Category: News

Regarding fasteners, proper lubrication and surface preparation are crucial to ensuring a solid connection. Here is what you need to know to get the best results:

🛝 Lubricants

The type of lubricant you use will depend on the application. For example, you will want to use a heat-resistant lubricant for screws subject to high temperatures. In general, however, the most important thing is to choose a lubricant that will not damage the fastener or the surface it is being installed. We lubricate threaded fasteners not only because it enables them to be removed later but also because it ensures consistent tightening.

Unfortunately, many tools we commonly use to tighten fasteners—such as torque wrenches—do not measure tension. This practice can lead to problems when preloading fasteners without proper precautions. Threaded fasteners work by preloading and 🤸‍♂️ stretching the bolt. Too much preload and the bolt may exceed its elastic limit and stretch; too little and the bolt may be subject to alternating forces and fatigue.

Most bolts fail due to fatigue caused by under-tightening. Applying a lubricant helps to ensure that the fastener is tightened to the proper tension by providing consistent friction between the threads—preventing galling, which can cause the fastener to seize up or break.

🥌 Surface Preparation

For the fastener to create a strong connection, it is important that both surfaces—the fastener and the surface it is being installed into—are clean and free of debris. Any dirt, dust, or grime can potentially weaken the connection. The best way to clean surfaces is with a solvent compatible with the fastener and the surface it is being positioned. Once the surfaces are clean, you will also want to ensure they are 🏜 dry before proceeding. If installing fasteners into metal surfaces, you may also want to use a rust inhibitor to prevent corrosion and ensure a long-lasting connection.

With these tips in mind, you are well on creating robust and reliable fastener connections. Just be sure to take the time to prepare both surfaces and apply the appropriate lubricant properly, and you will be good to go.

What does it mean for a tool to be ⚡️ non-sparking? A non-sparking tool does not create sparks when it comes into contact with other materials—this is important for many industries with a fire or explosion risk, such as the 🛢 oil and gas industry.

Many types of non-sparking hand tools are available on the market, made from various materials, such as aluminium bronze, a solid and durable material. Other options include copper beryllium, copper aluminum alloys, and Monel metal. Tools are often manufactured from steel alloys. However, these alloys can create sparks 🪩 when they come into contact with other materials. In addition, non-sparking materials tend to have lower tensile strength than steel traditionally used to make tools—meaning that these tools have less strength, lower resistance to tearing, and can wear down more quickly than steel tools.

How to choose and maintain non-sparking tools? When choosing non-sparking hand tools, it is paramount to consider the specific application and the risks involved. For example, some materials may be more suitable for 💥 explosive environments than others. It is also necessary to consider the tool’s durability and how often it will need to be replaced. Non-sparking tools can generate sparks, called “cold ❄️ sparks.” Although these sparks have a low heat level, they do not eliminate the possibility of fires. In general, to reduce the risk of exposure and fire, one can:

🫧 Ensure that the non-sparking tools are kept clean and free from ferrous or other contaminants, which may increase sparking.
💨 Use local or mechanical ventilation systems to remove hazardous materials, dust, and vapors from the workspace.
📏 Select the right-sized tool for the task. The appropriate fit will help prevent the tool from slipping, reducing the chance of a spark.
🧨 Never use non-sparking hand tools in direct contact with acetylene, which may form explosive acetylides.
🥽 Non-sparking tools will need to be redressed more often.

Are you looking for some non-sparking tools for a project? Tsamouris is here to help. We stock an extensive collection of non-sparking hand tools so you can have everything, everywhere, every time.

Last month, the Elizabeth Line 🚇 opened in London 🇬🇧 after 13 years of construction. The project is truly massive, consisting of forty stops and 65 nine-car 200-meter long Class 345 trains. Be it in the tracks, signposts, door opening systems, motors, CCTV cameras, or station framing, millions of fasteners are holding it all together.

With as many as five million 🚶‍♀️🚶🚶‍♂️ passengers riding daily, safety, reliability, and security is the utmost priority. Public transit systems are prime targets for vandals, terrorists, and criminals—but specially designed security fasteners can make tampering and removal almost impossible.

These fasteners work either by being non-removable or having an uncontrollable drive system that makes it difficult or virtually impossible to remove without the matching driver tool. This makes infrastructure physically more resilient to attack, discouraging offenders from damaging it in the first place.

But public transit isn’t the only use for security hardware. At Tsamouris, we stock a range of 🔓 security screws and bits for solar panels to guarantee that what you construct stays constructed. All at an affordable price.

With the railway’s estimated 💶 €24 Billion budget, you could buy almost 37 billion of them.