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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 27, 2021 11:02:26 GMT -6
I have some grain bins which need repairs and last year ordered some panels which were already stupid expensive and no doubt would be way more now. I had not bought the bin bolts though and the local UFA said should be no problem to get bolts and a minor detail last fall, now its not quite that way it seems or the price anyway is totally insane. Its 3/8 bin bolts of various lengths with the sealing washers and the heavy nut they call them ( 11/16 hex on a 3/8 sized nut ) . The problem seems to be two fold, the price of steel and AGI that seems to have their finger into everything and charges through the nose. So far have not found any other bin supply outfit then UFA around this area as I know some other places have closed their doors in the last number of years. I called Fastenal and I can get bolts through them and its even more expensive then UFA so they too are ripping a guy a new hole ( not surprised they would be that way ). I've tried calling major bolt manufactures and they don't deal with the small guy and some of them have dropped even making bin bolts. Its frustrating when I see bin bolts for sale in the USA for what looks to be a fraction of the price but they don't deal with Canada. So I am wondering what others have done to source these special bolts and panels for Westeel bins and not get raped in the process !
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Post by meskie on Apr 27, 2021 11:11:46 GMT -6
Bolts we always got from our local coop that sells westeel. Not sure if they ever charged us for the bolts. They have many left overs from years of building bins.
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Post by kenmb on Apr 27, 2021 19:44:36 GMT -6
Yes, track down someone who assembles bins and see if you can get some leftover bolts. Always extra bolts shipped with a bin. Used to do bin assembly for a few summers and had buckets of extra bolts after a few weeks of building.
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Post by kevlar on Apr 27, 2021 19:54:00 GMT -6
Any neighbors put up bins in the last few years? They likely have some left over. The last time we put a couple of 10,000 bushel bins we had a full pail of extra bolts. Find it funny they give that many extra, but if you buy something from IKEA, they count it out right to the last screw! If you were closer I would say to come grab them, they do slowly get used up for the odd thing but not the best bolt to use for most things.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 27, 2021 20:20:28 GMT -6
I bet both of you are right that there are pails full of bolts like this sitting in a corner somewhere but how to figure out where. I could be wrong but it just doesn't seem like there are much for bin building crews or outlets up here like there were years back, crews come from somewhere else to slap up bins it seems. Perhaps someone on here knows of some crews around or can name off a coop location I could give a call and see what they have tucked away.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 27, 2021 21:01:21 GMT -6
I had called neighbours today with that thought in mind and one does have some bolts but not nearly enough though, I will get what he is willing to part with though. Called a couple of others and they had next to nothing and part of that reason was the fact that the bin crew took everything with them rather then handing over the left overs which is odd and not to say they were the right size either as I get the idea 5/16 is the size that some bins are built with now.
Kevlar, do you know what size, length and grade of bolt they are and if they have the recessed underside of the head that captures the rubber washer, also the nut style and hex size. See what you have and if you had the right thing I certainly could pay you at least something plus the shipping obviously ... might even be enough to take you and the family out to one of those fancy sit down places where you can order a steak and they serve you ... er wait, that was in the past LOL.
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Post by kevlar on Apr 27, 2021 22:00:27 GMT -6
I had called neighbours today with that thought in mind and one does have some bolts but not nearly enough though, I will get what he is willing to part with though. Called a couple of others and they had next to nothing and part of that reason was the fact that the bin crew took everything with them rather then handing over the left overs which is odd and not to say they were the right size either as I get the idea 5/16 is the size that some bins are built with now.
Kevlar, do you know what size, length and grade of bolt they are and if they have the recessed underside of the head that captures the rubber washer, also the nut style and hex size. See what you have and if you had the right thing I certainly could pay you at least something plus the shipping obviously ... might even be enough to take you and the family out to one of those fancy sit down places where you can order a steak and they serve you ... er wait, that was in the past LOL.
I'll try remember to have a look tomorrow, have a lot on the go but will try. Pretty sure there's a quite a few bolts, but not sure if there are many nuts left, they were the 9/16 size so that would make them 3/8?? How many do you need? |
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 27, 2021 22:22:26 GMT -6
In combination of lengths in total I am needing over 2000 bolts and again over 2000 nuts. I realize some bin companies have gone to a flanged nut rather then the oversize "heavy" nut but thread of course being 3/8. Just that the heavy 3/8 thread nut is 11/16 hex vs the normal 9/16 . The bolts themselves always have 9/16 hex for the typical bin bolt. First see what you have and if they are even 3/8 bolts when you have a chance to peek at them. By the way the bolts are measured under the head to the end and not the rubber washer itself.
I may have a line on some 1 inch bolts but need more then what the neighbour has. Tried to put a feeler out this evening but it may be a dead end, its a case of what someone used to do as in building bins and if someone actually has kept any bolts. One neighbour figured he probably hauled a pile of bolts to the dump, one persons garbage is anothers gold mine.
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Post by kenmb on Apr 28, 2021 7:20:41 GMT -6
Twister and Westeel-Rosco used those types of bolts and nuts for sure, the 3/8 thread with oversized nuts. Flaman Sales around here would sell the bins and arrange set up crews so a local Flaman office might get you in touch with a crew, and Coop for Westeel. Those are the only two manufacturers I am familiar with. Did a few other bin types on a rare occasion and do remember some flanged nuts. For sure roofs on twister and Westeel use smaller diameter bolts with flanged nuts but rest of bin was 3/8 with oversized non-flanged nuts.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 28, 2021 8:21:45 GMT -6
That is an idea as well if I don't come up with those that have bolts kicking around is seeing what Flaman has or can connect me up with. For whatever reason the local Flaman outlet that did at least do some rentals of equipment and so on didn't seem to be in the bin building circle, never had a crane and I am guessing that all took place out of the Edmonton area office. I got the impression that the newer bin styles from Westeel ( AGI ) don't use these bolts, at least that was the comment from the UFA and why their supply of 3/8 bolts is so slim.
I guess I proved my own point as I just called the local Flaman outlet and they had zero bolts and was not helping me to contact a crew and in fact pointed me to his competition UFA of all things to see if they had bolts !. Crews are out of Edmonton that assemble Flaman bins he said, that was helpful ....
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Post by kenmb on Apr 28, 2021 9:44:18 GMT -6
I threw out lots of those bolts over the years. They are around, just need to find a bin builder or farmer that had a lot of the right bins built and kept the pails of extra hardware. I have a couple partial pails I keep around for various little things, all the rest went for scrap metal.
Looks like AGI bought out Twister as I can't find the twister.ca website anymore.
There were a few places that were assembling bins in a yard and shipping from there and so Coop comes to mind as I remember seeing a few sites in my travels. Our local Flaman store at Southey,Sk has lots of bin parts laying around the yard and they were building them on their yard site for a couple years to ship out. Don't know if they still do as I don't see much bin activity this time of year. As a long shot you could call the Southey Flaman branch and talk with one of the guys at parts counter. Rob Flaman would know, or the other Rob could probably help. I would bet they have some bags of bolts tucked away in a sea can, just need to get the right guy on the phone and get them to see if they can put the item into the system so they can create an invoice of some kind to facilitate shipping. Flaman Saskatoon is another big location but haven't been around it.
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Post by kenmb on Apr 28, 2021 11:02:44 GMT -6
Jerome Flaman built bins for years for Flamans in Southey so the guys at the office could give you his number. He may have pallets of bolts stashed away at the farm.
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Post by kevlar on Apr 28, 2021 21:14:41 GMT -6
Had a look at the bolts today, not as many of the sheet bolts as I remember, quite a few roof bolts, and no nuts, but they weren't the oversized ones, just a 9/16 size. Have maybe 3-400 bolts, unless I come across more somewhere. If you're interested you can have them.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 28, 2021 21:42:34 GMT -6
I will take them as long as it makes sense to ship them, oh I bet Canada post has a lovely fee but I think they will ship such things. When you have time send me a PM and we can sort out the details as I realize its a busy time of the year and I'll be in the field soon as well as messing with bins will come after spring insanity is past. I can't read the one package and am guessing those are 1" long by the sample you set out and the other says 1 1/2" and I need both those sizes. As of yet I don't need any roof bolts ( unless disaster strikes in lifting bins ! )
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radar
Junior Member
Posts: 61
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Post by radar on Apr 29, 2021 7:34:12 GMT -6
Kelvar .,,,If NF donesn't take the bolts for the roof..do you have any of those 2.1/2 or 3 inch by 1/4 inch for holding the roof sheets to the bin walls?
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