Bronze Ideal windlass chime job

[ColdEH]

CHROME JOB !!


Hi all , I know this will upset some people but I just could not stand looking at my green windlass any more. It took many years for it to get that way but if it does not shine it does not look Bristol fashion to me . So i took the capstan , wildcat , and chain pipe off and decided to get it chromed . Took a lot of polishing and glass beading to get it to the point where it could be plated . All parts are done and at the plater now , will have it back next week . This is how it looked after a little sanding and polishing . I will post a pick as soon as I get it all back.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[zeehag]

to each his own. i prefer the look of patina on bronze, meself.
your shiny looks pretty.

[ColdEH]

I know , a lot do . I spent my teenage years as a Sea Cadet and spent endless hours polishing bronze on board various ships . Always being told to get that green off and make it shine , just stuck with me I guess . I don't want to be constantly polishing the darn thing so I guess Chrome is the answer . You can order them that way from Ideal if you want .

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ryon]

I wouldn't clean the mess in my bunk unless you flogged me, but there is something about Nevr-Dull that just goes good with coffee and mornings.

[SVTwilight]

Beautiful! Nice work!

[bailsout]

Save the Earth! Go "green"!

[redhead]

So how DO you get the green stuff that remains after polishing in filigree stuff? I've tried qtips but it's not working. I have a lot of other stuff to do and this shouldn't bother me but...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[oleman]

On our work boat the only thing that ever gets shined is the ships bell.
We have raw water filters that are bronze, we remove them when doing the annual on the raw water system and soak them in large bucket of vinegar, along with the rest of the bronze that will remove the green and also make them brite.
Our beat-up nodular iron capstan and ht anchor chain gets painted.
We are saving the spit and polish for the able bodied seaman that we will hire when we make a profit.

[ColdEH]

To get the green out of the wildcat I put it in my small sandblasting cabinet and used glass beads . Work really well got it very clean. The plater told me it had to be spotless . I should get it back on Wednesday. I left the deck plate as it was and I will polish it up and put a two part clear on it before the capstan goes back on . To have removed it would have damaged it and the works just fine so I decided to live with the bronze base . I have a stainless Ultra Anchor , now they will match

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[buzzstar]

As a patina fan, I hate to say it, but the plating is beautiful. Mixed and unmatched may lead to a different opinion. Time and maintenance of the new/old equipment leaves more room for doubt. Reliable operation with proper but reasonable effort is a big consideration, as is free time and, as always, the budget.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by redhead

So how DO you get the green stuff that remains after polishing in filigree stuff? I've tried qtips but it's not working. I have a lot of other stuff to do and this shouldn't bother me but...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pI8e1_CLzM

The hardware may be varnish or lacquer coated at present to help prevent tarnishing,in which case you may have to get that coating off with lacquer thinner,nail polish remover or acetone.
Re-spray with canned spray lacquer after cleaning.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-12...5210/100561040

[Aqualibrium]

Practicality has a beauty all of its own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Cate]

A bit late to mention this, but if the warping drum is polished to a mirror finish, it will have a hard time gripping the line when in use. We found that out with re-chromed deck winches where the plater ground off the knurling on the drums and polished them. Beautiful, but didn't work for squat!

Jim

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by zeehag

to each his own. i prefer the look of patina on bronze, meself.
your shiny looks pretty.

Years ago I had a 37ft Nicholson in HK, all teak and with the fittings regularly polished by the boat girl looking after her. By the late 70s when I bought her, most of the chrome was polished-off and the brass/bronze fittings glowed beautifully. The boat girl polished it every week and coated it with vaseline. This was quickly wiped-off on a Friday, so all gleamed ready for me at the weekend.
1980 or so did some renovation and spoke with Lewmar - after a lot of discussion, they agreed to supply a few new winches (including 2 spread self tailers) before they were chromed. (Seems this is a routine option nowadays - I always wonder if I was a trend setter!)

Point of this tale - use plenty of vaseline - or get yourself some external labour to do the polishing.
Or agree with Zeehag and enjoy the results of nature, which is pretty much the ethos of the cruising clan anyway

[Jim Cate]

Point of this tale - use plenty of vaseline - or get yourself some external labour to do the polishing.

Ahhh, just the thing: grease on your winch drums...

Jim