Fasteners: Part One

Well, I changed course here a bit.  Bear with me, folks, as I did it with good reason.

After much research and shopping around for a supplier of metric fasteners at inexpensive prices, I found Marshall's Industrial Hardware out of San Diego, California.

Their website layout is kind of first-generation, but their prices are hard to beat anywhere.  I won't bore you with the numbers yet (saving that for Part Two), but they were at worst half as expensive as their nearest competitor.  Needless to say, I made the order.  Tony went in with me on this one also, so we got the quantity discounts that really made it a sweet deal price-wise.

The only thing that has me a little irked so far is that they charged me almost $19 for UPS Ground shipping and then sent the order in two packages by USPS Priority Mail.  I'm still awaiting delivery of the second package, and a response to my inquiry about why they switched the shipping on me without telling me or remitting the difference.

After all the kvetching I did earlier about how fastener prices could be a force multiplier, when I saw how low prices were at Marshall's, I was emboldened to splurge a little and buy a few extras of certain low quantity items.  I figure most of these are small, easily damaged or lost, and the extra expense of having spares might pay for itself in time saved during the build phases.

I also looked at the frame assembly and realized that it would be more pleasing to the eye if built with button-head screws instead of socket heads.  We have plenty of both styles on hand, so we can "plan B" and go back to socket heads if it adversely affects the frame.

That first box got here today, and I've kept it sealed until such time as I can meet up with Tony (seems like a good tradition).  We'll divvy up the goodies over dinner at Bear's Bar and Grill or maybe Hooter's.

So... one more box, one more post, and then we start putting frames together.  It's going to be tough waiting - I wanna get buildin'!

Update:  The second box arrived the next day while I was sleeping (I work nights).  Bigger box, and now the difference in shipping cost is only about $4 and change.  Oh, well.  I guess them's the breaks - I haven't heard back from their customer service yet.  I guess it's like Steve Martin once said, "I've got four dollars - I guess I'll throw it in the street..."  Still, this switcheroo kinda bugs me just a little.

Next:  Fasteners - Part Two:  Let's Do Lunch!