Loose screws

[Liney]

I just wanted to have a quick show of hands here, who else has a box/jar/tin around the garage/shed/house which contains loose screws, nuts, bolts and other fasteners?

Growing up it was an accepted thing that any fasteners that were removed from things you were getting rid of went into a tin that lived under the stairs. If my dad was doing any DIY around the place he would go the tin and see if there was something he could use, I hate to think how many times the contents were tipped over an old newspaper and I ended up raking though looking for four screws the same length and head type.

When we cleared out Granny's house when she died we found around 20 small cardboard boxes containing wood screws, which had belonged to Grandad. When my Dad died as the eldest and only male I inherited the tin. Last time I looked in my garage there was a couple of boxes full of left over fasteners.

Admittedly both Grandad and Dad had lived though the tough times of the last century when even the litlte things cost money and were difficulyto come by, and they had an in-grained habit of being frugal and re-using what they could. I don't seem to have that excuse (not with current prices and availability) but I still hate to see good things thrown away if they still work. Only last night I had to connect an electronic doodad to an electronic thingumy, and not only did I have the cables I needed but in the big box of electric string in the garage I would appear to have spares......

Is it just me?

[ameerat42]

x about 6 or seven such tins, ditto for nails (which I hardly ever use), and a score of
packets of modern timber/metal/concrete screws/fasteners. Add to that assorted brackets, offcuts
of timber/metal, a comprehensive array of handy-person tools/equipment, and...

I "sort of collected" the older stuff from hand-me-downs/overs, garage sales..., and the newer stuff
from hardware stores.

(Does any of this sound familiar? )

I hate waste, and that includes the idea that you can just jump in the car and go get something...
(Time and resources, etc.) The only thing is that I have to keep a balance against "hoarding".
I have been joshingly accused of the latter, only to have it set aside when I have been able to help
someone from my "hoard". Occasionally, sorted stuff gets put out for kerbside collection, where, I am
pleased to relate, it is often picked up if it's useful stuff, or if absolutely decrepid (obsol spelling), it
finally goes.

The only thing that gets really short shrift is flathead screws, and other useless metal. That usually goes
to KS collection.

--I'm glad it's not "just me"

[Geoff Port]

I just wanted to have a quick show of hands here, who else has a box/jar/tin around the garage/shed/house which contains loose screws, nuts, bolts and other fasteners?

Growing up it was an accepted thing that any fasteners that were removed from things you were getting rid of went into a tin that lived under the stairs. If my dad was doing any DIY around the place he would go the tin and see if there was something he could use, I hate to think how many times the contents were tipped over an old newspaper and I ended up raking though looking for four screws the same length and head type.

When we cleared out Granny's house when she died we found around 20 small cardboard boxes containing wood screws, which had belonged to Grandad. When my Dad died as the eldest and only male I inherited the tin. Last time I looked in my garage there was a couple of boxes full of left over fasteners.

Admittedly both Grandad and Dad had lived though the tough times of the last century when even the litlte things cost money and were difficulyto come by, and they had an in-grained habit of being frugal and re-using what they could. I don't seem to have that excuse (not with current prices and availability) but I still hate to see good things thrown away if they still work. Only last night I had to connect an electronic doodad to an electronic thingumy, and not only did I have the cables I needed but in the big box of electric string in the garage I would appear to have spares......

Is it just me?

My dad taught me by deed not to throw screws, bolts, nuts, washers etc out. I have and regularly go to several containers full of used and left over/salvaged hardware such as this. With the price of “good quality” items such as this continually on the rise these treasure tins are an essential in any shed. As for electrical stuff, this home has 3 draws and a hat box FULL of cables, chargers, headphones etc. One never know when they might be needed.


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[Ross M]

My parents were born into the so called Great Depression. They also experienced rationing during World War 2 before gradual post-war recovery. Their lives were moulded by the need to be frugal and very little was thrown away. The ingenuity and resourcefulness that developed out of this was amazing.

On top of this history, my father was a fitter and machinist. He had a massive collection of metal bits and parts for use as raw materials crammed into every nook and cranny of his shed. He possessed very few power tools. One of the few power tools he had was a drill and he devised clamps and jigs to use the drill and vise as a primitive lathe. He used his skills constantly. If he needed a simple tool, he would make it. I think his attitude was summed up in a conversation we had when I was very young and said I might like to be a mechanic. "Ah yes", he said. "A mechanic is a good job, but it's easy. A real tradesman doesn't just replace parts - he repairs the old ones and puts them back." A bit harsh, but it was the way he looked at things.

Frugal re-use has rubbed off on me and I have to make an effort to stop myself hoarding.

[Tannin]

On a point of order, Mr Chairman, by definition if they are in a jar or box they are not loose.

I must have spent countless hours and several thousand dollars over the years buying containers and building shelves and constructing sheds, all to contain loose screws and a variety of other objects which just might come in handy one day. Over the journey, I estimate that this has saved me at least $120.

On the other hand, think of the benefits. Now whenever I want something I can spend a happy half-hour searching through the sheds for one the right size, then take a nice little break from the tedium of life at home by driving down to the shops and buying some new ones, then some intellectually challenging and quite often rewarding time trying to remember what on earth I wanted them for in the first place, a good five minutes screwing them in, and finally another ten minutes trying to figure out a good place to file the leftover ones, not to mention the three other things I bought while I was at the shop just in case. All of this safe in the knowledge that, next time I'm looking for a centre punch or some five-minute epoxy, the missing 25mm screws will turn up.

[Glenda]

Not a one . But I'm sure my husband has in that building I rarely venture into. My parents also went through the depression and WWII and rarely threw anything out on the off chance it might be useful some day. After Dad passed away and later Mum had to go into a nursing home my brother and I filled a skip with things they had kept, just in case.

On the female side I still have a large bottle full of buttons - originally from my Grandmother who did a lot of sewing, then added to by Mum who did very little. I can remember both of them removing buttons from garments they were throwing out. And, yes I have actually used some to replace the odd button lost over the years.

[John King]

I've got a garage full of that stuff. Must have saved a few bucks over the years.

However, some spare parts cannot be acquired. Parts for older computers are one such category of things. The option is often to scrap a whole computer because a suitable video card (and drivers) cannot be sourced.

Like some others, I have an abhorrence of the utter wastefulness of our modern society.

[Liney]

Well its not just me then, I am so glad.

I have to admit that I have to skip a lot of stuff every time I move house because whenever I do some DIY around the house I tend to have bits and pieces left over which I keep "in case they come in handy". Most times I have found uses for things and that's half the fun (improvise, overcome, adapt....).

Several houses ago the local dump let you drive in and offload into a couple of skips, with certain areas for specific types of stuff. I was banned from going on my own by the memsahib because I would allegedly "would came back with more than I took".

Saying that on one occasion she was very happy with my "habit". Back in the UK they used to have a bonfire down the road for November the 5th, and one morning I was walking past the bonfire preparation when I noticed a vintage internal door. As we were renovating a house at the time and needed to replace one of the internal doors it was too good a chance to pass up. Went for a paper, came back with a four panel pitch pine door...

[mudman]

people have been saying for years that i have a screw loose

[jim]

I spent 24 years gathering thousands of the things, all loosely organised into various boxes. Had to throw them all out when we left the country.

[ameerat42]

GARAGE SALE - THIS SATURDAY

-Loose screws in jars and assorted abovementioned bric-a-brac

BARGAINS TO BE HAD for the discerning junk-collector

[Geoff Port]

GARAGE SALE - THIS SATURDAY

-Loose screws in jars and assorted abovementioned bric-a-brac

BARGAINS TO BE HAD for the discerning junk-collector

What’s the address? I’ll be there. Need some more loose screws. Any bent nails in the inventory?


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[ameerat42]

...Any bent nails in the inventory?...

I had half a paint tin full, but they went to the scrap metal 2 loads ago

[Geoff Port]

I had half a paint tin full, but they went to the scrap metal 2 loads ago

Darn it. Nothing like the satisfaction one gets from spending all day straightening nails knowing that you have saved $2:50


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[ameerat42]

Darn it. Nothing like the satisfaction one gets from spending all day straightening nails knowing that you have saved $2:50...

----

Next time I de-nail some planks I'll save the nails for ya.
--Send them to ya by e-nail

[Mark L]

Several houses ago the local dump let you drive in and offload into a couple of skips, with certain areas for specific types of stuff. I was banned from going on my own by the memsahib because I would allegedly "would came back with more than I took".
.

Yes, this was my farther in law's habit. Got to get rid of stuff at the tip, got to get collect potentially useful stuff on the visit two the tip. He'd come back withe twice as much stuff he took o the tip.
And in the end he'd never use that stuff.
Are you all ever going to use that stuff you have?

[jim]

Oh, God yes.Down the dump on a Saturday, every couple of weeks. Spend an hour or so picking things over, an informal sort of recycling. Mum thought it was disgusting...

[Liney]

Are you all ever going to use that stuff you have?

Probably not, but I can guarantee that as soon as I throw something out the following week I will find a need for it.....

[richtbw]

I thought I was the only one that do not throw away things that may become useful tomorrow, what a relief. The joy of realising that you have something somewhere that can be used to make/fix something.

[arthurking83]

.... who else has a box/jar/tin around the garage/shed/house which contains loose screws, nuts, bolts and other fasteners?

....

LOL! I used to buy Goulburn Valley preserved fruits(usually peaches, or two fruits), JUST for the container design to store screws.
Used to binge on the stuff(even tho I don't particularly like it) just to amass those plastic containers.

As for screws themselves, if they aren't posidrive, I chuck 'em.
Can't stand slotted screw heads and they get replaced just because I hate the idea that they're there!
I have a little less disdain for philips and hex heads
Torx or posidrive are my preferred head types. So anything less than that, is chucked and replaced by non rusted, and useful drive types that don't wear out on initial use!

I have about 20 or 30 containers(mainly those Goulburn Valley types) and the other preference for tins is baby powder formula, for the really long screw types.
Any other tin will rust, but baby powder tins don't.
My kids are now 18 and 16, so the newest tin is about 15 years old now. Still good as new. Rust is the killer. if you put new screws into a rusted tin, the screw eventually rusts too.

For nuts, bolts and washers I use compartmental organisers. Most car nuts/bolts washers rust out and get worn on removal/refitment, and I usually replace them with the gold zinc/cadmium plated types.

I hate waste as much as the next person, but in some instances recycling is a backward step.