re-plating rigging hardware

[Maranto]

We have the masts out of Maranto for painting and inspection. It is a good opportunity to address the finish on the standing rigging turnbuckles. They used to be chrome over bronze but most of the chrome has long since disappeared. They are original and are 30 years old. They are made by Ronstan and are the open barrel type. I have two options besides leaving them as they are. I can buy new barrels although they are not exactly the same. Or I can have the old ones plated. The cost difference is heavily in favour of the re-plating. The rigging guys who removed the masts would like to sell me new barrels and say there might be some problems with re-plating the "tired old" barrels. This rigging has never been stressed and in fact the same rigging guys say the rig is in great shape and somewhat over-built. They tell me the threads might be tired and the re-plating process may compromise them further. Any one out there had any experience or thoughts on this? Since the new barrels are shorter, some fitting changes may be required- even more work for the rigging guy. But I can't see that the old barrels can't be re-done and put back on. On the other hand, if the process shortens their life then maybe it isn't a good idea.
H'mmmmmmmmm

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Pete.

[Meerkat]

Old fittings should be magnafluxed (if that is even possible with bronze) to check for microscopic cracks before any replating is considered. (Sorry, I don't know exactly what the process of magnafluxing is, so I can't offer a more generic term.)

It's also worth considering whether or not new fittings and rigging are cheap insurance for your undoubtedly expensive masts.

[mark g]

If your hardware is in good condition then you should re plate. there is no substitute for the original. I have been re plating old bronze hardware for 28 years and I know what the old hardware is like compared to some of the junk cast oversees supplied today.

[Concordia..41]

Try and locate a machine shop that does platting also. I had some turnbuckles plate about 20 years ago in Miami. They were open barrel with double forked ends.
This was a very large shop that did a lot of plating and grinding bearing surfaces on large equipment and hydraulic cylinders.
They used a glass bead blaster to clean them up, dye penetrate to check for cracks and a thread gauge to check the threads. One of the eight barrels and one of the forks had a crack. I had a spare so this was no problem. They plated them with nickel like they use on guns instead of chrome. After plating they had to use a tap and dye on the threads as the plating builds up the surface.
This was a lot cheaper than replacing and as long as there are no fatigue cracks in the bronze, just as good as new.

Dave

[Buddy Sharpton]

Dumb question here, but I have 31 year old bronze turnbuckles that were never plated originally. Is the need to replate merely cosmetic, or does it offer some kind of protection I didn't know I have been missing? We just lube the threads and work them some when we can remember to do so.My shrouds and backstay turnbuckles really live inside those Davis white plastic tubular turnbuckle boots to protect my sails and sheets from grease and cotter pins, so I can't "enjoy" the dazzle of chrome anyway.

[Mike Field]

What's to enjoy, Buddy? If she were my boat I think I'd be dechroming them, not rechroming them.

[Maranto]

Buddy:
The re-chroming in my case is cosmetic. I cannot answer as to added protection.
There has always been a debate about bare bronze versus chrome with some saying that chrome has no place on a traditional wood boat. Each to their own. My Dad built Maranto, equipped her with chrome fittings because that is what he liked and so if I am to keep with tradition, those of the man who built her, I'll re-chrome the aging fittings over time. I have seen bare bronze on boats and just like the chrome - on some boats it looks great, on others it looks out of place to me. Again - eye of the beholder. On Maranto they would look out of place.
So, if the bare bronze works for you and it sounds like it has for 31 years, that's all that matters.

Regards,

Peter

[Mike Field]

Uh-oh. Sounds like I said something I shouldn't have. redface.gif :D