RTL Fasteners
By Jay Smith
"I've always had a fascination with airplanes," Rich Bastone, owner of RTL Fasteners, shared with me. That interest led him to model aircraft approximately 25 years ago when he made his first flight with a Cox PT-19 CL control-line model. His brother convinced him to try RC, and he found success with a Great Planes Sturdy Birdy.
Although Rich continued to progress and move on to other aircraft—owning several RC variants in different sizes—he found that sharing his hobby with others and providing training has been the most fun and rewarding part of the experience.
History
Drawing from his experience in building and flying models and listening to comments from others in his club, Rich realized there was a need for quality, affordable hardware. A discussion with his wife, Tamara, across the kitchen table resulted in the birth of RTL Fasteners in June 2001.
They launched with a basic inventory of the most common items a modeler needs, such as:
- hex nuts
- locknuts
- washers
Rich laughed when he described the early days of having hardware throughout his house. "We took out an ad in Model Aviation and began selling through mail order immediately. After two years, we had hardware in every room of the house, including the bathroom, and decided it was time for a commercial space."
The goal from the beginning was to provide customers with quality hardware in the quantities they need. All fasteners are prepackaged and clearly marked.
Products and Services
Rich felt there was demand for a bundle of common items to help a modeler in the middle of a project. The Master Builder Assortment was created to fill that gap. As it evolved, more products were added, including plastic parts bins that were supplied at the request of several customers.
Although many products have been added to the RTL inventory, none have been discontinued. Continued expansion necessitated a move to a larger facility; the current building is 2,500 square feet.
Company growth and ordering large volumes of hardware has positioned RTL to have some hard-to-find products manufactured, such as M2 nylon-insert locknuts. RTL requires that all of the companies it purchases from be certified, ensuring high-quality products.
Customers and Markets
RTL Fasteners sells products worldwide, with Australia and Canada generating the most business outside the United States. Several manufacturers purchase RTL materials for the hardware supplied in their ARF aircraft. Outside of the hobby, NASA and people working in robotics regularly require RTL's parts.
Even after more than a decade in business, Rich still finds customers who didn’t know the company existed. He hopes to continue getting the word out.
Future Plans
Other goals include:
- adding to the line of tools the company carries
- tracking order history online to make it easier for shoppers to reorder past purchases
Author's impression
I am impressed with the quality of the Master Builder Assortment and the Complete Metric Assortment, which I’ve used on several projects. The company’s commitment to its customers was evident when Rich said, "I don’t want to oversell someone. I never have and never will. Your satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back, no questions asked."
RTL Fasteners provides customers with the right mix of quality and quantity. The next time you have a hardware-related question or need help, RTL is only a telephone call or email away.
—Jay Smith [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
