DIY Seaboard Deadeyes for HM Rigging

[csandys]

I've been looking into HM rigging. I've been considering milling my own deadeyes out of 1/2 inch "Seaboard - Polyethylene". I've been building small fittings with Seaboard and it machines nicely.

I was thinking the compression strength may not be good enough for standing rigging, but then I read about people using wood for deadeyes.

Any thoughts?

[Jack]

I know Mike at Strongline in Australia originally used Stainless eyes. They looked similar to a heavy duty eye that you see in anchoring ropes. Within a year the SS eyes were elongating out of shape. The forces involved are big. He switched when he found a good substitute.

I know a big cat that was self built in New Zealand had SS eyes also. He welded a bar across the open eye to try to combat the forces that were trying to elongate it. I think it worked until he found the lashing ropes were piled on top each other and could not be adjusted. Last I saw he was switching out. But these are big boats, big loads.

What size rig are you talking about? A small enough boat and I would give it a try. I would be cautious over about 20' though. Just my thinking out loud. The wood they are using for dead eyes is more like Iron wood or some really dense hard stuff isn't it?

[benz]

Hi,

I, too, delight in machining seaboard, and have found it useful in a variety of places, but I don't think deadeyes made of it would suit. It is pretty soft stuff, which is why it machines so sweetly, but the lanyard holes would quickly deform and get cut deeper and deeper. It also tends to get softer in the hot sun, which would speed the deforming process. For my money, the best things going out there are the aluminum Colligo Marine deadeyes. I only wish I could afford a set.....

Ben