Galvanised Chain.

[Nasher]

All

A neighbour of mine made a passing comment to me over the weekend that he’d managed to get hold of some hot dip galvanised anchor chain at a very good price.

I didn’t think anything of it until later on when I thought:-

How the hell do you hot dip Galvanise chain without it forming into a solid lump when the solution hardens off?

Or am I just being daft?


Nasher.

[blinddog]

I'd agree with you, you're just daft

[alystra]

Originally Posted by Nasher

All

A neighbour of mine made a passing comment to me over the weekend that he’d managed to get hold of some hot dip galvanised anchor chain at a very good price.

I didn’t think anything of it until later on when I thought:-

How the hell do you hot dip Galvanise chain without it forming into a solid lump when the solution hardens off?

Or am I just being daft?


Nasher.

Asked the question of the manufacturers when I ordered chains for my ketch many years ago. The chains are put in a 'tumbler', or revolving mesh drum, which is dipped in the molten zinc and rotated after removal until the coating hardens.

I had it re-galvanised in a place in Glasgow. They didn't have a tumbler, just hit it with hammers till all the links freed up. Not as good though as there were bits that weren't covered - however it didn't go rusty. I presume the surrounding zinc was protection enough.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by Nasher

How the hell do you hot dip Galvanise chain without it forming into a solid lump when the solution hardens off?

I thought they took all the chain into space and did it in a zero G factory?

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by alystra

The chains are put in a 'tumbler', or revolving mesh drum,

Not flipping Washine machines again

[ashbypower]

In fact its a 4 stage process.

Stage 1 - Dismantle Chain.
Stage 2 - Hot dip galvanise.
Stage 3 - let it cool.
Stage 4 - Reassemble

[blinddog]

Originally Posted by alystra

Asked the question of the manufacturers when I ordered chains for my ketch many years ago. The chains are put in a 'tumbler', or revolving mesh drum, which is dipped in the molten zinc and rotated after removal until the coating hardens.

I had it re-galvanised in a place in Glasgow. They didn't have a tumbler, just hit it with hammers till all the links freed up. Not as good though as there were bits that weren't covered - however it didn't go rusty. I presume the surrounding zinc was protection enough.

The galvanising should protect the uncoated areas, because the zinc is a less noble material, the parent material becomes the cathode and the zinc works as the anode, the water is the electrolight, completing the corrosion circuit.
With bare parent material exposed this will excelerate giving a shorter life to the chain.
Sorry to be a saddo, but working with cathodic protection is part of my job.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

In fact its a 4 stage process.

Stage 1 - Dismantle Chain.
Stage 2 - Hot dip galvanise.
Stage 3 - let it cool.
Stage 4 - Reassemble

Dismantle the chain - what with a hacksaw???

[blinddog]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Dismantle the chain - what with a hacksaw???

Wi ye teeth

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Dismantle the chain - what with a hacksaw???