Pulley sheaves out of plastic hangers

[Walter Biles]

I discovered something that can make pretty fair pulley sheaves. 

 

My wife had some plastic hangers that we bought from Walmart, and one of them got the hook broken off of it. 

 

I had been trying to do wood dowl sheaves in my drill chuck and turning them with some files then parting them with my razor saw on back drag. 

 

I tried some of the straight sections of the hanger stock.  I used a drill bit to drill out the center for a pin to go through, then made the rope groove, and parted them.  I could make 5 or six with the stock without getting out from the chuck far enough to wobble much.  They came out pretty well, plus they are less prone to split like the dowels were.  I could actually make them thinner to where just the room for the rope groove was all that was necessary leaving just the lip at the edge of the rope groove.  With a bit of practice I think I can have all kinds of sheaves. Make sure those files have good sturdy handles.  You will not want the file to be too fine.  A little bit of tooth to the file works better on the plastic or the file will fill up quickly.  I used a good sturdy tool rest and braced the drill pretty well so it could not move.  I used the razor saw to part the sheaves.   

 

Walt Biles 

[tkay11]

Nice thought, Walt! How about some photos?

 

Tony

[Jim Lad]

Sounds like a good idea, Walt!

 

John

[wefalck]

OK, recycling is fashionable and a good thing to do. On the other hand, there are better and more durable plastics in rod-shape available.

 

wefalck

[Walter Biles]

Wefalck,

 

Thats true.  I live out in the sticks and can't get to a decent hardware store or anything.  We don't even have a model shop within 90 miles of us that has anything usable in ships.  I looked for most of a week and a half and tried dowel stock before finding that stuff.  It is amazing what you can come up with when you are "away from it all". 

 

Walt Biles

[Modeler12]

Walt I like your idea. It just shows again that all it takes is a little 'insight' and that is part of the fun.

 

Sorry Wefalck, but this time 'other plastics' etc don't do as well as ingenuity. If this works for you Walt, make me some, OK?

[wefalck]

True, if you don't have access, for whatever reason, to raw materials, you have to make do with what you have.

 

I just wanted to warn that plastics in consumer products often are of low quality, contain a lot of plasticisers and, therefore, are not very durable. One has to be aware of that, when building a model.

 

wefalck

[Walter Biles]

Jay,

 

I do think they would hold up better than wood, which I have seen used.  That would be okay for non-functioning demands, but was looking for a better lasting sheave.  I am going to try to re-setup my rig to take some pictures of what I did.  Also to take some pictures of the wood ones and the plastic ones.  I have to do file swapping from 1 computer to the other because my main desktop has some problems with camera downloading, so it will take me a few days.  I've been concentrating hard on my builld a lot.        Walt

 

Hey Wefalck,

 

Do you know where I could find some of those little brass sheaves?  I've seen some somewhere either on MSW 1.0 or this one.  I tried every kind of search I could think of to find some, but I could not come up with anything.  I am wanting to try to make the sails raise or lower if I can afford enough channels for my radio. I would really like to have some to try my ideas.  That was why I was trying to make some.   

 

Walt Biles

Edited May 22, 2013 by Walter Biles

[wefalck]

Walt,

 

I seem to have seen brass sheaves by various modelling suppliers on the Web. Whether these would be viable sources depends on the cost of shipping, I suppose - and what size you need. As I do tend to make such things myself, I cannot be more specific. Google seems to turn up a few links.

 

wefalck

[twintrow]

Walt

A good alternative to real sheaves is to use brass cannon truck wheels.  Several of the kit makers sell them.  I took some out of an old kit I had (don't recall now what it was) using for parts.  I've used them in catheads a couple times.

Tom

[Walter Biles]

Tony, John, Tom, Jay, & Wefalck,

 

Thanks for the replies to the earlier.  I'd have gotten back to you earlier, but my wife's health has had me away from home for some weeks now.  I'll see about getting some pictures soon. 

 

I really wish I had a small lathe capable of turning brass, and other such materials.  But not having gotten anything like that when I could aford it, I have to create my own tools now.  That limits my capacities for the metalic materials.  I did find some brass ones on one of the sites, but only in 1/4" or smaller.  That might work in the mast.  I may order a few when I can afford them.  Thank you all for your assistance and comments. 

 

Walter Biles

Edited June 17, 2013 by Walter Biles