# Stainless Bolts Or Rod. Bunnings?



## bignath (3/5/12)

Im after some stainless bolts or threaded rod for my single vessel rig. Needs to be 1/2 inch thread and around 15cm lengths. Nuts to suit too. Need four of them.
Is this something i could find at bunnings or would a drive out there be a waste of time! Need em fairly urgently so dont want to waste a drive if i wont find them.

BN


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## Feldon (3/5/12)

Big Nath said:


> Im after some stainless bolts or threaded rod for my single vessel rig. Needs to be 1/2 inch thread and around 15cm lengths. Nuts to suit too. Need four of them.
> Is this something i could find at bunnings or would a drive out there be a waste of time! Need em fairly urgently so dont want to waste a drive if i wont find them.
> 
> BN




The only SS all threaded rod I've seen in Bunnings here (in Melb) is in metric sizes (eg. M8, M10) about a metre long.


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## bignath (3/5/12)

Feldon said:


> The only SS all threaded rod I've seen in Bunnings here (in Melb) is in metric sizes (eg. M8, M10) about a metre long.



Cool, thanks mate. 12mm wil do nicely if i need to look at metric. Is the 'm' number the diameter?


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## Feldon (4/5/12)

Big Nath said:


> Cool, thanks mate. 12mm wil do nicely if i need to look at metric. Is the 'm' number the diameter?



Yes. M10 is 10mm etc.


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## Feldon (4/5/12)

Rather than drive to your nearest Bunnings, you could order from this supplier - http://www.boltsnutsscrewsonline.com/shop/...el-Allthread.81

$16.50 for a metre lenghth of M12 304 stainless all thread rod (and they will cut-to-length for $1.50 per cut and clean up the cut threads)

Flat fee delivery of $9.50 Australia-wide.

(Note, have not bought from them myself yet so no info on reliability of supplier - other posters might like to chime in)


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## QldKev (4/5/12)

I could be wrong, but I think Bunnings will only have Galv threaded rod, and won't have 15cm s/s bolts.

Got any boating chandlery stores locally? I would call them. Otherwise a dedicated nut and bolt shop.


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## iralosavic (4/5/12)

Yep only galvanized rod at bunnings.


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## Feldon (4/5/12)

iralosavic said:


> Yep only galvanized rod at bunnings.



Nunawading Bunnings in Melb has SS all thread rod - saw it there last week. Not much, but a few pieces of M8, M10 and M12.


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## Maheel (4/5/12)

ring your local "warehouse" big bunnings and ask if they have it, some do in tubes normally in the bolt area with the galv / nickle / brass threaded rods 

make sure the stock boy has not mixed it up when selecting....


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## brettprevans (4/5/12)

iralosavic said:


> Yep only galvanized rod at bunnings.


what a load of BS. they ahve a tonne of full stainless bolts. i bought some last week. yes they are next to galv, but they are there. 

plenty of sizes nath. heaps of them



Feldon said:


> Nunawading Bunnings in Melb has SS all thread rod - saw it there last week. Not much, but a few pieces of M8, M10 and M12.


bayswater has heaps. bigger stores will have larger range, but they are all there incl marine grade (314) stainless


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## iralosavic (4/5/12)

I thought they stocked the same store wide. My local bunnings only has galv rod. I spent an hour searching myself after I was told so by a storeman. He was right.


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## Tim F (4/5/12)

On a related note does anyone know of anywhere in Australia that sells larger thread sizes? I'm looking for acme thread in around M20 size, stainless.


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## bignath (4/5/12)

iralosavic said:


> I thought they stocked the same store wide. My local bunnings only has galv rod. I spent an hour searching myself after I was told so by a storeman. He was right.



Nah, there are different 'sized' stores that are selcted by size for the area and population they need to service. My bunnings is the smallest model they do which is retarded as its literally the only one in 500km radius. Im not exagerrating..

Had a sniff around there this morning and no luck. Found the threaded rod but its all galv, zinc, or brass. No SS.

Have got on to another mob who have ordered me a metre length and are overnighting it to me. Should have it by lunch tomorrow.


On a side note, how bad is it to use zinc bolts and nuts inside a mash vessel. Wont be going in the boiler.


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## adraine (4/5/12)

Or if you didnt need the full meter of all thread (which can come in handy) you could go the set screws.


http://www.boltsnutsscrewsonline.com/304-S...-M12-X-150.2951
Up to you


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## brettprevans (4/5/12)

iralosavic said:


> I thought they stocked the same store wide. My local bunnings only has galv rod. I spent an hour searching myself after I was told so by a storeman. He was right.


yeah cause storepeople are always right arent they?! lol

you have to go to the isle that is the 'builder's' isle. they are with the normal pissy screws etc they are normally with the the construction brackets, posts etc. seek and yea shall find. well you will if your store is big enough. or you can always do a new search and get them from an online retailer. 

but my bunnings is great. tonnes of stuff.

edit: although last weekend I had 2 store persons tell me black and blue they didnt stock black 'builders plastic'. I had to go find it myself, and made a point of telling/showing one of them when i happened to pass them


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## Feldon (4/5/12)

Tim F said:


> On a related note does anyone know of anywhere in Australia that sells larger thread sizes? I'm looking for acme thread in around M20 size, stainless.




See link I posted above. $33 for a metre of 304, or double the price for 316.


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## Malted (4/5/12)

I am wondering if using all thread as your centre tie rod (yes?) is maybe not the best way to go?

I would think a rod with threads cut into it at each end would be better. In the case of a Braumiser etc you have two plates that need to slide up & down the centre rod and all that thread on them is going to be like a rasp or round file every time they go up and down. Furthermore, all that thread is a great place for greeblies to hide/grain to get stuck in and would lengthen and complicate the cleaning process. Personally I would be trying to minimise the amount of thread that comes into contact with grain or wort. 

Apologies Nath if you are not using the all thread in a way in which it is exposed to grain or wort in your brewery.


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## Malted (4/5/12)

citymorgue2 said:


> but my bunnings is great.



Heretic! They are evil I tells ya, evil!


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## bignath (4/5/12)

Malted said:


> I am wondering if using all thread as your centre tie rod (yes?) is maybe not the best way to go?
> 
> I would think a rod with threads cut into it at each end would be better. In the case of a Braumiser etc you have two plates that need to slide up & down the centre rod and all that thread on them is going to be like a rasp or round file every time they go up and down. Furthermore, all that thread is a great place for greeblies to hide/grain to get stuck in and would lengthen and complicate the cleaning process. Personally I would be trying to minimise the amount of thread that comes into contact with grain or wort.
> 
> Apologies Nath if you are not using the all thread in a way in which it is exposed to grain or wort in your brewery.



Cheers Malted, youve obviously had a squizz at my single vessel build. But what im trying to do is instead of using a colander over my elements, i thought i would make up some 'legs' for the crab cooker insert which has holes drilled in the bottom. This would elevate the mash over the elements and allow an adjustable height for the mash to sit in the strike water for a single vs double batch. Ive worked out that whilst the colander i have keeps the mash at a good height for a double batch, it sits too high for a single. 
the legs wont come into contact with grain, but they will be in the wort outside the bag and basket during the mash only.

The other benefit of doing this will be a better flow of heat throughout the vessel. At the moment, im convinced the colander is trapping a fair bit of heat and then im draining this and returning to the lid hotter than id like. 

Thought id just cut the rod into four shorter and four longer pieces for legs. Usually brew doubles, but every now and then need the versatility to do singles of unknown recipes.

Is using zinc a bad idea? I can easily source the perfect sized bolts and nuts if its ok to use.


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## Fents (4/5/12)

for all things stainless!

http://www.geordi.com.au/product_index.htm


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## manticle (4/5/12)

Zinc washers in my aluminium HLT with brass locknuts and brass all thread corrode. Not sure of the oxidation/reduction relationship between zinc and whatever other metals are in your vessel but that would be one thing to watch for. If the metals are all the same, you shouldn't have that issue (and with ss not at all).


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## bignath (4/5/12)

Are there any health problems with zinc though?

My searches keep bringing up zinc as a substance in food.


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## manticle (4/5/12)

I'm still alive.

Sorry mate, not sure but none that I'm aware of. Too much is toxic to yeast and far too much is toxic to us but beyond that I can't say.

To make me look smart, I googled zinc toxicity - most of it is to do with deficiency and dietary sources but there is a section on toxicity - seems the effects are reasonably quickly manifested.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/zinc-HealthProfessional/

and a journal article

http://www.ajcn.org/content/51/2/225.full.pdf+html

If concerned, find out from someone who knows or stick with SS.


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## Tim F (4/5/12)

Feldon said:


> See link I posted above. $33 for a metre of 304, or double the price for 316.
> 
> View attachment 54291


Cheers but I'm trying to find a larger thread size eg not allthread - it is for a little fruit press and that fine thread will mean lots of turns to compress the fruit!


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## brettprevans (4/5/12)

Big Nath said:


> Are there any health problems with zinc though?
> 
> My searches keep bringing up zinc as a substance in food.


given galv metal can give off toxic gas (zinc oxide) when heated i certainly wouldnt be sucking on a galv bolt or sticking it in my tun - link. just my opinion


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## kymba (4/5/12)

Tim F said:


> Cheers but I'm trying to find a larger thread size eg not allthread - it is for a little fruit press and that fine thread will mean lots of turns to compress the fruit!



Tim, try http://www.smallparts.com.au/store/categories/leadscrew/ or http://stores.ebay.com.au/linearmotionbearings


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## tavas (4/5/12)

Big Nath said:


> Is using zinc a bad idea? I can easily source the perfect sized bolts and nuts if its ok to use.



Not sure about health effects of zinc, but once you strip the zinc off you'll start leaching iron into your mash. Probably won't taste too good.


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## Edak (4/5/12)

I can totally vouch for the nuts bolts screws online place (NO AFFILIATION!)

I bought all my stainless for my single vessel from them. Very professional (except for their payment system - do direct deposit as no security on their webpage). The stuff arrived in 3 days. High quality indeed!

Bunnings DO sell the stainless threaded rod in metric sizes, but you are paying less than half (including delivery) to get it from nutsboltsscrews as it was ludicrously expensive at bunnings for the same product.

my 2c


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## bignath (4/5/12)

Righto - SUCCESS!

Have managed to find the one and only business in my feral hick town that does decent size SS nuts and bolts.

Ive just purchased 4, 12mm x 100mm, SS bolts, nuts and washers to fit so i can elevate my mash basket from my single vessel build thread so i dont need to use the colander over the elements.

I will put this in a new thread later this evening, but i will now have for sale a metre length of SS 12mm threaded rod. Its gonna cost me $35 (its coming overnight from adelaide). 

Ill probably try and sell it for $15 plus freight???. 

Now ive found the bolts, i wont be needing it. Might be useful for a centre rod for a braumeister clone?

Anyway, ill start a thread about it. For now, im chuffed as it means i should be able to brew tomorrow! Happy fuckin' days!

Thanks to everyone for answering and giving help!


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## Wolfy (4/5/12)

tavas said:


> Not sure about health effects of zinc, but once you strip the zinc off you'll start leaching iron into your mash. Probably won't taste too good.


Earlier today I told my mother that a blood-test showed I have too much iron in my blood, the first thing she said: "_Does beer have lots of iron in it?_" ... maybe she was onto something, since she kept insisting even after I explained it was mostly water and grains (even the "like bread" analogy didn't work).


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## manticle (4/5/12)

All mothers are stupid.


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## Tim F (4/5/12)

kymba said:


> Tim, try http://www.smallparts.com.au/store/categories/leadscrew/ or http://stores.ebay.com.au/linearmotionbearings



Legend, cheers!


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