Where do I buy Quality SS Screws

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

I have a British built boat and I'm making some additions. Every damn screw I add rusts while all the original screws are rust free. Who makes good screws these days I can buy rather than this cheap Chinese crap sold everywhere?

Don't go to place that sells packaged screws e.g. "boat supplies". Go to a good hardware store. See if you can find a commercial wholesaler in your area, they well generally sell to you, if you hold your mouth right and aren't asking for three screws. 400 stainless will rust 300 won't.

[zeehag]

any hardware store selling stainless screws will have decent stainless screws , UNLESS you want 100 percent marine screws, which are exactly what home depot and lowes carry, only marked up a few hundred per cent.
but, then , you always get what you pay for, dontcha.....
ace is da place,anyway......

[Stu Jackson]

I agree, ACE is my favorite marine store.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Guy

If they are not magnetic, you can passivate them yourself. Most of the rust you see is contanination on the surface.

So what's the easy and safe way to passivate SS? When I googled that I found several methods which mostly involved some nasty acids and boiling.

[Matt Johnson]

Amazon's Small Parts program has good pricing on 316 bulk (typically 25 or more) fasteners in all sizes. With Prime, you get it in just two days.

Matt

[SVTatia]

Robert Sailor, where are you? We are assuming you are in the US.

[robert sailor]

Thanks for all the leads, much appreciated. We are in the Canary Islands enroute to the Caribbean but we have visitors coming in a week and more at Christmas so I can order them from anywhere in the USA or Canada.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by skipmac

So what's the easy and safe way to passivate SS? When I googled that I found several methods which mostly involved some nasty acids and boiling.

Citric acid is not very nasty although it does sting so you need to wear gloves. I buy it in 1/2 lb bags at a brewing/ wine making store.

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Thanks for all the leads, much appreciated. We are in the Canary Islands enroute to the Caribbean but we have visitors coming in a week and more at Christmas so I can order them from anywhere in the USA or Canada.

In Canada I can assure you that Pacific Fasteners is the best source of quality SS fasteners and at very reasonable price - Vancouver or Toronto, they are also in Seattle.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by AfterHoursNLCT

I have stainless screws from Lowes on the exterior of my boat and they still look like new...LL

They sell Chinese Stain-less.

[zeehag]

chinese will last 5yrs anyway, so why not use em until you get what you need.
or will the boat sink?????
i have had chinese stainless fasteners and tanks in this boat sincee 1976. much has not yet been replaced. isnt a big deal.
is chinese galvanizing that totally sucks.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Amazon's Small Parts program has good pricing on 316 bulk (typically 25 or more) fasteners in all sizes. With Prime, you get it in just two days.

Matt

Tell me more I'm a prime member but never heard of the small parts program?

[a64pilot]

I'd be willing to bet that much more than we realize is actually sourced from China, whether it has a made in USA label or not, The US does not have the smoke stack industries we used to, we prefer to make our money by playing with it as opposed to manufacturing something.

[zeehag]

316 is 316 no matter who puts the cake together..same recipe. same smelting plants..mebbe even the ones that used to be in usa.. they aint in usa anymore, amigo--lol usa is a service industry nation, gave up the steel manufacturing LOOONNNGGGGG time ago. i remember those days. usa had pride in nation. was hella loong time ago.
the sky had black air. all the way out to long island until mid 60s and beyond.
gary indiana was a functional and thriving city.

304 is 304, same deal.
it doesnt matter who makes your stainless steel, as it is not made in usa.

[Matt Johnson]

Their Small Parts is now AmazonSupply.com: The Store for Business & Industry You can get most things McMaster has for less and free shipping.