[Public-List] Main Sail Track Fasetening

[Gordon Laco]

Hello Mick -

I may be misunderstanding your question...but it looks to me like the  
best thing for you to do is get a 3/16 tap and run that in and out of  
each hole to clean up the threads.  I would say that 1/4 is too big  
both with regard to the screw heads and it is more meat than you need.

I would recommend that you not use aluminium rivets - they are too  
soft and you could tear the track out under sail in heavy winds.

Last thing - remind me where in Oz you are.

Gord
Canada #426 Surprise




On 19-Oct-09, at 4:10 PM, Michael Taylor wrote:

> After painting the mast I am putting the main sail track back onto  
> the mast.  I see that some have tapped each of the existing holes to  
> replace the rivets with machine screws.    The track is stainless  
> 7/8" with 3/16th holes drilled.  The next drill size up will just  
> clean out the existing mast holes and leave sufficient room to  
> thread either 1/4 inch or 6mm machine screws.
>
> Having got a sample of machine screws with various heads it seems  
> that the heads are too big for the existing sail track (they don't  
> seat at the base of the track).  I assume that the only way to use  
> machine screws is to either change the sail track or drill new holes  
> which I'm not prepared to do.
>
> If I can't use machine screws it will be back to aluminum rivets  
> with a steel mandrel as I've found strainless very difficult to  
> remove - and install.
>
> Have I missed something with machine screw fitting here?
>
> thanks
>
> Mick
>
> #231
>
>
>
>
>       
> __________________________________________________________________________________
> Get more done like never before with Yahoo!7 Mail.
> Learn more: http://au.overview.mail.yahoo.com/
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org


 1255984512.0