[Public-List] Rudder rebuild - brass or bronze

[George Dinwiddie]

Chip,

On #543, the lower rudder post was, I think, "naval brass" or "red 
brass." These have less zinc than yellow brass. And rather than have a 
1/2" bolt screwed into the end, it was machined down to a 1/2" pin.

Calypso now has a 1/2" bolt, having had it drilled and tapped after the 
pin corroded off. See 
http://alberg30.org/maintenance/Steering/RudderShoe/ for the details. 
This was before I had a digital camera, so I don't have a photo of the 
lower rudder post. If you would take photos of yours, I'd love to post 
them on the website. The upper drawing in 
http://alberg30.org/maintenance/Steering/RudderPost/RudderReinforcment.png 
is the lower rudder post I mean.

If you're replacing anyway, I would go with bronze for the reduced 
corrosion rate. I don't know exactly what bronze alloy would be best, 
but would guess all of them would be better than brass. I know you can 
find some good deals on bronze stock on eBay from industrial suppliers 
selling their scrap.

  - George

On 2/1/18 12:45 PM, Chip Dance via Public-List wrote:
> Thanks Mike. I might be interested in borrowing that mold, or having you
> take it somewhere near you that can cast a new shoe for me. I was fairly
> certain the shoe and the bolt were bronze, but I am replacing the lower
> post pieces. Those are brass I believe. mine are quite corroded and need
> replacing. So would there be any advantage to replacing the lower rudder
> post with bronze?
> I'll post a few pics of my rudder post on the facebook page so you can see
> how corroded it is.
> 
> Thanks
> Chip
> 
> On Thu, Feb 1, 2018 at 10:34 AM, Mike Lehman <mlehman at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> The shoe is definitely bronze,  assuming it is original. They are not
>> available and must be custom cast. I actually have a mold. The pin at the
>> bottom of the stock should also be bronze. Originally 3/8" but Whitby Boat
>> Works used a bolt that was threaded all the way to the head, which wore
>> down quickly. Probably ALL the boats have had to replace this pin and maybe
>> more than once. Some have oversized the hole in the rudder stock and
>> threaded in a 1/2" bronze shoulder bolt.
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>> On Feb 1, 2018 12:17 PM, "Chip Dance via Public-List" <
>> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello all,
>>> I am in the process of rebuilding the rudder on #456*. *A previous owner
>>> (or two) had done the drill/tap repair at the bottom of the post,
>>> replacing
>>> the pin with a headless bolt, but the threads in the embedded brass post
>>> are so loose & corroded they are chipping away and hardly hold the pellet
>>> sized bolt that remains. I have separated the rudder and plan to replace
>>> the middle & lower rudder post pieces. Research & appearance suggest the
>>> post pieces are brass. Any arguments for or against switching to bronze? I
>>> haven't decided yet if I am going to replace the slightly worn shoe as
>>> well. I think the shoe is actually bronze. Does that sound correct?
>>>
>>> Thanks for the input,
>>> Chip
>>> *s/v Natalie B #456*
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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
>>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> 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
> 

-- 
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
   I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
   So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
   So many I love were not yet born.                          also see:
                'The Middle' by Ogden Nash     http://idiacomputing.com
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------