Thread: Stainless hand railing

Don't know much about the stainless side.
But as for fastening to concrete.
You can get a Dynabolt Socket, rather than a bolt.
You put them into the concrete and then use your favourite bolt to fasten into the socket.
Hope that makes sense.


lpg_falcon.

Sounds good. So you just gotta make sure the threads match right? Any problems with dissimilar metals (s/s to zinc plated)?

Yes, just match the threads between the nut in the dynabolt socket and the Stainless Bolt you plan on putting into it.

As for the dissimilar metals corrosion.
Maybe there are stainless Dynabolt Sockets available ? Any comments???
Probably the fact your are using a stainless bolt would mean that the non-stainless nut and corrosion between the dissimilar metals would but less of a problem. Anyone like to comment on this statement???

You may even find that you could chemlock? or epoxy a Stainless threaded socket into the concrete to anchor the handrail. Any comments???

lpg_falcon.

G'Day Spooled.

I assume your using a 50.8mm 1.6 leg?
Plenty of base plates on the market that you would blend to underneath and have a cover plate that slides over to conceal welds and fittings. OD of flange is 100mm and they are a 3 hole to suit M8 rod.
I don't like dyna bolts I only use all thread and chem set. You have infinite adjustment for shimming to plumb and not an expanding anchor so edge dimension is less.

Try Merideth Distributions on 9758 4210 Part #2001A OR 2016A for a cast one , if you use the cast one it is stronger and (I think) more attractive but you will need dome nuts as fittings are not concealed.

Brett

Originally Posted by spooled

Sounds good. So you just gotta make sure the threads match right? Any problems with dissimilar metals (s/s to zinc plated)?

Start with stainless....finish with stainless

Originally Posted by lpg_falcon

Maybe there are stainless Dynabolt Sockets available ? Any comments???
Probably the fact your are using a stainless bolt would mean that the non-stainless nut and corrosion between the dissimilar metals would but less of a problem. Anyone like to comment on this statement???

See above

Originally Posted by lpg_falcon

You may even find that you could chemlock? or epoxy a Stainless threaded socket into the concrete to anchor the handrail. Any comments???

lpg_falcon.

There are female threads that you can epoxy in , three disadvantages .They are expensive in SS , the hole you have to drill is proportionally large to the size fitting you finally use and it is another component..minimize the number of components and you minimize the number of elements to fail.But under certain circumstances they are the appropriate method... not this one.IMO

A SS M8 Internally threaded sleeve requires a 14mm hole as opposed to a 10mm hole for M8 all thread.

Hope this helps

Brett

Originally Posted by spooled

Main thing I’m looking for is how do I get the nice satin finish all the way through the fabrication? Firstly I’m assuming I will buy weld in bends and butt-weld them with minimal or no gap and minimal filler rod? Then how do I go about grinding the welds down to the same level as the main tube without removing any of the main tube material? Just careful work with a 100mm grinder or is there a more suitable tool?

Sorry didn't reply to that part.
Tig with min. filler.Passivate electrically (4-5k investment) or initial clean with scotch brite pad. First grinding with flap disc (Careful! and only if a lumpy weld where you have filled a blow through), then pipe linisher with say a A30 , then pipe linisher with blue scotch brite ... your now close to 180-220 grit , use different belts to raise grit a lot of "satin" finshes are 400 grit with an average 320 depending on supplier.

As for finishing - the grinding wheels that are made of a stack of sheets of sandpaper aren't too aggressive, at least not as nasty as a grinding wheel; (I don't recall what they are called, but they look pretty much like a normal grinding wheel for a 4 inch grinder wheel with sandpaper stuck on!!).

I have a Portagrind which is pretty good for tidying up welds without worrying too much about slipping and chewing up thin metal (available at Bunnies and Blackwoods), or even a normal belt sander if you don't mind the size.

Matching the satin finish in stainless can be a pain; I don't play with stainless all that much so I find it easier to grind/semi-polish the welded area to a good state and then hit the whole thing with a belt sander so it all has the same quality scratch marks running in the same direction.

I also have a blowfly sander that takes either sanding belts or scotchbright pads that is pretty good for creating a satin finish. This doodad has become my preferred tool for finishing as it works on a variety of shapes and being able to use cheap scotchbrite pads to produce an even dull finish is a bonus!

Hey Master Splinter

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

As for finishing - the grinding wheels that are made of a stack of sheets of sandpaper aren't too aggressive, at least not as nasty as a grinding wheel; (I don't recall what they are called, but they look pretty much like a normal grinding wheel for a 4 inch grinder wheel with sandpaper stuck on!!).

That is the flap disc I was referring to , they are also sometimes called Zircwheels , there has been a big improvement in recent years re wear with the advent of alternate ceramic flaps.

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

I have a Portagrind which is pretty good for tidying up welds without worrying too much about slipping and chewing up thin metal (available at Bunnies and Blackwoods), or even a normal belt sander if you don't mind the size.

Pipe is a PIA to linish even if you get it to look good the minute you run your hand on it , if you have used a Portagrind it "feels " uneven, having said that on a miter it is one of the initial weld dressing treatments, a pipe linisher is a must...similar to a Portergrinder but without the platen and has a rotational spring loaded leading roller rather than the lineal spring loaded front wheel .

Brett

Hi Riley -

The uneven finish from a linisher on pipe is why I like the blowfly sander thing - you can cut gashes in the sanding belts/scotchbrite to make it conform better to curved surfaces, and if attached to a small drill motor, it's not too cumbersome to move around so you can even the finish out reasonably well.

I have to say that the day I started using my belt sander to smooth out welds in square steel tube was a whole new era in metal finishing for me...just remember to take off the bag full of wood dust BEFORE it starts smouldering from the sparks. ("Gee, that looks good and was pretty easy, neater than the grinder, *sniff sniff* what's that smell...is something burning...hang on, that's not dust puffing out of the dust bag...it's smoke!!")

Been around this for a while. There are some specialist tools around (Suhner are great) but you would want to be doing more than 1 job to pay for them. I assume you are working with round tube when you mention welding in prefab bends.

Dressing procedure then would be

Grind to near flush with flapdisk (quality brands last much longer than cheapos) with a 41/2 or 5 in angle grinder

Swap disk for a velcro backing disk and clean up with 120, and 240 grit velcro disks.

Brush up through a couple of belt grades with the Suhner tube wrap polisher UTC 7R at the right in the picture below. This machine can wrap about 190deg around a tube and brush to whatever grade belt you fit, get very close in corners, and keep the pattern perpendicular to the length of the tube.

If you have access to a decent sized linisher, spin all uprights with Scotch belts to finish them before welding in, and then treat them very carefully from then. Any small scratches etc, need to be removed with discs and then resurfaced with the wrap polisher.

We use the Suhner tube wrap polisher, I can highly recommend it.

Thanks for all the replies.

I can see advantages in both methods of anchoring into the ground, in this case countersunk bolts into a socket would be best I think.
I will more than likely get more work like this and I also intend on doing a bit of stainless tube work in marine applications. So I don't mind spending a little on quality tools. Those Suhner tube wrap polishers look pretty cool. How much are they worth and where do you get them from? Otherwise I'd be happy with just a pipe linisher, what's the damage on these for a decent one?

I might also get a variable speed grinder to use as a sander and polisher. It could come in handy for mirror finishing stainless.

Now on the finish; So satin is 400 grit. Is it ok the linisher will only put the polish marks in one direction? And should these marks go across the pipe or along it? Or are you not able to see the direction of the marks at this fine grit?

Originally Posted by spooled

Thanks for all the replies.

I can see advantages in both methods of anchoring into the ground, in this case countersunk bolts into a socket would be best I think.

Before you decide on your fixing method , have your base plates bought or fabed as the clearance from edge of base plate to cl of hole will be greater if you use a socket , the off the shelf base plates dont give you much.

Originally Posted by spooled

I will more than likely get more work like this and I also intend on doing a bit of stainless tube work in marine applications. So I don't mind spending a little on quality tools. Those Suhner tube wrap polishers look pretty cool. How much are they worth and where do you get them from? Otherwise I'd be happy with just a pipe linisher, what's the damage on these for a decent one?

I might also get a variable speed grinder to use as a sander and polisher. It could come in handy for mirror finishing stainless.

Australian Industrial Abrasives (9636 8644) sell both the machines and will make the belts, they are also knowledgeable and give good advice re belt selection.

Originally Posted by spooled

Now on the finish; So satin is 400 grit.

Yes, some suppliers have 320 grit.

Originally Posted by spooled

Is it ok the linisher will only put the polish marks in one direction? And should these marks go across the pipe or along it? Or are you not able to see the direction of the marks at this fine grit?

You will always see the marks at 400, if you want a higher finish say 600 or 800 you can but it will take time and you will need a wider range of belts, often its easier to get it electro-polished.
Grit lines across.