In need of some 4mm by 50mm screws? Or in need of pretty much any size of standard screw?
Well get yo ass down to a hardware shop, no not that big Mega-Barn thing but one of those shops that have things propped up or hanging outside. Things like doors, beading, and other stuff the names of which escape me but you know, hardewarey, diy-ey, woody stuff.
Don't be intimidated by not really knowing what it is you need, just ask, wave your arms even, describe what your requirements are. For example, "I wish to attach a piece of wood of this size and shape to a wall," this is a good enough starting point if you are clueless - change the words to suit what it is you are doing. Obviously, you don't want to say the previous words if you wish to fix a structural item for supporting heavy stuff such as a bed, you'd might need Hilti bolts for that rather than screws - Hilti bolts might work but they are overkill.*
Why not just go to the Mega-Barn thing then? Because you will pay through the nose. You will pay anything from two to five times the price per unit, and you will get the screws in a sealed plastic bag containing 20 or 25 items. Whereas a cardboard box of 200 can be acquired for £4.60 as below, or less if you happen to know of an even more economic outlet. You'll empty your plastic bag and it will be with us for years, but your cardboard box is more simple to recycle.**
"But I don't want 200 screws."
Well that suggests a number of things, a lack of ambition, failure to plan ahead, a lack of storage space.
Are you never going to need to fix two items together by this method ever again? If so then why are you bothering to do it now, why not get a DIY handy-person in to do it and pay them, let's face it you're only going to pay over the odds for the bits and then make a mess of it.*** Let someone skilled do it properly and they can have the benefit of the cash rather than the owners of the mega-barn.
"But really, I don't need 200 screws."
Look, they aren't like vegetables, they aren't going to go off, not unless you bury them in the garden, which is sort of like the opposite of vegetables. They will last years, put them in the place you keep the two types of screwdriver you have and the spare fuse wire. Throw out the fuse wire and get your mains consumer unit replaced to support trip switches. And when you need some sort of fixing application there might be a vague chance that the screws you have are of the right type.****
So that's my top quality advice on what to do if you need some 4mm by 50mm screws or pretty much any size of standard screw.*****
* Hilti bolts, or more properly, expansion anchors for concrete or masonry - you can put 'em in but can you fuck get 'em out. (actually I've managed to get them out, but I am very determined.)
** Time was when there were hardware shops that would sell screws, nails, etc, by weight, they'd weigh them out into brown paper bags.
*** Be honest, if you are only going to buy one plastic bag of screws in your lifetime it will be the wrong ones, and you'll cock the task up.
**** They won't be, but you can buy the right type, in a box, and store them next to the others. That way they won't get lonely.
***** There is no such thing as a standard screw size, there are bloody loads of sizes. However, careful selection of a few types will cover most applications.
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