hardwood hatch runners...

[hector]

Hi there,

 

our stern hatch is lined with ply (underneath) and runs on nylon runners which are screwed onto the steel runners - has worked fine, but ply needs replaced and nylon is quite worn and has come lose so at least needs reattached.

 

Anyway, having the job to do made me think it would look much nicer to fix small bits of nylon to the ply under the hatch and have the long runners be strips of wood. Can't really find any evidence of anyone else doing this though, always a plastic or brass if not bare steel. Is there a reason why it wouldn't work? It's the same two materials sliding against each other after all?

 

Obviously even with many layers of oil the wood will be a bit sacrificial, but I can get the strips in oak for £20 where it seems to be £100 for brass right now... and imo wood would look nicer.

 

Any thoughts on something I'm overlooking very welcome before I give it a go!

H

 

 

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Acrylic makes excellent hatch runners. Wood on wood would wear and stick when it absorbs water.

[hector]

8 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Acrylic makes excellent hatch runners. Wood on wood would wear and stick when it absorbs water.

 Thanks Tracy - I can see that would be a problem, yes, but just to restate the plan, I'd be putting either blocks or strips of the old nylon / acrylic runner material under the hatch, fixed to the plywood lining, so the movement would still be wood against nylon, just the opposite way round.

[BEngo]

At the moment the underside of the ply slides on the top of the runners.  That means the ply staysaà mainly dry.  If you have the wood on the runners where the nylon now is, the wood runners will get wet, at least where they are exposed in front of the hatch.  This will increase the wood's tendency to rot, will hold water against the steel that is supporting it, accelerating corrosion and it will probably freeze pretty securely to the hatch as soon as there is a cold spell.  Also have a look at the effects of putting oak against steel.  The steel will not like it, because there is much tannin in the oak.  The steel will  corrode for NATO- which is why trenails and bronze bolts were invented.

 

If brass is too pricey ( and it is dear stuff) then look for some replacement nylon or PTFE strip to put on the runners with some more blocks on the hatch, let into the ply a little if space is needed.

 

N

[PaulJ]

The runners for my hatch are wood on top of steel. Lucky for me  I had some 5mm Teak laying around needing a use (fixed it  down with brass cs machine screws). Plastic squares glued to ply lined hatch lid. Has lasted for at least 25 years so hasnt done too bad but due for replacement in the next few as they have now split in a couple of places. 

Dont think Id use Oak personally but I would give Iroko a try. 

[Jerra]

My Dad was a woodworker, originally a wheelwright, he occasionally used a wood called Quebracho (axe breaker) it was incredibly tough and resistant to rot.  If it is still available I suspect it would do the job brilliantly.

 

It was so tough and rot resistant it was at one time used as railway sleepers.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Jerra

[robtheplod]

I used offcuts from our wooden kitchen worktops - seems to work fine...

[hector]

12 hours ago, BEngo said:

Also have a look at the effects of putting oak against steel.  The steel will not like it, because there is much tannin in the oak. 

Ah, I didn't know this, thanks!

[hector]

11 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Lucky for me  I had some 5mm Teak laying around needing a use (fixed it  down with brass cs machine screws).

 

Good to know this worked! I had mentioned oak only because there were some cheapish strips of it exactly the right dimensions in my nearest B and Q, but I have a couple of pals who do woodwork, kitchen building etc. and a decent timber merchant nearby so will look into teak or iroko... Hadn't heard of Quebracho, I can always ask!

Thanks,

H.

[koukouvagia]

For what it's worth I used this felt tape as a stopgap until I could make a more permanent solution.  I expected it to last a few months, but it's been working smoothly for four years.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shintop-Adhesive-Hardwood-Laminate-Flooring/dp/B07LG5SVNH/ref=asc_df_B07LG5SVNH/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309800630830&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16196094106365771654&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-646796858124&psc=1

[hector]

31 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

For what it's worth I used this felt tape as a stopgap until I could make a more permanent solution.  I expected it to last a few months, but it's been working smoothly for four years.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shintop-Adhesive-Hardwood-Laminate-Flooring/dp/B07LG5SVNH/ref=asc_df_B07LG5SVNH/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309800630830&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16196094106365771654&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-646796858124&psc=1

Oh great! I actually have loads of those little pads lying around, I'll have them to hand in case the nylon turns into a faff.

[agg221]

Sacrilege to some I know, but a good source of very cheap timber in this kind of dimension is 1960s70s furniture from junk shops or Facebook Marketplace, particularly if you have someone who can rip it down to size.

 

Other timbers to consider are sapele, meranti and the various mahoganies.

 

Timbers to avoid are oak (tannins), ash, beech, sycamore/maple and ordinary white softwoods, although if you happen across some good hard pitch pine that would be OK.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Alec

[hector]

6 hours ago, agg221 said:

a good source of very cheap timber in this kind of dimension is 1960s70s furniture from junk shops or Facebook Marketplace

Cheers Alec, that's v helpful!