Opinions on Aluminum Screws

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  • Justus
    Justech.us

    • Nov 2010
    • 1515

    #16
    Originally posted by OPBN
    And arent the FS screws aluminum?
    I'm pretty sure they're stainless steel. I've seen them colored, but it was from enamel/paint, not anodizing. Put one to a magnet and find out.

    My Feedback Thread

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    • halB
      Registered User
      • Sep 2002
      • 953

      #17
      Originally posted by Frizzle Fry
      That's very unsafe. There are documented issues of valves rocketing off, even destroying z-locks, when subpar hardware is used. I remember a few cases of thumbscrew mixups where the early "battery pack only" Emag thumbscrews were used for valves and snapped right off. I hope Tom will chime in about the dangers of using standard machine screws...

      CRAP!

      I just got a pretty early emag, and I think I've already mixed the thumbscrews up. How can I tell the difference?

      Comment

      • El Zilcho
        Registered User
        • Jul 2007
        • 483

        #18
        If you are using a level 10, would it even be possible for the valve to come "rocketing" off? I mean if I can stick my finger/tongue in the breach and stop the bolt from moving forward, how would there be enough force to push the mass of the valve in the opposite direction? I have not put a ton of thought in to it, but is seems unlikely to happen.
        AO Feedback http://www.automags.org/forums/showt...mcl29-Feedback

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        • Nobody
          Nobody's Perfect
          • Oct 2001
          • 3384

          #19
          aluminium screws are perfectly fine.

          to see if you have a an aluminium screw, put it to a magnet. aluminium isn't magnetic so it is picked up by the magnet, then its not aluminium.

          you might get a failure if you decide to put it on with torque wrench, but you can easily strip steel or SS screws. if you are unsure, use a washer between the screw head and the body, to give a larger surface area to pull against. other than that, go for it.

          Comment

          • RehKal
            Registered User
            • Jul 2007
            • 266

            #20
            Originally posted by emcl29
            If you are using a level 10, would it even be possible for the valve to come "rocketing" off? I mean if I can stick my finger/tongue in the breach and stop the bolt from moving forward, how would there be enough force to push the mass of the valve in the opposite direction? I have not put a ton of thought in to it, but is seems unlikely to happen.
            You are forgetting something important. The spring and the hole that vents the bolt, that's why it's safe for your finger or tongue to be placed in front of the bolt. Remove the thumb screw, unlock your valve and air it up to see what happens. With nothing to prevent the air from bleeding out the end of the power tube you've just created a reverse firing marker that fires a piece of aluminium with 400 or so psi behind it. Now steel braided cable might be enough to stop the valve but I doubt macroline would stop the valve.

            I've seen what happens when someone doesn't secure the pieces in the back of the marker when the drunk step father of a friend decided to air up a spyder that was partially disassembled. It didn't hit anyone luckily....

            Using something that isn't rated for the tolerances required is just asking for trouble... It'd be almost like inserting plugs into the burst discs on your tank regs... They hold don't they? How often would it be a problem? Not often, till the right circumstances line up.. then you have more trouble than you want.

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            • Frizzle Fry
              AO Micromag Guy
              • Mar 2009
              • 3280

              #21
              I've never fired a valve but I've seen pictures of what's left of the rail when it happens. That said, I once degassed a classic valve marker with a pushbutton ASA, removed the tank and went to remove the reg nut... There was enough pressure to fire it through the 3/4" pine trimboards in my mancave and it's been lost in the pinkness of insulation ever since.

              Originally posted by halB
              CRAP! I just got a pretty early emag, and I think I've already mixed the thumbscrews up. How can I tell the difference?
              IIRC it was only on early ones, and the imposter thumbscrews were cast aluminum? I wouldn't know how to tell them apart but I'd imagine the cast ones would crack if you wanged on'em with a hammer whereas the good ones would just bend. Not that such a system helps at all. Maybe weigh them with a digital scale? If it's the same you're fine but the cast aluminum one would be significantly lighter.

              Comment

              • Cokrkilr
                Registered User
                • Jan 2013
                • 377

                #22
                This all sounds like hocus pocus....

                A reg nut flew through 3/4" wood now... after being degassed? The only thing that should even be out of place in a just degassed mag is the on off pin is down. The air exits the marker when the tank is removed.

                This is turning more into a "this happened when I wasn't being safe" thread more than anything.

                Comment

                • Frizzle Fry
                  AO Micromag Guy
                  • Mar 2009
                  • 3280

                  #23
                  Originally posted by Cokrkilr
                  This all sounds like hocus pocus....

                  A reg nut flew through 3/4" wood now... after being degassed? The only thing that should even be out of place in a just degassed mag is the on off pin is down. The air exits the marker when the tank is removed.

                  This is turning more into a "this happened when I wasn't being safe" thread more than anything.
                  It was a pushbutton ASA; it doesn't bleed, and creates a seal that maintains pressure in the marker. You're supposed to push the button, remove your tank, then push it back. I have one on one of my Excaliburs and several members can attest to the fact that you'll get a good 5-10 shots off with the tank completely removed.

                  Yes, it was unsafe. I wasn't thinking and didn't flush it after removing my tank. Doesn't make the little hole in my trimboard go away.

                  Comment

                  • Cokrkilr
                    Registered User
                    • Jan 2013
                    • 377

                    #24
                    I'm not familiar with push button asa's so that makes more sense.

                    But most of this stuff being brought up is user error, like drunk guys grabbing anassembled markers and taking a strip screw out with an aired up gun.

                    Its like cleaning a gun with a round in the chamber, if you blow your head off that's your fault, not the piece of hardware...

                    Comment

                    • Frizzle Fry
                      AO Micromag Guy
                      • Mar 2009
                      • 3280

                      #25
                      Originally posted by Cokrkilr
                      Its like cleaning a gun with a round in the chamber, if you blow your head off that's your fault, not the piece of hardware...
                      Can't argue with that... But, having a few drunken stupidity stories never hurts when it comes to getting free drinks.

                      Comment

                      • Cokrkilr
                        Registered User
                        • Jan 2013
                        • 377

                        #26
                        Originally posted by Frizzle Fry
                        Can't argue with that... But, having a few drunken stupidity stories never hurts when it comes to getting free drinks.
                        Got plenty of those :)

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                        • RehKal
                          Registered User
                          • Jul 2007
                          • 266

                          #27
                          It may be a lot of stories of mistakes being made when handling these, it's possible for anyone to make any kind of mistake after all. But the simple fact is, hardware does eventually fail. Sometimes it can fail spectacularly, other times not so. But there are tolerances and why take the chance with something that will fail sooner rather than later?

                          Think of how you hold your mags when playing. Most people hold the marker right in front of their face to sight along the barrel. Imagine you had a weakened aluminum screw holding your reg on and during the abuse of the marker firing it breaks. I know there is the zlock... But not all mags have those.

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                          • El Zilcho
                            Registered User
                            • Jul 2007
                            • 483

                            #28
                            So I also found these http://www.kilaproducts.com/product....sid=71&pid=224 when I was poking around the Kila website, seems like a good idea, I always found it funny that people would pay to have custom anno work done and then have a bunch of not anno'ed steel pieces here and there. Are these an off the shelf item I could pick up at say mcmaster or some such place? If so, what are the ASA port threads?
                            AO Feedback http://www.automags.org/forums/showt...mcl29-Feedback

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                            • RehKal
                              Registered User
                              • Jul 2007
                              • 266

                              #29
                              Highly doubtful they are standard items. Set screws an such aren't typically made of aluminum... anodized or not.

                              Depending on the look of a marker, I'll either use black set screws or silver. Doesn't much matter to me. But then I don't have any truly unique anodized markers yet, give me a bit of time to get one or two done and we'll see if that changes. lol

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