Buying polished SS

[Cpt Mark]

I'm looking for polished SS for a bimini hardtop. 2" diameter. I have found a distributor who sells 800 grit polished tubing. It looks perfect, I was quite surprised.

The question I have is this. It is not electro polished etc. Because it's 800 grit, would that make it more susceptible to corrosion vs a finer polished surface?

[Oldwheels]

Yes and yes. Especially the surface between the bimini and tubing.
You can buy AL tubing and carbon fiber tubing. Why put the weight of steel high?
Bottom line is the SS will look good for awhile.

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by Oldwheels

Yes and yes. Especially the surface between the bimini and tubing.
You can buy AL tubing and carbon fiber tubing. Why put the weight of steel high?
Bottom line is the SS will look good for awhile.

Tensile strength of AL would require a much larger diameter pole which I have some constraint on. Carbon fiber might work but I'd need to find stats on it. Any suggestions?

Thax for your response. What I thought.

[Oldwheels]

Good lord. What you supporting up there. I have a 43 ft with a hard bimini probably 10w x 14 L. All supported on 1 1/2 AL . Supports two men on top easily. My davat is also Al.
But any way carbon fiber tubing is generally stronger than SS, about 1000-1200 mpa ( 110,000 psi ). I had seen several places offering commercial sizes and fittings for all sorts of joints. Search the web.

[Oldwheels]

pay the price, https://www.mcmaster.com/polished-tubing/

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by Oldwheels

Good lord. What you supporting up there. I have a 43 ft with a hard bimini probably 10w x 14 L. All supported on 1 1/2 AL . Supports two men on top easily. My davat is also Al.
But any way carbon fiber tubing is generally stronger than SS, about 1000-1200 mpa ( 110,000 psi ). I had seen several places offering commercial sizes and fittings for all sorts of joints. Search the web.

10'x13' hardtop bimin/dodger. Working with professionals on the engineering structure. I want it to not just support 2 people but also to not depart the boat in adverse high winds. Looking into Carbon Fiber now. That was an excellent suggestion