Does anyone here also use metric fasteners in their work? How do they justify the high cost? With the high cost of metric fasteners, what is the incentive for any American company to convert? If the costs were at least comparable, metric could have a chance. But with metric much more expensive, there is no chance.
Purchased in lots of 5k (both are pan head, phillips drive, steel, zinc plated):
#4-40x5/8" pan phlp $.0300
M3x10 pan phlp $0.0266
Anytime you ask for a non-catalog (i.e., non-standard) part (e.g., "shorter by 1 mm") you are going to pay a lot more. We have a custom M3x44 screw made in lots of 1000 -- costs $1.20 each. If this were a stock part, made in millions via stamping, rather than lathed, it would probably cost $0.10 or so.
So, has anyone else ever experienced this and if so, how does one handle it?
If your vendors are charging more for STANDARD metric parts over STANDARD colloquial parts, find some new vendors.
Jim
Jim Elwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] 801-466-8770 www.qsicorp.com
