Pintles & Gudgeons - Metal for the making of

Pernicious Atavist

Canoe Sailing Publisher
The alleged source for pintles and gudgeons [that I'm aware of] is incommunicado, so I'll make my own.;)

Now, I have brass p's & g's I've been using for years in salt water and they are in fine shape, though I hear brass doesn't do well in salt water. Guess no one told my brass.... Anyway, is there a type brass that I may have that's making the difference?

I want to mount two gudgeons to the hull [EM White-type] and have scant facilities for making them, though the auto and wood shops on base may have the metal work bench, vise and anvil I need.

So, friends; ideas? Patterns? If I can buy, an affordable resource?
 
One of the problems with brass in salt water is dezincification due to galvanic activity. Your Gs&Ps probably don't spend enough time in it to see a difference. But, look at the little halos around the tacks on the inboard surfaces of the ribs of a canoe used regularly in salt water to see that there is an effect...

If you want to make your own you have two options:

- cast them: beg or borrow (but don't steal) some originals, or make a pattern. If using originals, don't use bent ones, like one commercial outfit did... If patternmaking, be sure you understand the concept of "draft" before starting out... You'll also likely need to know about cores. We're planning to offer another bronze casting class at the ABM this summer, if you want to try your hand at it.

- fabricate them: use appropriate sheet, bar, rod and/or tube stock and braze them together into the appropriate shapes. Cadmium-free brazing kits are available from McMaster-Carr. Google cadmium if you want to know why you don't want it. MAPP torches are not too expensive at HomeDespot (and will make future plumbing repairs go a lot faster). There was a good article on brazing hardware in WoodenBoat some years ago - their index will lead you right to it.

Cheers,
Dan (gearing up for a 3:30am departure Canoecopia-bound.

4 months to the Sailing Canoe Assembly!
 
It was hardware store brass...but the store was in Cocoa, does that count?

Dan? Dan? Casting? Uh--no. I'll check out the torch and cad. stuff. I [obviously] didn't know about the dezincing!

Thanks, guys!:cool:
 
Hi Ed

If you go to the thread / pintles & gudeons posted on 2/27/08 you will find photos of ones I made out of 1/4" brass.

I have used them in salt water with no ill effect.

let me know if you have any questions.

Mike
 
Back
Top