Drilling through stanchon

[lockwood]

Currently, my guard wires are threaded through a small loop at the top of each stanchon (spelling?).

One of these loops has fractured and it looks as though the others are about to follow. After looking on the web at replacements and looking at the arrangments on other boats, I have decided to drill through the stanchon and thread the guard wire through as this seems this strongest choice.

My question is, once the stainless steel has been drilled, is it liable to rust and if so what can I do about it?

 

[john_morris_uk]

There is a danger that the drilled through stainless may be more liable to rust. If I remember correctly stainless steel relies on the polishes serface to ensure that there are no crevices for de-oxygenated water to sit in and produce corrosion.

You could try and produce clean holes which you polish up as best you can? (Fabricators use a special soap on a high speed revolving mop)

 

[simonfraser]

if it rusts, are you worried about the apearance or strength ?

 

[wooslehunter]

Once drilled you can reduce the wear by runnung the wires through a small piece of plastic tube as it passes through the stanchion. You can split the tube to make it easier to put in place & then cable tie each end to fix it in place. They will wear through but just replace as necessary.

 

[boatmike]

Keep your drill sharp. If possible use a reamer to finish the hole and deburr carefully afterwards. If you don't leave any raggy ends it should not rust. Any rust that forms will only be a surface discolouration which you can't avoid with SS anyhow. It should easily clean off. The answer is in working carefully with proper tools and deburring fully. A little vaseline in the finished hole will help.

 

[sixpack]

Sharp drill, drill in stages to needed diameter, ream if possible, apply "pickling paste" available from welding supply companies or your local ss fabricator may give you a small quantity.

Any rust will be from Fe pickup on the surface of the SS caused by using tool or HSS drill bits. This is removed by application of the pickling paste.

Plastic inserts will help avoid wear

 

[AndrewB]

Don't worry, it won't rust. But drilling through stainless is really tough work unless you have an industrial drill press. The temptation is to push too hard with a blunt drill which results in overheating, permanent discoloration of the steel and a ragged hole.

One - OK, DIY. A whole set - take them to a local machine shop. When you consider the number of HSS drill bits you are going to waste, really it will cost very little extra, and save you hours. I've just had two through-holes drilled in a set of eight for £25 the lot.

 

[Thistle]

I think I'd worry about the effects of sharp SS edges on my guard wires. From memory, my stanchions have SS inserts in the holes to guide and protect the wires.

 

[AndrewB]

Finishing off with a needle file tidies up any roughness. Even so, I agree it is advisable to use some kind of insert to protect both wire and stanchions, and the holes should be drilled a little over the wire diameter to allow for this. The plastic inserts you see on many regular stanchions can be bought if you want. However, being a cheapskate, I prefer to use wire pieces of thin plastic pipe about 5 cm long and the same outer diameter as the holes. These are fed along the wire after being heated in boiling water to soften and enable them to be forced into position in the stanchions, and held there with a small dab of Sikaflex. An alternative, if the right diameter pipe can't be found, are short lengths of the split piping sold as shroud covers. These last well but if necessary are easily replaced.

 

[Anthony]

try taking the stantions to a metalwork shop, they will prob weld up and refinish them for a fractrion of the cost of new ones