What screws for stainless band on oak keel

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Rupert
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Post by Rupert »

Have you taken the shrink wrap off yet Ed?
I pretty much agree about cheap and expensive ply, but choose between cheap ply or Ali... using brass screws ...
Rupert
roger
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Post by roger »

I started the Hornet with Tipadel "Marine" Ply which was a mistake. After talking to Chris I went to Robbins of Bristol and the rest of the boat was finished with their elite ply. I wish now I had spent the money because it shows in places already.The problem is I think is that the middle ply is waste wood mush and soaks up any moisture that may seep in.
The old Adage "you get what you pay for " sums it up I think.
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chris
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Post by chris »

On MR 507 I used Robbins Elite, which has just started to show a few hairline cracks along the grain. This is only on the rolled sides not the flat fore/stern decks which are fine. So far I've been giving them the superglue treatment to seal the cracks ready for the next rub down and winter varnishing. It is quite a tight curve for 4mm. so it is being stretched open. It doesn't seem to be delaminating at all. When I first did 507 about 15 years ago I used so called marine ply from the local builders merchant. Cheap and not even cheerful. By the end of each season the edges were black.The number of times I stripped and revarnished it . It was awful stuff.

I'm certainly with you that to save a few quid on cheap ply is a total waste of money. When I first used Robbins Elite on 507 (3 years ago) it was rather a salmon pink colour and I was not too happy but it has gone to a good amber/straw colour now and I like it.

Now we're thinking what to use on MR36 . Elite or Super Elite?
In a funny way I don't we want anything that looks too smart on a boat built in 1946. Anyway a trip to Robbins and looking through their stock is on the cards.

I've also ordered some Sitka Spruce from them too. As we've had no luck getting hold of a suitable mast I'm now working on the remains of the original one which we only brought back as a curiousity. The top 5 ft is missing, but now I've repaired all the splits the remaining part is looking hopeful. I'll probably end up using most of the fittings from my ill fated mast - just hope this lasts a bit longer! Oh, and this will be a 25 footer again.
chris
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Post by chris »

Image

Yes this the mast as was.
chris
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Post by chris »

nope, can't work out how to put a picture here, nevermind.
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Ed
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Post by Ed »

For what it is worth.....

I think your second mast will be much better....it always takes a couple of goes to get something right.

I also think in some ways you were unlucky to break the first one....I don't think you would ever of broken it sailing on the river or Sheerwater. there really were some very big gusts being funnelled down through the gap at Clywedog. I was cowering on the bank and just thankful that I was not out there. I do wonder sometimes whether due to more sailing of modern boats, we don't sometimes choose to sail in conditions that few if any sailors would of gone out in when these boats were new and first sailded. In other words, I am not sure if there was anything wrong with your first mast and would not of been at all suprised if 'any' wooden mast had gone under that gust!

Re elite or super-elite.

personally if you are not worried about the weight....you can afford it... you like the colour and its available, I would really go for the super-elite. I do think it is much stronger....does not split at all (yes my elite decks on the firefly are showing some small areas of splitting) and is much harder.

The only way I would suggest that super-elite is really superior is if you have any ply edges where the edges of ply are left open, in this case the fact that interior of ply is all mahogany (Kyah it think) with no voids really pays off. Personally I think it is normally worth the effort to glue on small mahogany runners to edge the ply and hide any ply edges anyway.

Oh....just as a complete by-the-by....if you are going to Robbins....can you look in their veneers and see if they have any agba in stock at the moment.

cheers

eib
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Rupert
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Post by Rupert »

Hi Ed, if they have no agba, then I have some from them I'd part with. It is a little darker than the original, though.
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chris
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Post by chris »

Will do Ed, if funds allow I might get some anyway as I need some agba for my albacore. Do you want me to pick some up if they have it? how much are you after etc?

I would have gone this afternoon, but my daughter was caught up in the London bombings near liverpool st, she's quite safe but stranded and I said i would drive up if needed.

Will probably go to Bristol next week now.
chris
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Post by chris »

I'll try again with a picture...
Image
chris
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Post by chris »

Ah! success, Yes that was the mast , what was left of it.

Any suggestions or contacts for the right stuff for the cross tree spreaders? It's an ali alloy of some type 3/8" diameter but it seems much stiffer than bog standard stuff. I have been told it was aircraft grade ali that was used.

I would also like to find a bronze rotating foot. I have one that I don't really want to use as I still want to make myself another mast one day.

If all else fails we'll use this one and I'll use it as a pattern and have another cast.
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Post by JimC »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by chris</i>
Any suggestions or contacts for the right stuff for the cross tree spreaders? It's an ali alloy of some type 3/8" diameter but it seems much stiffer than bog standard stuff. I have been told it was aircraft grade ali that was used.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
On my diamond equipped wooden Australian Cherub mast the dieamond spreaders are allegedly titanium! If you have any mega yacht connections you could see if you can get some offcuts of hi tech rod rigging. I've seen a Cherub rudder gantry made from that stuff, 'twas light and ridiculously strong.
Ian Malcolm
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Post by Ian Malcolm »

My Albacore has diamond stays as well with a 1/2" original spreader right through the mast. I replaced that (It has been broken and 'fixed' with a mild steel rod liberated from a scrap farm gate!) but at the time all I could easily get was 12mm hardware store tube which I reinforced with 10mm tube that happened to be a driving fit inside it. A turn of aluminium tape round the middle packed it up to 1/2" so it was a good fit in the mast. That lasted 5 years or so then last year it succumbed to debris during a violent capsize. I had acquired a stock of 1/2" tube but not of a heavy enough grade so again I have sleeved it with 10mm tube inside. This time it was a sliding fit so I epoxied it in. As the failure was accross one of the 1/16" holes for the retaining pins last time, I have poured the whole centre 1/3 of the strut full of epoxy with low density filler. It is extremely stiff and time will tell if its strong enough.
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Ed
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Post by Ed »

Chris,

I don't need any agba immediately.....I was more just curious as sometimes they do....and sometimes they don't....sometimes it's nice and bendy and supple....and other times it is very dry and crackly.

As a matter of interest....I think I have found a supply of Agba down here in cornwall....not veneer but boards. Will find out more if anyone is interested.

cheers

eib
Ed Bremner
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Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
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