The carols are playing nonstop, and fairy lights are twinkling, yet for many of us, a white Christmas remains out of reach. When you’re longing for a winter wonderland snowman, we’ve got the next best thing – a holiday project to create cheerful stainless steel snowman ornaments!
Keep reading as we transform humble nuts from AlbanyCountyFasteners.com into quirky snow-pals ready to adorn your Christmas tree. Don’t have what you need? Get nuts and hardware here!
Get ready to build a DIY snowman ornament army straight from your hardware drawer! Read on for how to make these creative fastener snowman ornaments from albanycountyfasteners.com that any winter lover will enjoy.
Plus ribbon (we used 1/8″ red and 3/8″ green satin ribbons!) and Gorilla glue.
DIY Snowman Ornaments Instruction:
1.
Select 3 decreasing albanycountyfasteners.com stainless steel nuts. Ensure proper fit when stacked.
2.
Assemble body by gluing nuts (largest to smallest). We used Gorilla glue (2 hr cure time).
3.
Choose a flange nut (or black oxide nut and washer for hat!).
4.
Thread 6-inch ribbon through the top “head” nut.
5.
Thread ribbon ends through the “hat” nut hole.
6.
Position hat centered atop head nut, pulling ribbon taut.
7.
Knot ribbon tightly together above hat and trim.
8.
Embellish your snowman using your craft supplies!
9.
Enjoy your ACF snowman ornament creation!
Enjoy crafting these DIY snowman ornaments and experimenting with black oxide finishes! This season at AlbanyCountyFasteners.com, we got creative, crafting one festive snowman ornament for each of our employees using ACF stainless steel nuts and black oxide finishes. Get into the holiday spirit and build your own stainless steel snowman squad!
So you opted to save a few bucks and bought those “value pack” zinc-plated widgets off the big box store shelf for your latest backyard build. It makes sense—opting for basic zinc or chrome-plated hardware over pricier stainless steel fasteners just for some screws and bolts can seem excessive.
But now, only 6 months later…yikes. Those bargain fasteners are corroding quicker than your New Year’s gym resolution, flaking worse than cheap chrome rims on an old beater car. Your once gorgeous new deck looks sad and unkempt—the low-grade hardware hopelessly surrendering to harsh weathering.
Meanwhile, your smug neighbor’s dock built with premium grade 316 stainless steel hardware still looks ship-shaped. (Jealous glare happens here).
Before you rip it all down in a rage, let’s examine why investing in resilient stainless steel fastening components from the start could have saved your DIY spirit grief…
Built to Withstand the Elements
Used within close proximity to the beach, a 304 Stainless steel bracket which has started to rust. The nuts & bolts are 316 Stainless Steel & are withstanding the elements.
Grade 316 stainless steel contains molybdenum for enhanced protection against corrosion including low pH environments. Salt spray testing shows it resists over 1,000 hours of exposure with no issues – 3X+ longer than zinc-coated or chrome fasteners.
Believe it or not, premium grade stainless fasteners often pay for themselves overtime. Considering a minimum 3-5X greater lifespan over zinc or other metals susceptible to corrosion, moisture and UV damage, stainless steel hardware offers excellent reusable value in future projects. Less waste, less replacement buys.
We Offer Optimal Stainless Steel Hardware Grades
Cooler, wet climates prone to rain-induced rust see excellent performance benefits choosing grade 304 stainless over bare metals. Whereas hot, saline coastal areas beat corrosion through grade 316 stainless steel hardware selections containing molybdenum and higher nickel content.
Invest Where it Counts, Choose Stainless Steel Hardware That Lasts
If part of your newly built deck gives out, injuries or worse could result. When safety’s key, “value pack” screws from the hardware store just don’t cut it over years of harsh weather. Upgrading to stainless steel hardware specially-designed to resist rusting and rot gives family sturdy peace of mind.
Your neighbor’s decades-old pergola still looks pristine thanks to its corrosion-resistant stainless steel bolts outlasting cheap chrome fasteners that crumbled quicker than your last diet. Its secret? The removable rustproof stainless fastener touches allowing easy future inspections or part swaps if anything ever starts looking worn again in 20 more years.
For structures where failure threatens disaster, lean on bulletproof stainless steel solutions. We get “better safe than sorry” – your household deserves sturdy, carefree living too. Ask us how to protect what matters most by starting with the right foundations that last.
Stainless for the Future
At the end of the day, stainless steel screws, bolts, and fasteners stand the test of time where cheap hardware rusts. They look great and hold up for decades even with rough weather because stainless doesn’t corrode easily. It costs more upfront to get good stainless pieces compared to stuff from the corner shop. But those cheaper parts break down quicker and need replacing again and again over the years. That can get real expensive, especially if something fails and folks get hurt. Stainless hardware keeps on going strong so you don’t worry about problems down the road. For important stuff expected to last decades without a lot of fuss, stainless steel fits the bill. Let customer service at AlbanyCountyFasteners.com know if you need recommendations choosing durable stainless fasteners on your next project. The extra money tends to be worth it!
You likely don’t spend much time pondering bolts, screws, nuts, and other fastening devices securing objects together in your everyday life, including even the chair you’re sitting on reading this now. But these mundane pieces of hardware are crucial components anchoring the constructed world around us—underscoring why we heavily depend upon humble fasteners including bolts and screws across buildings and devices. Fasteners are the hardware that keep our world in place.
Yet the average person rarely refers to these essential hardware items as “fasteners” in everyday vocabulary. More commonly used terms like nuts, bolts, and screws come to mind first. At our company, AlbanyCountyFasteners.com, however, we proudly carry the “fasteners” namesake because it encapsulates the full scope of our products and highlights their critical role.
Fasteners hardware that keeps our world in place, encompass many components specially engineered to adjoin materials and objects. Technically, they are hardware devices mechanically joining or affixing two or more things. Though often brushed aside as ordinary and forgettable, fasteners exhibit an ingenious blend of simplicity and complexity beneath the surface.
From connecting complex machinery to assembling simple furniture, fastening devices provide vital structure, strength, and support across nearly all domains of construction and technology. The very framework of modern life hinges upon why we depend so greatly on basic fasteners like elemental bolts and screws to securely hold objects together.
So, while “fasteners” may not easily roll off the tongue in everyday vocabulary, we embrace inclusive terminology. It encapsulates the full range of vital screws, bolts, nuts, and other fastening hardware that AlbanyCountyFasteners.com proudly supplies. We’re deeply passionate about connecting construction crews and DIY builders with the affordable fasteners they rely upon but easily take for granted.
Because without the steady supply, immense variety, and engineering innovation underlying these overlooked fastening components, the constructed world around us would fall apart, screw by rivet and bolt.
Looking to craft a chess set that sparks conversation? Transform ordinary hardware into an extraordinary DIY project.
Step 1: Grab your nuts, bolts, washers and more. Raid your garage workshop or stock up on supplies.
Step 2: Follow our designs – mix and match materials like zinc, nickel, steel, brass and bronze.
Step 3: Assembly is easy! Just twist pieces together using our step-by-step guide.
Nuts About This DIY
When we first tossed around the idea of crafting chess pieces from hardware store finds, we imagined mocking up a piece or two for some laughs. But once the creative juices started flowing, we just couldn’t bolt (see what we did there?). Before long, our warehouse was abuzz with debates over the perfect washer for a bishop’s brim or which bolt tops conjured the most kingly vibe.
We raided our existing stainless steel, zinc, and nickel supplies for the “silver” pieces. The “gold” side challenged us to get crafty, leading us on a treasure hunt for brass and bronze bits to sparkle up those pieces. Let’s just say there were some, ahem, colorful debates over who got first dibs on the shiniest gold bolts. Hey, no one ever said DIYing had to be pretty!
After plenty of trial and error—we’re still finding rogue washers in corners—we emerged with a complete 32-piece masterpiece ready to be crowned Game Night’s MVP. While no king is safe from our capture, we promise we don’t bite. So give this DIY a go yourself and let the games begin!
Pawns Leading the Charge
Our brave pawn pieces take the front lines, ready to sacrifice themselves for their king and queen. For these soldiers, we recommend standard zinc and nickel coated screws paired with cap nuts to mimic their combat helmets. Top tip: Capture their stoic stances with nuts and bolts measuring around 3⁄8” diameter. Sturdy yet small enough for easy gameplay.
From patrolling the back row to charging into the action, rooks are crucial for both attack and defense. To re-create the look of a medieval tower, we suggest combining hex screws or bolts with flange nuts, washers, and castle nut tops. Go for diameters around 1⁄2”-3⁄4” to get that bold fortress shape down. Pro tip: Add a touch of grip with serrated flanges to really cement that “don’t mess with my castle” vibe.
True to their eccentric moves on the board, our knight designs required some unconventional combinations. The nylon lock nuts evoke their unpredictable spirit, while wing nuts symbolize their ability to jump over other pieces when needed. For steed-worthy sizes, look for bolt diameters in the 1”-11⁄2” range. But feel free to break the rules with creative part pairings just like the knights do!
To mimic the bishop’s sweeping diagonals on the chessboard, we opted for long, slender pieces. Coupling nuts, t-nuts and threaded inserts stacked together create that signature slim silhouette. For an extra flourish, top them off with a carriage bolt shaft. Aim for smaller diameters around 1⁄4”-1⁄2″ so bishops don’t upstage the royalty.
Of course, no chess set would be complete without king and queen pieces worthy of their rank. For our regal couple, we sought substantial sizes ranging from 1⁄2”-3⁄4” diameters to capture their commanding presence. Decorative touches like knurled thumb nuts, wing nuts and lock washers add formal flair. Secure jam nuts threaded down the shaft convey hard-won wisdom from years of gameplay. Topped with eye-catching Keps nuts for crowns, even these rulers know to expect the unexpected!
Part strategy exercise, part artistic outlet, assembling this DIY chess set unleashed our creativity in unexpectedly fun ways. We hope our tips and trials inspire you to craft your own complete set or personalized spin. Show us your handmade pieces on social media using #fastenerchess.
Because not even the finest store-bought chess set can compete with the love and memories treasured in each hand-crafted move. Just be sure to use a Threadlocker Solution on your finished pieces to secure everything in place. When it comes to keeping your masterpieces intact, better safe than sorry!
Visit our blog often to read more about our cool creations and fastener fun!
Are you done looking for screws? You’ve likely seen that some of them are made of 100% stainless steel, while others are made of galvanized steel. Because of this, it’s hard to recognize the difference between them. Keeping in view everything, the two of them look and function similarly. So, what’s the contrast between stainless steel and galvanized steel?
These two kinds of screw materials are sold by every home-improvement retailer on the planet. There’s no simple response to this inquiry that which is best since the two kinds of steel have their pros and cons. All things considered, stainless steel and galvanized steel have the equivalent common objective of ensuring against rust and corrosion and they accomplish this objective astoundingly well. Before selecting one for a utility, first, we have to do a deep analysis of both these materials. Their quality, strength, and pricing, hence everything matters.
Stainless Steel
The term stainless steel is utilized to portray steel that has been blended in with at least 10% chromium. The expansion of chromium as a composite assist with securing against rust.
304 Grade Stainless Steel
316 Grade Stainless Steel
Properties
Stainless steel is shinier and progressively refined looking. While stainless steel isn’t invulnerable to rust, it positively has a more significant level of opposition than 100% steel. This is the reason stainless steel is frequently utilized in open-air conditions where there’s a lot of dampness. The chromium attempts to secure the metal against rust.
Composition
Stainless steel alloys are composed primarily of iron, with varying amounts of carbon, chromium, and other elements such as nickel, molybdenum, and titanium. The composition of these alloys can be adjusted to provide specific properties such as corrosion resistance, strength, and ductility. Threading and cold forming cause stainless bolts to become slightly magnetic, some fasteners will be more magnetic than others depending on size and how quick the cold forming process is. The detailed composition of stainless steel types is listed below;
Grades (by ASTM standard)
Content by weight
Chrome
Nickel
Carbon (max)
Molybdenum (max)
18-8 Stainless Steel
18%
8%
0.08%
0%
305 Stainless Steel
17%-19%
8%-10%
0.12%
0%
316 Stainless Steel
16%-18%
10%-14%
0.08%
2%
410 Stainless Steel
11.5%-13.5%
0%
0.15%
0%
Galvanized, Plated
Galvanized steel, then again, is a sort of steel that has been covered in a layer of zinc. Much like its partner, galvanized steel is additionally made to secure against rust. The zinc goes about as an obstruction of assurance between airborne dampness and the steel, shielding it from rust.
Zinc Plated Steel
Hot Deep Galvanized Steel
Yellow Zinc Plated Heat Hardened Steel
Properties
Galvanization is a procedure that plates steel in a way that shields it from rusting or eroding. This makes galvanized steel incredible for indoor and outside use. It additionally implies that you can support the galvanized tie or metal piece in a way that reaches another metal or material and do so by utilizing a different fastener or screw. It has different coatings;
Composition
Galvanized steel comprises of plunging a completed steel item into a hot shower of zinc. In this procedure, a bond happens, mixing the zinc to the outside of the steel. The zinc plate bonding develops until the external layer is fully composed of zinc. The external layer of this new steel item is harder than the steel to which it is attached to. The steel currently has a defensive layer of plating shielding it from rust. It has different coatings;
Material
Coating Thickness
Temperature Range
Expected
Durability
Suitability
US
Metric
US
Metric
Zinc Plated
Up to 1 mil
Up to 25 μm
-148°F – 392°F
-100°C – 200°C
15+ years
Indoor
&
Outdoor
Hot Dipped
1.7 – 3.4 mils
43-58 μm
-148°F – 392°F
-100°C – 200°C
45-80 years
Indoor
&
Outdoor
Electroplated
0.2 mil
5 μm
-148°F – 392°F
-100°C – 200°C
10+ years
Indoor
&
Outdoor
*mil – a unit length in the US system equal to a thousandth inch or 0.001 inches. *μm – a unit of length in the Metric system equal to one millionth (10-6) of a meter.
Comparison
Strength Analysis
Both galvanized and stainless screws are the absolute best materials for strength and quality. They are particularly valid for metal fixation, that’s why they are commonly known as self-tapping metal screws. Nonetheless, there are some measures you will need to observe while selecting between the two.
Stainless steel screws are made out of a few components, with chromium being the most noteworthy of the added substances and nickel a nearby second. The greatest and most significant point is that the whole of the clasp is stainless. It isn’t only a covering. Its quality and rust insurance are all through. That represents its higher rigidity rating. Companies did pressure tests on latches to mention that, what sort of crazy burden-bearing limit these stainless steel machine screws have. Stainless steel has a tensile PSI quality of 100,000 to 150,000. Hot Dipped galvanized screw has a rigidity of 62,000 PSI since they are grade 2 fasteners.
Material
Tensile Strength
Yield Strength
PSI
MPa
PSI
MPa
Stainless Steel
100000-150000
689-1034
30000-40000
206-275
Galvanized Steel
38000-62000
262-427
21000-31000
144-213
Rusty Nature
The process of galvanization involves the application of a molten zinc coating onto a core of plain steel. While it is rare, the core of the screw may be exposed due to wear and tear over time.
In contrast, stainless steel screws are protected by their inherent chromium composition, which enables the formation of a passivation layer that provides excellent resistance to rust and corrosion. However, if the availability of oxygen is limited, such as in the presence of water, stainless steel screws may still corrode. Although such scenarios are relatively rare, it is essential to consider the potential risk of rusting in any application involving water and stainless steel screws.
Conclusion
Both have their distinct properties acquainted with their utility. Galvanized steel screw is cheaper than stainless steel screw but stainless steel screw is much more durable due to their anti-rust chromium property. This isn’t generally an immediate challenge. Galvanized screws have that solid, dull, mechanical look, while stainless steel is shinier and more refined looking. Thus, galvanized wins with regards to its cheap price, stainless steel with regards to quality, and rust insurance.
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