A new pivot bolt

...So I used up my last piece of 1.25" 4140 to machine a new bolt ...

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Tractor Supply sells large Grade 5 bolts that can be turned down and rethreaded into custom hardware.

We have several TSC stores, and a fairly new Rural King store. It is larger than any of the TSC stores, and it's always busy.

But there's not a TS within a hundred miles ... and I've had that piece of 4140 for at least a couple or 5 years . It turned out well and I'm not sorry I used it .

But there's not a TS within a hundred miles ... and I've had that piece of 4140 for at least a couple or 5 years . It turned out well and I'm not sorry I used it . Snag

================================= For the next job, since that was your last piece.

Another possible source:

Oh I still have lots of other stock , including an axle from a Jeep , one from my JD yard tractor , several feet of 2.375 - 3" round stock that is probably 4130/4140 (sparks and machines identically , and my neighbor has made some into really nice knives ) plus a couple of OCS's , assorted and sundry square tube , angle , some plate and lots of small pieces . That piece just happened to be the right size . Snag ================== I've read that thin sections of 4130 can be hardened by simply heating them red with a torch and letting them cool. Have you ever tried that? I have some rusty (no markings) flat stock that behaves that way.

The nearest TSC to me is almost a hundred miles. It was like that for a long time with Harbor Freight - I'd read about people going there and the closest I could get was the web site. Now there are three almost equally local HF stores (nearest is maybe 5 miles). I'm hoping the same will happen with TSC.

The nearest TSC to me is almost a hundred miles. It was like that for a long time with Harbor Freight - I'd read about people going there and the closest I could get was the web site. Now there are three almost equally local HF stores (nearest is maybe 5 miles). I'm hoping the same will happen with TSC. ==================================================

My best sources for closeouts, second hand tooling and hobby-grade imitations of industrial gear aren't the big chains, but single locally-owned stores typically in low-rent old buildings on the edge of town, who don't advertise and have to be found by word of mouth. I only use TSC and Northern for stuff I can't find elsewhere for less.

Agreed - I used to have Dave Sobel just about five miles up the road, but he's gone and I haven't found a replacement. Those single-owner places are great, but finding out about them is a whole other story.

In my work doing industrial control retrofits (working on two large (100 cubic foot) blenders for a pharmaceutical plant now), and it would be nice to have a local supplier of "stuff" rather than having to buy from the likes of Automation Direct, Grainger and Amazon.

Agreed - I used to have Dave Sobel just about five miles up the road, but he's gone and I haven't found a replacement. Those single-owner places are great, but finding out about them is a whole other story.

In my work doing industrial control retrofits (working on two large (100 cubic foot) blenders for a pharmaceutical plant now), and it would be nice to have a local supplier of "stuff" rather than having to buy from the likes of Automation Direct, Grainger and Amazon.

I haven't, but mostly I don't buy controllers, per se, but rather components to build my own. but I do use things like little dc-dc converter modules. I also buy things like solenoid air valves, pressure switches, regulators, prox switches & such. No major problems so far.