Jim Stumpf Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Got the aluminium sections sleeved together, installed the bushings and even fired up the lathe and turned a couple of mast plugs and upper mast sections. After looking at the pics it looks like the mizzen mast top could use a little more taper. Thanks for looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordy Hill Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Jim, I made plugs like yours out of pressure treated wood and they swelled ( swolled?) and I had a heck of a time getting the mast out. I made plugs out of thick plastic similar to a cutting board and they worked wonderfully and also allowed the mast to rotate a little easier. In fact, if you cover the mast step with the same material there will be almost no friction. I used two different sized hole saws, going partway with one until the pilot bit showed and then put the other pilot bit in the hole from the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Stumpf Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Thanks Gordy, How thick were you able to find the plastic? The plastic to plastic friction plate makes a lot of sense. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docpal Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Jim, McMaster Carr sells HDPE up to 4"thick. I bought a square foot of 1"stock and cut out my plugs, and socket for the mizzen on a Shopbot CNC, this let me leave a "lip" that allows a clean base which fits into the socket and allows complete, easy rotation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Stumpf Posted December 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Very cool, we even have a McMaster here in town. What lines the bottom of the mast step. I see the step in the base to fit it into the bottom of the mast and I see the socket but I am not sure what the base of the mast bears onto. Thanks for the great suggestion. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docpal Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Jim, After speaking with Graham about this I decided to get the rake angle determined, secure the mast step to the keel batten, and then pour an epoxy/graphite mix into it.. This way I have an easily replaceable surface if there is ever any wear. By the way in the first picture above you'll see that the first plug does not have a "step" on it. That one will go in the bottom of my main mast tube , and I suspect that an HDPE to HDPE "bearing point" will outlast me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordy Hill Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Jim, I was just thinking, If you have two disks, one the same as the inside diameter and one the same as the outside, you could fasten them together mechanically with counter-sunk bolts and it should work as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docpal Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 "even fired up the lathe and turned a couple of mast plugs and upper mast sections." HDPE turns beautifully ! Like loooooong soap shavings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Stumpf Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Gordy and Docpal, thanks for the valuable input. Spent some time in the shop today, and picked up my sail track. First task: how to line hardware up on the mast without it ending up like a barbers pole. This worked pretty well, I clamped the pipe so that it could not rotate. Made plumb gauges for either end and used the plumb bob to make marks fore and aft on the mast then pulled a line from top to bottom for a strait reference. I also glassed up the ramps for the sail track. If anyone is having trouble with the muddy description above I will be more than happy to elaborate, I hope the pictures will tell the story. Thanks for looking, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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