rigging screws/turnbuckles

[ffiill]

I can buy marine grade closed M10 jaw rigging screws for £25 each or £8 each-discuss?@

 

[Norman_E]

The £8 ones are probably made of marine grade cheese. You might get a better response if you post links to the products. One problem is that stainless rigging screws look good as far as strength is concerned, but the threads can gall together making them impossible to adjust. The only really "marine grade" rigging screws are made with bronze bodies and stainless screws, or have bronze threaded insets in stainless bodies. Check out the Sta-Lok ranges to see what good quality looks like, and costs.

 

[Salty John]

Not all rigging screws are created equal, as Norman_E says.

Here are some rigging screw basics:
http://www.saltyjohntheblog.com/2014/06/turnbuckles-2.html

 

[Jaguar 25]

The £8 ones are probably made of marine grade cheese. You might get a better response if you post links to the products. One problem is that stainless rigging screws look good as far as strength is concerned, but the threads can gall together making them impossible to adjust. The only really "marine grade" rigging screws are made with bronze bodies and stainless screws, or have bronze threaded insets in stainless bodies. Check out the Sta-Lok ranges to see what good quality looks like, and costs.

Interesting as I have just today ordered an extended screw from Sta-Lok to replace a bent one on my phospor bronze turnbuckle body and I was a little concerned about corrosion between the different metals but the Salty John reply is reassuring.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

I bought some 8 mm low cost open rigging screws for my little Motor Sailor. They were just about good enough for this light type of duty as the boat is deliberately under canvased. The threads were poorly formed and the locking nuts were a slack fit. If you go cheap, go bigger, ie buy 12 mm but " Caveat Emptor"

Also make sure you grease the threads as the threads will gall. As already pointed out by previous posting.

 

[ffiill]

The expensive ones were from S 3 i who ten years ago as a commercial and architectural riggers supplier had some of the most competitive online prices.
The £8 are from a business who historically has concentrated on theatrical rigging for theatresFlying faeries and Peter Pans etc but now also do architectural and marine applications.
Gaelforce my local supplier sits somewhere in the middle price wise.
All appear to have a vested interest in safety! and so one would assume good quality?

 

[2nd_apprentice]

Intersting, just bought four budget turnbuckles yesterday for my guardrails.