Stainless steel integrity question.

Hello all,
I have a question I hope someone with knowledge about Stainless Steel could answer for me. I have some SS washers with an inside diameter about 1/16" smaller than I want for a homemade weldless bulkhead I am installing. Are Stainless washer stainless through out or is it a coating like galvanized washers? Can I drill/grind the centers larger without rendering the Stainless open to staining and rust? If I can drill or grind them is there anything I should watch out for?
Thanks

I've done it several times with no problems whatsoever.

wood7588 said:

Hello all,
I have a question I hope someone with knowledge about Stainless Steel could answer for me. I have some SS washers with an inside diameter about 1/16" smaller than I want for a homemade weldless bulkhead I am installing. Are Stainless washer stainless through out or is it a coating like galvanized washers? Can I drill/grind the centers larger without rendering the Stainless open to staining and rust? If I can drill or grind them is there anything I should watch out for?
Thanks

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stainless is an oxide coating on a base alloy of steel and chromium. it is usually not advised to use steel tools on stainless. that being said they are just washers try it, then drop them in star san for about 10 min. rinse and towel dry to remove all moisture then just let them sit around for a few days. the star san is an acid and my LHBS told me that between the soak and several days air exposure will help reform the oxide coating. I tried it on some rust spots on the outside of my cornies and it seemed to work.

beerthirty said:

stainless is an oxide coating on a base alloy of steel and chromium. it is usually not advised to use steel tools on stainless.

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From what I've heard you should always use completely new steel tools, or tools only used for SS when using it on SS. This is what I do.

Regards

Lars
www.larchris.dk