Newest FAQs

Damaged or Lost Shipments

What should I do if a shipping company damages or loses my order and whose responsibility is it to file a claim against the carrier?

Let’s begin by addressing responsibility for filing a claim. When Portland Bolt ships product collect on a carrier of our customer’s choosing, ownership of the material changes hands the moment the carrier leaves our loading dock. Therefore, if a shipment is damaged or lost, it is our customer’s responsibility to file a claim against the... Read more

Welding

Bolt Welding Guidelines

When is it acceptable to weld to bolts, and when it is prohibited?

Many grades of bolt gain their strength though a heat treating process, and the addition of heat during welding can adversely alter those strength properties. However, some lower strength grades are easily weldable when manufactured from weldable steel. In general, steel items which have been heat treated for strength should generally not be welded since... Read more

Black Bolt

“Black” Bolts

Are black bolts painted black?

Most likely no. Our “black” bolts are unfinished or bare steel. The term “black bolt” is an industry term for plain finish or no finish bolts. These bolts offer no corrosion resistance and will rust over time. If you are looking for a decorative coating that is actually black, you will want to specify that... Read more

SS316/SS304 vs. SS316L/SS304L

What is the difference between SS316/SS304 and SS316L/SS304L?

Stainless steel type 316 and type 304 are raw material grades for stainless steel. Stainless steel fasteners are sometimes referred to and ordered as their raw material grades (such as SS 316 and SS304) and sometimes referred to and ordered as their ASTM specification. The common ASTM specifications that cover stainless steel bolts are A193,... Read more

Hot-Dip Galvanizing vs Zinc Plating

How does hot-dip galvanizing differ from electrogalvanizing?

Hot-dip galvanizing is a process of applying a protective zinc coating by dipping product in bath of molten zinc. Galvanizing is a favored method of protective coating due to its low cost, ease of application, and long maintenance-free service life. Generally applied at 830 to 870 degrees, the zinc will bond with the steel. It... Read more

F1554 Permanent Marking Requirement

Is color coding required on F1554 anchor bolts when supplemental requirement S3 is requested?

S3 is the supplemental specification for a permanent grade identification stamp on the top end of F1554 anchor bolts. When this is called out, it replaces the color code requirement. Therefore, color coding is not required when supplemental requirement S3 is called out on the purchase order. For more information on marking and color coding... Read more

Beveled Washer Slope

How do I calculate the slope in degrees for a beveled washer?

The slope of a beveled washer or a given segment represents how much the elevation changes over a certain distance. The higher the slope, the more steep the incline or decline. Slope is measured in degrees, ratios and grades. To find the slope in degrees, you need to make use of trigonometry ratios or more... Read more

Turnbuckle

High Strength Turnbuckles

When designing vertical rod bracing system I would like to use F1554 grade 55 rod to achieve smaller diameters. But if I use a turnbuckle I am limited to the safe working load of that turnbuckle. Is there a higher capacity turnbuckle available?

You are correct that your capacity would be limited by the safe working load of the turnbuckle, but it would be limited to that regardless of the grade of steel used for the bracing rod. Let’s assume you are using mild steel, A307/A36 rods. The minimum yield strength of that material is 36,000 psi. Using... Read more

F844 Standard Washer Certifications

Do ASTM F844 standard flat washers come with certification documents?

Commercially available ASTM F844 washers are typically not accompanied by certification documents, even though the F844 washers supplied by Portland Bolt are domestically manufactured. The reason mill test reports are not available for F844 washers is that there are no specific chemical or mechanical (strength, hardness) requirements for these washers. The only requirement is that they need... Read more

ASTM and Stainless Steel Washers

What is the ASTM specification for stainless steel washers?

Stainless steel washers are not made to an ASTM specification; they are only made to raw material specifications. Most stainless steel ASTM bolt specifications refer to the raw material specification they are made from as the appropriate washer to use in conjunction with the bolt. Hence, an ASTM A193 or A320 grade B8M bolt, made... Read more