What law is it ????

[Bill Huber]

I know Murphy's law real well but I am not sure that it applies to this.

I have over the last 45 years collected every nut and bolt I found or had. If I was throwing something away and it had nuts and bolts on it I took them off and would keep them. I now have about 40 lb. of bolts and almost as much in nuts.

The problem, if I need 4 bolts of the same size I will be able to fine 3. I will find just what I need right off the bat and then after an hour I will have found 3, just like I need, but I can not find the 4th one.

So I find one that is close and will work and yes you guested it, I can only find 2 or 3 of them. You would think with 40 lb. of bolts I would have every bolt I could ever need.

So what law does this fall under?

[ray hampton]

do you mean that someone wrote a law for this ? I think that this will happen quite often to other workers so the name will come up soon

[Bruce Page]

That's Page's law. It happens to me all the time!

[David G Baker]

Trust me Bill, the next time you need a different bolt and look through the 40 pounds of bolts you will find the 4th bolt that was hiding in with the 40 pounds. You will not find the number needed of the new search bolts until later either. Not a law until we reach a certain age then it is the law of failing memory. I eliminated this problem with the most used sizes of bolts, nuts, washers and screws by buying them in boxes of 100.

[Jerome Stanek]

you will find all 4 bolts and nuts the minute you go and buy them so now you have 8 of each.

[Jerry Thompson]

Ferguson's Law, "Murphy was an optimist."

[Brian Elfert]

I did like David Baker and bought 50 or 100 of each commonly used nut, bolt, and washer. I also bought really nice divided drawers to keep them all in so I can find what I need. I spent probably $400 overall, but it was worth it to avoid trips to the hardware store so often.

[John Coloccia]

I solved the problem by living 2 minutes away from the local hardware store...a real hardware store with actual hardware, not carpeting and vacuum cleaners.

[Justin Ludwig]

I solved the problem by living 2 minutes away from the local hardware store...a real hardware store with actual hardware, not carpeting and vacuum cleaners.

Check and mate. +1 for me.

Also, I'm the antithesis of a pack rat. I share a small portion of my FIL's massive shops and he has everything under the sun. I could build a time machine if I could uncover the flux capacitor.

[John Coloccia]

Check and mate. +1 for me.

Also, I'm the antithesis of a pack rat. I share a small portion of my FIL's massive shops and he has everything under the sun. I could build a time machine if I could uncover the flux capacitor.

Truth be told, I really live 2 minutes away from the local liquor store. The hardware store just happens to be next door as an added bonus :)

[Brian Elfert]

I live a five minute drive from a real hardware store too, but I still have my own collection of the basics. It takes me a minimum of 20 minutes to make a trip to the hardware store. It can really cut down productivity on projects. When I am hot and heavy on a project it is not unusual to go to the hardware store twice in a day, but at least I'm not going for an ordinary nut or bolt, or it might be three or four trips in a day.

[Jeff Erbele]

I know Murphy's law real well but I am not sure that it applies to this.

I have over the last 45 years collected every nut and bolt I found or had. If I was throwing something away and it had nuts and bolts on it I took them off and would keep them. I now have about 40 lb. of bolts and almost as much in nuts.

The problem, if I need 4 bolts of the same size I will be able to fine 3. I will find just what I need right off the bat and then after an hour I will have found 3, just like I need, but I can not find the 4th one.

So I find one that is close and will work and yes you guested it, I can only find 2 or 3 of them. You would think with 40 lb. of bolts I would have every bolt I could ever need.

So what law does this fall under?

It is the "Law of Supply and Demand". :D"

Your salvaged supply is inadequate to meet your demand.

[Jim Creech]

Actually it is an amendment to the "Screw loose" Act passed by Congress in 1940 something. This law was originally intended to allow manufacturers to blister pack 4 screws and 3 nuts thus leaving a loose screw, hence the name. The amendment allowed gubmint agents to enter your shop without your knowledge to "requisition" miscellaneous fasteners and other items for the war effort. If something goes missing in your shop it is probably part of a tank now. There have been a number of amendments to this piece of legislation over the years which should explain a lot.

[Stephen Tashiro]

It might be Ludfasters Law Of Ruinous Descrepancies. However, that doesn't explain why when I need a slotted screwdriver I must pick up 3 Phillips head screw drivers and vice versa.

[Rick Moyer]

I solved the problem by living 2 minutes away from the local hardware store...a real hardware store with actual hardware, not carpeting and vacuum cleaners.
I used to live 2 minutes from the hardware store, but they moved 2 miles outside of town. Then later I moved five miles away, but now have a Lowe's within walking distance. Still miss the original hardware store.
On a related note, I am making a clock and lost two of the #4x1/2" antique brass hinge screws and thought I would have to go try to buy some somewhere, But got lucky and had some similar!

[Jeff Erbele]

The Law of Averages clearly applies as well, as on average a search fails to yield an adequate quantity of matched bolts for the project at hand.

[Brian Tymchak]

It's the Law of Human Nature. We humans are innate collectors of things. Some sociologist could probably trace it back to our neander days when every stone looked looked useful.

I recommend a trip to the metal recycler for your 40lb bucket of bolts. Then you can start fresh and collect bolts, screws, and nails in boxes, like I do. I'd hate to know how many half empty boxes, bags of screws I've got stored in 2 full bigger boxes under my lathe bench...

[ed malcom]

I finally built a set of boxes on the wall with everything starting small and going up by 1/4 inch increments. A lot of work but now saves lots of time as i had about twenty gallons.

[Justin Ludwig]

Truth be told, I really live 2 minutes away from the local liquor store. The hardware store just happens to be next door as an added bonus :)

This breaks my heart with jealousy. I live in a dry county, and every county it touches is dry except the Oklahoma county. It's why I live 5 miles from the border. That's for beer only. The close liquor store is 50 miles.

[Kevin Bourque]

I have a caulk gun collection, although not by choice.

Whenever I need one I can't find one. Then I go out and buy one and the next day I find 2 of the missing ones.

I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy.

Don't even get me started on my nut, bolt, cotter pin, washer, whatzit, collection...