Stainless Steel Metric Fasteners

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

I need to replenish my stocks of stainless steel A2 metric nuts, bolts and washers. In the past I'd pick up this stuff from Steve's Stainless at the Stafford Show (motorcycles). Unfortunately, poor Steve died last year so I thought I'd see who other people can recommend. I buy ten or twenty of each length of bolt/ screw I need and usually about 50 washers at a time, so small amounts.

TIA

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Looking for recommendations for an online supplier

[Guy LambParticipant @guylamb68056]

If you use 6,8,10 & 12 mm @ A2 as I do, I find Screwfix has everything I want on the shelf and at a reasonable cost too.

Guy

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I have bought them for work in the past from RS or Buck and Hickman. Not necessarily the cheapest but RS always delivered next working day so suited urgent requirements.

Martin C

[VicParticipant @vic]

There are several good places on the auction site, I use Kay’s and Boltbase.

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

I've used these in the past when I was located near them. I don't know how their prices compare with others, but they supplied me with the small quantities I needed quickly when I ordered from them:

Link to Westfield Fasteners

John

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

I use Westfield Fasteners, they have good range and you can order in small quantities, delivery is very prompt. They also stock Brass and High Tensile with a full range of heads and multiple lengths.

Dave W

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Graham, Toolstation is also worth a look, and often cheaper than Screwfix.
I'm sure I recognise your name from somewhere, Ducati, Guzzi??

Bill

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Accu, Fantastic range and superb service. I use them for all my fastener needs.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Posted by peak4 on 21/04/2019 00:34:22:

Graham, Toolstation is also worth a look, and often cheaper than Screwfix.
I'm sure I recognise your name from somewhere, Ducati, Guzzi??

Bill

Hi Bill, yes I'm in the Ducati Owners Club so you may have heard the name there.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations, I better get my shopping list made up.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Graham Just one more to look at http://www.polished-stainless.com Mike Peters I have no connection with him other than having bought from him. He suplies most sizes and in any quantity anywhere in the world.

David

[ken king, King DesignParticipant @kenkingkingdesign]

Still one more option for you Graham, try http://www.motalia.co.uk and their 'fasteners' section. They offer Metric, Imperial, Cycle and other threads. Motorcyclists are well catered for as well as general engineering types,

Ken

[Richard –Participant @richard-3]

Just be careful the standard for stainless steel is a lot lower than normal 8.8

Got caught out many years ago when making roll cages for competition.

Richard

[Roger WoollettParticipant @rogerwoollett53105]

Sorry I am a bit late but I have used these people a couple of times and have had good service.

Accu

They have a wide range of stainless fastners.

[Mike ClarkeParticipant @mikeclarke87958]

Hi,

I have had problems with stainless fasteners from Screwfix galling – so would give them a miss.

As other companies have been recommended, it only seems fair to share my preferred source:

Precision Technology Supplies

Thanks,

Mike

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Galling is always a possibility with stainless, Dave Middleton recommended copaslip to help prevent the problem. Some fasteners have been degreased and using them is likely to cause trouble if they are not relubricated.

Mike

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by Mike Clarke on 21/04/2019 16:39:27:

Hi,

I have had problems with stainless fasteners from Screwfix galling – so would give them a miss.

As other companies have been recommended, it only seems fair to share my preferred source:

Precision Technology Supplies

Thanks,

Mike

PTS look to have an impressive range of high quality fasteners, I was looking for some stainless shoulder screws recently, saw the ones on their website but the pricing put me off. Do you know if they sell in smaller quantities than the webpage shows and is the pricing pro-rata?

Ian P

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

The galling is most likely to occur when both fasteners are of the same alloy.

It may be though that "ordinary" quality screws from the likes of Screwfix, whilst perfectly adequate for many applications, have rougher surfaces than high-quality so are on the road to galling straight away.

However, I have bought quite a lot of metric fasteners from Toolstation or Screwfix and have not so far had any gall.

[Mike ClarkeParticipant @mikeclarke87958]

Posted by Ian P on 21/04/2019 20:44:16:

Do you know if they sell in smaller quantities than the webpage shows and is the pricing pro-rata?

Ian P

Hi Ian,

Which are you interested in? Many of the more specialist fasteners are listed at cost per 100 but in fact the pack sizes you add to your basket are 5, 25 etc…..so yes, pro-rata. Usually I get the purchasing office to place my orders, but I have made purchases myself when in a hurry and the product and service is top notch.

I have bought many 100,000s of stainless fasteners and experience has taught me (i.e. being in the middle of nowhere with seized fasteners) to avoid certain suppliers. I personally can feel the difference "through the spanners".

Thanks,

Mike

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

At the time I was looking at using the precision low profile shoulder screw to locate mount a ballrace in an idler gear, as it happens the design then changed as the gear position needed to be adjustable. Will certainly bear them in minf for the future.

Regarding the pricing, the usual convention is that the price per item drops as the quantities increase, so only showing the bulk price put me off.

Ian P

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

At one factory I was apprenticed at we made parts for RR aero engines and the bolts and nuts were silver plated to prevent galling and picking up. It's amazing what you remember when someone mentions a problem on here.

David

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Galling is not necessarily a quality finish problem. Moons ago when I was inoxing a Guzzi, Dave Middleton's shop was close to where I live so was easy to collect fasteners and chat. Quality and finish on the fasteners he sold were/are top notch. An M12 bolt and nut I bought was assembled and the nut spin on freely. It wasn't on the bike (luckily) but unscrewing them although they hadn't been spannered, proved impossible. The nut was NOT tightened but proved stiff when trying to unscrew, initially by hand but then with a spanner it completely locked. A trip back to Dave's came with the explanation of Galling, especially with Stainless and the use of Copper slip. If it's never happened to you, you're lucky but be warned.

 

Regards Ian.

Edited By Circlip on 22/04/2019 09:58:54

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I recall an awkward instance of it at work, with cap-screws and 'Nyloc' nuts – the action of the insert might increase the risk of galling.

These screws were no more than M5, possibly only M3 or 4.

The assembly was encased in an annulus consisting of two flanged rubber mouldings clamped together by pairs of stainless-steel plate rings bearing on the flanges, with lots of screws and nuts. The whole thing formed a short but very thick-walled cylindrical tube open at both ends, with equatorial flanges inside and outside.

And of course the seized fasteners had to be on the inner flanges! This was only about 80 mm diameter, maybe 40 or 50mm deep from each end of the case. Not much room for hands and spanners; certainly no room to cut a few pennies' worth of screw, even if that were possible without risking damaging probably a few hundred quid's worth of specially-made casing!

I could only try tightening the nut until the screw sheared before the Allen key, which luckily it did.

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