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Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 1:38:18 PM   
tigerrag


 

Posts: 32
Joined: 9/5/2002
From: Kinston, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Home Depot carries door skins (about 1/8 ply ) if you don't need 1st quality ply.My local Sherwin Williams carries !/4 5 ply floor under layment in 4x4 sheets.This is good quality and I use it for fire walls and making field boxes etc.
       Post #: 1

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 3:17:03 PM   
Dr1Driver



Posts: 3589
Joined: 7/25/2002
From: Spartanburg, SC, USA
Status: offline 		Yup, and a lot of the hardware is just as good or better than the LHS carries, and a LOT cheaper. Hobby Lobby and Michael's carry some building tools and a small supply of balsa, hardwood, and ply.

Dr.1

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       Post #: 2

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 5:08:23 PM   
Campy



Posts: 3396
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Baltic, CT, USA
Status: offline 		If you go to the fastener section you can often find smaller size (2-56 & 4-40) bolts/nuts/washers as well as #2 and #4 screws.

(in reply to Dr1Driver)
       Post #: 3

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 5:41:50 PM   
MasterAlex



Posts: 526
Joined: 6/26/2005
From: Central, IN, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Campy

If you go to the fastener section you can often find smaller size (2-56 & 4-40) bolts/nuts/washers as well as #2 and #4 screws.

Now that's news to me! Campy, you're finding #2 and #4 fasteners at Home Depot and/or Lowes? I was just at my local HD this weekend and the smallest sized hardware was #6. Are you finding these in a specialized department? What's the "fastener section"?

Thanks!

-MA

_____________________________

The 1st step is admitting you have a problem ... okay, I admit it, RC is my obsession!

(in reply to Campy)
       Post #: 4

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 8:01:34 PM   
sscherin



Posts: 938
Joined: 8/17/2005
From: Castle Rock, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Try Ace or True Value..

My local Ace Hardware stocks down to 00-80 in cap screws but you'll have to hit the LHS for some blind nuts or ny-locks in that size.
They even have button head cap screws in 4-40 and up.

Lowes and Home Depot stop at 6-32

Lowes and Ace stock taps down to 4-40
Ace has the Dies too.

Ace Stocks Brass & Aluminum tubing and rods plus some larger music wire.

Michaels Craft store has ply and balsa when you need something quick. Rare Earth magnets in 1/4" and 1/2" dia, brass wire good for wrapping and soldering is in the beading isle.

Dress lining and polycryllic covering.
Fabric at Walmart or JoAnns (get 100% polyester Dress lining, no blends! they won't shrink right) It should be $1.99 a yard or less on sale 44" or 60" wide

Polycryllic.. any Hardware store or Walmart
Water Based Exterior Spare Urethane for the top coat. Any HW store and sometimes Walmart.

Disposable Acid Brushes. Michales or Harbor Freight. Maybe the plumbing isle at the HW store by the soldering flux.

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There is no mechanical problem so difficult that it cannot be solved by brute strength and ignorance

(in reply to MasterAlex)
       Post #: 5

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/9/2008 11:49:09 PM   
Campy



Posts: 3396
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Baltic, CT, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterAlex


quote:

ORIGINAL: Campy

If you go to the fastener section you can often find smaller size (2-56 & 4-40) bolts/nuts/washers as well as #2 and #4 screws.

Now that's news to me! Campy, you're finding #2 and #4 fasteners at Home Depot and/or Lowes? I was just at my local HD this weekend and the smallest sized hardware was #6. Are you finding these in a specialized department? What's the "fastener section"?

Thanks!

-MA


Sorry, I should have been more specific.

Not Lowes or Home Depot, but stores like Ace and True Value have fastner sections (sometimes refered to as Hardware or Nuts & Bolts ).

At my local Ace store I have found 2-56 socket head bolts ranging from 1/4" all the way to 1 1/2" long as well as aluminum VERY thick wall tubes (stand offs ?) in lengths from 1/2" to 3" long as well as birch dowels. I recently picked up a bunch of 1.6 mm bolts, nuts and washers to use for fastening plywood hinges together (many Europeon plans call for plywood hinges and control horns)

(in reply to MasterAlex)
       Post #: 6

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/10/2008 1:38:30 AM   
SST



Posts: 1151
Joined: 6/26/2002
From: Mt. Morris, MI, USA
Status: offline 		I use bicycle spokes for single-end threaded control rods. They're stainless, longer, stronger and cheaper than the LHS rods. About $6.00 will buy about 3000 single-tube stir straws at Sams...They make a lifetime of aileron torque rod tubes and guide tubes. Restaurant supply stores have short hardwood 1/4" or 5/16" skewers like those used for filet rolls that make perfect rubber band dowels for smaller planes. They come in bags of 100.

< Message edited by SST -- 1/10/2008 1:45:11 AM >

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Rule #2: Always know HOW to get out of Dodge.

(in reply to Campy)
       Post #: 7

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/10/2008 1:39:57 AM   
MasterAlex



Posts: 526
Joined: 6/26/2005
From: Central, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Guys!

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The 1st step is admitting you have a problem ... okay, I admit it, RC is my obsession!

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       Post #: 8

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/10/2008 2:14:28 PM   
Bob Yeager



Posts: 388
Joined: 1/10/2002
From: Casper, WY, USA
Status: offline 		When was the last time that you saw Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, Lowes, Home Depot, Sutherlands, et. al. listed as a contributor or sponsor at a contest, meet, or fun-fly?

Just a thought. Regards to all!

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Wyoming Windsock

(in reply to MasterAlex)
       Post #: 9

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/10/2008 5:22:49 PM   
sscherin



Posts: 938
Joined: 8/17/2005
From: Castle Rock, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Well I might feel bad but I still spend $30 or more every time I walk in to the LHS on things like push rods, props, glow plugs, wheels, clevises, servos, CA, Epoxy and other special hardware.

My LHS does not stock button head cap screws, any kind of dope other than clear butaryte, no fabric covering at all, no brass tubing less than 36" long, no plywood over 36" long
Hit and miss stocking of K&S tools (taps and dies)
Plus half the time what they have in stock will not be enough for my project and I'll end up at the HW store anyway.

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AMA #163334
There is no mechanical problem so difficult that it cannot be solved by brute strength and ignorance

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       Post #: 10

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/11/2008 12:49:08 AM   
khodges


 

Posts: 5091
Joined: 7/3/2003
From: newton, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Another good thing you'll find at Michaels, or A.C. Moore, or craft shops that sell dollhouse kits and supplies: very tiny brass brads, which make great non-flush rivet detail, and tiny brass hinges, designed for room doors on the dollhouse, but great for cabin door hinges on small scale planes, or baggage hatches, etc. You could even get a 1 inch to one foot (1/12th) toilet if you wanted. That would be a conversation piece at the field.

I think availablity of some of the smaller hardware at Lowe's depends on the location. We have two Lowe's SuperStores in Hickory, only one has any kind of limited supply. But go 1/2 mile down the street from one of the Lowe's, and Ace Hardware has all kinds of little stuff. Heck, I'd rather go there anyway.

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       Post #: 11

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/13/2008 12:18:00 AM   
snoop42


 

Posts: 45
Joined: 3/26/2002
From: Omaha, NE, USA
Status: offline 		Adding to the ACE/Westlake Hardware stuff. Mine has a selection on nylon nuts, botls, washers, wingnuts etc. Need a really long nylon bolt? Look in the plumbing dept. for toilet seat harware. I've found 1/4 20 nylon bolts up to 6" long there. Also some kind of red rubber gasket material in a flat sheet. Haven't found a use for it yet, but I picked one up just in case. Also rubber O rings.

Snoop42

(in reply to khodges)
       Post #: 12

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/14/2008 3:05:50 PM   
daven



Posts: 6908
Joined: 12/7/2001
From: Andover, MN, USA
Status: offline 		I buy most of my tape, glues (other than epoxy or CA), primer, paint, sandpaper, dowel stock, light ply, from hardware stores like Ace, or any good "OLE' Time" hardware store (the older the better, and hardwood floors are a bonus). I can spend hours walking down each row looking for anything I can apply to RC. Specialty tools, etc...

Now can anyone think of a use for "mighty putty" in regards to RC use

Most of my hardware is purchased through microfastners, tough to beat their offerings.

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Dave Norman

klasskote.com
supertrc.com

(in reply to snoop42)
       Post #: 13

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/14/2008 3:19:00 PM   
carlosponti



Posts: 1049
Joined: 5/14/2003
From: Moore, OK, USA
Status: offline 		to get screws for my micro servos to mount to a plane i had to go to ACE for some really small brass wood screws, the hobby store said sorry we dont carry anything that small.

(in reply to daven)
       Post #: 14

RE: Supplies from hardware stores - 1/14/2008 10:50:20 PM   
cyclops2


 

Posts: 1829
Joined: 12/23/2005
From: Frenchtown, NJ, USA
Status: offline

I LOVE this topic!!

Ace used to sell RC cars & the engines.

Rich

(in reply to carlosponti)