Anyone try bike spokes as replacement impeller shafts?
 

I have a number of powerheads that sit in the dead equipment pile on account of the impeller shafts corroding to the point of breakage.

At least with MJ's you can order replacement impellers. But sometimes this isn't an option for other brands or different pumps.

My latest casualty is a Sunsun double powerhead (looks like two Koralia's mashed together). The magnets and propellers are fine but the shafts they spin on are toast.

I'm really, really tempted to go buy some bike spokes and cut them to length to get the pump going again. Standard spokes are stainless steel, maybe in some specialized cases you can even get titanium based ones although in my experience this has been hard to locate locally. But I'm happy to try SS, the shafts that corroded out were supposedly stainless steel so it can't be much different. Or can it?

Anyone try it?

Hmmmm, interesting thought. If the spoke is stainless steel for rust reasons, I would see why not if it is the right diameter. Very interesting thought!

Also look into stainless tig welding rods. You can get them in several sizes and different grades of stainless. They may also be available in titanium but I am not sure.

Interesting idea on the welding rods - that's something to look into also. Thanks for the idea!

As far as I remember, 316 stainless had the best corrosion resistance. All 300 series ss is also non magnetic.