I lived in a rural area with a big detached garage and had lots of storage room I can see how your point of view could change and having what you needed on hand would be a huge plus.

I guess I can see that train of thought.


Although as a general contractor/carpenter, woodworker, cabinet maker, amateur farmer, home owner, and general jack of all trades I cant imagine leaving a box of something I know I can use behind for pennies on the dollar!

 

[Motorman55]

That's a pretty good haul for the money.

The wife and I go to garage sales and antique type shows and shops all the time. Just a nice way of spending time with her doing something she really likes to do. Plus being a collector myself, I usually turn up something.

I got this stuff for 'FREE' while at the local recycle/dump back in May of this year. An old guy was throwing it away. Of course I don't need 100 large red wire nuts or some of the stuff in the lot. But no way was I going to let this go into the trash.

Garage sales are about the same. You buy the 'lots' or boxes of stuff for a few pennies. Go thru them at home, keep what you need then, give away, scrap or sell off at your own garage sale if you have one.

 

[dsimatt]

The advantage of living near HD and Lowes. For me, it's roughly an hour of time and two gallons of gas if I take the truck.

I have a HD and Menards 5 minutes from me, growing up back home after 5 on weekdays and noon on Saturday you were SOL if you needed something. Everyone stockpiled and would have bought the same stuff as the OP, hell I would have bought a couple boxes myself.

Around here the garage sales are 90% garbage needed stuff and good luck finding anything decent to buy tool related.

 

[Rickster]

I have two racks of pull out drawer nuts & bolts bins and they're filled with nice fasteners I've picked up over the years at garage and estate sales. I never take the coffee can full of all kinds of stuff. Instead I look for the single jars of one fastener these guys have and add them to my collection. They usually go for 25 cents to a dollar at most.....cant go wrong!

 

[lolaetype]

How many of you harvest fasteners and other interesting items from appliances before they go to the recycle bin?

 

[Locker537]

I buy what I need when I need it.

Time and storage force making decisions about what to keep. I've declined shops full of hardware because chances are you won't need it and will have to store it.

 

[dr_clyde]

How many of you harvest fasteners and other interesting items from appliances before they go to the recycle bin?

I’m cheap, but I’m not that cheap.

 

[marinusdees]

Best way. I had a neighbor who was a hardware collector and organizer. After he passed age 60 (he's dead now, alas), he realized he'd never use it. He was happy to get rid of it. Encouraged me to take more. He saved me many trips down the hill to the hardware store, never mind the cost. He had sh** that no hardware store stocked. And, he was an electronics whiz (worked at Boeing). Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I have my dad's stuff, he grew up poor before the depression. In 40 years I think I've only used a few of his collection.

 

[Dave455]

I’m with you on this one Woody!

Unfortunately, here in the U.K. we don’t have a lot of garage sales, and there are seldom any decent tools if there are. (It’s not worth selling the Taiwanese, and the decent stuff never makes it to the sale). I went to one once, and there were some elderly garden tools together with a lawn mower that didn’t work!

I’ve had much better luck with second hand tool dealers, especially if what I’m after is not what they primarily deal in.

Probably 15 years back, I visited a used machine tool dealer. This guy used to clear out factories and workshops, and quite often would make an offer for all the unsold lots after an auction, so used to get all manner of stuff.

He’d just bought a few machines, but included in the deal was the ‘stores’. There was a load of shelving, some metal, and a stillage of part used boxes of screws. I made an offer of (I think) about £30 for the screws, which he grabbed. Turned out to be a great deal. Everything was quality brands (Unbrako mostly) and all either Whitworth/ BSF or unified (which of course the ‘pros’ were saying nobody wants)! I doubled my stock of screws overnight, and I’m still using the stuff!

I have another dealer locally who specialises in woodworking tools. I find it’s worth asking what he’s got, as most of the time he doesn’t even bother putting specialised engineering tools on display. I’ve had all manner of ‘consumables’ off him for next to no money. As well as bolts and screws, I’ve had taps, dies, tool steel, and even packs of hacksaw blades (Starrett - £3 / pack of 12)!

Keep your eyes open, and never be afraid to ask!

 

[JR 42]

He’d just bought a few machines, but included in the deal was the ‘stores’. There was a load of shelving, some metal, and a stillage of part used boxes of screws. I made an offer of (I think) about £30 for the screws, which he grabbed. Turned out to be a great deal. Everything was quality brands (Unbrako mostly) and all either Whitworth/ BSF or unified (which of course the ‘pros’ were saying nobody wants)! I doubled my stock of screws overnight, and I’m still using the stuff!

I learned a word today, thanks!

I've got limited space and low need, so I try to only buy the stuff I'll use, mostly wood screws. I buy any cheap brass, bronze, stainless nuts/ bolts/ screws/ washers I can find, occasionally stuff in old cool packaging, and that's about it.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Where is Sunny Seattle ? I know where the other Seattle is, three hours drive south of where I live.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Hardware from a garage sale is a tough call, unless it's something I plan on needing or know I use, then it's silly for me to fill up mygarge with someone elses stuff, only to hand it off in a future garage sale...

Tools and equipment on the other hand... let me at 'em!

 

[JR 42]

Where is Sunny Seattle ? I know where the other Seattle is, three hours drive south of where I live.

Haha, hey now, it was sunny the day I typed it.