Bolts for Highland Bands

[GreenDiverDown]

Can anyone tell me what size bolts are used for Highland 725 bands?

I put together a set of Catalina S80s and the bolts that came with the bands are too long. They are 5/16" x 5". After installing with a Halcyon manifold, the bolts just pass the plane of the cylinders. Unable to find the correct bolts in town, I made a set out of SS 8-18 all-thread rod...5/16" x 4 5/8". I would prefer, however, to use bolts. I am waiting for a response from EE hoping that they will send the appropriate hardware...I'm not looking forward to tapping stainless steel bolts.

Also, the bolts that came with the bands appeared to be custom tapped by Highland. When I tightened the nut down it ran up on the shoulder of the bolt and galled the thread such that I was unable to back off the nut. The band wasn't even tight. I had to slip the bands off and cut the bolt. Strange, huh? It happened both with a nylock - I understand that can be a problem - but also with a regular jam nut. Perhaps they sent bolts for the 8" bands.

SA

 

[ericfine50]

Try emailing Joe at highland. The web site is www.highland-millwork.com.

He is very helpful and can send you the right bolts if the wrong ones were sent first.

Eric

 

[FredT]

Stephen Ash once bubbled...

Also, the bolts that came with the bands appeared to be custom tapped by Highland. When I tightened the nut down it ran up on the shoulder of the bolt and galled the thread such that I was unable to back off the nut.
SA

This is a typical problem with 300 series Stainless hardware across the board. ANY damage to the threads, or debris in the threads, can cause unlubricated SST threads to gall and seize. A good grade of anit-seeze for SST in seawater needs to be finely divided and COPPER FREE as well ad inexpensive enough to afford!

The only one I have found that fits all these criteria is make by Bostik under the trade name NEVER-SEEZ Blue Molly. As an alternate a good coating of dry fiilm graphite (Midway "Drop Out" mold release is a good product) will also work well.

Copper in low O2 crevices in seawater causes greatly increased corrosion rates, so a copper free anti-seize is the way to go for immersed parts. The Blue Molly is also an insulator that helps prevent unwanted and unintentional galvanic cells from forming.

FT

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Having spoken with the folks at Highland, it seems that they had a batch of bolts that were not tapped to the proper length. Whereas my bolts have a thread length of 1 in. and 7/8ths, the correct bolts should have a thread length of 2 and 3/8".

They still are 5" long and stick out past the plane of the cylinders offering a snag threat to my drysuit. Highland claims that this length is needed to properly fit the Halcyon plate. (Compared to my FredT plate, the Halcyon does indeed need a longer bolt. But, IMO, 5" is still too long even for the Halcyon.) However, with a few washers under the hex-head, the length should be fine.

Thanks to Highland for figuring this out and offering to send the correct bolts.

Thanks to EE for the surprise package.

Also, as Fred suggested, Never Seez Blue Molly is on order.

SA

 

[roakey]

After assembling a set of doubles for the first time, I use a Dremel cut-off disk to cut the bolts to length. The side of the disk deburrs nicely. Also cut it off with a wing nut on the bolt so it’ll “tap” the threads as you take it off.

Note that Highland takes normal SS bolts and runs a tap down over the threads and threads them further down the bolt. If you look closely at a Highland bolt you’ll see a “defect” in the threading about an inch down from the top. This is where the original threading ends and the Highland threading begins.

It sounds like you got some bolts that they failed to thread down further.

Roak

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Ok...

I re-assembled my Al set with the new bolts sent from EE.
They seem fine for use with the Halcyon plate. They also provide enough room to allow for my V-weight. ( My home-made all-thread was way too short to use both the V-weight and the Halcyon plate.) They do not stick out past the plane of the cylinders.

As Highland suggests, they still might be a bit long for the FredT plate alone. When used with the V-weight, however, the length is fine.

SA

 

[techdiver12]

I had to drill out the holes on my back pleat to make them fit