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.
ace hardware has Al screws and bolts.
Best bet is probably aluminum pop rivets, not generally much meat in shower doors.
SS sheet metal screws.
pop-nails?
Ivan wrote in news:3ab7c7ac-7696-41f3-ac91- snipped-for-privacy@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.
*** 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
stainless steel
Aluminum screws can be had from
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
NON MAGNETIC stanless screws!!
hmmmm. Any REAL stainless IS non magnetic.
What is your definition of "REAL"?
You left the "M" out of MAny.
Non-magnetic, of course. ;-)
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
Ivan posted for all of us...
Some posters have suggested pop rivets. If you use them make certain they don't a steel mandrel.
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.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.