hey jimhelm,

why bother countersinking the bolt heads? it doesn't look like you've countersunk the nuts, and it looks like where the bolt heads are they don't foul anything... Or, I'm just not putting this all together in my head wrong...

In the girder? Cuz the bolts just reach that way.

ah. that's an *excellent* reason!

Gotta replace those bolts too, Homes.

what if i took them out and dipped them in liquid plastic, or painted them... and reinserted them? The issue is the copper used in the wood reacting with the steel of the bolts, right? they didn't have galvanized bolts that big.

As long as you won't be the guy who has to crawl around under there with all the cat poop when the time comes to try to replace them with bottle jacks all over the place and spiders and shit then yeah, paint and liquid plastic will be great.

It's more than just the copper, the stuff is also very corrosive. I'll scan an article and post some pics later today.

The metal just rusts away.

I predict that in a few years, when somebody dies because their deck falls apart, Home Depot will find itself in court trying to explain why it sells the new pressure treated wood, but not any fasteners or hardware that will work with it.

well, glad I'm glad I used stainless screws. I got some polymer coated screws too...

the bolts are what bothers me now. Thanks for the info, foot, you sarcastic bitch. I will have to see about replacing them before we deck it.

yer welcome. And as I always say, "If it weren't for sarcasm I wouldn't have any casm at all."

It will be a class-action suit, as memos will be leaked showing that H.D. wanted to sell more expensive non-wood composite deck materials AND to sell that as a replacement for inferior wood to all the owners whose decks fell apart.

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/produ...122035&bid=405

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/produ...121759&bid=405

They're right down the street. I am certain they ship all over the freakin world. I have purchased a lot of stuff from them over the years, including some stainless. They're great. If you'd like me to be your eyes and hands, I'm willing.

are those 5/8 inch 3 foot rods for $20.51?

i found them at Home Depot in 2 ft lengths for $9.24

just want to be sure I'm reading the Fisheries chart correctly...

looks like it.

you buy it in a store for boats/ships/fisheries, there's a premium. impossible to say from the info given what the stainless steel is, there are differences, lost on me, check with perry winkle or xoxoxobruce maybe.

yes. more $$ at fisheries.

I think I'll call the lumber yard where I got the wood and see what they have.