Where do you buy screws?

[MikeJhn]

I think E-Bay and Amazon are taking over the world, they just make everything so easy, especially Amazon who deliver faster than anyone else I have used, should we all be worried or is it that other suppliers have got to up their game, sorry for the thread drift.

Mike :ho2

 

[bugbear]

A few years ago I bought some parts drawers, and a LOAD of coffee jars and biscuits tins of screws at car boots for a few months.

Some therapeutic sorting later, and I've never bought a screw since.

BugBear

 

[user22161]

Use stainless steel or brass

Brass are usually only slotted though

What about outdoor screws for L & B gates/doors and hardware? Who uses what? I'm fed up with them rusting away in no time.

Yes, I use A4 stainless self tappers on the boat but to buy full boxes of various sizes would be very costly. Also have a few slotted brass, left over from years ago. My disappointment was with some unbranded galvanised screws I used on a gate/door, they were well rusty within a year.

 

[MJP]

Regarding slotted steel screws:

There's a chap living near me who trades exclusively in GKN slotted steel screws, buys up all the old stock he can find, sells loads to renovators, restorers etc.

The renovations in the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben etc) will be using his screws.

He makes a tidy living.

There's life in slotted screws yet.

Martin.

 

[johnnyb]

I always use a local supplier who sells timco screws. Great quality about 50% cheaper than screwfix. They also sell no7 ×3/4 for hinges. Addax drills are good to. I also had a steel case of screws from screwfix got all the details to replace from the lid the screws came to over £80! That's when I started looking properly. Since I became a f/t joiner I use box after box.

 

[Dangermouse 2nd]

For brass screws cant beat Tool station, otherwise I try to get new old stock slotted screws as I do a lot of restoration work and I just hate the look of crosshead screws on a piece of furniture .

 

[MatMan]

I go to Wickes... probably getting "screwed" on the price :-\

 

[Sideways]

Toolstation for ForgeFast / TorxFast 1800 piece bulk pack of torx headed countersunk which are my latest favorites. I decided to try and swap over to torx heads as I think they are the best. I like spax but find them expensive. Forgefast seem to offer good value.