Re-Galvanising Anchor Chain

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bluefinch

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I notice in YM February issue Vyv Cox talks about re-galvanising anchor chains at about a third of the cost of new replacement. I have also read that Lyn & Larry Pardy did this to theirs on several occasions. Does any body have experience of this and would like to comment? I have looked previously but have never been able to find anybody that can offer this service in the UK. Is it still something that people do these days? I have 75 meters of half inch. Mick
 
Regalvanizing anchor chain

I have had my 3/8inch anchor chain regalvanized three times over 16 years & have just had it done for that 3rd time after anchoring most nights over a 7 year cruising period (standfast when laid up, of course).

Each time it has been done by B E Wedge Ltd in Willenhall, West Midlands (wedge@wedge-galv.co.uk 01902 630311.

They have several branches where they can do it or accept it, but only at their HQ (I am assured) are they able to do it in such a way that links remain free (pretty important!). They spin it or keep it moving in some way.

It takes about 3-5 days and you can just take it in to them. They strip it and pickle it in some way then treat it. Cost is by weight and it works out at approx £1 per Kg of chain/anchor. My approx 40mtres of 3/8inch cost me £97.74 in Dec 09 which is much less than new chain.

There is a lot of poor quality Chinese chain around these days and so if you have good chain already (even if it has surface corrosion) my advice would be to have it treated rather than replace it. (Not many know this, as they say - so you do not hear much about it; also compliance with H & S regs mean few places can now do it.)

PS I have no connection with this very helpful company - I am just a happy customer!
 
Did mine last year, cost about 60 quid for 45m of 3/8. Excellent job and yes, half to one third of new price. More important it is good chain and fits my windlass. As Simon has said, Brummieland is the place for this sort of thing so the main problem is getting it there and back.
Note that they cannot deal with any chain that has been painted.
 
I got mine done last year for about 1/3 of the price of new chain. It is important to find a company with a vibrating rig to shake off some of the excess zinc. Even then, I was advised to tumble it in a concrete mixer for a while to loosen up the stuck links. Lacking a mixer, I bashed at the solid bits with a lump hammer instead. Despite this necessary work, it is definitely worth doing.
 
bluefinch said:
I notice in YM February issue Vyv Cox talks about re-galvanising anchor chains at about a third of the cost of new replacement. I have also read that Lyn & Larry Pardy did this to theirs on several occasions. Does any body have experience of this and would like to comment? I have looked previously but have never been able to find anybody that can offer this service in the UK. Is it still something that people do these days? I have 75 meters of half inch. Mick
Click to expand...

Mine was done by BE Wedge just before Xmas. They tell me they are the only company in UK who have a continuous line specifically for regalvanising chain, the others spin it which gives a less even coating. The cost is £1 per kg + VAT but there is a 50% surcharge if the chain is painted, as it goes through the process twice to remove paint.

My 60 metres of 8 mm cost a total of £92. You may have to wait a little until they have enough to justify turning the line on but it is rarely more than a week or ten days.

It's an excellent job, visibly far better than the original, which was either Italian or French and I suspect spin galvanised.
 
Well it certainly seems worthwhile getting it done if you can get it to the galvaniser at reasonable cost. The carriage on my 65metres of 8mm chain from Dudley to London a few years ago was £50.

I suppose it could be combined with the little trip to the Iron Bridge Gorge Museum I plan to make, one of these days!
 
regalvanising chain expedition

bluefinch said:
I notice in YM February issue Vyv Cox talks about re-galvanising anchor chains at about a third of the cost of new replacement. I have also read that Lyn & Larry Pardy did this to theirs on several occasions. Does any body have experience of this and would like to comment? I have looked previously but have never been able to find anybody that can offer this service in the UK. Is it still something that people do these days? I have 75 meters of half inch. Mick
Click to expand...

Mick,
See link http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219338.
rjcoles, I and possibly Catalac08 & Twister Ken intend to get our chain up to Brum for re-galvanising.
Xmas things & the bad weather have stopped me so far collecting RJcoles chain from IoW, but I hope to get out for several days w/c 15/02/10 with some pals for a Solent cruise, collect his chain and take it up to Wedges or other agreed re-galvaniser with mine.
can you get your chain to the mainland, say Pompey easily?

Depending on the combined total weight and bulk, i'd either source a carrier, drive up in our car or get a cheap hire van; so far i've got 27.5m of 10mm, rjc has100m of 3/8" + 45lb Bruce,you have 75m of 0.5", and TKen has 50m of tba?

DickT
 
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Sounds like a very senisble solution, I will definitely look into this as I have 50m of chain with a layer of surface corrosion and this should be a good saving compared to replacing.

Does anyone have any guides however as to how much corrosion is too much, or would the company advise on the condition of chain when treating it? At the end of the day confidence in the strength of the chain is more important than cost if my boat is on the other end...
 
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