Chandlers - #%*#*!

lesweeks

lesweeks

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I went into a well known Maldon Chandlery (that advertise themselves as classic boat specialists) today to get a 10mm galvanised nut and washer. Asked where I might find them,
'Over there somewhere if we've got one'. Mmm, not very helpful!
They didn't.
Loads of 10mm bolts of different types and lengths though.
'Are you going to get some in soon?'
'Not unless someone orders them'.
'So you've got bolts, but no nuts & washers to go with them'
'We're trying to get rid of the loose cumbersome stuff'.

Standby for more overpriced little plastics bags hung up on pegboard. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
It's infuriating isnt it. The chandlers at Pin Mill used to be the best in the world IMO. However it is sadly gone, and the few good ones left are slowly sinking to the level of charging £3 for half a dozen screws.

the last swindlery i visited had every type of novelty appliance, gizmo and luxery available, even a 12v microwwave. But no rope, go figure.

I keep a stock of stainless screws, bolts, etc, which i order from baseline, which i have worked out saves me a fortune if i order in bulk, and i have had many cans of beer offered in exchange for my stocks when someone needs something at an unfortunate moment /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Have you tried a hardware shop? i'm sure i remember seeing one in maldon town centre last time i was down. They are usually a good source of galv fixings.
 
If your quick you still can find a proper chandlers in Spain,where they sell nails by the hand ful and you have to wait a while whilst the fisherman conclude their stories!
 
That's a real shame. I go out of my way to use that chandler, as it always struck me that they were a "proper" chandlers with bits in boxes.
 
Just a note of caution about "galvanised" stuff from the likes of B&Q.
Its generally zinc plated, which is a different animal from hot-dipped galvanised.
The plated zinc is only a few microns thick and of little value in a marine environment.
 
Actually I'm going to try Seaware. Good website but not easy to see how to buy. They say they're happy to do mail order. Certainly a good deal cheaper than the general swindlery.
Anyone used them?
 
Why wuold you want to buy nuts and bolts from a chandler for fxxxx sake?any hardware store will sort you out for a fraction of the price.
 
Living in the Midlands, and having built my 'old gaffer' here, I got to know most of the local narrowboat chandlers. Some do have the gizmos, but most have proper boatbuilders stuff in stock at reasonable prices.
Rather than galvanised, I used sherardized coach bolts & nuts from a local stockist who'd over-ordered for a canal marina project. They've been on for nine years now and look as though another nine would be no problem.
Anglia (highly recommended) supplied most of the other fasteners, including silicon bronze woodscrews and keel bolts.
 
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Why wuold you want to buy nuts and bolts from a chandler for fxxxx sake?any hardware store will sort you out for a fraction of the price.

[/ QUOTE ]
Very few hardware stores stock hot-dipped galvanised fixings. As one of the above posters has pointed out, they are nearly always BZP - bright zinc electro plated. About as much use on a boat as a cardboard wheelbarrow. Even most shackles sold nowadays in the chandlers are electro-plated and go rusty in a matter of weeks.
 
I often get stuff from an agricultural merchant. If you have one locally who has an engineering section, or better still a tractor dealership, you can get just about everything. They have trailer U-bolts and saddles and rows of steel cabinets with every type of bolt and nut and washer.
If you're in the South Lakes area go into C T Hayton's just off Shap Road near the Porsche garage.
 
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