[R-390] Re-hardware

[Miles Anderson]

The question boils down to what the screws are used for. If the application
is simply mechanical, stainless screws with split lockwashers are ideal. If
the screws are being used to ground something (like the ground lug on a tie
strip), then you should use a toothed lockwasher that bites into the metal
on both the tie point and the nut (or the tie point and the chassis) -- 
either a star washer or an internal tooth lockwasher. My first choice for
screws was always cadmium plated brass because it is highly conductive and
doesn't ever seem to corrode. Lately, though, most all milspec stuff seems
to use stainless hardware exclusively. If it's good enough for Uncle, I
guess I can live with it too.

As an aside, the old tube type Tektronix scopes used plated (chrome I think)
steel screws and nuts that rusted like the old Harry when the scope was in a
humid environment, but it never seemed to affect performance very much.

Miles Anderson, K2CBY
16 Round Pond Ln
Sag Harbor, NY 11963

k2cby at aol.com