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Extemporaneous · 04-04-2008, 20:29

I really don't know the forces involved so I'm looking for opinions on whether or not the people feel that the specifications of the material in the attachment would make good Winch Pads.
It can be laminated together in layers to become as thick as you needed and it can be shaped reasonably easily.
Is there any of you that could evaluate the attached information and suggest if it would make a good winch pad?

Evan · 04-04-2008, 23:27

What is it? I'm guessing some form of UHMW??

**Alan Wheeler** · 05-04-2008, 01:54

It looks like a very tuff form of engineering plastic. Are you wanting to make a spacer or pad to protect Gel coat or???

Extemporaneous · 05-04-2008, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

It looks like a very tough form of engineering plastic. Are you wanting to make a spacer or pad to protect Gel coat or???

It would only be a spacer to the degree that it would be used to adjust the approach angle of the genoa sheet and bring the axis of that winch to be correct in relation to the sheet (the surround of my cockpit where the winch is mounted is sloped toward the water and to the stern). On a good heal your reaching over and close to the water.
It would be a very odd shape with a larger diameter at the base of the pad and a smaller diameter (diameter of winch base) at the top of the pad. In plan view the radius points of the top and bottom plains of the pad would be offset. The top and bottom surface of the pad would not be parallel. I haven't figured it out exactly but with about a 10 inch diameter (Andersen 58's) the difference in thickness (base to top) of the pad from one side to the opposite side (plan view) would likely be about 2 inches. In elevation view the angle from the top plain to the bottom plain of the winch pad would vary in steepness.
Doing my best to use words to describe this but I'm not sure if my best is good enough?
Can you envision what I am trying to describe??
I will have to draw it eventually but that will be tough for me also.
Do you think the material is strong enough?

imagine2frolic · 05-04-2008, 11:06

I am confused, but that's nothing new! This pedastal is hollow, but anchored from below.

Extemporaneous · 05-04-2008, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan

What is it? I'm guessing some form of UHMW??

I was hoping to get some response based on the specifications alone.
It is a well known material that has been around along time although perhaps no one has thought to use it in this application? Or maybe they have?
It's Corian.

Do you think UHMW would be better?

delmarrey · 05-04-2008, 11:21

It looks good to me!

The tensile is good, Light resistance is good but I would paint it anyway. It looks much like what I used under my windlass, Acetal.

But solid mahogany works very well and a lot less expensive. Just give it a couple coats of epoxy to keep it dry, one thinned or w/ Penetrol and one standard.

EZer to work with too!

**Alan Wheeler** · 05-04-2008, 14:48

Ummm, Coarian here in NZ is a plastic material bench tops are made from. Is that the same thing?? So are you considering molding the Corian and pouring in the stuff or taking the already made material and shaping it.
A high density plastic like Del mentioned maybe better. It would not be as brittle as Corian. However, you will have to shape it to "wedge" you need and that may not be so easy.
One other way of doing this is using Epoxy Resin and a filler material. Make a mold of the shape you want, mix up Resin and a filler powder and pour it in to the mold. You will need to use a very slow "summer" hardener so as the resin does not over heat.

Extemporaneous · 05-04-2008, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

I am confused, but that's nothing new! This pedastal is hollow, but anchored from below.

Not a very good drawing, but perhaps it will serve better than my command of the English Language?

Extemporaneous · 05-04-2008, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

I am confused, but that's nothing new! This pedastal is hollow, but anchored from below.

A little better picture.
Now I just have to figure out how to shape it.

Extemporaneous · 05-04-2008, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Ummm, Coarian here in NZ is a plastic material bench tops are made from. Is that the same thing?? So are you considering molding the Corian and pouring in the stuff or taking the already made material and shaping it.
A high density plastic like Del mentioned maybe better. It would not be as brittle as Corian. However, you will have to shape it to "wedge" you need and that may not be so easy.
One other way of doing this is using Epoxy Resin and a filler material. Make a mold of the shape you want, mix up Resin and a filler powder and pour it in to the mold. You will need to use a very slow "summer" hardener so as the resin does not over heat.

Don't know if it is the same. I think I'll laminate 1/2 inch layers and then I'll shape it. Not sure how yet?

delmarrey · 06-04-2008, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Extemporaneous

Don't know if it is the same. I think I'll laminate 1/2 inch layers and then I'll shape it. Not sure how yet?

As stiff as that stuff appears, it'll have to be very flat to laminate and the bonding adhesive will have to fill all the voids from there. Once you start tightening down the winch bolts the voids will start to crush and start a possible de-lamination.

To shape it one would have to drill a tooling hole in the middle, install a bolt with a center hole in the head. Then chuck up the opposite end in a lathe chuck, center the end and turn the angled side.

The top angle can be milled by threading the tooling hole from the bottom and mounting a rectangle bar with two set screws to keep it from rotating. Mount that in a mill vice at whatever angle and cut the top.

Pretty simple actually!