Custom Fitting Work--Stem Band-Forestay Fitting

[Vincent Serio III]

Below are some pictures of the stemhead fitting and stem band from my 18' Hampton One Design sailboat. I believe that what I have is a repair of an original one-part assembly.

It looks like chrome-plated steel for the fitting, and a 1/2" x 1/8" chrome- plated half-round stem band that has been welded to the fitting. I can use the fitting again as it's in good shape--but the band needs to be replaced.

Questions:

Anybody know of a good source for custom hardware work--i.e. attaching the band to the fitting?

Anybody know if this fitting/band combination exists as a replacement part?

See pics below:

Fitting at forestay attachment on stemhead with band welded (?) to fitting

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pab0ff11c6d959eeb4f65c6a9f46c999d/ec092db4.jpg

Top view of assembly

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pcffecaf488d2e318de11b5bb9f71eaba/ec092db3.jpg

Close up of repair

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/peafca0c96f2e666e2c3308ed39e8f4f5/ec092db2.jpg


Slight variation of what the assembly looks like:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid208/p5b2b09b948b031fd00234e6b984151ef/ee5be68b.jpg

And another....

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/p48dc9a04ae9b97b9ececbd3312dcd737/ec091d19.jpg

Thanks

[Bob Smalser]

Looks like the nosing was broken and one time and repaired with solder (?) and pins. It also looks like chrome-plated bronze from here.

If it's broken, it can be silver brazed easily enough by any weldor and your local automotive chrome shop can rechrome it.

[Vincent Serio III]

So Bob, would that shop also have half-round stock bronze to replace the stem band, or do you know a good source of supply where I can order that?

[dredbob]

Vincent,

Was it your dad or your grandad that designed that boat, and how did it end up in Idaho (a long way from the Chesapeake :)

Bob

[Vincent Serio III]

Granddad. See WB # 162.

Idaho is where I did my medical training and practice now.

I own two HOD's--restoring # 342 in my garage, and working to get #613 into the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

My restoration page is at:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287155413

[Bruce Hooke]

That is definitely not half-round stock. It might be half-oval. In either case, is there anything really wrong with it other than the break? If not then I don't see why you need to replace it. Just have them weld it back together. If a very short section (say 1") needs to be replaced they could probably use some existing bar stock and a little filing and grinding to fill in the missing section. Bronze half-oval is hard stuff to find.

[Bruce Hooke]

By the way, to answer one of your other questions, there are standard stemhead fittings available. They will not have the long section of half-oval attached to them as this one does...

[Thorne]

I think this was one of those standard fittings, with the long section of half-round added. The fitting in the last two pics is obviously wider than the long strip piece.

Why not just clean up & repair the one you have?

[Vincent Serio III]

The stem band is crooked and dinged up after years of use. Also broken at the south end and therefore about a foot short. Half oval is probably right. Will need a new section of stem band south of the break.

Seems like stainless stock is available in half oval--maybe more so than bronze as eluded to above. Despite Bob's pronouncement that the original piece is bronze--I don't think so. Seems like chrome plated steel from my examination. I'll try Jamestown for the stock unless others have any suggestions.

[Bruce Hooke]

Jamestown should have both brass and stainless half oval. My recollection based on past discussions here is that bronze half-oval simply is not available even from specialized bronze suppliers, but I could be wrong.

You should be able to get a good look at the metal at the busted end of the stem band. You might have to file it just a little to get some clean metal to look at. Fatigued metal at a break can turn funny colors.

[Bruce Hooke]

I think this was one of those standard fittings, with the long section of half-round added. The fitting in the last two pics is obviously wider than the long strip piece.

Why not just clean up & repair the one you have?

Note that the pictures off the boat and the pictures on the boat are not of the same fitting. I assume it is the fitting that is off the boat that is really the fitting that he is trying to repair and that the fitting on the boat is just to provide a general sense of the idea.

Vincent, before assuming that replacement is necessary, I would take the whole thing to a good machine shop/welder. It is suprising what they can fix and have come out as good as new or better.

[Thorne]

Bruce -

Yeah, I noticed the difference in the hardware, was just pointing out that the other sample piece really looked like a stock fitting with the half-round added, so his piece might be the same.

But I agree, why not see if the current one can be repaired, particularly if it was brazed/joined before.