Regalvanize anchor chain

Status
Not open for further replies.
Carl sv WINDROSE

Carl sv WINDROSE

.
Jun 1, 2004
50
Hunter h40 Solomons, MD
Can anyone recommend a source to regalvanize a rusty anchor chain?
Philadelphia-Baltimore-Southern MD-DC area would be best for us.

We have 100 feet of ACCO 5/16 HT steel chain (backed up with 200 feet of 5/8 three-strand nylon). It is 10 years old, including three seasons in the salty Bahamas. It's got a lot of surface rust but nothing that is structurally threatening.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

.
Feb 10, 2004
4,098
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
I had the same issue with my 7-8 year-old ACCO 5/16 HT, and I replaced it. I could not find a re-galvanizing service that was less expensive than new chain.
 
S

Steve Dion

.
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
There is a source in Oakland Ca., but the freight will probably not make it worth while. Freight is going to cost about $1-$2/lb & the cost was $.39/lb 5 years ago.

The chain weighs about 100# (freight two ways + process). I think you can find chain cheaper at your local chain store!
 
Ivan

Ivan

.
May 17, 2004
234
Hunter 356 Solomons MD
Not a good solution.

Carl:

I would urge caution as I see two problem areas. The first is that before any shop could re-galvanize the chain they would have to first either sandblast all the links to bare metal or acid-etch them to bare metal. While certainly feasible this adds to the cost which may make the entire attempt to save the chain cost as much or nearly as much as new chain, and therefore not a good solution.

The more serious problem is that there probably are very many stress-caused micro-cracks in most of the links, which are not necessarily visible to the unaided eye. These micro-cracks would be covered over by a re-galvanization, and you would have a chain with reduced strength even though it looked great. Unfortunately there is no way to calculate the loss of ultimate tensile strength or even the reduced yield strength of the chain, and so you would be stuck with a chain of unknown strength, which would probably degrade further with time as the micro-cracks opened more with use, and whose integrity you could not rely on in a hard blow.

In your shoes I would buy a new chain.
 
E

Endurance2010

.
Apr 20, 2010
119
Hunter 34 San Mateo
Carl: I reconditioned my anchor chain by stripping off the rust and painting it with a nice silver colored Rustoleum - using a brush. See my posts from this summer. About 10 hours of time, maybe less if you're focused.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom