sheaves for block-and-tackle

Buy them?

Delrin makes good pulleys. I have a quantity you can have if you give me an idea of what size you need. So does aluminum. But only for rope.

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

Normally the cheek pieces are made from, or partially made from, metal. Even the wooden blocks use steel straps to connect the axle to the hook, so sheet metal will work perfectly well.

One of the reasons for higher price marine blocks is that the better ones use a frictionless bearing of some sort between the sheave and the axle. Roller or ball bearings.

There is a site

Cheers,

Bruce (bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Gunner - I'm in the UK - and I don't want to be funny or anything, but you have to be from the USA. So postage would be a problem. I'll enquire at work though - there might be offcuts of the stuff. I've looked on-line (Wikipedia et. al.) and find "Delrin" is one and the same as Acetal I've heard mentioned for sheaves - so seems the stuff is popular the world over for the application. Richard S.

There is nothing wrong with using metal for the sheaves. The reason for using plastics in the boat stuff is usually they do not have any form of separate bearing and the plastic sheave runs directly on the stationary pin.

I know that the U.K. destroyed a lot of their fishing boats but aren't there any supply houses that still supply the industry (if there is any industry left, that is)? Unless you just "want to do it" buying ready made may well be cheaper the making.

Cheers,

Bruce (bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Some of the old rigging is very interesting. Some used blocks of a black material drilled with holes, then ground into a groove for the ropes to pass through. No rolling sheave at all. And the ones that actually do have sheaves have a lot of character, and look cool hanging around. They usually have a mf'r plate on the side identifying them. I don't think I'd actually lift anything with one, though.

Anyone know what the name of that black material is? I know, but can't think of it.

Steve

Called "dead-eyes", at least on the Western side of the water :-) Usually used where rigging was set up with lashings rather then rigging screws (to use East Side nomenclature).

I'm not sure what you mean by "black material" but if they were authentic dead-eyes (actually used for rigging) they were likely Lignum Vitae.

Cheers,

Bruce (bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

I told you I knew it, but couldn't think of it. That's it. What is it made of? Looks like the original Delrin.

Steve

Lignum Vitae is a wood, a very heavy and hard wood. Used for all kinds of things. British Bobby's truncheon; belaying pins (on USS Constitution); ships propeller shaft bearings; made one for a U.S. flagged tug in Vietnam in about 1966; can be used as medicine - a tea made from the bark is reported to have contraceptive qualities.

Basically it a very hard, dense, oily, wood that has self lubricating properties.

Cheers,

Bruce (bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Thanks for offer Gunner - appreciate the thought -- Richard S