We've compiled a list on how to safely and responsibly recycle common household industrial waste.

Nuts and bolts

Scrapping nuts and bolts

Avoid disposing of nuts, bolts and other scrap metals in the trash. It will take years for these items to rust away in a landfill. Gather all your spare metal scraps and keep it in a tin can. This will come in handy when you need to repair items or replace parts. You can also take them to a scrap metal yard and make a couple of bucks in the process. Prices are usually calculated by weight and the type of metal.

Garden hose

How to throw away a garden hose

Here's an interesting tip courtesy of itsallyou.org: Do not send garden hoses off for recycling. Garden hoses, along with ropes, chains and cords, are what recycling facilities refer to as "tanglers". These items are known to tangle up equipment causing machine breakdown and safety concerns for workers. The best way to go is to repurpose them. Here are some good ideas from One Good Thing:

• Turn it into a soaker hose by puncturing holes in it
• Make chains and handles easier to grip by sliding the hose over it
• Use pieces to cover blades or cutting tools by cutting a section of the hose and slitting it down one side

image from One Good Thing

Paint and paint cans

How to dispose of paint and paint cans

Used and unwanted paints are some of the most common liquid waste found in landfills. About 5% of the 100 million litres of paint bought every year ends up as hazardous landfill waste. Paint contains chemicals such as solvents and metals that can contaminate groundwater and become health hazards.

Cleanaway.com and Paintback, a not-for-profit company, have made it their mission to make paint disposal and recycling easy, enabling customers to drop their unused paint or sealed waste paint cans off at any of their collection points nationwide. They accept the following: deck coatings/floor paint, interior and exterior paint, varnishes and urethanes, wood coatings, packaging and paint cans. Just ensure that all cans are sealed properly at drop-off. For a list of paint drop-off sites, visit Cleanaway.com's website.

Aerosol cans

Aerosol can recycling

Recycling aerosol cans is a tricky business. Before anything, check if the aerosol can is empty. Here's a tip: Empty cans don't make a sound. If empty, these can be sent off to a recycling centre along with steel and aluminium cans. If not empty, it will be considered as hazardous waste and should be taken to a special waste treatment facility for safe disposal. Remember, do not crush or puncture the can as it may explode and hurt you. Remove the plastic cap and recycle it separately.

Adhesives packaging

LOCTITE's Anaerobic Adhesives Recycling Program

Loctite glue is one of the most common industrial household products out there. However, the proper disposal method of Loctite packaging may not be common knowledge. Henkel, the global manufacturer of Loctite, has partnered with TerraCycle in creating a solution to recycle adhesive packaging. Through the LOCTITE® Anaerobic Adhesive Recycling Program, Henkel customers can purchase a postage-paid recycling box that they can fill with empty anaerobic Loctite adhesive containers and send to TerraCycle for processing. TerraCycle will thermally treat the containers and turn them into new plastic products. For more information, visit the Henkel website.

Oil and oil filters

How to dispose of motor oil and oil filters

There are many restrictions when it comes to disposing of oil and oil filters due to environmental and safety concerns. Remember: Never dump oil in the garbage or flush it down the drain. The proper way is to store it in a safely sealed container before sending it off for recycling. Here's a tip: Use a funnel to minimize spills. In case of spills, soak it up with absorbent materials. For oil filters, place them in a leak-proof zip lock bag. Mark the items with the words "waste oil" and take them to a recycling centre or a service station as soon as possible. If you are driving, be sure to store these in the boot. Contaminated oil cannot be recycled. It is considered as hazardous waste and should be taken to a special waste treatment facility.

Blades, knives and cutting tools

How to dispose of utility knife blades

Before throwing out dull knives and blades, check if you can still have them sharpened so they can be used again. If you decide to dispose of them or sell them as scrap metal, do so responsibly. If blades are left sticking out in the trash, they can cause serious cuts to garbage handlers and sanitation workers. Wrap the blade in multiple layers. Start with bubble wrap, then add a layer of cardboard, and finally place it in a box. Seal the box with duct tape and properly mark it.

image from wikiHow

Batteries

Battery recycling in Australia

Different types of batteries call for different recycling methods.

• Alkaline batteries, the ones used to power toys, remote controls and small devices are 100% recyclable. Some places that accept used batteries for recycling include Aldi supermarkets, IKEA and Battery World. 
• Rechargeable batteries, the ones in your smartphone, laptop and camera, are fully recyclable. It is important that nickel and cadmium batteries are recycled since they are hazardous waste material not suitable for landfill disposal. Visit recyclingnearyou.com.au/batteries to find a collection site near you.
• Car batteries contain lead acid and can't be disposed of in the trash. Luckily, a lot of places recycle them. Most auto parts retailers will accept dead or used car batteries.

Motors and other appliances

Electric motor recycling

Electric motors can be found in appliances like fans, pumps, blowers and power tools. These are 100% recyclable since most of their components are metallic. Ideally, motor components should be separated into different recyclable parts that go through respective recycling methods. If you can't do this on your own, just drop them off to a recycling centre or sell them as scraps to recyclers.

Others Materials

Because of the wide range of industrial materials, not all items may have a known or easily available recycling method. For an extensive list of materials, check out these websites:

• Recycling Near You
• NSW EPA
• Business Recycling
• Suez
• TerraCycle 

DIY Personalized Key Chains & Pet Tags

Which Hand Stamp Should I Use?

In making keychains, 3mm and 1.5 mm hand stamps are generally recommended. You can use a 3mm hand stamp on the name to make to make it prominent, and a 1.5mm hand stamp if you want to include other phrases or taglines.

In making pet tags, I recommend using 6mm hand stamps. This size is perfect for average-sized dogs.

Step 1

Place the steel block on a hard, flat surface. Use tape to secure the metal blanks in place.

Step 2

Draw evenly spaced lines on the tape and mark the space for each letter or number.  This will serve as your stamp guide.

DIY Tip: Write the letter/number of the stamp on all sides of the stamp using a permanent marker so you can easily find the stamp you need. Line up the hand stamps you will be using for a much smoother workflow.

Step 3

Hold and position your metal stamp on the metal blank and make sure it is vertically upright and forms a 90-degree angle with the surface. Strike the stamp firmly. Avoid hitting it more than once. If you need to hit it again, make sure it is in the exact same place or you’ll create a double stamped image or blurred image. Complete the desired word or message one stamp at a time.

Step 4

Remove the tape. Using a permanent marker, add contrast by drawing over each of the stamped letters and numbers. Black markers are recommended on aluminum and silver blanks. White markers are recommended for coloured blanks. Using a small piece of paper towel and methylated spirits, carefully remove the excess ink.

Finished Products

DIY Personalized Passport Holders & Leather Pouches

Which Hand Stamp Should I Use?

For leather materials, 4mm and 6mm hand stamps are recommended for readability. 

If you’re looking for leather scraps to do this project there are a number of places you can source leather scraps very cheaply or even free:

• eBay
• Etsy
• East Coast Leather

Step 1

Place the cutting block on a hard, flat surface. Cut your scrap leather into a 12mm x 50mm rectangle.

Step 2

Position your hand stamp on the scrap leather making sure it is vertically straight. Start stamping the name of your choice.

DIY Tip: To protect your fingers and improve your accuracy, I recommend using a hand stamp holder.

Step 3

Using a hole punch, punch a hole in each end of the leather strip.

Step 4

Fasten the leather strip to the passport holder by punching rivets through the holes. If you’re feeling inspired, add a charm for that extra bling. You can also do this on pouches and bags.

Finished Products

Stamp Options

There are many sizes and designs of hand stamps to choose from.

Punching letter sets consist of 27 single stamps, which include the 26 letters of the alphabet and the ampersand (&) symbol. Punching number sets typically consist of 9 single stamps since ‘‘6’’ doubles as a ‘‘9’’. 

If you want to go all in, you can buy a complete hand stamp set, which includes a hammer, the full set of number and letter stamps, plus punctuation marks.

Happy Hand Stamping!

Stainless steel grade selection is important because the grade determines the properties of the material and, of course, the performance of the product in a given environment. Knowledge of the properties is important in determining the most appropriate grade to specify.

This article aims to give you a basic understanding of stainless steel to help you in determining the most appropriate material for your situation.

What is Stainless Steel?

Stainless Steel is a low carbon alloy with at least 10.5% chromium, as well as other alloying elements such as Nickel and Molybdenum which enhance the anti-corrosive properties of the material.

At or above this level of chromium, a layer of complex chrome-oxide forms on the surface which prevents oxygen atoms from penetrating the steel, thus preventing the formation of Iron Oxide (rust).

The chrome-oxide layer is what makes the steel “stainless” or stain less.

Note that stainless does not mean that minor surface rust may not appear.  It is quite common, particularly in harsh environments, to see “tea stains” on the surface of stainless steel, where a small amount of surface rust has formed.  Critically, as mentioned earlier, the important thing is that the rust does not penetrate the body of the fastener, thus maintaining its integrity.

Why use Stainless Steel Fasteners?

People choose stainless steel where corrosion, temperature and strength are of concern. Materials made of stainless steel have a mirror-like finish.

Some general characteristics of stainless steel include:

• Higher work hardening rate
• Higher ductility
• Higher strength & Hardness
• Higher corrosion resistance
• Higher cryogenic toughness
• Lower magnetic response (for Austenitic steels only).

What are the types of Stainless Steel Fasteners?

Stainless Steel comes in various types, based on the ratio of the alloying elements and on the molecular structure of the material.

The four fundamental types of stainless steel are:

1. Ferritic Stainless Steels
2. Martensitic Stainless Steels
3. Austenitic Stainless Steels
4. Duplex (Austenite-Ferrite) Stainless Steels

For more information on the family of stainless steels, refer to The Atlas Steels Technical Handbook of Stainless Steels.

There are 2 grades of Austenitic Stainless Steel – 200 & 300 series. Grade determines the quality, durability and temperature resistance of the stainless steel. Different grades have different ratio of Chromium, Nickel, Molybdenum and Carbon.

The 300 series is the most common. Specifically, the most common grades are 304 and 316. These are also referred to as A2 & A4 grades, respectively. 316 grade is also referred to, in the vernacular, as “marine grade stainless steel”, although “marine grade” is not a recognized industry standard so it would be incorrect to specify “marine grade”.

304 Stainless Steel

Grade 304 (UNS 30400) is the most common and widely used of in the 300 series. It has 18-20% Chromium and 8-12% Nickel. It is sometimes called the standard 18/8 austenitic stainless steel. 

It is resistant to oxidation and corrosion, which is required in food environments and when aesthetics are important. It provides ease of fabrication and cleaning, prevention of product contamination and offers various finishes and appearances.  It is used in corrosion resistant electrical enclosures, auto molding and trim, wheel covers, kitchen equipment, hose clamps, exhaust manifolds, stainless steel hardware, storage tanks, pressure vessels and piping. 

316 Stainless Steel

On the other hand, Grade 316 (UNS 31600) has the addition of 2-3% Molybdenum. The Chromium content is lowered to 16-18% , and the Nickel content is raised to 10-14%. This change in the Chromium/ Nickel ratio, and the addition of Molybdenum significantly increases the metal’s resistance to “salt” corrosion. 

It is a heat-resistant stainless steel with superior corrosion resistance as compared to other chromium-nickel steels when exposed to many types of solutions such as sea water and brine solutions. It has a greater resistance to chemical attack than Grade 304.

Grade 316 is durable, easy to fabricate, clean, weld and finish. It is considerably more resistant to solutions of sulfuric acid, chlorides, bromides, iodides and fatty acids at high temperatures. It is often used in more corrosive environments where the material will be exposed to chemical, solvent or salt water. Grade 316 Stainless Steel makes it the preferred material for marine construction.

It may cost a little more but could save you in the long run, especially if your fasteners and structures are going to be used outdoors.

304 vs 316 Stainless Steel Fasteners

If you work in an environment where there is exposure to chlorine in the atmosphere and other corrosive substances in the environment, choose 316 Stainless Steel.

Elsewhere, you may opt for 304 since it also serves its purpose of protecting your fasteners from corrosion.

If you’re looking to buy stainless fasteners, check out our wide range of stainless steel fasteners in store or contact us for assistance.

Resources:

• portandbolt.com
• ssina.com

When it comes to slips, trips and falls, prevention is key. This infographic aims to guide both workers and employers on how to prevent slips, trips and falls in the workplace.
 

Protect your workforce from costly accidents. Inquire about Anti-slip solutions today. AIMS Industrial Supplies is an authorised supplier of Anti-slip solutions. AIMS delivers Australia-wide.

At this point we are assuming that you have identified the belt but need to ensure you get the right length.

In another article we will look at how to identify your belt if you don’t know what it is and, in another, go into detail about how to identify and measure synchronous (timing) belts.

We are dealing here with V Belts. That is, power transmission belts which have a V shape. They may be cogged (notched) or wrapped. They are run on V shaped pulleys which do NOT have teeth. If your pulley has teeth, then you have a synchronous timing belt.

How to Measure Classical V Belts

This refers to the original form of power transmission belts with a belt profile of M, Z, A, B, C, D & E.

Source: Gates Industrial Catalogue 2018, page 29

It also refers to the cogged (notched) version of these belts, referred to as ZX, AX, BX & CX.

These belts are dimensionally the same as the wrapped belt but have cogging running perpendicular to the length, as per this image.

Source: Optibelt Technical Manual V-Belt Drives, page 15

Classical belts are traditionally measured by Internal Circumference in Inches.

Therefore, an A26 belt has an internal circumference of 26 inches.

A note of caution. Although rare, we have started to see occurrences of classical belts being marked by measures other than internal circumference, so it is worth double checking the measurement of your belt if it is from a manufacturer you don’t know of.

Quality brands such as Gates, Carlisle & Opti are all measured by internal circumference.

If it is more convenient to measure the Outside Circumference, you can do that and would deduct the following for each size to find the Internal Circumference as the Outside Circumference is, of course, greater than the Internal.

Z – 1”

A – 2”

B – 3”

C – 4”

D – 5”

E – 6”

The above applies whether the belt is the wrapped or cogged version.

M section belts have a different profile with a very small difference between the internal and external circumference.

How to Measure Narrow Section V Belts

Narrow section belts include SPZ, SPA, SPB & SPC belts. It also includes their cogged equivalents, XPZ, XPA, XPB & XPC belts.  (Some manufacturers refer to these as SPZX, SPAX, SPBX & SPCX.)

These belts are metric belts, but section also discusses Narrow Section Imperial V Belts, which include 3V, 5V, 8V & 3VX, 5VX & 8VX belts.

Dimensions for the wrapped and cogged narrow section belt are as per this image:

Source: Carlisle Industrial Power Transmission Belts Catalogue

Narrow section V belts are identified by their Pitch Length.

For example, an XPZ987 has a pitch length of 987mm.

In order to calculate the Pitch Length of the belt you must measure the Inside Length (Circumference) and then ADD a figure, depending on section size, as listed below.

SPZ – 13mm

SPA – 18mm

SPB – 22mm

SPC – 30mm

For Imperial belts it is different.  As with the Classical belts, these are measured and identified in Inches according to their Inside Circumference.

For example, a 3V400 has an Internal Circumference of 40.0 inches.  A 3V450 has an Internal Circumference of 40.5 inches.

Conclusion

Chances are you don’t have a belt measuring machine so we find the handiest way to measure V Belts without the machine is to clearly mark a starting point on the belt with a text and then use a dressmaker’s tape to measure slowly and carefully around the belt.

And we like to do it at least twice. To borrow from the carpenter’s golden rule: measure twice & buy once!

Hopefully this has helped you to identify the length of belt you need but, of course, if you’re still having a challenge, give us a call or send us an email and we’ll work with you to figure it out.

If you would like to read more about the various types of power transmission belts, Wikipedia has an excellent page which summarizes the various types of belts which have been using across the decades.