Will stainless react with aluminum ?

[jtroop]

I temporarily plugged a rivet hole in my aluminum row boat with a stainless screw/washer/nut. Does stainless steel and aluminum react/interact/corrode ? If so, where might I find some closed-end aluminum rivets in the metro ?

[kunk]

All I can tell you is that there are dozens of SS screws in my aluminum boat. Some were put in by the dealer to mount my trolling motor, transducers, and locators. Others came from the factory, such as the ones that attach the latches for my rod storage. The way to tell for sure how much if any would be to try to find a galvanic corrosion chart. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Biggerfish]

No it will not. All storefront and curtainwall systems(Aluminum glass framing ) use SS fasteners.

[eurolarva]

Fleet Farm has a product called star brite aluminum epoxy putty stick. I used it on my aluminum boat on two rivets that nearly sunk my boat. It has been holding for the whole season and is not leaking at all. I checked it before I put the boat away and it is still rock hard. May be a better long term solution to the screw. After it hardens after about an hour I had to use my dremel to smooth it out. I used the same thing on my prop after I hit a rock in mille lacs and put about a dime size divet in it. Amazing stuff and only costs about 7 bucks a tube.

[FlyingV]

Jtroop,

You can find closed end aluminum pop rivots at MacMaster Carr. Google McMaster.

I found them kind of weak though. The SS screw may hold better long term.

[Random guy]

Anytime you meet two alloys of different molecular structure you will have reactive corrosion, trick is aluminum and stainless steel are two of the most corrosive resistant alloys on the open market so it will take a long long time for any corrosion to amount to anything serious. To give you an idea most of the parts I sell for aluminum tankers are put together with stainless fastners or bushings embeded right in the aluminum.

As far as rivets for boats most marine dealers have a handful of rivets on hand.