Board logo

Mixing metals- brass & stainless
loggyboy - 31/5/18 at 02:30 PM

I'm the majority of the way through a shed/workshop build and just fixed the doors on with some nice brass parliament hinges, these included some brass screws but not sure if these are just plated.
I have been using stainless screws throughout the rest of the project. Should I use the stainless or brass?
My concern with brass is if they are plated they may eventually rust, and my concern with the SS is there will be some sort of reaction between the 2 metals.


mcerd1 - 31/5/18 at 03:46 PM

not according to PD6484-1979

at worst if it was underwater or constantly wet in a polluted atmosphere then the stainless could suffer a 'slight' additional corrosion...

about the same effect as mixing different types of stainless with each other (specifically 18% chrome with 13% chrome)


but I can't say I've really tested this combo in real life (at least not on anything I cared about or paid attention to)

the safest bet is always to avoid direct contact between dissimilar metals, but in this case they are both fairly inert anyway



[Edited on 31/5/2018 by mcerd1]


ste - 2/6/18 at 01:56 PM

You could always use a bit of mastinox on the screws


ste - 2/6/18 at 01:59 PM

Or just buy some proper brass screws!


sdh2903 - 2/6/18 at 02:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ste
You could always use a bit of mastinox on the screws


I'd rather rusty screws than use that horrible stuff unnecessarily. Comes with a skull and crossbones on the packaging and costs a fortune. Not really the stuff to be using on a shed. In fact shouldn't be used anywhere!!