Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Someone suggested that I should 'mouse' my shackles. Where do I get this mousing wire from? Is it special, or can I use any old wire?
What sort of wire for mousing?
- Thread starter Ru88ell
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Marsupial
Well-Known Member
You should use monel wire, the idea is that it wont react with any other metal so it wont cause corrosion on the shackle and its pins. You can get it in chandlers.
whipper_snapper
Well-Known Member
VicS
Well-Known Member
Monel for stainless steel shackles etc
but it is a copper/nickel alloy so not for galvanized shackles.
finbarr
Active Member
cable ties?
Seajet
...
Cable ties have been known to fail at the 'grip' part, and don't like U/V.
They also leave a nasty sharp edge, then so will mousing if not done properly.
The only time to use them is if mousing is impractical, such as mooring shackles in muddy water; though they can make handy anchor chain markers if the right length left uncut to avoid sharp edges in the hand.
Put it this way, all aircraft controls, engine bits & pieces etc are wire-locked; would you get on a plane with controls 'locked' by cable ties ?!
They also leave a nasty sharp edge, then so will mousing if not done properly.
The only time to use them is if mousing is impractical, such as mooring shackles in muddy water; though they can make handy anchor chain markers if the right length left uncut to avoid sharp edges in the hand.
Put it this way, all aircraft controls, engine bits & pieces etc are wire-locked; would you get on a plane with controls 'locked' by cable ties ?!
Lady Campanula
N/A
In the context of moorings:
Elsewhere, Monel 1.6mm and small black ( not white ) cable ties work well.
Elsewhere, Monel 1.6mm and small black ( not white ) cable ties work well.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I found mousing wire no good at all on my swinging mooring. Cable ties have been quite effective, but can get pinched and snap.
At the moment I am using galvanised fencing wire (farming stuff). It is very stiff but can be formed into loops with pliers and bent back around the shackle legs. Seems very effective
At the moment I am using galvanised fencing wire (farming stuff). It is very stiff but can be formed into loops with pliers and bent back around the shackle legs. Seems very effective
Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the comments so far. Mine is a small vessel, which makes shackles and rigging screws too small for cable ties. The hole diameters are pretty small.
I'll get some wire.
I'll get some wire.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Nice boat (just looked at the blog) didn't realise you meant on-board shackles.
Do you really need to mouse them? I've not had a small shackle come undone on various under-20ft boats after a sharp nip with some pliers.
Do you really need to mouse them? I've not had a small shackle come undone on various under-20ft boats after a sharp nip with some pliers.
Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Cheers Lakey! She gets a lot of nice comments both via t'internet and in person.
Three people independently suggested that I should mouse up the shackles on the chain waterstay. I was just following it up. I tracked down some of that wire to a place called http://www.chandlery4u.co.uk It seems that the owners have retired but have loads of good stock. I bought some Barton blocks at stupid money too.
Three people independently suggested that I should mouse up the shackles on the chain waterstay. I was just following it up. I tracked down some of that wire to a place called http://www.chandlery4u.co.uk It seems that the owners have retired but have loads of good stock. I bought some Barton blocks at stupid money too.
Lady Campanula
N/A
...or a rigger's spike, or a Boy Scout thingy-for-horses-hooves, which is fine on deck for shackles that can be inspected as you use them.
However, in the mooring assembly, it's more problematic. I watched a seasoned mooring contractor tighten up mooring shackles with a big spike and an extension handle, giving it maximum multiplied force. What he was not aware of is that that tends to rupture the galvanised coating on the threads of both the pin and its screw-hole, leading to very much faster corrosion of the threads.
Then the pin becomes loose in service, eventually coming away at an inopportune time.
So do 'em up just tight enough, with a smear of waterproof grease if you will ever want to release them, then mouse them effectively....
prv
Well-Known Member
I have. One of the blocks on my peak halyard came clattering down late last season. The shackle actually landed on my head and the pin fell through the companionway, so I could be quite certain that it unscrewed rather than broke. I nipped them all up with pliers or a spike, and I thought I had wired them all although presumably I missed this one. I double-checked the wiring this year before putting the mast back up.
On Stavros we use lengths of galvanised wire untwisted from old rig wires, but that's on galvanised shackles. Monel is the right stuff for stainless.
Pete
VO5
Well-Known Member
The thing with mousing, I have found, is not to overdo it.
A couple of turns is enough. Also I always have in mind that some mousings are not necessarily permanent.
Overmoused shackles are a pain to undo in a hurry.I use two pliers to get them off.
First a snipper, to cut through.
Then alligators to pull them off and to turn the pin quickly.
It is wise ti smear the thread on the pin with heavy waterproof grease before tightening, by the way.
A couple of turns is enough. Also I always have in mind that some mousings are not necessarily permanent.
Overmoused shackles are a pain to undo in a hurry.I use two pliers to get them off.
First a snipper, to cut through.
Then alligators to pull them off and to turn the pin quickly.
It is wise ti smear the thread on the pin with heavy waterproof grease before tightening, by the way.
prv
Well-Known Member
What I was taught on Stavros was to make two figure-8s between the pin and the body of the shackle. So you come out of the pin heading (say) right, go back round the left side of the body, come up again on the right side, cross over the wire and go back into the left side of the pin. Follow it round again then twist the ends together and tuck the twisted part away so it doesn't snag.
Much easier from a picture, of course, but I don't have one to hand.
Agreed on galvanised shackles, but I wouldn't bother on stainless.
Pete
Seajet
...
I was taught to mouse so as to secure against the 'undoing' direction of rotation, if you see what I mean, the idea being to prevent the slightest rotation rather than just retain the pin.
This is another reason I'm not a fan of cable ties unless circumstances force their use.
I was just looking at the forum thinking 'only here could you get 14 answers to " what wire should I mouse with ", but ( apart from mine of course) it's all good stuff, a lesson there somewhere.
This is another reason I'm not a fan of cable ties unless circumstances force their use.
I was just looking at the forum thinking 'only here could you get 14 answers to " what wire should I mouse with ", but ( apart from mine of course) it's all good stuff, a lesson there somewhere.
Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Quite. As a newbie I'm really glad I found such a rapid and brilliant source of information. You've all helped me no end. Thanks!
mcframe
Well-Known Member
From a former life as a motorbike-racing pit-monkey[0], I've got a nice pair of lockwire pliers for that lovely spiral-twist effect ;-)
[0] S-curve between two brake-caliper bolts being the canonical example.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
I don't mean to sound like a pedantic so and so, but do you mean "bob-stay" when you say "chain water stay"?
Lots of good advice on mousing shackles, and I have never had too much trouble with monel wire on galvanized OR s/s shackles.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Its what is done on aircraft. I was watching it being done on a helicopter gear box only the other day. They used a nice special tool for putting the twists in as well.
