# What can I do with metal washers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036 "2025-12-24T23:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/1 "2025-12-24T23:48:45Z")
I found four or five of them on the street. They’re a bit larger around than quarters and made of some kind of yellowish metal? I could just toss them in the recycling, but is there a better use? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/2 "2025-12-24T23:52:11Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I found four or five of them on the street. Take a few seconds to count them. It matters. If it’s four make an Audi badge. If it’s five, violate the IOC trademark. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/3 "2025-12-25T00:00:08Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > made of some kind of yellowish metal? [Yellow zinc plating?](https://www.google.com/search?q=zinc+yellow+plating&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=d61f32a1b68d49f4&udm=2&biw=1277&bih=624&ei=fX1MaernIYLV5NoPgaG36Ag&oq=yellow+plating&gs_lp=Egtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZyIOeWVsbG93IHBsYXRpbmcqAggAMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgoQABiABBhDGIoFMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgUQABiABDIEEAAYHjIEEAAYHkiRG1AAWABwAXgAkAEAmAEAoAEAqgEAuAEByAEAmAIBoAIFmAMAiAYBkgcBMaAHALIHALgHAMIHAzItMcgHA4AIAA&sclient=gws-wiz-img) [![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IPB4bt4PL._AC_UL495_SR435,495_.jpg) ](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IPB4bt4PL._AC_UL495_SR435,495_.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/4 "2025-12-25T00:02:37Z")
Do what I do: put them in a jar or old food tub (like what margarine used to come in) and park it on your workbench. Then every few months, look at them and wonder what in the hell they came from, and will I ever need them? Then put them in another place on the workbench. Rinse and repeat until you die. (I haven’t died yet, but I learned this procedure from my father, and I still haven’t cleared off _his_ workbench, and he’s been gone for years.) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/5 "2025-12-25T00:03:26Z")
It’s Christmas Eve. Someone must have use for five gold rings. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/6 "2025-12-25T00:08:46Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > It’s Christmas Eve. Someone must have use for five gold rings. - Anyone have any ideas what to do with four crawling birds? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/7 "2025-12-25T00:14:47Z")
Yes, but not nearly as shiny. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/8 "2025-12-25T00:27:43Z")
How funny. My granddaughter and her preteen girlfriends made charm bracelets with ball chain from hardware aisle and washers. Smaller than yours. It was a fun craft for them. I’ve seen people weld them to other metal and make a loop or closure. I pick stuff up like that. I have many cans of crap I’ve picked up. Latest a wrench. Looks broken…maybe a tool wind chime? Hey a washer wind chime..they tinkle like crazy. Trust me. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/9 "2025-12-25T15:31:01Z")
Do you know any farmers, mechanics, or people with home workshops? If I found some washers, I’d add them to the collection; they’d get used eventually. It’s not worth your mailing them to me; but you may know somebody suitable to give them to. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/10 "2025-12-25T15:35:45Z")
Make earrings for two or two-and-a-half of your friends. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/11 "2025-12-25T16:03:32Z")
Nice, I found out what washers are, thanks for the picture. But why are they called that? What are they for? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/12 "2025-12-25T16:04:38Z")
Washers help spread the load when a bolt is attached through a pice of metal. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/13 "2025-12-25T16:06:53Z")
Washers “wash away” (divert) friction. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/14 "2025-12-25T16:07:02Z")
You call an _**[Unterlegscheibe](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterlegscheibe)**_ a washer? 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/15 "2025-12-25T16:58:27Z")
I work on cars all the time, which means I accumulate a lot of scrap metal. Every couple of years I’ll take it to the scrap yard. For the small stuff (bolts, nuts, washers, etc.) I keep them in Zip Lock bags, and include them when I go to the scrap yard. I don’t get much money for the small stuff, but I would feel bad throwing “good” steel in the garbage. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/16 "2025-12-25T17:01:30Z")
Yep. If you have Google translate that page, Unterlegscheibe translates as “washer." ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/17 "2025-12-25T17:28:01Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Washers help spread the load when a bolt is attached through a pice of metal. Or wood. The ones you found sound like a good size to use with lag bolts fastening two pieces of lumber together. I have horizontal boards in my pole barn attached to the heavy poles, and a workbench top sitting on those horizontal boards. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/18 "2025-12-25T18:09:55Z")
EVERYBODY knows that you use bigger washers when you need to make a plumb bob. Get a piece of string and you’ll be able to line things up just right! That’s how I center the wall shelves over my TV, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/19 "2025-12-25T18:46:14Z")
TIL that there are people who do not know what washers are, and who wouldn’t just toss them in whatever container they have for possible future projects. Not meant insultingly. Just sometimes something makes clear what different lives we live. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036/20 "2025-12-25T22:29:18Z")
Put them in a jar or other suitable container; you never know when you’ll find a use for them. I inherited my dad’s collection of assorted fasteners, all neatly organized in containers with little plastic drawers. I found myself in need of a jam nut a few weeks ago, and guess what I found in the little drawer with the odd-looking nuts? 😃 Saved me the hassle of going to the hardware store. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-metal-washers/1026036.md?page=2)