steelbiceps Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 I started with various lengths of 3/16" hrc on Thursday, down to 3.5" long. Then for Friday I went and got some 1/4" hrc and some 1/4" x 6" bolts from Home Depot. After bending the 1/4" stock down to 6" in length, I went at a bolt (picture in my gallery). Are the stainless bolts from Home Depot about the easiest? It only says "BBB" on the head of the bolt. I think it's all HD had in stock for 1/4" x 6". I'm not really interested in going for harder bolts for a while, since my wrists got pretty sore from that session, but I'd like to decorate the Xmas tree with these things. Maybe 1 per day from now through the holidays. It appears Home Depots don't have many bolt options. Would an ACE/TrueValue hardware or something be better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 (edited) im pretty sure ace has lots ive never been. nice bend man. thats a grade 2 bolt you bent there. should be pretty close to a yellow now. get yourself some 1/4'' cold rolled steel now. look for steel distributors in the phonebook and find the cheapest place. make sure you have bolt cutters or a saw or something tho. good work Edited December 17, 2005 by porky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted December 17, 2005 Author Share Posted December 17, 2005 Thanks for the advice. I've got bolt cutters. I was going to buy the IM nails assortment, but hardware stores are just SO much cheaper. Maybe with my next order... Thanks, I'll find a steel distributor. I just thought ACE would be convenient, but I live in a city and can probably find anything in the yellow pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtime Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 usually a hardware store is going to only sell HRS, make sure that its CRS, some hardware stores do sell crs(ace) where as home depot doesnt.. check the price on how many feet and compair it to ironmind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 (edited) go to ace for your bolts and stuff. steel distributors you will be able to get crs stock and pretty much any other stock you can think of for a ton cheaper than hardware stores. but phone a few of them to get the cheapest because 1 or 2 i phoned had ridiculous prices around where i live. also you can look in your phone book under fasteners. and probably find a place to get bolts suuuper cheap. Edited December 17, 2005 by porky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soilworker Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 A local suburban hardware store should have CRS, but only in 3 foot lengths, and it is as expensive or more than the IM nails, if you really added it all up. I know those bolts well, I started on the exact same things! Nice job and as always don't bend commando style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-man Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Stan, Congrats! Most HDs in New England only have Grade 2 in 1/4"x6" lengths. I feel a HD grade 2 is harder than a 6" piece of 1/4" HRS or CRS, but way easier than a 60D. If you want to try grade 5's or even harder Grade 8's, check out mcmaster-carr. The link is below, search for the pn listed to see an example pack. I bought 7" G5 there also. I have seen some G5s at Ace, but the Aces and Abuchons around here have small selections. Good luck, it sure will be a purdy tree http://www.mcmaster.com/ Part Number: 91247A566 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUNO Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Thanks for the advice. I've got bolt cutters. I was going to buy the IM nails assortment, but hardware stores are just SO much cheaper. Maybe with my next order...Thanks, I'll find a steel distributor. I just thought ACE would be convenient, but I live in a city and can probably find anything in the yellow pages. ← You could buy a bucket of 60d nails at the home depot or lowes. Keep in mind that timber ties are going to be much easier than standard 60ds. I know of a supplier in Lowell MA. The prices are very low. I cant remember off the top or my head but you will be shocked how much steel you can get for $50. As for bolts i use a place in woburn called FASTANEL. If your local to these places youll save some$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted December 17, 2005 Author Share Posted December 17, 2005 (edited) Hmm. I guess you do get quite a bit in the IM pack, and the progression is probably good, so maybe I'll go for it soon. And yeah, I wanted to get a few 60Ds from HD, but the smallest quantity was like 35 lbs for $45 or something. So I put it off until another day -- at least until I think I can bend one. As I recall, HD had both straight 60Ds and twisted ones. Are the twisted ones the timber ones you refer to? Maybe it'd be a good in-between. What's commando style? I usually start DU and go to DO once it's kinked about 20-25 degrees. Edited December 17, 2005 by steelbiceps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUNO Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Hmm. I guess you do get quite a bit in the IM pack, and the progression is probably good, so maybe I'll go for it soon.And yeah, I wanted to get a few 60Ds from HD, but the smallest quantity was like 35 lbs for $45 or something. So I put it off until another day -- at least until I think I can bend one. As I recall, HD had both straight 60Ds and twisted ones. Are the twisted ones the timber ones you refer to? Maybe it'd be a good in-between. What's commando style? I usually start DU and go to DO once it's kinked about 20-25 degrees. ← I think the twisted ones are timber ties. There is a progression chart on here someplace. I have found open boxes of 60ds in lowes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dude Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Hey Stan, The best buys I've made so far was the 35lb box of 60d's from home depot and the $20 bolt cutters from there as well. In addition I'd say pick up a file to round off the edges of stock if you buy rods and cut it with bolt cutters. There's a place called Metal Supermarkets in Waterbury, CT about 2 1/4 hours from boston according to mapquest. You can buy CRS in 12' rods for dirt cheap. I think I bought 20 bucks of 5/16 CRS and it would equal about 60 reds if I cut it into 7 increments. They have 3/16, 1/4, hex, round, everything you can think of for cheap. I know the ride is a little far but if you teamed up with some of the other mass like bruno, zman, etc.. and bought a bunch it'd be more than worth it. I bought about 40 something feet for 28 bucks and it'll take me awhile to even go thru half of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soilworker Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 It's much closer than that from Boston. Mapquest is for slow drivers! Stan, "commando" style is what I call bending without pads. I did that after the contest last Saturday. Skin was quite taxed from the V-bar pressure and a Timber Tie gave me a god-awful blister on my palm. It's only for the brave/stupid....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtime Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 If your on a budget, use a sidewalk as a file, and buy cheap little 14" bolt cutters. If you put enough effort into it, you can cut 3/8ths steel with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted December 18, 2005 Author Share Posted December 18, 2005 (edited) It's much closer than that from Boston. Mapquest is for slow drivers!Stan, "commando" style is what I call bending without pads. I did that after the contest last Saturday. Skin was quite taxed from the V-bar pressure and a Timber Tie gave me a god-awful blister on my palm. It's only for the brave/stupid....... ← Oh, I thought it was bending without underwear. I've gotta see your version of commando style sometime. Too bad I was late for work after the contest. Damn, now that you've said that, I won't sleep well until I've done it. I couldn't do it with the bolt -- I use too much force right into the ends. Maybe with a longer bar. Edited December 18, 2005 by steelbiceps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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