Mast Head Sheave on my Triton

[carterskemp]

hi all,

my bakelite mast head sheave is chipped around the edges and i would like to replace.

any ideas?

rebuild the exact same 6.5" O.D./ 0.5" I.D. sheave?
out of plastic?
out of aluminum?

re-do the system for 2 sheaves?

right now, i am planning on turning an identical replacement out of aluminum, but i just thought i would throw it out there to see if anybody has any ideas on the topic.

thanks,

carter

[Rachel]

It sounds like you will probably make your own, but just in case you are interested, I have heard good things about Zephyrwerks, who make sheaves:

http://zephyrwerks.com/

[carterskemp]

ooh. them do look nice...

$100.

will go the self-made route this time. I think.

thanks!

c.

[Zach]

I'm going phenolic, like the old one. Phenolic is pretty much bomb proof... On my mast the axle was just a bolt with a lock nut on one side. No compression tubes. The side plates of the sheave were just two pieces of 1/8th inch aluminum held apart by a pin and a cotter key... Very basic, but hey... it worked for 50 years.

Order an offcut through a plastic distributor rather than trying to buy it at retail... saves some cash.

I'm figuring a circle cutting guide on router to get a round sheave. Mine uses a 1/8th inch pin to rotate on. I'd drill the hole on a drill press, and use it as the pilot hole to step it up to the correct size for the axle.

Then building a jig hold the blank vertically on a bolt between two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood with a cleat on each side, and screwing the router base down to another piece of 3/4 on top. Clamp the top in place and pick up on the centerline of the sheave. Then just fire up the router with a ball endmill the right size for your rope halyard...

Fire up the router, rotate... stops taking material shut it back down and lower the cutter.

A 45 degree endmill would do the trick if you are wanting to stay with a wire halyard.

Thats my two cents. For me it'd save driving 8 hours round trip to my folks machine shop. It'd be more accurate with a cnc mill, and turning the groove on a lathe... but big deal, its a masthead sheave.

Zach

Edited because I can't spell.