Bow Roller Wheels

[hpeer]

Seeking a US source of supply for bow roller wheels. I'm looking for the grooved type where the chain links can sit into a depression, then the roller slopes up and away.

I'm going to be building a new bowsprit with a built in anchor roller. I thought the wheels would be fairly easy to come by, but apparently not so.

The kind I'm looking for are describe here at Steve Dashew's site.

SetSail» Blog Archive » Handling Anchor Chain

I've kinda worn out Google w/o luck.

Many thanks

[gjordan]

hpeer, find out what the plastic that Dashew recomends is and buy a chunk, then have a local maqchinist turn it for you on a lathe. Machinist get a kick out of working with something that easy to work with. I think it will be easier to build your bowsprit and have a piece of plastic turned to fit rather than building your sprit according to the dimention of something you have purchased._____Grant. P.S. build to the next size larger than you think you need in case you decide to move up in anchor weight.

[rhprop]

Try this link
Sea-Dog : Quality Marine, Industrial and Rigging Hardware

[Andrew Troup]

Yes, gjordan's suggestion would be the way to go, I reckon.

You could put up a post on practicalmachinist.com to find a local hobby machinist or small jobbing shop in your area.

I've made rollers out of Nylatron GSM (tough dark gray nylon-based polymer, made for making gears out of). 20 years on they still work well. Make sure they allow plenty of clearance on the axle: Nylon does swell more than most plastics when wet.

Aluminium also makes a good bow roller, tough and yet easy on the chain. Only advisable for a proper grooved type as the OP proposes, though... and needs to be plastic bushed (using bushes with flanges or heads), if it's going to last on a stainless axle.

The main thing is to go for the biggest diameter you possibly can.

[delmarrey]

If your wanting a grooved roller to keep the chain from twisting, then I can tell you it will not work that way. Chains will even twist in a gypsy if twisted bad enough. Also the chain will climb the edges of a grooved roller if not pulled straight on.

I was going to build a die feeder to help keep my chain from twisting but I was worried about the galvanize wearing off, as mentioned above. One just has to pull all the chain once in awhile and feed it back in straight as general maintenance.

[HopCar]

Is this what you're looking for?

Windline sells them in several sizes. I think I've got some in stock.
Here is a link to Windline, scroll down to see the different sizes.
https://windline.com/index.php?act=viewmodels&cat=17

[Blue Stocking]

Make a solid metal roller, as large a diameter as possible, shaft as large as possible,
groove deep enough that the links before and after can fully rest 2 surfaces on the roller.
Flare the 0utboard guides as much as 45* off centerline to allow for veering at anchor.
IMHO

[hpeer]

Thanks guys for all the ideas. I have a bunch to chew on.

Was at Bacons in Annapolis today, looking at consignment rollers for ideas. Lots of really small diameter stuff in really heavy housings. Weird.

[Cheechako]

" Make a solid metal roller, as large a diameter as possible, shaft as large as possible,
groove deep enough that the links before and after can fully rest 2 surfaces on the roller.
Flare the 0utboard guides as much as 45* off centerline to allow for veering at anchor. "

Yeah...GOOD!
There are rollers all over Ebay. I think the groove helps if deep enough, but as said, it will not totally eliminate chain twisting. That hard ureathane is pretty durable really.

[FSMike]

I believe those types of rollers are available in various shapes and sizes from most places that deal with trailers for outboard powered boats.

[cat man do]

Delrin used here though I felt sure in some latter post they had aluminium ones


DOMINO 20: Bow Roller

[hpeer]

Grainier, delrin, good.

Edit...also I just saw delrin available at online metals at up to 7inch diameter, listed as UHMW.

Wonder if I could turn it down on my wood lathe?

[S/V Antares]

You can get Delryin at McMaster Carr in 1 ft lenghts. I am in the Bahamas until June but if you find yourself in Annapolis after June 1, I would be happy to turn a roller for you on my lathe.

[rtbates]

I used the bow holder off a trailer. It's a very hard rubber material with the v shape. Works great. Holds the anchor better than the old metal roller.

[Blue Stocking]

The synthetic rollers are great for silencing noise from the chain, while at anchor, for instance.
The problem that I had was that they tended to have a thin wall metal sleeve on a small diameter axle.
If this sleeve got distorted, even by just a fraction, it stopped the roller from rotating, which soon allows the chain to chew up the roller.
I know , you are supposed to snub the chain, but one quick squall on a Sunday afternoon, can create a "if i just took the time---" situation.