Diamond head OT bolts

[Greg Nolan]

A few days ago I called Old Town Canoe to order some 4" diamond head brass bolts. After re-caning the seats in my recently acquired 1931 50 pounder, I needed a few new bolts to replace some which had been difficult to remove because they had been badly bent, and I did not want to use them again. I am also planning to make a couple of carry thwarts, and would like to use diamond head bolts to install them.

I was surprised (!!!!!!) to be quoted a price of $18.00 per bolt. Yes, 18 American dollars for one skinny bolt. I politely, but unambiguously, expressed astonishment at the price -- "$18?" "Yes." "Each?" "Yes." "That's pretty outrageous." "Well, our supplier recently raised our price . . . ." I had been expecting a price in the neighborhood of $5.00. I declined to order at the price quoted.

I remain astonished at the price quoted. Hamilton Marine charges $47 for a box of 50 bronze 10-24x 4" carriage bolts, and Jamestown distributors sells individual silicon bronze 10-24x4" carriage bolts at $3.32 each, and 1/4-20x4" at 4.26 each. The commodity price of copper dropped by nearly half at the end of last summer (from around $4 a pound to around $2 a pound). I appreciate that the diamond heads make OT bolts something of a specialty item, but . . ..

Apparently well over a quarter of the purchase price of my old canoe can be allocated to the seat hanger bolts. At this rate, people may be buying vintage OT's just for the bolts.

 

[Mark Adams]

Hi Greg,

Rollin has them for quite a bit less. The 4" bolts are $4.75, and the 6" bolts are 12 bucks per.

HTH

 

[Greg Nolan]

Hi Mark

I did order from Rollin Thurlow -- the bolts arrived yesterday. But I had called OT just as a matter of curiosity, and confirmed that my usual practice of buying from local businesses (Rollin's town of Atkinson is next to Dover-Foxcroft, where my canoe lives) made sense.

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

That $18 price made me want to my supply of bolts and to check with Old Town to see about their suppy. The person that I talked to at their Outlet store , 1-207-827-1530, told me their retail price for the 4" bolts was $7.50 each and they still do not carry the 6" bolts any more. I think that is about what its been for the last year or so. My price of $4.75/ea is still good and should be for the near future.
Rollin

 

[Greg Nolan]

The phone number Rollin used at the Outlet store is clearly better than the number I used , OT's general number (207-827-5514 -- from http://oldtown.wcha.org/index.html -- which is the number also listed on OT's website).

I am happy to hear that OT's price is still somewhat reasonable, at least if you know the outlet store number. I would note that the OT website does not give the outlet phone number, and indeed, does not even indicate that there is an outlet store.

Anyway, Rollin, thanks for your good service.

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

The Outlet store is a very odd store. they do not advertise, that I know of, except in the local area and they do not have a web site. the most recent info that I had since yesterday was that the bolts purchased through the Old Town Company are $12 each. You would have to call and ask for them since they are not listed even on the Old Town web site.
If you can go to the outlet store, which does not advertise, the bolts are $7.50 each.

Go figure!

 

[Brad Koeneman]

Does anyone currently have Silicon Bronze 1/4" x 20 x 6" carriage bolts available, diamond head or not? I did find some typical round head ones at "Greenboatstuff.com" @ $14.06 ea., and they do sell individually, but I'd rather buy from one of you folks if you have 'em. I found another less expensive source as well, but must buy in 10 packs. I need 6)@ 4" and 2)@6".

 

[Greg Nolan]

A quick google search shows that the on-line catalogs of at least two mail order retailers list what you want --

Jamestown Distributors:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...pid=1937&familyName=1/4+Bronze+Carriage+Bolts

click on drop-down menu

1/4 x 20 x 6" @ $7.10

the catalog also shows 1/4 x 20 x 4 1/2" @ $6.50

and

Hamilton Marine:

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/bro...ze-.25x6.00-w-o-nut-50-box-110288/4,3481.html

click on "options" and then on the drop-down menu

1/4 x 6" @ $8.10

the catalog also shows 1/4 x 20 x 4" @ $6.84

 

[Brad Koeneman]

Thanks for the links, Greg. But what I've been finding is; out of stock, buy in qty., or, not enough thread length. I did pass over Jamestown, however, as I did not know that they sold retail. I'll give 'em a call tomorrow!

 

[Brad Koeneman]

Jamestown had almost what I wanted in bolts. Assuming the indicated thread length is correct they will do with some cutting and re-threading. (They are out of 4 1/2" despite what their page says) Nuts and washers only available by the hundred so I'm still shopping for individual pcs. Thanks for the lead.