Base wedge for winch.

[Appleyard]

I am planning to fit an extra S/T winch ,but need to fix it via a wedge shaped base to obtain a good angle for the sheet . What would be the ideal material to use to make the wedge?. I can turn it on the lathe no prob. ,so perhaps some type of plastic ,Tufnol mabye? I will need something about 30 mm thick. Any Ideas chaps (or chapesses) ??

 

[bigwow]

I used a piece of teak, still there after 10 years.

 

[Norman_E]

As Bigwow says, teak is good. Don't forget that if you are setting the winch at an angle to the deck, and not just raising it, you need to make two wedges, and put one below the deck so that the bolts fit flat to it and not at an angle to the deck. Best method is to make a cylinder the diameter of the winch, and saw it in two at the required angle after you have drilled the winch bolt holes right through it. If you do not have enough room below the deck for the full wedge then make small wedges for each bolt.

 

[snowleopard]

Tufnol would certainly work though a little harder than wood to cut to the wedge shape.. Teak is good, also layers of (marine) ply built up to the required thickness. A stainless plate could be bent to the required slope. You could also make it in GRP using a filler shaped as required and encapsulated in laminate.

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks Gentlemen ... I reckon we will go for teak..especially as I have a nice bit doing nothing ..somewhere....in the workshop.

 

[Graham_Wright]

HDPE. You can find it in various colours, dead easy to machine but if you are planning to produce two (or one each side?), you need to plan how to hold it when turning. I produced wedges for turning blocks in 316 Ø75mm and ended up welding onto scrap to hold. Not so easy with plastic!

 

[Solent sailer]

HDPE is very easy to machine, have you looked at the cheep chopping boards is kitchen shops? poly-propline i think and you can get the 10mm thick smoth boards for around £5 in the sales, i have screwed several thickneses together and machined that in the past.