If you use 6,8,10 & 12 mm @ A2 as I do, I find Screwfix has everything I want on the shelf and at a reasonable cost too.

Guy

There are several good places on the auction site, I use Kay’s and Boltbase.

I've used these in the past when I was located near them. I don't know how their prices compare with others, but they supplied me with the small quantities I needed quickly when I ordered from them:

Link to Westfield Fasteners

John

Graham, Toolstation is also worth a look, and often cheaper than Screwfix.
I'm sure I recognise your name from somewhere, Ducati, Guzzi??

Bill

Hi Graham Just one more to look at http://www.polished-stainless.com Mike Peters I have no connection with him other than having bought from him. He suplies most sizes and in any quantity anywhere in the world.

David

Just be careful the standard for stainless steel is a lot lower than normal 8.8

Got caught out many years ago when making roll cages for competition.

Richard

Hi,

I have had problems with stainless fasteners from Screwfix galling – so would give them a miss.

As other companies have been recommended, it only seems fair to share my preferred source:

Precision Technology Supplies

Thanks,

Mike

PTS look to have an impressive range of high quality fasteners, I was looking for some stainless shoulder screws recently, saw the ones on their website but the pricing put me off. Do you know if they sell in smaller quantities than the webpage shows and is the pricing pro-rata?

Ian P

Hi Ian,

Which are you interested in? Many of the more specialist fasteners are listed at cost per 100 but in fact the pack sizes you add to your basket are 5, 25 etc…..so yes, pro-rata. Usually I get the purchasing office to place my orders, but I have made purchases myself when in a hurry and the product and service is top notch.

I have bought many 100,000s of stainless fasteners and experience has taught me (i.e. being in the middle of nowhere with seized fasteners) to avoid certain suppliers. I personally can feel the difference "through the spanners".

Thanks,

Mike

At one factory I was apprenticed at we made parts for RR aero engines and the bolts and nuts were silver plated to prevent galling and picking up. It's amazing what you remember when someone mentions a problem on here.

David

I recall an awkward instance of it at work, with cap-screws and 'Nyloc' nuts – the action of the insert might increase the risk of galling.

These screws were no more than M5, possibly only M3 or 4.

The assembly was encased in an annulus consisting of two flanged rubber mouldings clamped together by pairs of stainless-steel plate rings bearing on the flanges, with lots of screws and nuts. The whole thing formed a short but very thick-walled cylindrical tube open at both ends, with equatorial flanges inside and outside.

And of course the seized fasteners had to be on the inner flanges! This was only about 80 mm diameter, maybe 40 or 50mm deep from each end of the case. Not much room for hands and spanners; certainly no room to cut a few pennies' worth of screw, even if that were possible without risking damaging probably a few hundred quid's worth of specially-made casing!

I could only try tightening the nut until the screw sheared before the Allen key, which luckily it did.