# A Small Rope Pulley For A Sail Boat



## Starlight Tools (Oct 28, 2011)

Delrin is the prefered choice of material for rope sheaves, but looked good for what you made.

Walter


----------



## Starlight Tools (Oct 29, 2011)

Delrin comes in White and Black  Common Name is Acetal.

My supplier usually carries the white, so that is what I keep in stock.  

Here is a spec sheet on it.

http://www.plasticsintl.com/datasheets/Delrin_150.pdf

Walter


----------



## reds (Oct 29, 2011)

starlight_tools said:


> Delrin comes in White and Black  Common Name is Acetal.
> 
> My supplier usually carries the white, so that is what I keep in stock.
> 
> ...



Walter 

Do you think the Acetal would hold up with an anchor rode rolling on it,  20' of chain is attached to the anchor?

I now have aluminum pulleys that are in need of replacing and this seems like a good replacement.

Mike


----------



## Starlight Tools (Oct 29, 2011)

Just about every sheave on the sailboat is made from Delrin.  Very tough material.

There is an immmense amount of friction forces on the sheets (sheets are the lines that are used to control the sails)  and over time the delrin gets worn away.

It is what I would probably use for that application.

My other thought would be the hard neoprene rollers that are used for boat trailers, etc.  One with a wide Vee would probably work well and would handle the roughness of the chain.

Walter


----------



## reds (Oct 29, 2011)

starlight_tools said:


> Just about every sheave on the sailboat is made from Delrin.  Very tough material.
> 
> There is an immmense amount of friction forces on the sheets (sheets are the lines that are used to control the sails)  and over time the delrin gets worn away.
> 
> ...



Thanks Walter


----------



## Hawkeye (Oct 29, 2011)

High Molecular Weight Polyethylene might be worth checking out. It machines well, but doesn't respond to sanding. Very abrasion-resistant. As a pulley for rope and/or chain, I think it would work well.


----------

