Loos gauge vs load cells?

[jeffbonny]

Lately I've run into a couple of situations where I would have liked to have put load cells temporarily into systems with 1/4" and 5/16" wire but for several reasons it wasn't logistically possible. I'm not of the pushing up the wife-beater scratching yer belly "jeez, I hope this works" school and I gotta learn a way of quickly and accurately measuring dynamic loading without an in-line device like a load cell or dynamometer. Never having used a Loos gauge I'm wondering if it would be of any use to me or if it's real value is just measuring relative tension? Any other tools that would fit my bill?

Any experience and advise on this one appreciated.

jeff
vancouver.bc.ca

[jeffbonny]

33 views and no opinions? Jeez, that's like the joke "so 33 riggers walk past a bar.........hey, it COULD happen." I guess I need to ask a better question............

I've used a non in-line tension gauge for spokes building bike wheels and know their value and while I've done a lot of some kinds of rigging I'm new to yacht rigging and I don't have a lot of opinions from which to draw in my immediate circle. What are the pros and cons of the different tools available...the Fulmer Tension Meter, Loos, Dillon and the like? I'm going to buy one this week and any opinions on what works and why would be hugely valuable to me.

Thanks.
jeff

[Edward Bruce Harland]

I've used loos guages for many years now on a variety of boats. Right now I use a PT-2metric guage which gives me accurate consistent readings. I have more faith in these than the old 90 and 91 tension guages by Loos, but these used to work well also. I race Melges 24's and a 30' cruiser racer and quarter tonners, with 5mm and 6mm 1 x 19 ss rigging. We adjust the rigging every time we go sailing and these are the best tool I know of to check tension.

Hope this helps

[Brion Toss]

Howdy,
I've been trapped at a boat show for a few days, so at least I didn't walk past the bar...
We've used Loos gauges (PT) under way to good effect. I'm sure that they aren't as accurate as a true load cell (and they say so in their instructions), so it really depends what level of accuracy your situation requires. Also, with a lot of use we have found the accuracy of our readings degrading, as the bushings and springs wear, so we regularly cycle our gauges back for rebuilding.
Having said that, I see these gauges simply as ways to speed up a process which is essentially non-gauge-dependent. We first establish whether or not the wire is the right size, then put the mast where we want it, and then do a static tune, but what really matters is how the rig behaves under way.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss