I have recently bought bolts from home depot and found that bolts that have the same three letter code aren't always the same. For their carriage bolts, the three letter code only refers to the dimensions of the carriage bolts. However, some of the bolts are fully threaded while others are only threaded on the bottom half. They are also in the same box, so you might have to dig through them to find the ones you want.
Kyle:
The bolts could be from two different suppliers.
I think you always have to verify that you are getting what you want when you are buying from open stock bins. If the different bolts were in the same bin don't be too quick to blame Home Depot. Yes, HD employees and suppliers do get it wrong on occassion but they are not the main source of the problem. Customers are. That's retail.
In fact, the manufacturer's reps spend a full day once a week in each store sorting and restocking the bins. It takes one full day to undo the messes created by a few customers who could care less whether they put something back in the right bin or not.
If the different style bolts were in a mfr's package then you can't blame HD, but that is a pretty rare situation.
I worked retail for many years, including Home Depot. I always said that retail would be an ideal place to work if there were no customers and no inventory!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Kyle: The bolts could be from two different suppliers. I think you always have to verify that you are getting what you want when you are buying from open stock bins. If the different bolts were in the same bin don't be too quick to blame Home Depot. Yes, HD employees and suppliers do get it wrong on occassion but they are not the main source of the problem. Customers are. That's retail. In fact, the manufacturer's reps spend a full day once a week in each store sorting and restocking the bins. It takes one full day to undo the messes created by a few customers who could care less whether they put something back in the right bin or not. If the different style bolts were in a mfr's package then you can't blame HD, but that is a pretty rare situation. I worked retail for many years, including Home Depot. I always said that retail would be an ideal place to work if there were no customers and no inventory! Dave
The people in the hardware department said they get them all mixed in the same box, and the codes are the same.
The customers are half the problem, but also, there aren't any real dividers to separate the different bolts. About 50% of the misplaced bolts are from the adjacent bins. That being said, it would really help if people could put things back where they found them. The worse offenders even leave the nuts they were test fitting on. How hard is it to put things back where you found them. It would make everyone's life easier.
Kyle,
LOL, It all started when they were told to clean up ther'e room and put the toys away. Probably 60% of the same people, never make the bed, when they get out of it.
Take Care!
Frank
It's not just Home Depot -- Lowe's and Ace Hardware have the same problems, as does practically every other type of store that sells loose hardware items.
Caveat emptor.
If you really need fully threaded bolts, buy from loose stock and select each one yourself. If that's not an option, look at every bolt in the little plastic box (may require some shaking and jiggling to see them past the glued-on labels.) Don't pay for anything that doesn't meet YOUR specs.
I almost hate to say that the major part of the problem is the lack of quality control in the bolt shop in (that big country over there) - but it is. I have found bolts that were obviously double-threaded to two different pitches in the same box at HD.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
cacole It's not just Home Depot -- Lowe's and Ace Hardware have the same problems, as does practically every other type of store that sells loose hardware items.
Anywhere that small bits get put into bins, really. There's an airliner (airline and flight number I can't remember) that was lost because someone working on a different airliner had pulled the wrong size screws, put them back in the wrong bin, and then someone did maintenance work believing he had the right size screws, leading to something crazy like the whole rudder falling off in flight.
Home depot has gone cheap in the bolt and screw department! I recently had to screw down a ply underlayment for a bathroom job, hadn't done one in a few years. The screws I bought at HD spun out, at first I thought I had lost my touch but the brand at Lowes was fine (a brand HD used to carry), don't know what happened and I used to work there so I know the ins and out of the buisness.
Absolutely and that can be said of any self serve store and in some cases full service hardware stores with a staff of part time minimum waged employees not knowing or caring what bin to place restock bolts,nut,screws,washers etc in.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
My question is why would it matter? If your buying the correct size bolt for the job at hand, you would only be using the last 1/2" or so of the bolt threads.
I always check the size of each nut, bolt, washer or whatever, before I leave the store. Nothing is more frustrating than getting home and realizing one of the pieces is the wrong size.
When I moved to a more rural area I invested in a vast assortment of such things as that was cheaper than driving many KMs to get the right size. It's a nice feeling knowing that if I need something I most likely already have it in the workshop. Spending $10.00 to move the car to Home Depot and back for $3.00 worth of hardware makes for expensive nuts and bolts.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Brakie:
I have to take issue with your generalization that young retail employees don't care. There are indeed a few who don't, but the vast majority do care. I worked in retail for a long time. The ones who didn't care were weeded out pretty fast. The others did their best to do the job they were given despite a woeful lack of product knowledge training and despite a lack of personal experience.
I'm sure that you can come up with examples of retail experiences that weren't perfect. Just please don't paint all young retailers with the same brush.
BATMANI always check the size of each nut, bolt, washer or whatever, before I leave the store. Nothing is more frustrating than getting home and realizing one of the pieces is the wrong size.
tomikawaTT Caveat emptor. If you really need fully threaded bolts, buy from loose stock and select each one yourself. If that's not an option, look at every bolt in the little plastic box (may require some shaking and jiggling to see them past the glued-on labels.) Don't pay for anything that doesn't meet YOUR specs. I almost hate to say that the major part of the problem is the lack of quality control in the bolt shop in (that big country over there) - but it is. I have found bolts that were obviously double-threaded to two different pitches in the same box at HD. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I have checked each bolt individually. Normally the letter codes wouldn't cause a problem as you can just pick the bolts you need. However when you need more bolts than the store has (or more than the ones they can locate),it can be hard to explain to the employees what you are looking for.
Personally, I think your statement "lack of quality control" is the understatement of the decade. China has no QC
hon30critterI have to take issue with your generalization that young retail employees don't care.
The hardware stores that employs part time minimum waged employees seems to be the worst offenders when it comes to service and basic hardware knowledge.
On the other hand our local True Value store has great service and very knowledgeable full time employees that has worked there for years.
BRAKIEOn the other hand our local True Value store has great service and very knowledgeable full time employees that has worked there for years.
And it isn't just hardware stores either. Sometimes you find a box of frozen chicken wings tucked in with the Kleenex at the big box grocery store.
Dave Nelson
Have fun with your trains
One electronics store I "visit" actually has signs telling you to place any unwanted product on the bottom shelf. That way things don't get mixed up and they save time looking for parts.
I did buy a bulk pack of 10-32 machine screws at HD, but they don't seem to sell the nuts in bulk. At another big box the clerk simply asked me to count out 100 nuts and he looked up the bulk code for them since they didn't have a box of 100. Saved about 50% in the process.
rrebell Home depot has gone cheap in the bolt and screw department! I recently had to screw down a ply underlayment for a bathroom job, hadn't done one in a few years. The screws I bought at HD spun out, at first I thought I had lost my touch but the brand at Lowes was fine (a brand HD used to carry), don't know what happened and I used to work there so I know the ins and out of the buisness.
Quality control almost seems nonexistant in the "Chinese" products lately. At first, I thought it was only from hardware offered to Loew's and some of the "prepackaged" items at Ace, True Value etc. Home Depot still seemed to have somewhat a better quality. Not so anymore as many have noticed. Most of my "structural" hardware (Hilti, Rawl, Simpsom other critical fasteners for framing is ordered w/ the lumber from my suppliers. These items seem to be the only hardware items uneffected at this point. Items like coarsed thread DW screws have been bad for some time even from my regular suppliers. I find that I have to use hardened/ coated deck screws or stainless for critical fastening lately.
I first noticed the problem w/ lag bolts (customer supplied) from Loew's to secure 2 large barn door assy frames and hindges. Thread cuts were so poor and had no "bite" even w/ proper drilling of clearance and pilot holes. Each one of the "buggers" stripped out requireing new hardware or machine bolt, nut and washer.
Each time I select bulk hardware regardless of supplier the bolt has to be examined, much of what I use in framing are carriage, lag and machine bolts in 3/8 to 1/2" the thread cutting can be all over the place, I will spin nuts on all bolts to check, hot galvanized can be trouble from the coating, but EG ones can still have improper thread cuts as well.
This isn't always feasable when bulk boxed is needed. Getting to be a crap shoot.
At least I'm glad that the specialty "TrussLoc, Rawl and Hilti" remain decent. Can't be said for all that prepackaged small #4 to #12 screw and bolts.
FYI, any wood underlayment is better fastened w/ galv ring nail shot preferably into joists. Screwed down can spin out and also allow creaking as the screws will many times only "thread" the plywood to the floor leaving a space from not pulling down. Plywood, especially fir underlayment is harder than the subfloor/substrate and tends to leave the screw head raised many times. Hard screw driving w/ an impact will snap heads or spinout quite often. Of corse predilling/ countersink will work fine to fasten for small areas if desired, I can't spend that much time during laying the floor. Hardiboard and other Durarock is of coarse screwed w/ the Durarock screws.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org