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Re: [TowerTalk] 306 stainless steel

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 306 stainless steel
From: Grant Saviers <grants2@pacbell.net>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2021 19:41:24 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
316 is not easy machining. The (better) marine industry now uses it in 316L grade which has lower carbon. This prevents alloy redistribution from the heat which causes welded joints to rapidly corrode. 316L is also the most corrosion resistant 300 grade. Ask McMaster for certs on the u-bolts you are considering, since the detailed specs say 316 (which is probably ok).

All stainless has crevice corrosion problems if there is no oxygen to reform the oxide layer. Probably not an issue in u-bolts, but has been in sailboat keel attaching bolts. Bronze alloys are better.

Hot dip galvanized u-bolts might have a 3 to 10 year marine environment life. Probably good for the life of an antenna in no/low chloride environments. (why different than a tower?) They look fine on my (low chlorides air) antennas after 20 years. see

https://galvanizeit.org/knowledgebase/article/the-performance-of-hot-dip-galvanized-steel-in-water-environments

Grant KZ1W


On 6/3/2021 15:02, Richard Smith wrote:
  I Googled:
"tensile strength of 304 and 316 stainless steel" and the result shows that the 
two alloys have very close tensile strengths and yield strengths.

I bought a bunch 316 SS hardware, planning to use them at the PJ4K station on 
Bonaire, but with the travel restrictions haven't been able to go and try them 
yet. It may take some months or years to see a difference between 304 SS and 
316 SS, but the Caribbean is a good test bed.
73, Rich, N6KT
     On Thursday, June 3, 2021, 09:55:03 AM PDT, jim.thom jim.thom@telus.net 
<jim.thom@telus.net> wrote:
I'm going to buy some  U bolts from mcmaster carr....and they come in  316
marine grade stainless, with mating  316 stainless  nylocks.  Other than
corrosion resistance,  I believe  316  SS  is the same strength as 304
SS,  but I am not sure about this.  These are the insulated type  U bolts,
like  VE6WZ uses on his 80+40m yagis.

I have never seen  316  SS.  Has anybody had experience with  316  SS  ??

Jim  VE7RF
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