Bronze (?) pulpit

BCC Forum
1

I have a SLM BCC and I’m slowly converting as much of the stainless steel hardware to bronze as I am able to.

I’ve wondered why I’ve never seen a bronze pulpit (mine is, of course, stainless steel). Atlas Metal Sales sells silicon bronze tubing of similar dimensions to that of the stainless steel tubing that is typically used for pulpits.

Does anyone know of a good reason (or reasons) why a pulpit could not be fabricated from silicon bronze tubing (aside from the cost)?

Dioscouri (hull #064)

2

Dioscouri:

I believe you will have a difficult time sourcing silicon or aluminum bronze tubing. I have attached several links for bronze suppliers below.

If I were thinking about building a bronze pulpit, I would build it out of leaded red brass. This alloy has excellent service in sea water, is available and is less expensive than silcone bronze and aluminum bronze. Most cast “bronze” marine hardware, including valves and seacocks are made from either semi-leaded red brass or leaded red brass. Manganese bronze would also be another choice.

Fair Winds,

IDUNA

Adiral Metal: http://www.admiralmetals.com/AdmiralWeb/index.jsp

Anchor Bronze: http://www.anchorbronze.com/

 Alloy Data Base, Anchor Bronze: http://www.anchorbronze.com/alloydatabase.htm

Farmers Copper: http://www.farmerscopper.com/

Copper Alloy specifications: http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=2856#_Bronze_Families

3

Thanks IDUNA

I will search those websites. In the meantime, Atlas Metal Sales advises that they do have silicon bronze tubing; however, it is low silicon bronze B (CDA 65100). That doesn’t mean too much to me, but Atlas advises that it may not be strong enough for my application.

Do you have any advice in this regard?

Dioscouri

4

Atlas’s 1" O.D. silicone bronze tubing has a wall thickness of 0.125" (1/8"). Hardware uses reported at the Atlas site include anchor screws, bolts, cable clamps, cap screws, machine screws, marine hardware, nuts, pole line hardware, rivets, U-bolts.

The 1" O.D. tubing is probably strong enough for your application.

Should you decide to build a pulpit with copper alloy tubing, you may want to first find a metal fabricator in your area that has welded these alloys. Welding, brazing or silver soldering copper alloys is not as easy as welding steel. They should also be able to advise you on the strength of low silicone bronze.

Hope that helps,

IDUNA

5

Thanks very much, IDUNA. I will let you know if I succeed with this project.

Dioscouri

6

Hi Dioscouri, your desire for bronze hardware has merit.

I too have much bronze on BCC Calliste, and am very happy with it, but I did have to draw the line and go ss in some places.

There is another source for bronze that isn’t on the afore mentioned list.

“Alaskan Copper and Brass” has an online downloadable catalog, which has an advisor on welding bronze, that you might find helpful.

I believe that I have seen pulpits and railings made of bronze, but they were very heavy, so were mounted on power boats.

I have also had good success by marrying the two metals, bronze and ss together, like using bronze bolts on ss fittings, or ss clevis pins on bronze toggles and turnbuckles.

There was another mostly bronze fitted BCC, in the Texas, area, owned by a Mr Wooten-Wolly (sp-?) some few years ago.

Douglas

7

Good evening all,
I bought Sea Star from Brian several years ago. She is almost all bronze
but without a pulpit. Sumio sent me a pulpit drawing several years ago that
I can scan for you if you are interested.

David Kent
Sea Star hull 76

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-bccforum@coledata.com [mailto:owner-bccforum@coledata.com] On
Behalf Of BCC Forums
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:54 PM
To: bccforum@samlmorse.com
Subject: [BCC Forum Post] dwkayaks: Re: Bronze (?) pulpit

Author: dwkayaks
Username: dwkayaks
Subject: Re: Bronze (?) pulpit
Forum: BCC Forum
Link: http://www.samlmorse.com/forum/read.php?5,6117,6122#msg-6122

Hi Dioscouri, your desire for bronze hardware has merit.

I too have much bronze on BCC Calliste, and am very happy with it, but I
did have to draw the line and go ss in some places.

There is another source for bronze that isn’t on the afore mentioned list.

“Alaskan Copper and Brass” has an online downloadable catalog, which has an
advisor on welding bronze, that you might find helpful.

I believe that I have seen pulpits and railings made of bronze, but they
were very heavy, so were mounted on power boats.

I have also had good success by marrying the two metals, bronze and ss
together, like using bronze bolts on ss fittings, or ss clevis pins on
bronze toggles and turnbuckles.

There was another mostly bronze fitted BCC, in the Texas, area, owned by a
Mr Wooten-Wolly (sp-?) some few years ago.

Douglas

8

Thanks, Douglas and David.

I will look into the Alaskan Copper and Brass website. It may be that I will just live with some stainless steel components, which would not be so bad in any event.

Thank you David for the offer of the pulpit drawing. I do have that drawing so do not need you to scan it for me.

Gary
Dioscouri (#064)

9

Hi all,

Something to consider with bronze pulpits is that in the tropics, these surfaces can become very hot due to their dark colors when oxidized. I need to replace the teak handrails on my Westsail 32 and have been considering using metal instead. But after being scorched by a friend’s cabin-top bronze handrail, I’m not sure I’d go that route.

I found a decent source of brass and bronze tubing that isn’t included on the list above:
http://www.precisiontube.com/

If I were to use bronze tubing for something I’d likely grab to keep on board, I’d probably work some fancy seine wrap down the length as an insulator.

Just a few cents :slight_smile:

Fair leads and shady quarters,
Aaron N.
W32 #482 Asia Marie