If any of you folks live near navigable water, check-out the marina supply stores. Here in Annapolis, MD. we have a few good places that are similar to what we all remember as local hardware stores. You can buy most nuts, bolts, fittings etc individually instead of packaged -and gasket material cut to size. -Oh, and I love buying marine grade electrical wiring by the foot. That stuff is great and puts household and automotive grade wiring to shame. Boxes, enclosures of all shapes and kinds... Aluminum, brass, stainless steel... Yessir, go check out a marina supply store some time.
Ray
Ray