Alulimun

[Desiderata]

One of our comrades recently gave me a whisker pole that had been broken. A fairly apt effort to repair it had been made. The break was sawn flush and a sleeve made of the same diameter tube. The sleeve (say, 2-1/2' long)was then cut length-wise, slid over the break and then glued with liquid nails or some other almond colored adhesive. Actually a fairly clean job, but the adhesive failed and the pole rotates inside the sleeve when telescopic length adjustments are made. Back in the day- I knew enough from what acetylene welding I'd done, that the intended metal to be welded needs to be REALLY clean, so I bought a fresh wire wheel and barrel sander bit for my drill and went nuts on it. I prepared the break to be welded but when I approached my local mig welder-he declined saying it was too risky to try, so I'm back to adhesive. I first thought "5200", "that stuff is for REAL. But reading the tube said wood and fiberglass only. Anybody know what glue is best for this kind of repair?

 

[treilley]

5200 will work fine on aluminum. I can hear the faint echos of thousands of cursing sailors trying to remove aluminum portlights bedded with 5200.

 

[sleather]

Forespar?

I added an eye-strap to mine to use as a lift point and used S.S. pop-rivets. If they are the right length they dont interfere w/ the sliding tube. So IMHO some pop-rivets(~12 or so) would be stronger than any glue joint.

If going the 5200 route use some S.S. hose clamps for the "set" and leave them on. Cover w/ rigging tape.

 

[jkm]

I'm sort of old fashion in the sense I'd take it to a good steel guy and have him have a 'look see'.

A good shop will give you the best advice-they may turn you away and maybe they'll do it.

My guy can make anything from structural pieces to water fountains. I always go there first.

John

 

[Mort Fligelman]

Aluminum

The Pop rivots are the way to go......Just made a few modifications to mine and they work fine......

Over the years I have made and modified several spinnaker poles......the only way to go.....welding the aluminum will cause shrinkage.....warping.....and possibly making the T-6 hardened aluminum brittle, or soft.....I have friend who are knowledgable and I really do not remember everything.....

Mort Fligelman
Acapella
1987 E35-3

 

[SAILSHIGH]

Metal on late nite TV

Ok,

Not to show my true colors but on late night TV there is a company that advertises a Alum. metal that you can use to fix cracked parts. They were doing a transmission case repare with this product. It worked well and they commented on how it was actually stronger than original metal because of the alloy buildup. Now it would be tricky I am sure. But all you used was a torch to melt it. You could slowly build up the seem and file, grind, sand down the excess. I will look to find a name and get back at you soon.

Good luck,