Screw/nail storage

[legenddc]

I started looking at CS Hardware and was overwhelmed. I think they have 4 different types of flat-head Zinc #8 1 1/4" screws. Curious what you all do.

Do you stockpile screws and/or nails? Only keep a few common sizes on hand? Know the next few projects and only buy what you need?

[wtnhighlander]

I keep a few general-purpose screws on hand for quick jigs and such, but usually buy specifically for a project.  Normally from a home center or local hardware store.

[Gary Beasley]

I have an old school pile of reclaimed and extra screw, nuts bolts and fittings. Hopefully when something breaks or comes up short there will be something I can use. I dont know how many times the “junk box” has saved the day. If I have a particular project I can check my stash then go buy whatever else I need, which is not too often.

[pkinneb]

I have a couple drawers, for the most used stuff, but I am lucky to have a well stocked True Value Hardware store close by so I let them inventory the majority of it.

[Cliff]

I started stockpiling. I found a type of square drive screw i like and bought 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2, 2, 3 inch long.. like 100 pc boxes. I store them in the little multicolored plastic bins you can get at Lee Valley.

[Robby W]

Whenever I need a faster for a project, I buy the box of 100 if I can. There tends to be common sizes that get used a lot, and I keep those on hand. It's kind of nice to just walk up to the drawers on the wall and get the faster I need.

[BillyJack]

I stopped hoarding screws and bolts. Starts taking a lot of room. Buy as I go keep only what I need...mainly cabinet fasteners,bolts for jigs and pins and staples for pnuematic guns. 

[Mark J]

I keep leftover fasteners in a couple of storage boxes with multiple plastic drawers.  If I need some fasteners I try to make do with something from that stock.  If nothing works it's off to the True Value.   If I need six screws I will usually buy eight.  If I'm not sure of the length I'll get two sizes, thus creating leftovers.

[gee-dub]

AS a hobbyist I buy a box of 100 whenever I start to get low.  I tend to stock by 1/8" increments of length for #8 flat and washer head, by 1/4" for #6, #7 and pan head.  I keep #10's in longer lengths.  Other than that I buy as required and have a bunch of random stuff sorted in tackle boxes.  A piece of measuring tape is handy for selecting and returning to stock.

[Tom King]

I have one storage building with heavy wooden shelves in it.  The first couple of years I was building houses, I used a hammer, and bought nails in 50 lb. boxes.  I still have probably a thousand pounds of leftovers in those boxes, as they left me with more of those than I've needed in 45 years after buying nail guns.

  In another building, I have nail gun nails on shelves, not another 1,000 pounds, but several hundred.  In that second building there is also a rack of wooden drawers with all sizes of wood screws in them, mostly in five pound boxes, but all sorts of cabinet making screws too.

In a third building, closer to the house, I have probably another hundred pounds of various fasteners we need around the home place.  Just this morning, I used some staples from there to re-enforce the chicken pen wire where a Fox tried to get in last night.  

Also in that third building is my supply of fasteners left over from when I was in the boat business, which includes a large assortment of stainless steel rivets.

With all that, I still need to buy various fasteners from Ace Hardware, and online.  Just this morning, I needed 22- no.10 x 1-1/4" stainless pan head machine screws, with nylock nuts for a Muck Razer, for the lake,  that didn't come with enough fasteners to suit me, 1-3/8x1-1/4" Grade 8 bolt with flat washer, and lock washer, and 2-1/2"x2-1/2" grade 5 bolts with nylock nuts-those last ones for the John Deere.  I just came back from the Ace Hardware pickup at the door with those.

I forgot about my collection of hand forged nails collected from the old houses I've worked on-probably a hundred pounds of them in various sizes.

[Chip Sawdust]

I've had various levels of hardware over the years. I generally buy what I need plus some, like many here have posted. I have them stashed here and there depending on their function. Some for metal (machine screws mostly), all the various ones for wood, then automotive and whatnot. I have a drawer here, a toolbox there - but I know where they all are (most of the time). In my last shop, which was HUGE, I had the plastic drawer/bins on a shelf. Nowadays not so much; a lot got purged about 10-12 years ago. So levels go up and down. I also have an Ace hardware down the road not too far and HD/Lowes are 15 minutes down the hill so it's not difficult to source stuff when I need it.

[rainjer]

I used a combination if Buddeez Bits and Bolts Storage Containers and old prescription containers screws. For bigger and the screws I use the most they go in the Buddeez containers. The Buddeez containers come with red, yellow or blue lids. I used the different colors to sort the screws buy size. Red = #6, blue = #8 & Yellow = other misc sizes.  For smaller screws I use the prescription containers. For bolt/nuts I have a Stanley organizer tray. I label all of my containers with a label maker. This is helpful when you run out to figure out what you need to buy again...