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Screws for aluminum?

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Ivan

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Apr 15, 2011, 12:17:21 PM4/15/11
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I need to refasten an aluminum splash shield to the bottom of my
aluminum shower door. Previous screws were steel, I guess, and rusted
out. What shall I use to minimize galvanic action? I haven't seen
aluminum sheet-metal screws around.

chaniarts

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Apr 15, 2011, 12:20:10 PM4/15/11
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ace hardware has Al screws and bolts.


dadiOH

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Apr 15, 2011, 12:34:30 PM4/15/11
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Best bet is probably aluminum pop rivets, not generally much meat in shower
doors.

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Bob Villa

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Apr 15, 2011, 1:21:36 PM4/15/11
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SS sheet metal screws.

harry

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Apr 15, 2011, 1:26:42 PM4/15/11
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Stainless steel.

Sjouke Burry

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Apr 15, 2011, 3:59:09 PM4/15/11
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pop-nails?

Han

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Apr 15, 2011, 4:10:12 PM4/15/11
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Ivan <Iv...@ivanberger.com> wrote in news:3ab7c7ac-7696-41f3-ac91-
671fb2...@e21g2000vbz.googlegroups.com:

Galvanic action should have produced beautiful gleaming iron or steel
screws, and aluminum oxide, because Al is less "noble" than Fe. See also
the thermite definition in Wikipedia.

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Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Larry

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Apr 15, 2011, 6:51:07 PM4/15/11
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***
Ivan,

Use good quality aluminum pop rivets. They will not react galvanically with
the aluminum doors.

DO NOT USE stainless rivets or screws as they will galvanically react with
the aluminum doors and corrode the aluminum out.

Larry


Steve Barker

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Apr 15, 2011, 10:53:46 PM4/15/11
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stainless steel


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Steve Barker
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DD_BobK

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Apr 16, 2011, 1:04:43 AM4/16/11
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Aluminum screws can be had from www.mcmaster.com

But steel or stainless steel can work too.

I have a 30 year old shower door enclosure (gold anodize) that was
installed & assembled using electro-galvanized steel screws.
The screws lasted very well but did show some rust.

I replaced them with SS screws.

Yes, SS & aluminum are VERY incompatible, considering their relative
locations on the galvanic series.
BUT there are other factors involved in the phenomena of galvanic
corrosion.........

water chemistry, duty cycle, actual conditions and most importantly,
the "area rule".
SS screws infrequently placed in a relatively large area of aluminum
will not trigger catastropifc galvanic.
However, the reverse........ aluminum screws in a large area of
SS ,coupled with water rich in salts
and you've got a situation where aluminum screws will disappear in now
time.

I would use the SS screws & not worry.

cheers
Bob

bob haller

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Apr 16, 2011, 7:41:47 AM4/16/11
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NON MAGNETIC stanless screws!!

Steve Barker

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Apr 16, 2011, 3:21:45 PM4/16/11
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hmmmm. Any REAL stainless IS non magnetic.

SRN

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Apr 16, 2011, 4:11:44 PM4/16/11
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"Steve Barker" <ichase...@notgmail.com> wrote in message
news:-MadnZQ1JdvTcTTQ...@giganews.com...

>
> hmmmm. Any REAL stainless IS non magnetic.
>
> --
> Steve Barker
> remove the "not" from my address to email

What is your definition of "REAL"?


Larry W

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Apr 16, 2011, 4:56:29 PM4/16/11
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In article <-MadnZQ1JdvTcTTQ...@giganews.com>,
Steve Barker <ichase...@notgmail.com> wrote:
<...snipped...>

>hmmmm. Any REAL stainless IS non magnetic.

You left the "M" out of MAny.

--
When the game is over, the pawn and the king are returned to the same box.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar.org

k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzzz

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Apr 16, 2011, 5:27:32 PM4/16/11
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Non-magnetic, of course. ;-)

DD_BobK

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Apr 17, 2011, 12:52:10 AM4/17/11
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I thought non-magnetic vs magnetic SS's had been discussed in AHR.

Most 300 series stainless steels are typically non-magnetic (as are
200 series)


400 series is magnetic


However 300 series stainless steel can exhibit magnetic behavior
(quite strongly) if subjected to heavy cold working, buffing or
polishing.
Variations is alloying elements can cause this as well.

I learned this via an embarrassing experience about 25 years ago.
A stamped metal part made of 305 stainless and black oxide finished
that I had made was magnetic.

I called the supplier to complain that "obviously" the part had been
made of carbon steel by mistake.
He explain to be that the part was indeed 305 & the heavy cold working
had induced the magnetic behavior.

cheers
Bob

Tekkie®

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Apr 21, 2011, 2:29:16 PM4/21/11
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Ivan posted for all of us...

Some posters have suggested pop rivets. If you use them make certain they don't
a steel mandrel.

--
Tekkie

David Nebenzahl

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Apr 21, 2011, 4:03:57 PM4/21/11
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On 4/15/2011 10:21 AM Bob Villa spake thus:

Amen to that. My choice too. Forget AL screws; too soft. And rivets? get
serious.


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