Fixing stainless to aluminium

[martinb]

I want to fix some stainless fittings to my boom for reefing lines and wondered if I need to insulate the two (dissimilar) metals. I also intend to rivet the fittings to the boom so what material should the rivets be made from?

Thanks for your help

Martin

 

[rbrooks]

Had a look at the fittings on my boom, they don't appear to be insulated from each other and the rivits also look like their stainless.
hope this helps

Rog

 

[charles_reed]

Use monel rivets, they're relatively inert, easier to tighten than stainless and far stronger then aluminium.
It's not essential to insulate one from another unless they're under water but I'd suggest a smear of silicon rubber.

 

[jfkal]

I had to take mine off with massive corrosion.
Remedy: Paint the stainless steel part with a coat of hammerite paint. Add a layer of barrier paste between the part for insurance. Use at least rivets with Aluminium sleeve but coat them with barrier paste before popping them in. Worked for me. Monel rivets would be better of course but hard to come by, expensive and most still have a steel stud anyway ((.

 

[extravert]

Isulating the two parts cannot do any harm. You could cut out a gasket from an old bicycle inner tube. As others have said you should use monel rivets if you can get them, try a rigger. You might also need to borrow his rivet gun because the small type that you'd get from Halfords or the like just won't do. Then you should smear everything with zinc chromate paste. It's the dry yellow stuff you sometimes see when you remove fittings. It's sticky yellow goo and gets everywhere but is the official solution. Also try a riggers to get some if you have difficulty sourcing it. It's not expensive.

 

[dickh]

You must use MONEL rivets and insulate with the special paste you can get from a chandler, or else you will get corrosion. You should be able to get monel rivets and the special yellow paste from a good chandler. Sorry can't remember the name of the paste...
dickh

 

[steveh]

The name of the paste is "DURALC"
I once took some fittings of my mast and found that underneath the ali had corroded away to leave large holes! Looked fine before I removed them.Had to replace the mast.

 

[steve_cronin]

Yes most monel rivets have steel shafts but they are available specially made to allow the steel stud to drop out after fitting, with a white plastic plug also supplied to replace it. i have bought these from several south coast chandlers - Try Aladdin's Cave Hamble.

Steve Cronin