Rigging screws

[mick]

I have just been quoted for replacement of my standing rigging. This included use of phosphor bronze rigging screws and the rigger said he never uses stainless screws because of something he called 'galling'. How important is it to use phosphor bronze instead of stainless? How do I tell what my present screws are made of?

 

[vyv_cox]

Galling is the unwelcome property of stainless steel components that they try to weld themselves together under high load. Threaded items are a typical example. Use of molybdenum disulphide grease can help to overcome it. In all the years that I have assembled and disassembled rigging screws it has only happened to me once, but in that case the two parts were immovable and had to be scrapped.

Bronze and stainless steel are impossible to confuse, simply by colour. Bronze is, well, bronze coloured. Stainless steel is shiny, um, steel coloured.

 

[old_salt]

'galling' an engineering term it is prevalent to stainless screws and nuts they can have a tendency to seize up if not well lubricated.

 

[savageseadog]

[ QUOTE ]
G

Bronze and stainless steel are impossible to confuse, simply by colour. Bronze is, well, bronze coloured. Stainless steel is shiny, um, steel coloured.

[/ QUOTE ] Unless (bronze) it's plated.

 

[Salty John]

In my experience rigging screws, or turnbuckles, have the body made from bronze - silicon bronze, aluminium bronze - with stainless ends. The bronze body is usually chrome plated so that on cursory inspection it looks like the whole assembly is stainless steel.
I have Johnson turnbuckles on my boat and they use a chrome plated bronze body to, according to their catalogue, avoid galling or thread locking.

 

[mick]

[ QUOTE ]

Bronze and stainless steel are impossible to confuse, simply by colour. Bronze is, well, bronze coloured. Stainless steel is shiny, um, steel coloured.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vyv, if the bronze has been plated so you can't tell what it is visually, how do you do so otherwise?

 

[oldsalt]

The silver colour is different, but if in doubt, just scratch it.

 

[jerryat]

Just look in the threaded holes. S/s is the same colour as the outside, phosphor bronze (by far the better material btw) looks, well, bronze coloured on the threads!!

I changed to P/B some years ago and wouldn't dream of going back to stainless. I know they cost more, but they're so easy and smooth to adjust and they seem to last forever.

 

[john_morris_uk]

[ QUOTE ]
Just look in the threaded holes. S/s is the same colour as the outside, phosphor bronze (by far the better material btw) looks, well, bronze coloured on the threads!!

I changed to P/B some years ago and wouldn't dream of going back to stainless. I know they cost more, but they're so easy and smooth to adjust and they seem to last forever.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree. You might get away with greasing s/s and them, but p/b bodies are the way ahead. They will always be smooth to adjust and never let you down... He said confidently...

 

[vyv_cox]

Yes, the others have answered, sorry if my response seemed a bit flippant. Plated material has a quite different appearance from solid stainless steel so you can tell even on the outside. All my bronze ones have been marked and scratched, making it even easier. Only the outside is plated, so the threads will always be the natural colour.

 

[mick]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, the others have answered, sorry if my response seemed a bit flippant. Plated material has a quite different appearance from solid stainless steel so you can tell even on the outside. All my bronze ones have been marked and scratched, making it even easier. Only the outside is plated, so the threads will always be the natural colour.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vyv, I would never regard your contributions as flippant (unlike those of some I could mention). Thanks to you and all who replied.