Perko inc

Just a quick shoutout to Perko! I called them just before Christmas as the "push" spring inside my #0960 latch broke and I could not use the latch to open /close the door to the head. I wanted to buy the spring, but they simply took my shipping information and sent me a new spring at no cost!

Being my boat is 30 years old, I was very pleasantly surprised!

Great company to deal with, great product(s) and I can't thank them enough!

That's great service. If you are ever in a pinch, go to a good hardware store and find a push spring the same diameter and close to the same wire size. Cut it to the right length and you're good to go. That's what my door latch has in it right now.

They are very good people. My company did business with them for about a hundred years. Started out as the Perkins Lamp Company in New York in the 1800’s. Located in Miami now.

Goldenstar, do you know who you talked to?

Goldenstar38 said:

Just a quick shoutout to Perko! I called them just before Christmas as the "push" spring inside my #0960 latch broke and I could not use the latch to open /close the door to the head. I wanted to buy the spring, but they simply took my shipping information and sent me a new spring at no cost!

Being my boat is 30 years old, I was very pleasantly surprised!

Great company to deal with, great product(s) and I can't thank them enough!

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I’ll bet you were glad to get the spring; going without a head since before Christmas is a long time to hold it!

Seriously, thanks for the heads up.

Sounds good, but after 2 failures of perko's on the boat last year, and one new one that was bad. I'll stay away from their switches.

Greetings,
"My company did business with them for about a hundred years."
Mr. P. I didn't realize you'd been around that long. Oh, OK...



Pretty funny looking cat as well...

I believe I spoke to Gail.
I was gong to locate a push spring locally, but I figured the original lasted 30 years, so why not wait a short time and get a factory part.

angus99, Yes, that would have been difficult! I just removed the assembly and manually opened and closed the door!

Gail works in customer service, he daughter used to babysit for us. Perko has a policy of free replacement of small parts like springs and wear parts like the bevels and strikes on a lockset.

A great thing about Perko parts is that you can often find a direct replacement for a 20, 30 year or even older part. Dropping a direct replacement into the original footprint and hole pattern can make your day.

Goldenstar38 said:

I believe I spoke to Gail.
I was gong to locate a push spring locally, but I figured the original lasted 30 years, so why not wait a short time and get a factory part.

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I wish I could get on the Perko bandwagon , but many parts that were chrome plated brass 30-40 years ago are now cast pot metal.

Not sure their hardware will exist in 30-40 years.

In the commercial grade (lights etc) they do OK.

FF, they’ve always made hardware out of chrome plated pot metal. They usually offer the same part in CP brass as well. You need to read the label to know what you’re buying. My guess is they can use the same mold for either metal.

Like most American manufacturers, they’ve been hurt by cheap Chinese imports.

Carlene has helped me with 30 year old parts multiple times. Great service

Both Carlene and Gail are really sweet helpful people.

"My guess is they can use the same mold for either metal."

Probably right. Most of the Perko I have seen is in older boats , and the boat yards don't usually stock blister packs with the expensive "good" stuff.

The die cast zinc parts are made in a completely different process than the Bronze parts.

The bronze parts are made via lost foam sand casting and then polished by hand before chrome plating. The dies cast zinc parts are cast in a more traditional mold and then machine polished in vibration tubs before they are chrome plated.

Perko also stamps some nav lights and other parts out of brass sheet and then chrome plates them.

HopCar is correct that many parts that may look similar are made of both materials. Reason being that 70% of boats used in the US are used in fresh water and die cast zinc will serve very well in that market. Tough number to get your head around but statistics like registered boats don't lie. Of course some boat manufacturers are just price driven on hardware.

For example: #1310 die cast zinc #904 stamped brass #229 bronze

FF said:

"My guess is they can use the same mold for either metal."

Probably right. Most of the Perko I have seen is in older boats , and the boat yards don't usually stock blister packs with the expensive "good" stuff.

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Thanks Keysdisease, in all the time I did business with Perko I never asked for a tour of the plant.

Do you think they use the die cast molds to make the foam positives for the bronze castings?

At the time I last toured the Perko plant they were buying the foam parts from an outside vendor

Now that you're retired you have the time and I'm sure they would give you a tour if you asked

HopCar said:

Thanks Keysdisease, in all the time I did business with Perko I never asked for a tour of the plant.

Do you think they use the die cast molds to make the foam positives for the bronze castings?

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