Fastner coatings... safe to handle?

**Revenge22** · 09-17-2021, 10:49 PM

Working on OMC motors, i've become interested in what coating the factory put on their steel screws. Clearly its electroplated Zinc, but does anyone know if they went a step further and put a chromate conversion layer on top of the Zinc ? I ask because of health reasons, and know it can be quite bad for you to handle that stuff. Something we didn't realize in the 80's of course. I'm sure we've all cleaned hundreds of these with a wire wheel. Just got me thinking!

**lbhsbz** · 09-19-2021, 09:45 AM

Nearly every zinc plated everything goes through a chromate dip after the zinc goes on. Zinc on it's own doesn't live very long. Look at grade 8 bolts, those are all zinc with yellow chromate. There is also blue chromate (silver), black, olive drab green and probably one or 2 more. No health problems that I've ever heard off except welding without first removing the zinc.

**phillnjack** · 10-03-2021, 06:56 AM

forget about Health and safety crap.
you touch stuff everyday that some ponce will tell you will harm you. even every tablet you swallow now has a death warning on it.
ever noticed the real crazy health freaks dont live to be very old ?

( he was only 43, fit as a fiddle , vegan , ate all the right stuff, highly regarded in health and safety,run every day, went to gym twice a week, dropped dead out the blue)

**LakeFever** · 10-03-2021, 07:19 AM

Skin absorption is a fairly moot concern with hard surfaces. Fluids are another issue altogether. Protective gloves designed for what your working with are the best bet there but there. Worse again are particulate and fumes which can be nasty. A good respirator covers most of it but the top dog is a versaflo papr system. Expensive but a lot cheaper than health care costs and priceless if it extends your time here

**Chaz** · 10-03-2021, 08:09 AM

Ifin it ain't good for us ... it's a little too late to find out now ..

I usta weld bolt heads in convenient places for ground lugs on race car chassis. I wound up with stainless allen bolts. The gold cad on Gr.8 would pop and bang even after sanding . A wise man told me to dip the heads in pool acid, but to wear a painters respirator. Of course I was young and wouldn't listen ... Wind sent a whiff my way .. yep that had to take at least a year off my life.
Old timey air boat cages were brazed galvanized pipe. Unreal headache's no matter what ya did .. cept for drink a glass of milk before ya start. Seems to do a bit of human coating that might not save us , but it will take some of the symptoms away