12-24 Hardware or Search for the Holy Grail

[John]

While working on Vahalla, and leaning on the lifeline, I noticed that the aft padeye was lifting. With little effort I removed the padeye. The original hardware seemed to have been chrome plated bronze. The center of the machine screws was a nice barn red.

The pad is designed for 12-24 flat headed machine screws. 1/4-20 will not go through the holes. I have the holes plugged with 12-24 x 2" zinc plated machine screws so I know that they exist in some fashion. Before taking out my No 8 drill and fixing everything, I thought I'd try to locate the SS hardware.

Jamestown has SS at 1/2 and 3/4 inches and I have to buy a box. Is there anyone else stocking or manufacturing 12-24 x 1 1/2" Do I go to a machine shop and have them make 10 pieces? Any suggestions?

[ebb]

Rather amazing that the 12s just aren't available! Did a very quick check. (Jamestown, Fasco, McMasterCarr,......)
www.marfas.com
may have them, but I don't know what quantity you'd have to buy, phone and ask them. Distributor?


#12 to #14 is not that much of a jump. Might think about redrilling the fitting. And have immediate access to sources.


The red corrosion of the screw probably means it was brass, not silicone.

Jamestown on the net is a different animal than the hard catalog, did you check them out there. Very often you don't have to buy the one hundred.


Up on the deck a good quality s.s. screw would be ok, don't you think? They're pretty close on the galvanic scale. West Marine has 12/24s in 18/8 (another way of saying 304 which is ok for mixing bowls and sink strainers but not marine fasteners.) Maybe you'd have the same problem finding machine 12s in 316! I'd give in and open up the holes for silicon bronze 1/4".

[mrgnstrn]

Try Chesapeake Marine Fasteners.
http://www.chesfast.com/

If they don't sell in small quantities, I might be convinced to go over to Fawsetts in Annapolis, buy 4 screws and mail them to you. Fawsett's has nearly everything in the marine industry univers (except core of any type, but that is what Oceana ltd distributors are for.)

[Al Lorman]

Chesapeake Marine Fasteners will sell any quantity (even though their catalog only list boxes for most things) and they charge a surprisingly reasonable shipping charge. I've literally ordered 4 bolts from them, figuring it was cheaper than the gas to drive there.

[ebb]

Looked over there this AM.
They don't list in their catalog any bronze 12s.
Didn't check out their 316.


Scrolled by some strut bolts that had threads clear to the head. Whatz THAT all about?

[John]

Thanks again to the list.

Cheasapeake Fasteners has 12-24 SS in 1 1/4 and 3 in. I am going to measure how much I need, but the worst case is that I trim the 3" ers.

Sometimes I wonder why I left the land of pleasant living. Fawsetts always has been a great source. Anyone else remember the the Natty Bo with a huge Mr Bo on the main, or am I just too far gone.

[Mike Goodwin]

Brewed on the shores .....!

[John]

In the dim reaches of my mind....For inland crew...Old Frothingslosh. The beer with the head on the bottom...brewed in Pittsburgh.

I found my screws (which is vastly different than being......) I have a source in my backyard. BoltDepot.com..They also specialize in marine fasteners they say. and they have a fairly complete range of 12-24 stainless. Pleasant, order confirmed and shipped today. Their site has a lot of fastener information.. Worth checking out.

Life is good (or at least, better)

[John]

Mike,

So I was young and working for Jerry Wood at Annapolis Sailing School....(One weekend and we turned the public almost loose on the Bay) If they came back with a smile, we knew we had new sailors....and this was in Rainbows yet.

I had use of most any boat after work, so my wife and I would grab a friend or two, and sail until the breeze died. One evening we found that the Navy had moored a Nuke off the Academy. We were out for nice sail, and had to take a turn around the sub. If you have been close you might have noticed a friendly Marine on the sail, taking in the evening breeze.....with a steely eye and and ak47. A sub looks strange, with it's whale like body and then about 30-50 ft aft of that is a fin with control surfaces as the Navy refers to them. Seeing that "open water" between the hull and the fin, looked like an invitation to sail over a sub. My wife objected and the marine looked more and more steely and less and less friendly....but it was tempting...

I don't know what his problem was...I had my running lights on..

[Gravey]

John, I'm smiling because I probably would 've also entertained the idea of sailing through the "open water"; and, of course, my wife would have objected vehemently. However, the Marine on guard probably wasn't cradling a made- in- Russia, AK47. Most likely an M16 or possibly something more deadly.