New Chain Plates

While I was in the process of refitting my boat over the winter I was taking the last of certification courses designed to teach CNC manufacturing and basically to allow me to get a job as an operator. The final class I was taking was using hand mills and lathes and I thought what better project to learn some new skill doing than making some new chain plates and rudder cap things that would need to be machined and no doubt for a decent amount of money if brought to a machining shop. So I ordered the correct metals from an online supplier. I initially only intended to replace the side chain plates however after inspection of the rear and forward ones I opted to replace them all. Almost all the chain plates showed certain signs of metal fatique, crevice corrosion, microscopic cracks. The chain plates after removal revealed that none had ever been replaced as the p30 and 1971 dates were written on many in sharpie. I drew the pieces in the flat and ordered the materiel's.

Using a 1/8in center drill I pre-drilled all the holes for the bolts, Then used a 13/32" drill bit for the bolt holes and a 1/2" drill bit for the topmost hole. I used a scribe and blueing to trace the rounded over top onto the plates. using a grinder and a flap wheel to create the round overs. I used a 40 ton press to bend the chain plates. I paid a local welder to weld the forward chain plate.

#KneeMill #316Stainless #DIY #Welding #Machining #PearsonP30 #P30 #Pearson #StandingRigging