Reliable & cheap source of 316 steel BBs(UK/EU)?

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**Yodhrin**

As title, I'm after a couple of hundred grade 316 steel ball bearings to use as paint agitators, but I'm a bit leery of ordering from China given it's a bit of a lottery whether you get proper graded steel or something that's been used to get rid of a load of toxic industrial waste. Of course, I'd also rather not spend 5-10 times as much money on them, so has anyone found a seller in the UK/EU that's cheaper than ebay?

**shmvo**

Element Games sells them, I don't think I'm allowed to post links but search 'Mixing Balls' on their website.

**Flinty**

Google gives me these guys in the uk

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Loose-Balls-&-Rollers-316-Stainless-Steel-Loose-Ball-Bearings/c23_5001/index.html

They seem to be competitive to ebay prices based on a half assed review

**Overread**

Any reason you need steel? I've ordered glass beads off ebay without any problem for the same purpose.

**Rybrook**

Glass ones are just as good and probably cheaper
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100x-Glass-Paint-Agitators-mixer-Citadel-army-painter-Vallejo-Paints-No-Rust/133073690517?_mwBanner=1&ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F0%2F0%2F0%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fulk%252Fitm%252F133073690517%26rvr_id%3D0%26rvr_ts%3D85bab73816c0a866dc3226d7fff831a9&ul_noapp=true&pageci=cf3f3199-a3e2-4d4d-ad9f-c2b77587e487

**meatybtz**

you want glass. Steel will react with pigments, not just via oxidation but also chemically on top of issues with charged molecules.

Glass is inert and will not react. Since we don't know the combination we don't know if the steel will react, even stainless can react with certain paint pigments.

**rbstr**

I..uh..borrowed a handful of YSZ milling media from work for my usage http://www.inframat.com/zirconia.htm

**xKillGorex**

Used some steel ones in my army painter dropper bottles and some went all crappy to the point that i had to throw the bottles away. I’d say go for glass ones too, and will myself if i try again.

**Yodhrin**

meatybtz wrote:
you want glass. Steel will react with pigments, not just via oxidation but also chemically on top of issues with charged molecules.

Glass is inert and will not react. Since we don't know the combination we don't know if the steel will react, even stainless can react with certain paint pigments.

Oh I wasn't aware of that, given a few paint companies supply 316 steel bearings in their paints as agitators I thought they'd be safe, though of course they would know the formulation of their own paints and pigments.

I'll give the glass beads Rybrook suggested a go. Thanks guys.