I would buy what you need plus a few extra, if you buy a selection box you could end up with bolts and screws you may never use.

Martin P

My approach is to do both:

• Selection set to start off and then to make sure odd sizes are to hand. This avoids downing-tools in mid-job because a few screws have to be ordered.
• Buy for the job, plus a few extra as Martin suggests. A 'few' might be quite a lot because buying in quantity is usually much cheaper. Provided you eventually use them that is: a workshop full of unused screws is wasteful.

As is often the case in engineering, it's a matter of striking a balance. My work requires a relatively small range of metric fasteners, which I stock by the hundred and steadily use up. I have the moderate storage space and cash needed to do this. I'd buy differently if I did one-offs involving a wide range of different fasteners and was on a tight budget in a tiny workshop.

Dave

I’ve got quite a large selection of socket screws in stock. I used to buy locally but I find it’s just as easy to buy on the auction site. I always get more than I need for a given project if I need to buy anything.

Nearly everything I buy in the way of fasteners is stainless these days, I hate stuff going rusty.

When I started I bought mine by the box. Twelve years on a couple of the boxes are almost empty so it wasn't an extravagance at all. M4 mostly plus some M3 and M5, cap heads and countersunks.

Buy your Capscrews from a proper engineering supplier. "supermarket" hardware can be low strength. Unbrako is good quality. (Ditto for Allen keys, I still use the Unbrako Allen keys bought in 1958 when I was was an Apprentice )

The steel in the D I Y screws and keys can be soft and more trouble that they are worth. You tend to find this out when you need to remove a tight screw!

Howard

Dave – I usually buy a box or two when either Aldi or Lidl have them in. I have not seen any lately though. To be sure, they are not as good as something like Unbrako but they are quite acceptable for much of what I do in the workshop. I would not use them though on safety critical fittings – on a motor bike for instance.

Rik

Try these

Invicta tools and fixings

or these

DJ Invicta supplies Ltd

as they are quite close to you. There use to be one in Staple which I forget their name or if they are still trading

Edited By Derek Lane 2 on 21/03/2019 14:19:04

I use a company called GWR Fasteners they are net based and supply a good quality product with excellent service.

Quality of items bought on EBay can be very variable, have found a good supplier online where quality is excellent and small quantities is no problem. The company is called Westfield Fasteners and they carry a good range of sizes and types and their stainless fasteners are excellent.

Dave W

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

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.