where to buy uncommon hardware and/or how much would you spend to maybe save $$

[mistymoney]

So a friend was telling me they order this nice office chair on amazon - but it came with all the bi pieces and none of the hardware. The seller was unable to get  apack of hardware for them so shipped a new chair.  A complete new chair! Over a bag of screws.

So I said I'd take the reject, but the screws are not all so readily available. Looking at online from Lowes and home depot. Lowes was closest, but when I went into the store, it wasn't all there even though it said I could pick up there. Staff not super helpful.

Looking at online ordering what likely could- but may not - put the chair together, it is $35 in hardware.

It's a nice looking, comfy, $200+ office chair, but the $35 may not make it work. And it won't look as nice as the official chair with the raggier screw ends, or screw and washer where the larger cap is needed.

One hand - I'd hate to just throw this out - such a waste!

But I may pay 35, maybe need to buy something else to jury rig it, and then it still may not work, and won't look as nice as the package deal.

Or is there a place where I can get closer to the "real" hardware used - or are these pieces customized to particular manufacturers?

[HPstache]

Mcmaster-carr has a fantastic website for tracking down specialty hardware... you would have to know a thing or two about screw type, metric vs. standard, screw diameters, thread pitch to really find exactly what you're looking for, however.  You could also search eBay for the chair model and if it's a popular chair like the Herman Miller Aeron (or whatever) you may be able to find someone who buys broken ones and parts them out that sells used fastener kits as an item.  Good luck!

[Sandi_k]

thehardwarehut.com

[dblaace]

If you have the assembly instructions it may have part numbers and descriptions that may be searchable.

[mistymoney]

great ideas, thanks!


side note: no instructions, friend threw out and they are not available, have to email and be a purchaser. Weird!

but I do have fairly good descriptions of the screws.

[YttriumNitrate]

Do you have the bag of hardware from the complete chair?

The Ace Hardware by my old house had a screw savant. If you brought in the hardware for the complete chair, he could probably assemble a duplicate set in under 5 minutes.

[mistymoney]

ok - so it seemed that McMaster Carr had what I needed, but unfortunatley it was $53! one of screws came in a min size of 100 pc package. will maybe try to sell those off to recoup some money?


I feel reasonable confident though that this will work, so I went ahead and ordered it. hopefully nothing weird off/kilter about the theading, and friend said she thinks she still had the allen wrenches used in the assembly.

[yachi]

great ideas, thanks!


side note: no instructions, friend threw out and they are not available, have to email and be a purchaser. Weird!

but I do have fairly good descriptions of the screws.

That's unfortunate.  I was going to suggest looking over the instructions for a phone number.  Sometimes, the manufacturer would rather you call them directly for missing pieces than have a claim from the retailer.  I've seen large warnings on instructions that say "Stop! If anything is missing please call xxx-xxx-xxxx"

[mistymoney]

posting this for any others in a similar siutation. And I have to say this surprised me! but I am getting on in years (55) and so I guess I now count as an old fogey? who just missed the obvious about modern day.

But just getting curious, I kept searching around, and found the same screws in less quantities on both ebay and amazon. Why I didn't think to look, who knows? Do about 70% of my non-grocery shopping on amazon. Definitely the screws I got were much less per piece but it was just the minimum package size that made it more expensive. But I guess that is today's stupid tax. We'll see if I can recoup any money selling the excess!

But anywhoo - very excited that the screws have arrived already, going to finish my tea and see if this is going to work out!

[HPstache]

posting this for any others in a similar siutation. And I have to say this surprised me! but I am getting on in years (55) and so I guess I now count as an old fogey? who just missed the obvious about modern day.

But just getting curious, I kept searching around, and found the same screws in less quantities on both ebay and amazon. Why I didn't think to look, who knows? Do about 70% of my non-grocery shopping on amazon. Definitely the screws I got were much less per piece but it was just the minimum package size that made it more expensive. But I guess that is today's stupid tax. We'll see if I can recoup any money selling the excess!

But anywhoo - very excited that the screws have arrived already, going to finish my tea and see if this is going to work out!

My apologies if I sent you down a more expensive route.  I should have warned you that McMaster is really good for finding the screws / bolts you need but if you know what you need already it is not the lowest prices and they typically sell in quantities of 5-100 .  That being said, finding quantities on ebay and amazon are likely going to each have their own separate shipping charge so it may not be as bad as it looks at a quick glance... plus you've got screws in hand 2 days later, not a bad deal.

[mistymoney]

posting this for any others in a similar siutation. And I have to say this surprised me! but I am getting on in years (55) and so I guess I now count as an old fogey? who just missed the obvious about modern day.

But just getting curious, I kept searching around, and found the same screws in less quantities on both ebay and amazon. Why I didn't think to look, who knows? Do about 70% of my non-grocery shopping on amazon. Definitely the screws I got were much less per piece but it was just the minimum package size that made it more expensive. But I guess that is today's stupid tax. We'll see if I can recoup any money selling the excess!

But anywhoo - very excited that the screws have arrived already, going to finish my tea and see if this is going to work out!

My apologies if I sent you down a more expensive route.  I should have warned you that McMaster is really good for finding the screws / bolts you need but if you know what you need already it is not the lowest prices and they typically sell in quantities of 5-100 .  That being said, finding quantities on ebay and amazon are likely going to each have their own separate shipping charge so it may not be as bad as it looks at a quick glance... plus you've got screws in hand 2 days later, not a bad deal.

Please, no need to appologise, it is a great resource to have, very impressive inventory. Yes, there is the issue of shipping if getting from multiple sellers. And now - I have extras!

And - it worked! put it together and all looks good. some of the srews seems like the head was a little too small, and they would come through but so far holding. If they come out will need to add a washer.

I can't use the recline feature, I think it was suppose to be positioned a certain way before adding on the backing, the lever won't move but will ask my friend if she recalls anything like that or what it might be. Maybe some trick to using it?

Missing some finishing endcaps on the arms, but I honestly can't tell anything is missing to look at it.

Overall, well worth it! Even if I don't get the incline figured out!

And feel good I kept this out of the landfill, at least for a few years! And I would have been buying a chair for myself anyway, so all around a lot of good!

A bag of screws missing and chuck it into the garbage? Madness for sure!!

[mistymoney]

lol, just need to push back hard while pulling up the incline lever, I was expecting it to snap up like my car seats.

Woohoo!

A $225ish chair for $53. And a great feeling of accomplishment.

So exicted, going to clean up my office area with a spring in my step before rolling it in.

Thanks to everyone here for your help!