Brass rings for rigging on HMS Bounty

[DaveBaxt]

Although I am currently still a way off rigging. I have noticed the brass rings that secure the ropes to the deck are very soft and would not take much to open them up again as you do when attaching them to the copper eye pins. It has occurred to me do they need a drop of CA glue to prevent this or should the lines not be too taught to make this happen ? I do read on here though that some people do not like to use CA glue anywhere.

[allanyed]

Hi Dave

Are you talking about eyebolts or rings?   

Allan

[DaveBaxt]

3 hours ago, allanyed said:

Hi Dave

Are you talking about eyebolts or rings?   

Allan

A I haven't been very specific eye bolts then rings. Its the rings I am worried about. Cheers Dave

[Cornhusker1956]

I have had more problems with rigging slipping through the split on the rings - I just spot soldered them together.

 

David

[allanyed]

Dave,    

   I have gone from brass to copper when possible and making copper rings or eye bolts is quite simple actually.  For rings, wrap an appropriate diameter UN-coated copper wire around a drill bit, the OD of which is the same as the ID of the rings that you need.   I usually give about 10 or 12 wraps then remove from the drill bit and you will have a spring of sorts.  Then with small snippers  cut individual rings.   Close the ends with small pliers or even your fingers so they are touching and then soft solder the joint.   

I like to use soldering paste for these tiny pieces rather than pieces of hard solder.  Easier to apply to the joint without putting on too much solder.  Once this is done they can be cleaned up with acetone or pickling solution and painted.   You can blacken them with liver of sulfur as well, but it will not blacken where there is any solder on the wire based on my experience.    If you can manage to keep any excess solder off of the ring,  or clean it off after they are made, you can  then blacken them while they are in place with liver of sulfur (for copper, not brass).  See Ed Tosti's Young America build log as he gives good detail on copper work and using liver of sulfur. 

If the application calls for a ring in an eyebolt, make the rings and solder them, insert into the eyebolt before closing and soldering the eye, then close the eye and solder the eye.

 

Allan

Edited February 17, 2021 by allanyed

[DaveBaxt]

Thanks everyone for all your replys. I think I will probably end up soldering them. I like the idea of using the soldering paste. Does this kind of solder work with all types of solder iron or is it best used with a gas soldering iron.? Best regards Dave

Edited February 17, 2021 by DaveBaxt

[allanyed]

I use a soldering gun with this solder.   Gas torch is great for silver solder but this paste has a very low melt temp and a torch could blow the solder off the part.   I literally hold the trigger on the gun for 10 seconds and it does the job.

Allan

 

[DaveBaxt]

Cheers Allan for clearing this up for me. I have been watching a video on youtube which is very helpfull I think it might be one of yours ?

[Bob Cleek]

16 hours ago, allanyed said:

 I usually give about 10 or 12 wraps then remove from the drill bit and you will have a spring of sorts.  Then with small snippers  cut individual rings. 

Have you ever tried leaving the wire coil on the drill bit and then sawing through the whole coil parallel with the drill bit shaft with a jeweler's saw while it's still on the bit, then sliding all the rings off at once? I prefer this method because it leaves the ends of the rings square, which makes joining them together for soldering much easier. I find using a nippers, which I do when I'm only making two or three rings, often leaves the ends of the rings "pinched" with a bevel instead of square. Cutting with a nipper also sometimes sends a ring sailing off into the ozone, as well.

[allanyed]

Bob,   I have tried the sawing method and it does not work for me.  It removes metal which in the end changes the diameter of the ring, abeit not much,  but enough that I then need to always have to figure out the size of a larger rod size to compensate, etc.    When I snip each ring I intentionally do so at an angle as this leaves the beveled edge you mention which I want because it yields more surface area for the solder.  Whatever works in the end, right?  

 

What I really want to know is if there is anything out there that will blacken   solder as well as brass and/or copper.

 

Allan