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When I changed my dust shields a few years ago I used the stainless staples from one of the aftermarkets. I had my car flight judged and got pointed for them. The judge said "we have magnets,you know". If I use steel wire and make my own, the magnet will still stick. Where they aluminium ?? or what was the material? If there are special staples, where do I get them? I was going to make my own. Does anyone know the guage? I was guessing 18 / 20 guage. Again any help is appreciated.
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Re: Staples for Dust Shields & etc.
ooriginal staples were steel and will hold a magnet. mike -
Kind'a Sad
My stainless steel staples is just one of the reasons I may never have my almost completed and nicely done 65 judged (they look the same and they are even painted, lightly - done with an attitude, after a couple of beers).
Who needs the aggravation?
DaveComment
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Re: Kind'a Sad
Thanks Mike. I thought they were put on with some type of gun and felt they may be steel. I wonder why the judge made the comment about the magnet sticking to them.
Yes, Dave mine are also nicely painted but I guess the magnet did not stick enough. I will try the beer thing and see how that works. Thanks againComment
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Re: Kind'a Sad
There are two basic types of "stainless" steel - Austenitic and Martensitic - while both are called "stainless" one will actually rust on the surface and the other won't. The aftermarket companies sell the one that doesn't rust as people want new looking parts, but that alloy type is NON magnetic (even though it's a steel based alloy) that's why the comment about the magnet by the judge. The factory never saw it as important to pay extra for stainless (they don't want cars to last forever). If you bother to get the type of alloy that develops a surface rust (as used on many highway light posts) it WILL hold a magnet but will eventually look rusty so why bother.
Also note, the original staples ends are not bent flat over, they are curved into position by the anvil of the stapler (just like your desktop stapler). So when you put in your new staples and bend them flat they are incorrect.Comment
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Re: Kind'a Sad
Your going to let stainless staples stop you from having your car judged? Now that's kinda sad.Comment
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Re: Kind'a Sad
That won't hold me back from having the car judged. In fact I am signed up for it to judged at the end of the month. I guess when I heard the judge say about the staples and the magnet, I assumed it was not supposed to stick. I had stainless, and my magnet stuck to them slightly. Maybe his magnet didn't and he was comenting about it not sticking. Mark, yes I know the ends have a turned in ends. I don't know if that can be duplicated or not. I gotta think on that one. Again, thanks for the comments.Comment
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Re: Kind'a Sad
Don, the staples were originally carbon steel wire and a magnet SHOULD stick...that's assuming the judge's magnet has been sent for calibration lately and has been certified as to being a STRONG magnet.
I have seen small magnets in one end of instrument screwdrivers that are just strong enough to pick up a screw...you can barely tell they are sticking to anything bigger. Of course, they are awful handy for the pocket.
If you are sure you have stainless steel staples, then there should be NO STICKING at all...if there is ANY sticking, you must be imagining it or you actually have carbon steel staples. I am pretty sure that any vendor's stainless steel staples are 18-8 stainless wire, either Type 304 (most common, most likely), Type 308 or Type 316. These are austenetic stainless grades and are non-magnetic. As mentioned earlier, the martensetic grades of stainless ARE magnetic, and also rust. I am pretty sure nobody is selling martensetic stainless wire staples.Comment
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Re: Staples for Dust Shields & etc.
I made several sets of staples from safety wire purchased at the local Carquest store. Take one of your replacement staples and measure the total length. Cut pices of safety wire to this length. I then took a pair of lineman's pliers and centered the wire in the jaws, bending the ends down 90 degrees. Perfect carbon steel staple. Drilled flaps, installed staples, used two hammers, one as an anvil, the other to bend the staples over. Takes a little time but can be done.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Re: Staples for Dust Shields & etc.
Thanks to everyone for their comments. I called a local Lowes store and they said they had 18 G steel wire in small rolls. I'll make my own. Maybe I will try and come up with a way after they are thru the fender to bend the end slightly before completly bending them over. Again thanks for the comments and tips.Comment
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Re: Staples for Dust Shields & etc.
Don, try using some needle nose pliers.
Grasp the wire tight against the fiberglass and as near perpendicular to the wire as possible. Then, twist the pliers around the axis of your wrist to turn the wire end down and into the fiberglass. That should give you a nice little radius on the ends. If you want them flatter than that, gently tap the bend while backing up the top of the staple until you get what you want.Comment
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Re: Staples for Dust Shields & etc.
Thanks Chuck...I think I will give that a try when I get to this project. Want to get it done before my judging meet.Comment
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