Bending Bronze

Dean Abramson · Post by **Dean Abramson** » Jan 17th, '11, 11:44

[img]http://www.mainephoto.com/folios/Loda060622-027Dtl.jpg[/img]

Here is a shot of my bowsprit. Look closely at the bow-roller fitting, and you will see that the starboard side vertical piece is bent to port. It is hard to see, but the SS thru-pin is bent also (it bows upward).

A friend has suggested that I:
1) cut the pin (probably will require two cuts) and remove it.
2) Wrap the upright piece in rags to protect it.
3) Put a big pipe wrench on it, perhaps with some kind of handle extension for leverage.
4) Bend that sucker back into place.
5) Get a new pin.
If I could straighten that, and get a new pin in, I could secure my anchor much better, or I could perhaps go with a bigger anchor.

Has anyone out there tried anything like this? Do I dare try this with the fitting still on the bowsprit?

Dean

Klem · Post by **Klem** » Jan 17th, '11, 12:24

Dean,

How did this get bent? Is it likely to happen again?

Bending stuff back into shape so that the holes line up correctly can be quite difficult. Would an acceptable solution be to simply cut out the pin and redrill the hole straight while leaving the ear bent? This could be done in place but would not fix it aesthetically.

If you are going to bend it, you will either need to use a lot of force or heat, both of which would not be wise to do with it in place. However, if you take it off you will need to find a way to rigidly hold it. When bending something like this, I like to clamp a piece of angle iron to it to increase the lever arm. In addition, you can position the clamp so that you control where the bending will take place. Heat can be very helpful but be careful if you haven't used it before, the worst thing that you can do is to overheat it.

Good luck.

Dean Abramson · Post by **Dean Abramson** » Jan 17th, '11, 12:36

Klem,

You are ON to something!! I do not care that it looks bent.

The boat came this way. I think that this boat had a run-in with a hurricane. (This "feature" was not highlighted in the broker's listing.) The cockpit coamings had been replaced, as had the bowsprit.

I will do just that: cut old pin, drill straight through, and get a new pin. Duh. Man, I love this board! Excellent for senior citizens.

As for the likelihood of it happening again: have you been watching me dock...?

Thanks,

Dean

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Jan 17th, '11, 12:44

LIQUIDITY has spent much of her life in a slip, starboard side to. The starboard stern chock is visibly bowed a bit at the base, after only 34 years of yanks by the stern line.

Jim Davis · Post by **Jim Davis** » Jan 17th, '11, 12:57

Dean

I personally do not like pins in this application. I use a lashing to keep my hooks in place. Run a couple turns through the eye on the hook and a secure point on deck, then use a slipped hitch to secure the lashing. This has served me for many years. Pins can develop problems at awkward moments, while lashings if need be can be cleared quickly with a "rope wrench".

mahalocd36 · Post by **mahalocd36** » Jan 17th, '11, 14:36

The line is a nice solution in that it allows you to work with just about any anchor. I only mention this as you mentioned possibly changing your anchor.

Dean Abramson · Post by **Dean Abramson** » Jan 17th, '11, 15:52

I do like that idea, because, as you recall correctly, Melissa, I would like to move up to a 33lb. Bruce if I can find one.

This job just keeps getting easier. I love it!

There will be some issues to address if I change anchors, because I have only recently re-located the chock for the current anchor's (22 lb. Bruce) shank, and installed a chain stopper to line up with the current anchor. If the shank of a new anchor is longer than the current one's (which it probably would be), then I might not be able to fit everything on the bowsprit. Groan.

Obviously, all of this must wait til things warm out a wee bit.

What kind of hacksaw blade will cut through the SS pin? Or what tool (hopefully not too expensive) is recommended?

One of the main objects of the game will be to keep the Bruce from swinging in an athwartship arc; because if it does, even a small amount, the port side fluke tears up the bottom of the bowsprit. I have that solved for now with my chock, but the chock might have to give way to a longer anchor shank...

Stay tuned.

D

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » Jan 17th, '11, 16:12

Dean,

What kind of hacksaw blade will cut through the SS pin? Or what tool (hopefully not too expensive) is recommended?

I cut SS with an abrasive wheel or a large bolt cutter with hardened steel jaws, depending.

SS is most likely harder than the teeth of the hacksaw blade.

Good luck,
O J

Jim Davis · Post by **Jim Davis** » Jan 17th, '11, 16:39

But in a respectable price range and good for all kinds of destructive projects around the house and boat.

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware ... ogId=10053

Disclaimer I have no financial interest, but wish I did.

Matt Cawthorne · Post by **Matt Cawthorne** » Jan 17th, '11, 16:58

I forgot to push the pin into it's locked position one time and it was hanging out of the roller mount. The pin caught a line while I was pulling out of my slip and bent the bronze to look like yours. It also bent the pin. I used a block of wood and my framing hammer to straighten things out. It is much better (functional but not perfect). The bronze looks like it did before, but the pin looks like it is 28 years old. Oh yeah, it is 28 years old. I'll replace the pin some day. Your friends idea of a more controlled application of bending moment is a good idea.

John Vigor · Post by **John Vigor** » Jan 17th, '11, 19:48

Dean Abramson wrote:What kind of hacksaw blade will cut through the SS pin? Or what tool (hopefully not too expensive) is recommended?
D

Dean, it's easy to cut a stainless pin with a hand hacksaw. You don't need expensive special equipment.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 2381636802

Cheers,

John V.

SPIBob · Post by **SPIBob** » Jan 17th, '11, 21:28

SS is not that tough to cut with a hacksaw. I use a 32-tpi (teeth per inch) blade and cutting/tapping fluid/oil. The key is to find the right combination of sawing speed and downward pressure. Patience helps.

Maine_Buzzard · Post by **Maine_Buzzard** » Jan 18th, '11, 07:27

I don't want to sound like a crankshaft, but cutting 416 stainless with a hacksaw should be incredibly difficult and a waste of blades. Get a cheap 4" angle grinder and some metal cutting blades- they look like thin grinding wheels. And then get some wire wheels, sanding pads, and anything else that fits on it. It will be the second tool you reach for. And wear good safety goggles! I do a lot of fabrication, and had to get slivers pulled from my eyes until I started wearing grinding goggles with a foam edge.

Carl Thunberg · Post by **Carl Thunberg** » Jan 18th, '11, 08:10

In this particular application, it would be MUCH more controlled to just use a pair of bolt cutters. They're designed for cutting padlocks, so you know they can cut stainless steel. There is ZERO chance of cutting anything but the SS pin. Angle grinders can cause a lot of collateral damage if the momentum of the tool causes the blade to knick the bronze casting. Sure it can be done, but it's highly dependent on the control of the operator over the tool.

pedbed · Post by **pedbed** » Jan 18th, '11, 09:25

there is a pin in the end of the slide bolt. You can easily knock this out and then slide the slide bolt all the way out.

Spartan sells replacement slide bolts w/ the set pin out. When you slide the new slide boilt in you then set this pin to keep the slide bolt captured. No cutting required.

The Cape Dory Board

Bending Bronze

Bending Bronze

Duh

No hurricane required

One step further

Line

Cutting SS Pin

Not expensive, just messy

Catching a line

Re: Line

cutting SS

Cutting Stainless

Not real wild about using an angle grinder for this

pin in the slide bolt