Conference unifix::sailing

    A nice big buffer and the appropriate compound for SS, and a lot of
    time. If you dont have the buffer a friend out in Springfield MA custom
    builds hardware for antique canoes and is equipped to buff large stuff.
    One of his rudders was a calendar photo in WoodenBoat calendar a year
    or two ago. 
    
    Bob Lavertue
    Springfield Fan Centerboard Co.
    20 Treetop Ave
    Springfield MA

    Re: .0
    
    I recall that SS can be electro polished. I have never used the
    process so I can't tell you what to expect. Electro polishing
    is similar to plating but instead of the host metal accepting
    metal from the plating solution, it gives up metal to the 
    solution. Again, I'm not an expert on this topic but you
    might want to check this with companies that do this type
    of work.
    
    Joe

    Well, There are many ways to do it according to our model shop guys
    here at SHR and also the place I purchased it from.
    The ways for best results cost a lot $.The way I choose to do it cost
    little, requires elbow greese and the results are not as good.
    In a few words sand it with emory cloth and then try to buff it
    with a car buff machine.
    By the way I could get the same tubes polished at the same price
    I paidfor the unpolished ones.
    Thanx .1 and .2

    The recommendation from a friend of mine , a gunsmith, is ...
    
    Get some rubbing paste of varying degrees of coarseness and slowly take
    it back with rubbing. He suggested that the various pastes/ compounds I
    use to repair gelcoat are good enough. Once it looks reasonable get
    some silver polish to finish it off with. 
    
    
    Pete

    re: .4
    
    Well Pete, I kind of polished the tubes the way you suggested
    I bought from Spag's-You should visit that store some day  8^) -a stick
    of buffing and polishing compount for SS and three different grades of 
    tafback sand paper.Because the compount was very hard I applied it on
    the sandpaper by grinding into it. Then I sanded the tubes,starting with
    the coarser sandpaper and ending with the finer.They look O.K but not
    near the ones that come already polished.Thanx Pete.
    
    Mike who has done a lot of motorboating on Stoor River (Harwich, Essex)
    
    

    
    	While this has nothing to do with POLISHING SS tubing, its SS
    tubing related. During hurricane Bob, I unfortunately had a boat drag
    its mooring and "sit" on my bow pulpit. Result was a new pulpit is now
    installed. I still have the old pulpit and although I thought I would
    come up with some use for it, it remains in my back yard just sitting
    there. There are quite a few pieces parts of it that are still
    strait and if you have a need for some just send mail and I'm sure we 
    could work something out... If you are REAL adverturous you could even
    try to straiten this one out and use it again...... Its only bent at
    the very pointy end and may be fixable.
    
    Paul 
    
    @ WONDER::BRODEUR
    

    Here's a bend to the same question. Actually, I acquired a bimini with
    poles bent about 5-6 inches wider than what I need. I'd like to figure
    out how to rebend them and then polish them. I believe they are 3/4
    inch thick tubes. Any ideas on rebending? Can I take a standard pipe
    bending tool that plumbers use and use it to straighten it and bend it
    in the area I need?

I have not ever seen a truely good job of straightening a tube.  I have tried on 
numerous ski poles etc.  You can however, get out all except a small waver.
Part of the trouble is that bending metal stretches it a little.  Heating it
tends to shrink it a little.

Probably a better solution would be to cut the tube in the straight middle,
removing the unwanted 5-6".  Put an insert inside.  This has the added advantage
of allowing for more convient breakdown in the fall, and simpler storeage.  In
addition, you can "expand" the width of the framing for your next boat.

Doug
dtn 244-7042