I won't comment on the value of rivets vs. hose clamps since I have no
experience. However, hose clamps I do know a little bit about having owned a
40' sailboat for nearly 30 years. My personal interest in reliable hose
clamps has more to do with keeping the ocean out. Cleary not as important as
keeping a beam together but perhaps close enough.
One thing to watch for are clamps that bear the "all stainless" label. Auto
parts stores, big box home stores and most every consumer hardware store
around carry these. Those clamps also have a fully perforated band. These
clamps are of "all stainless" construction however, and its a big however,
the screw assemblies are usually made of a 304 SS while the bands are made
of 316 SS. (I have seen SS bands with soft steel screws as well.) The 304
screws rust easily especially in anything that approaches a saltwater type
environment and have a high failure rate. (I'm sure the half dozen
metallurgists on the list could question my use of 304 vs. 316 and ask for
more details about which 304/316 etc. I only know about the interchange I
had with the vendor who uses the
all stainless" marking regarding the high failure rate of his product.
Consider my metal descriptions to be "generic" in nature.) I do know I have
seen hundreds of these clamps rusting away in bilges and many were many on
hoses that were critical to keeping the ocean out.
Regarding "hose clamps stripping" - that is a common problem with fully
perforated clamps. Please be aware that there is another type of hose clamp
available that is not perforated and supports much higher torque values.
Additionally, the lack of perforations eliminates the stress risers from
which failure of the bands occur. These types are used in marine
applications where the vessel owner is willing to spend a couple of bucks
more and not have his boat sink. Try the search term "AWAB" (for the vendor
I am most familiar with). These units are all 316 stainless and usually sold
under the "marine rated" moniker.
These clamps cost a lot more but for a good reason. The band is not
perforated, the edges are rolled rather than being razor sharp and AWAB
makes them with the proper materials for use in corrosive environments.
There are many marine suppliers who carry this style of clamp. Do your own
search on AWAB or "stainless steel hose clamps" and find your source of
choice.
The Actual Vendor - http://www.awabllc.com/
There are other vendors of similar designs but hopefully this will get you
started on your search. I have no association with this vendor. There are
others that make equal or better products. This happens to be what I get
from a large commercial marine supplier here in Seattle. If they are good
enough for crab boats in the Bering Sea then that works for me.
73,
Patrick
W7TMT
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