Lol, this ebay seller trying to "screw" you over.

[XOIIO]

These bolts must be made of adamantium then silver plated to warrant this price for 36 of them.

I think I'll just drive down the hardware store, thanks...  http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MDC-190066-Hex-Head-Bolt-2-Large-Tapped-Silver-Plated-Package-of-36-Unused-/261524640571

Best part is for that much, it's still practically two weeks max shipping time.

[M. András]

what a hell are those screw was intended for? silver plated?

[XOIIO]

what a hell are those screw was intended for? silver plated?

No kidding. They don't look silver plated to me, but who knows 

edit: Hah, even better, just buy them new. http://mdcvacuum.com/DisplayPart.aspx?d=MDC&p=190066

[bwat]

I know nothing about the seller and I've not even looked at the link. If the conversation were to avoid specific ebayers and we were to move on to the more general topic of things being sold for way over market value, then suspicious me would suspect money laundering. Again I've not even looked at the link so I'm not accusing anybody of wrongdoing (god forbid it's all legit and an honest individual or business gets a bad reputation).

[XOIIO]

I know nothing about the seller and I've not even looked at the link. If the conversation were to avoid specific ebayers and we were to move on to the more general topic of things being sold for way over market value, then suspicious me would suspect money laundering. Again I've not even looked at the link so I'm not accusing anybody of wrongdoing (god forbid it's all legit and an honest individual or business gets a bad reputation).

It's just a ridiculous price on some bolts, he's actually selling them right around market value, but these are old and in bad shape, and you can get new ones instead.

[nctnico]

what a hell are those screw was intended for? silver plated?

It probably is Cadmium plating. Nasty stuff.
It turns out they are actually silver plated parts for a vacuum pump:
http://mdcvacuum.com/DisplayPart.aspx?d=MDC&p=190066

[bwat]

It's just a ridiculous price on some bolts, he's actually selling them right around market value, but these are old and in bad shape, and you can get new ones instead.

It probably is Cadmium plating. Nasty stuff.
It turns out they are actually silver plated parts for a vacuum pump:
http://mdcvacuum.com/DisplayPart.aspx?d=MDC&p=190066

Gentlemen, you may be correct, however, my answer is much more interesting and that's what counts.

[Flump]

more than likely they are sold out
ebay sellers put the prices up so high people wont buy them
then when they come in stock again the lower the price back down
it saves the fees of making a new advert.

[XOIIO]

more than likely they are sold out
ebay sellers put the prices up so high people wont buy them
then when they come in stock again the lower the price back down
it saves the fees of making a new advert.

Well, says 3 available, but I've seen amazon sellers do this with things that cost maybe $30, being listed at $400.

[rob77]

Guys, actually such a a price is pretty common for special bolts. you can't use just "some" bolts in every application. there are many areas where you need special material or coating, and those bolts are such a special ones

[Galaxyrise]

It's to stop the (probably very nice) steel bolts from cold welding with the (probably very nice) tapped steel flange in situations where you can't use a conventional lubricant.  The same rig might use something like http://www.lesker.com/newweb/flanges/hardware_cf_gaskets.cfm?pgid=ofhc to seal the fitting; high vacuum is neat.

[Flump]

Well, says 3 available, but I've seen amazon sellers do this with things that cost maybe $30, being listed at $400.

I bought a transistor tester from uk ebay a few months back, it said 0ver 10 availible
but the next day he messaged me saying they were so sorry blah blah and out of stock
and would i mind waiting 15 days.

I think they sometimes do that on purpose just to get your money

[amyk]

Somewhat more electronics-related, along the same idea:

[pickle9000]

If they where gold plated, hand dipped by virgins, sold by the single and labeled "Audio Grade" they probably sell massive quantities.

[dannyf]

These bolts must be made of adamantium then silver plated to warrant this price for 36 of them.

What's so objectionable about people trying to sell as much as they can? We all do that, and that's how a free market works.

[calexanian]

Thats just how much those bolts cost. Any large Vacuum stuff is nutty like that. The old Grey beard guy has to spit on them from just the right height and the ISO inspector had to have the right mix on his coffee that morning before they would sign off on them before they go into that pharma manufacturing plant. That sort of thing.

[andersendr]

They could be made of copper and silver plated to prevent corrosion.  These are very common in industrial applications when you are bolting up large busses.  Think in the order of 4000A at 480VAC.

[rob77]

Somewhat more electronics-related, along the same idea:

what is that screw for ? was it a single screw for 60Eur + VAT ?  if yes, then that's definitely overpriced !

[SeanB]

Try to price bolts used in aircraft engines. Use once is the mantra, and you only use them once, even if the engine has not been run and something breaks and you have to undo them. Titanium bolts, Ti nuts and Ti washers, and you need a special Ti spanner to tighten them and have to handle them with cotton gloves as well. Not one per engine either.........

That is why Jay Leno has so many turbine powered vehicles, the cost of overhauling the engines in the helicopters is so high that a new engine is cheaper, as you do not have to test all the parts again to see if they are still in tolerance and have not cracked internally. It failing on the ground, while it can be spectacular, is not quite as life threatening as if it happens 30m above the ground during take off. Not enough time to react, and you have enough fuel to make it really spectacular.

[G7PSK]

If you go into a car main dealer and order a bolt or a screw as a spare you will get asked some stupid price and it will come sealed in a bag with a label printed full of what looks like gibberish,  I would not source that way but many people do not know better and think that every part on their car is special to that car and do not realize that most bolts,screws and bearings come in standard sizes.

[kizzap]

no joke, I have a friend who does this kinda thing, albeit kinda legit?

He works for a company who makes rather large pumps (read the kind that can empty pools in mere seconds upwards 300m at a time-yes mining) and when the pumps get installed, if a part breaks because their grunt was too hamfisted with the part, he will often put stuff like replacement bolts at something like $1000. The single bolt might be something like $3 down at the store.

However the client is paying for the thing to /work/. If the pump fails, and it is due to a part they replaced themselves, the warranty would be void. So the mines happily pay the $1000 for the single bolt, as they keep the warranty intact.

If anyone is curious about the price of these pumps, as they say "If you have to ask, you can't afford it" or my friends way of putting it: "within two weeks of the financial year starting, I sold one pump which paid over my salary for the year."

[miguelvp]

But if the bolt failed, "hamfisted has to be proven", do they still have to pay the $1000 for the bolt or is it under warranty?

[rob77]

If you go into a car main dealer and order a bolt or a screw as a spare you will get asked some stupid price and it will come sealed in a bag with a label printed full of what looks like gibberish,  I would not source that way but many people do not know better and think that every part on their car is special to that car and do not realize that most bolts,screws and bearings come in standard sizes.

those prices are not stupid for a bolt made of high strength steel , designed for 450Nm tightening torque and got special coating to avoid cold-welding (nothing unusual in a car industry) , but the above SONY screw looks like a one going into a plastic part.

[kizzap]

But if the bolt failed, "hamfisted has to be proven", do they still have to pay the $1000 for the bolt or is it under warranty?

You deal in numbers involving a magnitude of order larger then the cost of one bolt. Do you think you would be bothered going into the legal battle over a $1000 bolt? Easier to approve the thing, and have the thing working, to make money, then wait 3 months with the pump out of order, and it costing you billions of dollars.

[miguelvp]

But if the bolt failed, "hamfisted has to be proven", do they still have to pay the $1000 for the bolt or is it under warranty?

You deal in numbers involving a magnitude of order larger then the cost of one bolt. Do you think you would be bothered going into the legal battle over a $1000 bolt? Easier to approve the thing, and have the thing working, to make money, then wait 3 months with the pump out of order, and it costing you billions of dollars.

Granted, but  if we are talking about that much production money they probably will have contracts in place to ensure rapid service, it wouldn't be a matter of legal battles, it should be under contract to begin with.