Save-A-Boat - The Forum for Plastic Classic Rebuilds!

hi all,

my bakelite mast head sheave is chipped around the edges and i would like to replace.

any ideas?

rebuild the exact same 6.5" O.D./ 0.5" I.D. sheave?
out of plastic?
out of aluminum?

re-do the system for 2 sheaves?

right now, i am planning on turning an identical replacement out of aluminum, but i just thought i would throw it out there to see if anybody has any ideas on the topic.

thanks,

carter

It sounds like you will probably make your own, but just in case you are interested, I have heard good things about Zephyrwerks, who make sheaves:

http://zephyrwerks.com/

ooh. them do look nice...

$100.

will go the self-made route this time. I think.

thanks!

c.

I'm going phenolic, like the old one. Phenolic is pretty much bomb proof... On my mast the axle was just a bolt with a lock nut on one side. No compression tubes. The side plates of the sheave were just two pieces of 1/8th inch aluminum held apart by a pin and a cotter key... Very basic, but hey... it worked for 50 years.

Order an offcut through a plastic distributor rather than trying to buy it at retail... saves some cash.

I'm figuring a circle cutting guide on router to get a round sheave. Mine uses a 1/8th inch pin to rotate on. I'd drill the hole on a drill press, and use it as the pilot hole to step it up to the correct size for the axle.

Then building a jig hold the blank vertically on a bolt between two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood with a cleat on each side, and screwing the router base down to another piece of 3/4 on top. Clamp the top in place and pick up on the centerline of the sheave. Then just fire up the router with a ball endmill the right size for your rope halyard...

Fire up the router, rotate... stops taking material shut it back down and lower the cutter.

A 45 degree endmill would do the trick if you are wanting to stay with a wire halyard.

Thats my two cents. For me it'd save driving 8 hours round trip to my folks machine shop. It'd be more accurate with a cnc mill, and turning the groove on a lathe... but big deal, its a masthead sheave.

Zach

Edited because I can't spell.