Old nuts and bolts

[Herbert]

I have nearly a bucket full of nuts, bolts screws washers and anything made if steel of pig iron. Where can I either sell it or get rid of it?

[olddave]

Split them into lots and advertise them on the forum. I'm still using stuff from a collection I started 60 years ago

[woodypup59]

It's worth sorting them out into scrap and useable. An ideal job for this afternoon while listening to the kings speech !

Derust the good ones with your choice of fluid. Chase the threads or wire brush and then heat them and drop into oil to preserve.
Plain steel nuts and bolts are preferable for a pukka restoration. Modern plated types are too bright.

Totally scrap items can be taken to your local tidy tip for recycling.

[CooperTune]

I have been keeping used hardware most of my life. I have the large coffee cans full. I also have a large tub type rock polisher. I dump cans into polisher with a little water some AJax and media. I try to run it while I need to be at the other end of shop. After a reasonable amount of time I empty into large colander rinse, dry on a beach towel then spray with WD40. I also collect old cast cookware. My junkman brings them to me rusty, I soak in my molasses tub after cleaning up I fill the 14-inch ones, nuts in one, bolts another and washers a third. If I ever have the time, I'd sort but this is better than dumping jars out and refilling. I do buy a lot of new hardware, the quality stuff has gotten expensive the cheap stuff not worth messing with. Steve (CTR)

[woodypup59]

Molasses works well as a derusting agent. 5 litres for £8 at the local farm and pet shop.

[Spider]

I tend to only keep the special and odd ball ones, the reset go to scrap these days. I did once used to clean them and have them re-plated, but that's just no longer worth my while.

[goff]

Molasses works well as a derusting agent. 5 litres for £8 at the local farm and pet shop.

I'll second that with Molasses , been using it for years , 5 gallon of water to 1 gallen of molaases , at the moment i have builders tub full with a 16in 3 stud wheel , one of four i am doing , leave for about a week then pressure wash , if still rusty put back for another week , alot cheaper than shot blasting , BUT DON'T put ALLOY parts in , cos they will dissolve .