Mast and Boom - Replacements

Kenneth K

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
toddster said:
Putting everything back together with plenty of Tef-Gel and 3m Scotchrap 50 tape under the flat parts.
Click to expand...

Haven't heard of the Scotchrap idea. Just putting another barrier between the metals? Where'd you get the Scotchrap?

Also, I need to tap some 1/4" threads into the mast. Can go 1/4-20 or 1/4-28. The finer thread might be better for holding power but I wonder of aluminum is too soft a metal for the fine threads--or maybe I'd be more likely to screw up the tapping job with the 1/4-28. Any recommendations?
 
toddster

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Kenneth K said:
Haven't heard of the Scotchrap idea. Just putting another barrier between the metals? Where'd you get the Scotchrap?

Also, I need to tap some 1/4" threads into the mast. Can go 1/4-20 or 1/4-28. The finer thread might be better for holding power but I wonder of aluminum is too soft a metal for the fine threads--or maybe I'd be more likely to screw up the tapping job with the 1/4-28. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

A large roll of it is sort of expensive, and maybe few people will use that much? Catalina Direct sells small pieces, though probably the unit price ends up being silly. I actually heard about it in a spam email/blog post from CD. I seem to be on their mailing list.

All the threaded holes on my mast are 1/4-20. I did notice that a couple of them that I Tef-Gelled a few years ago were loose, and would have eventually fallen out (What? You don't climb the mast and inspect everything between sails?) Maybe loc-tite is a better idea? No idea what the "old" hardware was doped with, but it's white and hardened.

So, the mainsail track is riveted on and everything else is screwed on. I wonder what the rule is for choosing? Just labor-savings?
 
toddster

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
The plot thickens! In the course of finding those links above, I saw that Catalina Direct is advertising this stuff as "self-adshesive Delrin sheets." But what they are actually selling is pieces of Scotchrap 50, which is a vinyl tape, and much, much cheaper than Delrin (acetal.) 3M does have an acetal tape, but it is completely different. I don't see why Scotchrap wouldn't work for this application, but they are jacking the price about 10X. A good price for Delrin, but a lousy price for Scotchrap. I guess that's the "boat factor." BTW: CD official policy is "No returns for non-Catalina owners." I used to get the same stuff at the irrigation supply place - it's also used for joining sections of plastic drain pipe.
 
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