Professional contractor manage fastener inventory by weight because managing fastener inventory by weight is more efficient then counting individual screws. Many peoples attempt to count individual screws one by one, but counting individual screws is a slow process that can lead to error. If you count individual screws, you may run out of screws before a job is finish, but if you weigh the screws, you can accurately determine how many screws you has.
You should think about the weight of screws instead of the number of screws because the weight of screws provide a faster way to manage your materials. The weight of a screw increase significantly as the size of the screw increases. For example, a #12 screw is heavier then a #6 screw, and a three inch screw is heavier than a one-inch screw.
Weigh Screws Instead of Counting
As the gauge and the length of a screw increase, the mass of the screw increases at a rapid rate. Because the mass of a screw increases so quick, a single pound of small screws will contain many more screws than a single pound of large screws. Thus, a person can have many small screws in a small box, but a person will have less large screws in a box of the same size.
You must understand that the quantity of screws per pound drop as the size of the screw increases. The material of a screw can affect the weight of the screw, but the material often has a minimal effect on the total weight. For example, stainless steel 18-8 have a density that is almost the same as carbon steel, so stainless steel 18-8 screws will weigh approximately the same as carbon steel screws.
However, heavy duty finishes such as hot-dip galvanization do add more weight to a screw. Hot-dip galvanization add a thick layer of zinc to the screw, and this thick layer of zinc makes the screw heavier than a screw with a thin electroplated zinc coating. Therefore, you must account for the weight of the finish when you are calculating the total weight of your screws.
The way you purchase screws affect the cost of the screws. Small retail packs is expensive because small retail packs include the cost of convenient packaging. Large containers, such as five-pound boxes or twenty-five pound buckets, are more economical because large containers has a lower cost per unit.
Many contractors prefer to use twenty-five pound buckets because twenty-five pound buckets are easy to store and twenty-five pound buckets are easy to move. You should always order ten percent more screws than your calculation suggest because mistake can happen on a job site. You might drop screws in the dirt, or you might strip the heads of the screws, so you will need extra screws to replace the damaged screws.
Additionally, you must keep your screws in a dry environment because moisture can cause rust. Rust can cause screws to clump together, and clumping screws can make it difficult to get an accurate weight on a scale. If you keep your screws in labeled, dry bin and use a scale to weigh your screws, you will manage your inventory effective.
