If you’re in the construction or woodworking business, you’re using nails every day. Homeowners often find themselves looking for just the right nail for their DIY projects. Even the core customers of Austin Hardware®, which are in the transportation and metal fabrication businesses, industries in which nails are not a predominant fastener, find the occasional need for nails for different projects such as constructing shipping containers for their products. 

Clinch Fasteners

Clinch or self-clinching fasteners are typically used for metal assemblies that may be too thin for tapping or in applications where it’s not feasible to employ stamped or extruded threads.

Self-clinching fasteners are found in household appliances, electronics, medical equipment, telecom equipment, automotive and transportation markets, and many other industrial applications.

When it comes to DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects, you probably have a lot of questions about how to source the right products, and how you are going to execute your visions in real life. At Austin Hardware®, we are in the business of securing and providing solutions for our many different types of customers, including those who are DIY enthusiasts or home repair beginners. When it comes to finding the right hardware for your next project, you want to know you are sourcing quality, reliable goods for your business. Also, you want to know that the strength rating, materials, and design are the right choice for your project. Here are three of the biggest ways to use handles or other hardware for your next home repair or DIY project. 

Enclosed trailer and horse trailer manufacturers, which are fabricated from aluminum in particular, often have trouble with 3-piece rear door and ramp door hinge alignment.

It takes precise measurement and careful hands to align most standard 3-piece rear and ramp door hinges correctly due to the challenge of laying the hinge flat for welding or bolting. This can add an inordinate amount of time to the assembly process. Additionally, while most assemblers get close, even a slightly misaligned hinge can adversely affect its durability and longevity. These are two critical expectations for buyers of high-end aluminum trailers.

When it comes to outfitting your work truck with the best on the market, let Austin Hardware® be your guide for all things work-truck related. We carry the top of line merchandise from lighting, drawer systems, handles, hinges, locking mechanisms, and more. Even better, Austin Guaranteed Engineered Solutions™ provides businesses like yours with state-of-the-art products guaranteed to give you the solutions you need. 

Rivets

Rivets have been around a REALLY long time. The first version of a rivet, which was made of wood, was used in Ancient Egypt around 3000 B.C, where they were used to manufacture different types of tools.

In an Airstream Lifstyle blog post we learn that by the mid-19th century, advances in metal technology signaled the dawn of the modern-riveting era. Riveting became the primary method for constructing metal tools, buildings, and vehicles.

Threaded Fasteners

In the vast world of fasteners, threaded fasteners are the most common and easily recognized, even by the least mechanically inclined among us. At a basic level, they are screws, bolts, and nuts. Threaded rods and studs also fit the category; however, they are not as common in daily use. Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing defines threaded fasteners as “… discrete hardware components that have external or internal threads for assembly of parts. In nearly all cases, they permit disassembly. Threaded fasteners are the most important category of mechanical assembly…”

When it comes to doing business, there is a lot of lingo used for describing different aspects of the business. Having insight into the most common terms used in your industry helps you educate your team, business partners, and customers on various aspects of your industry. Here is a list of some of the top industry terms you might hear on a typical day.

Consignment Inventory - Consigned Inventory is inventory that is still owned by the supplier, but the customer has it on hand. When the customer uses or sells the inventory, the supplier then gets paid. This creates a form of financial security and freedom for the customer. 

Non-Consigned inventory – Non-consigned inventory is a traditional form of inventory where the customer pays for the inventory as it is needed to be replenished. When you need new parts or products, you order and pay for those goods.  

Inventory management - To keep things simple, inventory management is the management of inventory and stock. Inventory management ensures that correct levels of stock are always on hand. This has a lot of benefits for your business. However, having the right inventory at ALL times is a crucial component for your business. Read more about inventory management here: https://blog.austinhardware.com/what-is-inventory-management 

High-end adhesives are designed to meet specific application criteria. Are you evaluating your application and asking the right questions before choosing a product? 

Sealants and Adhesives.

We often see these terms used interchangeably. While true that there are some sealants and adhesives that can be used in similar applications, and many sealants have adhesive qualities, they are not the same. As explained by Mario van Leeuwen, sealants SEAL spaces between surfaces to make them air and water-tight, while adhesives are used to BOND materials together. That is an important distinction as it relates to this article, which focuses specifically on adhesive applications.  

From household glues to complex technologies required for critical aerospace applications, the uses of adhesives run a wide gamut of significance.  

Reducing the weight of their end product while maintaining or improving structural integrity, as well as reducing production costs, are important to OEM’s in transportation and industrial markets. This is why adhesives are used extensively in truck/trailer, automotive, marine, and many other applications. 

An Introduction to Fastener Categories

For 60 years, Austin Hardware® has supplied industrial and vehicular manufacturers and repair facilities with specialty hardware such as locks, latches, handles, drawer slides, and much more. Over the first 47 years, the company also dabbled in the sale of fasteners.

Then in 2007, the acquisition of JPC Fasteners, a well-known full-line fastener distributor in the Northeast, based in Philadelphia, PA, gave the company the resources and expertise to do more than just dabble. So, for the past 13 years, we’ve been able to supply our traditional hardware customers with all their necessary, complementary fasteners as well.