Rigging tension gauge

[David Lindsey]

Just a quick tidbit that may interest a few of you;

I have just fabricated myself a tension gauge using my 3D printer. I was going to buy a Loos & Co. gauge (see photo) but was irked at the cost. So I found an .stl file on Thingsiverse. Pretty straight forward print. The trick is finding the right springs. 

As you can see I tensioned a piece a scrap shroud between two vices and used turnbuckles to tension. Mike Joclyn loaded me his gauge which allowed me to calibrate my homemade version. 

True, it's not as sophisticated as the commercial product be it should work.

David Lindsey

CAN 046

[Robert Harper]

Nice. I don't have a printer so I'd assume it would cost me more to get a printer and make one.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Swift Solo Discussions" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swiftsolo+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/a6c60099-a6a9-4220-bea2-dbd38663a62bn%40googlegroups.com.

-- 
Don't be good. Have fun.
Live large, sail fast, and love lots.

[David Lindsey]

Yes. But several of the Swifties may have access to a printer. Just putting it out there....

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/338bfabe-13cb-8b76-2bd4-44cd826cd04e%40xmission.com.

[Philip Ryan]

I like it. If I had been smart enough to think of it, not having a printer, I would have scrubbed it out by hand and wasted far more time than the cost of the tool...

Nice project. The reality is that the commercial gague is no more accurate than anything you would fabricate because we use it on spectra/dyneema which is far more flexible than the wire it was designed for. With either tool, you have calibrate it for spectra, or make a conversion chart, or just use it as a relative tension measurement tool.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/CAHyCSvPVbH0TX7zFx5Q9Qifr-hWSNv-PnNPn%3DB10-nJki5RUHA%40mail.gmail.com.

[David Lindsey]

I think you’re right on. It is just a relative measurement tool. The fact is you can make one out of just about anything. In fact, you could probably make one quicker than using a 3D printer. It was just a project to ease me into using the printer. There are a plethora of files available for sailing hardware. 

As a didactic learner, it was shocked at the tension in the dyneema at the 30 setting. I broke one turnbuckle and literally pulled one of the vices out of the bench! Helps me to appreciate the forces acting on the boat. And this is just STATIC loading! 

David Lindsey 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/CAD9YQ06Xmsiys28e%3DeZ1djEH6We8tNHC%2B5WA%2BT1CVZ_BRFmgpA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Philip Ryan]

Ha! Yes. The total static compression through the mast step of the boat is enormous (on the order of a ton) when the boat is wound up for proper heavy air use. Heavy air is when you tend to lose control of the boat and go from 20 + kts to zero in 1 meter (otherwise known as crashing, or a swimming lesson). I tend to assume (without any real engineering knowledge) that the dynamic loads double while sailing (dropping off waves) and quadruple in a good invigorating crash.

My assumptions are based on the working and breaking loads of fairly fresh spectra and wire that has broken in use, at mid strand locations (not @ terminals or knots).

Heavier sailors can function with lower tensions, but lighter sailors need a lot more.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/CAHyCSvOwt_JFQp6Xaa-kj%2B0zC%3DJzZ0Yi91WhjE0%2BF7MZ8Rq%3D5A%40mail.gmail.com.

[David Lindsey]

I think you have heaps of engineering knowledge Swifty ;)

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftsolo/CAD9YQ05aOgTLW2b%2BSfTgN7rfe6EG_hj79hiK9%3Dm2pUNJurGEJA%40mail.gmail.com.