Bad snaps

[TimsTrim]

I've been going thru older posts just to see if I can snag some good tips. Anyway, there was an older post about the snap sockets coming off the boat cover. I had this happening just this past Spring. The snap press had not changed and I had not changed the way I use it. I got curious and having a digital scale ( I reload some too) I weighed one of the newer sockets and then one of the older ones I had in the bottom of my boat box. The newer one was 1/3 lighter in weight. The obvious conclusion was they are making them thinner to make them cheaper and they are being made off shore.Used to be you bought Durable Dot and that was that, but they are getting copied overseas and some suppliers are selling them.  You may have to seek out a better made socket. I have been using Stainless more and more , but they cost quite a bit more and are a bear to set.

[Mojo]

I believe June said Rochford had a bad run of snaps.

I use all stainless because most of my work is so close to the Gulf of Mexico. We get a lot of
salt air this way. I have never seen stuff rust so fast as it does in Florida.

I pass the small cost on to my customers of course for using SS snaps.

Chris

[MinUph]

Mojo,
  I have been told about using ss here and that it rusts. Not that I believe this but thats what Ive heard.
  I have seen some real crappy ss snaps, and ss staples that can be picked up with a magnet. Not the ones I have but some I've seen. Are these becoming a normal thing nowadays?

[TimsTrim]

Paul, I'm not answering for Chris but it seems a lot of things these days are getting "crappy". But bear in mind that Stainless Steel is in essence just steel with a high nickel content. Something as light as a staple or snap might stick to a magnet. I'm not really sold on SS only in certain climates. Nickel plated brass won't rust and not oxidize much either. (SS staples for boats is still the way to go).

[Mojo]

I do not know Paul. I haven't had any customers come back and complain to me about any SS fasteners I installed. I go back periodically and check my installations on customer RV's and haven't seen any. I do know I had to replace all the snaps on a golf kart once. They were rusted badly and the rust bled onto the painted surface around it. Made a hell of a mess.

I believe it was June ( please correct me if I am wrong here Ma'am ) but she tested some SS snaps and found that some she could pick up with a magnet.

I am going to get in touch with Miami Mike and see where his fasteners come from. But from what I have heard, they are all being made in China.

For the record, on all of my solar screens I use military grade black ( brass ) caps. I have had great luck with these.

Chris

[JuneC]

Lots of crappy stainless out there.  I stick to Dot brand anymore.  And I always shop for stainless (screws, D-rings, etc.) with a magnet in my pocket to test with.  And yes, I got some really soft/quick-to-rust stainless from Rochford.  I haven't ordered from them in several years now because it was always hit or miss with them. 

June

[SHHR]

There are different grades of stainless too. you'll hear of numbers like 304, 306 , 308 and other grades. Also, you can get magnetic stainless as well (it's handy in machining and tooling fixtures). We use to use 308 when I was a tool maker a lot. Several of our products were used in the nuclear waste industry and other corrosive  environments. With that said I would imagine most hardware used in our trade here is made off shore in a sweat shop somewhere on the other side of the world. Things like screws, staples , and snaps are more than likely a very low grade material. Really good stainless won't rust at all. For example most cars built from 1965 back had stainless trim for body moldings. It's nothing to be roaming an old junkyard here in the midwest (A hobby of mine, the family hates me on vacation if I see an old junk yard) and see a car from the 30's rotted away to nothing, but still have shiny brightwork in excellent shape.
Kyle

[Peppy]

Here in fresh water the brass snaps work fine. We have no problems usually. But a winter cover  we made last year came back and all the snaps would just fall apart with the slightest pressure. Tarps made at the same time with the same snaps had no similar problems. What do you think happened?  If he stowed it in his battery compartment could it have corroded the brass or something? I replaced the snaps and its no big deal, but I think something was up.

     

[Grebo]

I always use s/s snaps, I have replaced lots of nickle ones on new boats, some due to the wrong size of screws used & forced bases out of shape (ok could happen to s/s as well) & snap tops which have pulled right through them selves  ::)

We have high salt & high humidity here  :(